Online and in the shops: toy show
Children all over the country will be making their lists, and checking them twice, tonight as they tune into The Late Late Toy Show. Top toys this year include enduring favourites, like Lego and Twister, with technology being woven in to add extra dimensions to play and reinvent classics, like the new Furby, €68.99, which re-acts intelligently to the attention it’s given and has an app down-load for even more fun.
With calls for assistance to the St Vincent de Paul up by 80% since 2009, you can ensure that every child in Ireland receives a gift on Christmas morning by joining their toy appeal; more details on www.svp.ie.
The new Dance ‘n’ Play puppy from Fisher Price, €48.99, is packed full of fun, with songs to encourage your baby to move, dance and sing, as he wiggles, claps, and raises his ears to the music. Suitable for nine months+ the puppy also has lots of fun phrases, including the alphabet and numbers, to help baby learn while having fun.
If you are looking for a Christmas keepsake for new parents, what about the Waterford Crystal ‘baby’s first Christmas’ decoration, €25, (in blue or pink) from the Kilkenny Store; www.kilkennyshop.com.
This year, international children’s charity, Team Hope, which organises the annual Christmas shoebox appeal, has also produced the Hope Book, with a range of cost-effective gifts to help children improve their education, health and ability to sustain themselves and their families. Gifts include the school pack €15, which will equip a child with copybooks, pencils and other educational aids for a school year. Our picture shows a child holding a packet of school supplies at the Tongoni primary school in Tanga, Tanzania.
¦ For more information or to purchase gifts, call 01-294 0222 or visit www.teamhope.ie
