There's lots of toys on sale at the moment, and rest assured they'll all be full price in the week before Christmas. Or most of them anyway. This is a very pink toy, but if you've got a Hello Kitty fan in the house you'll be used to that. John Lewis has reduced the price of the Hello Kitty Roller Disco from £29.95 to £15.

• Click here for your Hello Kitty Roller Disco at John Lewis

With this playset, your little one can treat their Hello Kitty dolls to an amazing roller disco where they can dance the night away. The set comes with 4 Hello Kitty figurines, sweet machine and shop, skate hire shop, as well as tables and chairs where they can enjoy a milkshake.

If the dolls fancy going for a dance in their magnetic skates, the dance floor flashes and lights up, while the disco ball revolves to set a proper party scene.

This is also a handy toy for taking about with you, useful if you're doing any visiting or travelling over the Christmas break. The disco folds up into a handy carry case so you can take Hello Kitty with you wherever you go.

Thanks to mkb_1980 at HUKD!

This would make a nice Christmas present or stocking filler for a little one. I always liked singing with my son when he was a toddler (and too little to realise how out of tune mummy was). I never knew that many songs though. The First Songs Library Sing-along Books are £3.99 including delivery at Play.com. The normal RRP is £12.99.

• Click here for your Sing-along Books at Play.com

The First Songs Library Sing-along Books are a collection of three illustrated books. These contain 50 of our favourite nursery rhymes, lullabies and sing-along songs. Well favourite according to the makers of these books, so I guess that means the most well known. I know so little of these songs, I was a bit surprised there were fifty of them!

The website says that children will love to sing along to the musical versions on the specially-recorded audio CD. In my experience that's usually true. Especially older babies and toddlers. Not all of them like those little playgroups where you do sing songs though. My son didn't, and the lad I used to babysit wasn't fond of them either. Something like this to sing at home is ideal then.

Thanks to MissGem at HUKD!

Use this The Body Shop promotional code to get 50% off pots of pots of body butter. I remember seeing this code pop up around this time last year, or something like it. And I bagged about four tubs at a bargain price. With a lovely box, some tissue paper, and a few other items they made some really lovely and thoughtful presents for my friends.

Click here to get your The Body Shop Winter Essentials for half price

• Discount: 50%
• Applies to: Winter Essentials
• Promotional code: WINTER
• Expires: 12th December 2011

To use this code, go to the Shopping Basket page and enter it in the Promotional Code box. It will be applied to your order automatically. I tested it out on the Almond Nail & Cuticle Oil, which cost £7. The code took this down to £3.50. Delivery is £3.99 on the site.

There are a large number of gorgeous sounding items in the Winter Essentials section. Something I've done for the last couple of years is to make up little gift baskets for some members of the family. I keep some of the packaging that comes through during the year - for example one item I bought around Mother's Day time came snuggled in pink shredded paper. Then I buy a few items when sales like this come up, and you can then put together a nice gift set much cheaper than you'd get in the shops (try covering little boxes in tissue paper and then wrap the whole lot up with cellophane).

Thanks to emz13x at HUKD!

It's the night before Christmas ... well thankfully it isn't! I'd be in a blind panic right now not having actually got half my presents. But that's the name of the gorgeous jigsaw puzzle that Jumbo Games sent me. I also got to try out its Fireman Sam Spin and Rescue Game.

One big problem about buying presents, especially for kids, is that you're never really sure what you're going to get. That why we're focussing on the top items that people generally like to buy for review this year. And what is more Christmassy than sitting around doing a jigsaw puzzle on Christmas eve?

How did these potential gifts work out? Well read on and see!

Click here to read more...

Use this Warehouse promotional code to get 25% off and free next day delivery. The best bit about this code is that it works on sale items too. Next day delivery normally costs £4.99. Very handy if you want to pick up some Christmas clobber for yourself, or a few Christmas present items for older children and family.

Click here to use your Warehouse promotional code

• Discount: 25%
• Promotional code: 25VC
• Expires: 11th December 2011

To use this code, go to the Shopping Bag page and enter it in the Promotional Code box. It will be applied to your order, right at the bottom of the totals column, after delivery is added.

I tested it out on this Sequin Striped T-Shirt, which was in the sale section - the site has up to 40% off party gear. Handy if you've got some Christmas parties to go to this year. It had been marked down from £55 to £35.

The code took a further £8.75 off the price, and also the standard delivery charge of £4.99, so the overall bill including delivery came to £26.25.

Thanks to djmetsandy at HUKD!

Cars, stunts, and a track that can get cars to jump over ten feet. I always end up feeling like I'm being sexist when I write these sorts of toys up, but while there's going to be girls and mums who love this (and I know I do) this is a toy for the boys. The S1 GX Racers Jump Track Set is down from £19.99 to £9.99 at The Hut.

• Click here for your stunt car racing set at The Hut

Whenever I watch my son and his friends play I am amazed at how long they'll spend to create something for that one second worth of satisfaction when it is utterly destroyed or a missile knocks something over. I can only imagine what they'll come up with given a car track set that sends cars flying through the air at up to 10feet.

My other half will love something like this too. I can imagine all sorts of daddy and son bonding sessions while I get to curl up on the sofa and read my Christmas book while drinking my Christmas glass of wine.

The jump ramp is fully adjustable by height and distance, comes with 7ft of track and the car can jump over 10 feet.

Special Features:

• 1 x Adjustable Jump Track with 7ft of track
• 1 x Speed Gyro
• 1 x GX Racer Car
• 1 x Rip Cord

This Christmas Penguin Books are offering 25% off their range of children's Christmas books. This includes books from their ladybird range for younger children, and puffin range for older kids, as well as their boxsets. There's also discounts on their Dr Who and Top Gear books. Just to make it an even better deal, the site is offering free delivery until the 31st January, 2012.

• Click here for your Christmas books at Penguin

If you're a parent then you're probably feeling overloaded with toys already. Christmas is a huge toyfest and you may be thinking there's some balance needed. A couple of books could be just the balance you're after!

Doctor Who: Where's the Doctor for example has been reduced from £8.99 to £6.74. These are a bit like the Where's Wally books, but instead you search through Cybermen, dig through the Daleks and ogle the Ood to find the Doctor and his friends. A bit more exciting I think!

For younger kids there's the really lovely Ladybird Big Noisy Book of Christmas Songs. An excellent stocking filler. It was £10.99 and is now £8.24.

Oh and here is a wonderful book that would make a beautiful gift especially if you've a god child or niece/nephew to buy for. It is the Amazing Pop-Up Tale of Peter Rabbit, reduced from £14.99 to £11.24.

Use this Disney Store online promotional code to get £10 off your order when you spend £50 or more. This is a particularly handy code at this time of the year, especially if you've got more than one child to buy for.  You'll also get free delivery, as there's no charge on orders over £30 until the end of  this Sunday. The code works on full price items, and doesn't work when your total contains items that are already discounted.

Click here to use your Disney Store online promotional code

• Discount: £10
• Minimum spend: £50
• Promotional code: DVDISNEY10
• Expires: 4th December 2011

To use this code, go to the Shopping Basket page and enter it in the box under Special Offers and Discounts. It will be applied automatically to your order.

I tested it out on a range of  items from my son's favourite movies. Specifically a Buzz Lightyear costume for £20, Disney Cars Deluxe Racer set for £20, and a couple of action figures. In total my basket came to £50.49. Delivery of £4.95 was deducted, and the £10 taken off, so in total including delivery the whole bill came to £40.49. Making it one of the few times where I didn't leave the Disney store, either in person or online, without feeling like my wallet had been violated.

Thanks to grumpyat3 at HUKD!

All I want for Christmas is ... Chances are a lot of kids are going to have a micro scooter on their list of Christmas gifts. My son has one, and I can't think what I'd do without it. When we're out it keeps him going in a straight line, it has a lot of entertainment value when at the park, and is perfect for day trips.

Invariably there's acres of walking to do where-ever we go. Just getting from the tube to the Natural History museum is a trek! So he doesn't get tuckered out too early, and for the trip home again at the end of the day when we're all tired, the micro scooter means I don't have a whiny child. He can stand on it, and it is effortless to pull along. Oh, and I can hang my bag on the handle too.

Even if it isn't for their main Christmas present list, Micro Scooters sell a number of accessories as well. Handy for stocking fillers and as smaller Christmas gifts.

So I was thrilled that we'd get a chance to review some of these. Always good to be able to pass on relevant and practical buying information for our parent readers. Sadly (for me) we don't get to keep this stuff, but you can read on to find out what we found heart wrenching to send back, and what we were more than happy to return.

Click here to read more...

Use this Ladybird Books promotional code to get 25% off your order and free delivery when you buy selected Christmas books. Unfortunately I couldn't work out how to tell which books in the Christmas section that this applies to, so there is a bit of trial and error involved. Worth it to pick up a lovely present or stocking filler.

Click here to use your Ladybird Books promotional code

• Discount: 25% and free delivery
• Applies to: selected Christmas books
• Promotional code: ladybirdxmas2011
• Expires: 31st January 2012

To use this code, go to the Shopping Basket, enter it in the Coupon Code box, and press the Update Basket button. You'll see the discount automatically applied, and the free delivery further on through checkout.

Free delivery is always a favourite of mine as it means you can pick up just one item, without having to add that extra amount (which often makes it less of a bargain).

I'm not sure which of the books in the Christmas section this can be applied to. I rather excitedly tried to buy the Christmas Carols Book and CD, but it wouldn't let me use the code. Next I tried it on the My First Christmas Collection: Little Library. This had been priced at £5 but the code took that down to £3.74.

Thanks to hikilburn at HUKD!

The Playmobil Advent Calendar Dinosaur Expedition (£14.99). You should buy this. There that was a nice and easy review wasn't it?

Seriously though, I got one of these for my six year old son last year. This was one of the ones that our PlayPennies mums reviewed - the Playmobil Dragon's Land Advent calendar. We also reviewed the Playmobile Unicorn in Fairy World Advent calendar.

My son loved it, and he still has the cardboard scenery that came with it. The scenery and the toys have been well played with. He was so proud he told everyone in the school playground that his Advent calendar didn't have chocolate it had TOYS! Which made me feel like a bit of an uber-mum.

This year he is getting the Playmobil Advent Calendar Dinosaur Expedition. Now it isn't the 1st of December yet, so he hasn't actually used it as an Advent calendar. We have got out the scenery though, and that's all at the ready. As before, the set was easy to assemble, and although the cardboard looks thin, it is as sturdy as last year's.

I have opened the box, to check out all the toys. This is something I'd do anyway, to avoid any surprises (like a toy being broken, or something that needs to be put together first). Also it means you can move around some of the toys if you want your wee one to open a favourite earlier on!

Then reseal the box. You don't actually get 24 toys, but a toy 'set'. Some of the dates contain, for example, an accessory for one of the figures. Or the other part of a toy - the 22nd of December has a dinosaur egg nest, but you don't get the eggs for it until the 23rd of December (actually I swapped those around).

I also got a Playmobil Santa Claus with Snowman (£5.99). I thought this was particularly good value as you get a Santa, a snowman, and a toy sack with little toys. The football has already disappeared, but the rest of the set is part of our annual Christmas scene that we put up each year. Sorry, we're heathens so it isn't strictly a manger scene (and I don't think there were any snowmen in the bible).

Overall verdict for the advent calendar is 7 out of 10. It would be more like 9 out of 10 if it wasn't that a couple of the 'gifts' are rather measly. Playmobil Santa gets 10/10, just for the fun factor alone!

I did a Santa box last year, instead of a stocking or Santa sack, but the principle is the same. This was a sturdy, silver covered present box that I'd bought at WH Smiths, I think. Inside it was filled with all his stocking filler presents, individually wrapped. The advantage of the box (and why I thought of it) was that all the little bits could be popped back in there to keep from getting lost in the unwrapping frenzy.

Last year on PlayPennies we talked about the amount of money we would spend on the stocking fillers. Most people seemed to have a budget of around £20, and felt they were good at sticking to this. The cannier spenders made the money go as far as possible by snapping up bargains.

So here's the top ten hottest toys for children, and by hottest I mean cheapest, that are still in stock. I trawled through the pages of bargains that are posted on our sister site HUKD to find these for you. Read on for cheap stocking filler ideas.

Click here to read more...

Use this The Body Shop promotional code to get 50% off pots of pots of body butter. I remember seeing this code pop up around this time last year, or something like it. And I bagged about four tubs at a bargain price. With a lovely box, some tissue paper, and a few other items they made some really lovely and thoughtful presents for my friends.

Click here to get your The Body Shop body butter for half price

• Discount: 50%
• Applies to: Body butter
• Promotional code: BB5050
• Expires: 28th December 2011

To use this code, go to the Shopping Basket page and enter it in the Promotional Code box. It will be applied to your order automatically, taking the price of a pot of the Cocoa Butter body butter down from £12.50 to £6.25. These are 200ml pots of the moisture cream. Delivery costs £2.99.

There are a large number of gorgeous sounding butters on here. But. I like the smell of Cocoa butter one, and the fact that it seems to absorb quite well. I used it a lot during my pregnancy as I was rather addicted to the smell. I also quite like the whole experience of scooping it out of the pot on your finger tips too. There's something rather reassuringly old fashioned about that. And because you can skim it out on your finger tips, it is that little bit easier and faster to apply to your skin. At least, that's what I find anyway.

Thanks to djmetsandy at HUKD!

Is there anything better than getting a parcel in the post wrapped up in brown paper and tied with string? That's how the items from MakeDo arrived.

I love making stuff out of things that are around the house. What I lack though is the expertise to know how to do it. Enter the MakeDo system, new to the UK. MakeDo is a connector system that enables materials including cardboard, plastic and fabric to easily join together to form new objects or structures.

The system can also be undone, so you can take it apart and build something new. Kind of like Lego, but without the sharp edges, square shape restrictions, and if Lego bricks were instead everyday objects that people throw away all the time. So nothing like Lego at all then! Other than this is a construction toy.

These connector systems will also come in handy at Christmas, when you're awash with all that packing left over from opening presents. Now the kids can construct their own inventions out of it.

I received the MakeDo Find & Make Robot, and the MakeDo Cup Critter. There's other kits in the Find & Make range - like ones for making cars for example. The range also includes Makedo Freeplay, a tub full of the connectors.

Click here to read more...

It is a sad fact that as your children get older, their toys seem to get more expensive. I don't mind buying Lego as I know he gets a lot of use out of it, and it is a toy that will stay with him for many years to come. But really does it have to cost so much? So I am always looking out for it when sets come down in price. Like this Lego Technic 8067 Mini Mobile Crane, now £14.99 at Amazon, down from £20.99. Delivery is free with Amazon Prime.

• Click here for your Lego Mini Mobile Crane at Amazon

This compact mobile crane is packed with functions and hard-core hauling power. According to the blurb on the website. You can steer it into position, then raise, lower, turn and extend the boom to lift heavy loads. Remember to extend the outriggers to stabilize it for extra big jobs. The crane will rotate through 360 degrees.

The Lego Mini Mobile Crane rebuilds into a tow truck. You can operate the arm of the tow truck and lower the hook to start hauling. Features realistic details and real rubber tires.

Mini Mobile Crane measures over 8' (20cm) long and 11' (28cm) tall. The set is suited to children aged 8 to 14 years. I'd say from experience that young Lego enthusiasts aged 6 or 7 would probably have a great time with this if they've got an equally enthusiastic adult to help.

Thanks to rach-n-chris at HUKD!

I love the Gruffalo's child. It has a nice pace, and a lovely setting. You can almost hear the shush of the snow in the woods. And also I like that it is a cautionary tale without being preachy. Always best to stay at home with mum and dad kids! If you're looking for a Christmas gift to give to a young child then this could help. It is the Gruffalo's Child and Monkey Puzzle board books in a boxed set that includes a free height chart. If you can collect instore it will only cost £5 at WH Smith. It normally costs £11.98.

• Click here for your Gruffalo's Child and Monkey Puzzle boxset at WH Smith

The two books come in a slip-cover style box. They're hard books, so more suited to younger children who are a bit rough with paper pages. Slightly older pre-schoolers may find it babyish though.

I'm not so familiar with the Monkey Puzzle book, also written by Julia Donaldson with the same fabulous illustrations from artist Axel Scheffler. The story follows Monkey as, with the (not so) helpful blue butterfly tries to find his mum.

I think that it also contains the words and the music for the Monkey Puzzle song, although I'm not 100% sure that's in all versions of the book.

Thanks to goonertillidie at HUKD!

Do you know what toy category came in third place last year at Christmas? Board games. Yup. Good, old fashioned board games OUTSOLD video games.

It isn't really a surprise. There's not usually any batteries involved for one thing. You can stash board games away in the cupboard and pull them out once a year and they still work. The graphics look good, and the game play hasn't been outmoded.

And they're a present for the whole family. OK, so conceivably is a Wii BUT a board game isn't quite so expensive. And you don't need a console. Or controllers. Or any other accessories.

So here we are, in the run up to Christmas, yet again. Blimey you'd think it happened every year! I received two board games to try out from University Games. These are games suitable for older children (and adults). The Five Second Rule (£17.99 on Amazon) and The Really Nasty Horse Racing Game (£15.99 on Amazon).

Click here to read more...

Use this JoJo Maman Bebe promotional code to get 15% off your order, and free delivery.  The code does not, sadly, work with sale items or other special offers. It doesn't last long however. It is a good code to keep a note of as it doesn't expire for another five weeks, taking you right through the crucial pre-Christmas buying season.

Click here to use your  JoJo Maman Bebe promotional code

• Discount: 15% and free delivery
• Promotional code: MTF12
• Expires: 18th December 2011

To use your JoJo Maman Bebe promotional code, go to the My Basket page and enter it in the Promotional Code box. It is discounted automatically from each item in your basket. That is, 15% is deducted from each item in your basket.

Could be very handy if you're pregnant and want to pick up a party frock. I had a look and there's some lovely dresses on the site, that aren't too expensive. Such as this Beaded Evening Maternity Dress, priced at £49. The code took £7.35 off that total.

Thanks to sherry4283 at HUKD!

As I sit writing this my six year old son is sitting next to me playing with his Peppa Pig playground playset. The toys in this range have an appeal that last for quite a while. I think he still plays with all his Peppa Pig stuff even though he's a little bit old for the show now. I don't think you can really go wrong then with this Peppa Pig Peppa Secret Tower if you're looking for something as a Christmas gift. Tesco Direct has it reduced in their 50% sale from £19.97 down to £9.97. Delivery is free if you can collect in store.

• Click here for your Peppa Secret Tower at Tesco Direct

Princess Peppa has her own secret tower, and she wants to share its magical mysteries with you! At least that's what it says on the website. I can't quite see what is 'secret' about it to me (I was thinking it might have a secret compartment, but I couldn't see anything about that in the blurb).

It folds out to reveal royal rooms, accessories and beautiful furniture, all fit for a princess. There’s all sorts of secret wonders to be discovered, including a magical mirror and a large clothes dresser – after all, a princess needs somewhere special to store all her beautiful outfits. When Peppa is tired, she can relax in the luxurious four poster bed. Again, that's what it says on the website and I have to wonder who on earth writes these things and have they even seen the show? Peppa is one of the best role models for little girls on the telly. She's not princess obsessed, and she's not fashion obsessed!

However, if I was going to have anything 'princess' themed in your child's bedroom then this would probably be it.

This Peppa Secret Tower is designed to encourage development of hand to eye co-ordination, while also offering your child hours of imaginative play. It’s suitable for little princesses aged 3 years and up.

Christmas is coming and for the first time in my life I have friends with babies and toddlers and I’m thinking about presents for little people. A great provider for children’s goodies is Kaloo, and we happened upon a beautiful Lilirose Small Chubby Rabbit by Kaloo.

The first thing to tell you about Lilirose is that she is beautiful and that this is a gift that appeals to mums with very discerning taste as much as it will to their offspring.

The Lilirose Chubby Rabbit comes presented in a round matching gift box – I at first thought it was an old fashioned hat box. It oozes charm and class, and if you’re aiming to impress, opening this box to reveal Lilirose inside will hit the mark.

While that side of it is without a doubt stunning, the gift is still meant to be for a newborn or  baby, right, and the fact is that despite the array of soft toys an infant ends up with and rarely plays with, I would happily Freecycle all the toys in our home, but keep this one.

The Rabbit is so soft, I want to cuddle it and never let it go. It moulds into your body and is just so cuddly – I’m not even really sure that a baby or toddler would appreciate it, but mums will love that being their baby’s soft toy of choice.

Although the description calls this a small chubby rabbit, I don’t think it is. It’s 18cm, which for a baby or a toddler isn’t that small. There are also other fantastic items in the range, including a luxury bath set and super cute rabbit booties.

The downside? They are really expensive – at least for someone on my budget.  The booties aren’t too bad at £13.99, but the soft toy is £18.49.  It’s definitely worth it if you want to spoil someone, but considering how stunning the gift box is, I wouldn’t spend the extra £4.75 on gift wrapping, personally.