Cuthberts Top 5 Toys for Toddlers for Christmas

Following on from last week's Top 5 Toys for Babies, this week we're looking at what we think toddlers will love this Christmas. One to two years olds are at that exciting age when they're starting to take much more notice of what's going on around them, becoming really inquisitive about the world  and able to move around confidently too. It's an age when they really start to "play" with toys, rather than just explore them and that's what we've tried to reflect in our top 5 list.

1. VTech Toot Toot Drivers Garage and Airport - £39.99 and £29.99

Since VTech launched their Toot Toot Drivers range it has been hugely successful with both boys and girls. The cars are the perfect size for little hands and they're also really easy for them to push around on the floor. The range is also full compatible, meaning that you can add to it over a period of time as your child grows up. As well as the large components like the garage and airport, you can also buy cars, additional road and now a train station too.

Local blogger Mrs C reviewed the garage back when it was first released and here on the Cuthberts blog we also reviewed the airport in detail just last month.

2. Mini Micro Scooter - 3 in 1 with O Bar and Seat - £74.99

Older children have been enjoying Micro Scooters for a few years now, but even toddlers can get in on the act with the Mini Micro Scooter 3 in 1.

The 3 in 1 set set gives you a normal Mini Micro Scooter (suitable for ages 3+) but also an O Bar handle and an seat which fits on to the O Bar handle. This means that for young toddlers they first use the scooter as a ride on toy and then when they're ready the seat can be removed. The O Bar handle gives them more stability and easier steering than the normal T-bar handle and means they can gain confidence before moving on to the T-bar handle once they're around three years old.

There's a review of the 3 in 1 Micro Scooter available here and the Cuthberts blog can also provide you with an excellent overview of the entire Micro Scooter range that we sell. The 3 in 1 Micro Scooter is available in either pink or blue.

We don't sell Micro Scooters online, but if you pop into any of our stores we will happily show you the Mini Micro 3 in 1 and explain how it all works and grows up with your child. If you already have a Mini Micro Scooter in the family, we also sell a pack containing the O-bar handle and seat.

3. My First Brio Railway - £29.99

Wooden train sets are huge hits with toddlers and again are things that can grow with them. The My First Brio Railway is a perfect introduction to the world of wooden railways and simple enough for young children to be able to play with it effectively.

The wooden track pieces fit together like jigsaw pieces and the set also comes with handy ramp pieces at each end so that toddlers can guide the train up on to the tracks, rather than having to place them on correctly. There's a sweet little tunnel to guide the train through and the train itself comes with three carriages which attach together with magnets. The First Brio Railway is also compatible with the rest of the Brio range, as well as with other wooden railways.

4. Wow - Dexter the Digger - £22.99

One of the best things about the Wow range at Christmas time is that it doesn't require batteries! Dexter the Digger is Cuthberts' best selling item is the range and a huge hit with children.

Like all Wow toys Dexter the Digger is incredibly sturdy and perfect for little hands that might not always be gentle with their toys. Using a slider on the side of Dexter's digging arm he can be moved to scoop and pick up the three boulders that he comes with. He also twists in the middle so that he can turn and drop the load anywhere he wants to. To help keep him in check Dexter also comes with a builder figure called Bill.

5. Peppa Pig Lullaby Peppa - £21.99

For children you love Peppa Pig this Lullaby Peppa is the perfect bedtime companion. If you child presses the heart shaped area on Peppa's tummy then she plays Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and also projects gentle starlight up on to the ceiling, which will then fade away after 20 minutes. The combination of music and light will help to relax your little one and make it easier for them to fall asleep. 

Cuthberts Top 5 Toys for Toddlers are available either online or in our stores (Hatfield Galleria, Letchworth and St Albans). If you want any more recommendations for what to buy your little ones this Christmas then please pop in and talk to our staff.

Micro Scooters for Everyone!

If you walk in any local park you're bound to see plenty of children darting around on scooters. If you look carefully you'll notice that a clear majority of them are riding Micro Scooters and there are many reasons why the one brand has such a strong following.

The three wheel design of the mini and maxi Micro scooters means that young children easily find them very stable and easy to steer. They are also very low to the ground which helps children's balance further. The high build quality of all Micro Scooters means that they easily stand up to the everyday wear and tear that children put them through as they travel to school or round the local park. As they are light weight they can easily be hung off a buggy whilst your little one is exploring the local playground, or for mum or dad to carry it home whilst they stay at school.

The Micro Scooter range isn't just limited to the Mini and Maxi scooters though and Cuthberts are proud to stock Micro Scooters which cater from the very young, right up to adult commuters. The below should give you a taste of what is available for different ages, but all our staff are extremely knowledgable about the whole range, so do just come into your local store and ask us to help find what is right for you or your children.

Mini Micro Seat (1-3 years)

 

With the addition of a seat and O-bar handle to a Mini Micro Scooter you have a ride on which will work well for children around the one year mark. Once your child is more confident on their feet and balancing well the seat can be removed and you have an ideal first scooter. The O-bar handle is shorter than the standard mini T-bar handle making it easier for little ones to use and gain confidence on. When they have grown in height, normally around the 3 year mark, the supplied T-bar handle can be swapped in and it becomes a standard Mini Micro Scooter.

The tough plastic base and wheels mean that this scooter is strong enough to withstand what a toddler will put it through, but can also be used indoors on hard floors without ruining your floor!

Local mum Mrs C reviewed the Mini Micro Seat with her daughter.

Cuthberts stock the Mini Micro Seat in both pink and blue (containing seat, O-bar handle and T-bar handle as well as scooter base), and also sell the Mini Micro Seat and O Bar as a separate package.

Mini Micro Scooter (3-6 years)

This was the original, award winning, micro scooter and the one that you will have most likely seen out and about. A three wheel scooter with simple tilt and lean steering it's perfect as a first scooter for young children.

On her blog mum Emma talks about how a mini Micro Scooter has helped her daughter, who suffers from Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH), to develop gross motor skills and build strength. She also mentions how some children in hospital also use micro scooters as part of their physio.

Cuthberts sell the Mini Micro Scooter in the original blue and pink colours and also stock the neon colour range. They are exclusive local stockists for the limited edition Mini Micro Candy Pink and Candy Blue.

Maxi Micro Scooter (6-12 years)

Once children have outgrown the mini micro scooter there is a natural progression on to the Maxi Micro Scooter. Still with the three wheel design and the tilt and lean steering that children mastered with the mini, the maxi also features an adjustable handle height so that it can grow with the child.

Life at the Zoo recently reviewed their son moving up from a Mini to a Maxi Scooter.

Cuthberts stock the Maxi Micro Scooter in red, blue, purple and black.

Micro Sprite Scooter (5-12 years and upwards)

Not all Micro Scooters have three wheels. The Sprite is a two wheeled aluminium framed scooter which is also foldable, making it even easier to transport.The steering on the Sprite is also different, with 360 degree steering, much like you get on a bicycle. Like on the Maxi Scooter, the handle height is adjustable. It's an ideal introduction to two wheeled scooters for children.

Seasider in the City's son and husband were sent a Maxi and a Sprite to review together.

Cuthberts stock the Sprite in red, pink, silver, black and blue and all colours are also available online.

Micro Bullet Scooter (5-12 years and upwards)

The Bullet is very much like the Sprite in design, but features an anodised frame, making it even more resistant to corrosion and wear. Again with an adjustable height handle which folds the bullet also has a unique “Gun finish” which makes it really stand out from the others.

Cuthberts are pleased to sell the Micro Bullet both in store and online.

Micro Rocket Scooter (7 years – adult)

If you want to take your scooting up a gear as a teenager then the Rocket is the scooter to do just that. Whilst still having the robust finish of all Micro Scooters and the adjustable height folding handle of the other aluminium scooters, the Rocket also features unique fatties wheels which provide extra grip and stability, especially when scooting on slightly uneven surfaces.A tribal design and racing green finish complete the Rocket's unique look.

Cuthberts' stores stock the Micro Rocket and it is also available online.

Micro Flex Scooter (10 years – adult)

The Flex scooter really opens up scooting for adults as well as children. Parents are finding that a Flex is a great way to join the children when out for a scoot, whilst commuters are seeing them as a realistic option for getting to the office, or to help avoid car parking charges at the local train station. The fact that it folds easily means that it can either be carried with you or it will go in the car boot along with the children's scooters.

The patented composite flex deck makes it the most comfortable scooter around and the adjustable height handle means that it accommodates commuters of all heights.

Cuthberts are pleased to stock the Micro Flex in store.

Micro Flex Air Scooter (10 years – adult)

Following on from the Flex, the Flex Air incorporates a wood and fibreglass deck to help absorb bumps and also air filled wheels (hence the name). Again, it has the folding mechanism and adjustable height, but the large frame of this scooter makes it particularly suitable to taller riders.

The Micro Flex Air is available in all Cuthberts stores and online.

Spare parts

In addition to stocking the scooters themselves, Cuthberts also stock a range of spare parts for the Mini and Maxi Micro Scooters which can be used either to replace anything broken, or to help your children change the look of their scooter, especially if it is being passed on from an older sibling. Just changing the handle grips or brake can really give a scooter a whole new look. Should you want any specific part then please phone your local store to check availability.