How we choose toys

Every toy has to earn its place

We keep our range small on purpose. Before anything goes on sale, it has to pass three questions, testing at home and a check of its safety papers. This page shows exactly how.

  • 3 questions every toy must pass
  • 5 steps from idea to our shop
  • 30 days to return anything that isn't loved
Drawing robot kit with picture cards, markers and a traced teapot drawing

The three questions

Duck asks the first, Pippin the second, and every parent we know asks the third.

  1. Is it fun on day one?

    If a child does not want to play with it straight out of the box, it does not make the cut. Instructions should take minutes, not an evening.

    • Ready to play within 10 minutes
    • Children ask for it again the next day
    • No app or account needed

  2. Does it teach something?

    Every toy has to build at least one real skill: pen control, colours, patience, building, curiosity about the world, or helping out at home.

    • Builds a skill you can name
    • Open-ended: more than one way to play
    • Grows with the child for months, not days

  3. Will it last in a real family?

    Little hands are tough on things. We look for toys that survive being dropped, packed away and found again, and that fit on a normal shelf.

    • Survives our drop and tidy-up test
    • Spare parts or refills where it matters
    • Packs away without taking over the room

From idea to our shop

Five steps every toy goes through. Most toys we look at stop somewhere along the way.

  1. Step 1

    Spot a problem

    We start with what parents tell us: rainy days, messy painting, too much screen time, bath-time tears.

  2. Step 2

    Order samples

    We order samples from several makers and compare build, materials and instructions side by side.

  3. Step 3

    Test at home

    Families we know play with the best ones at home. If interest fades after day three, it goes.

  4. Step 4

    Check the paperwork

    We ask for the CE declaration, EN 71 test reports and age grading before anything goes on sale.

  5. Step 5

    List it honestly

    Real photos, real measurements, the right age and what is in the box. No promises the toy cannot keep.

Our checklist

Play value

  • Fun from the first minute
  • Teaches a skill you can name
  • Works without a screen, app or subscription
  • More than one way to play
  • Something to show at the end: a drawing, a track, a meal

Safety and quality

  • We ask for the CE declaration and EN 71 test reports before we list a toy
  • Clear age guidance and warnings in your language
  • No small parts in toys for children under 3
  • Battery compartments closed with a screw where batteries are used

What we say no to

Saying no is most of the job. These never make it into our shop, however well they sell elsewhere.

These never make it into our shop, however well they sell elsewhere.

  • Toys that only work with an appIf the fun stops when the battery or the Wi-Fi does, it is not for us.
  • Loud one-trick electronicsButtons that make the same noise forever are fun for a day.
  • Anything without safety papersNo CE declaration and test reports, no listing. However good it looks.
  • Throwaway noveltiesIf it will be broken or forgotten in a week, we leave it on the shelf.

Product safety information

Every product page shows the age guidance and the safety warnings for that toy. If something about a product worries you, tell us straight away.

Know a toy we should try?

Some of our favourites came from parents' tips. Tell us what your children love and we'll put it through the same three questions.

Shop our toys

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Duck, Pippin, Bruno and Ellie walking in a row
Picked by the parade, tested by real families.