Push-alongs
The Galaxi is designed to be both pushed and pulled. When the toy (pictured left) is moved along, the primary coloured balls on the top side spin round and round to encourage children to experience cause and effect. The Galaxi is made from wood with an easy to grasp handle, priced 25.95 from Spacekraft.
Telephone 01274 581 007 www.spacekraft.co.uk
Pushing things around adds interest to the proceedings and encourages young children to play imaginative games. The Jolly Wagon from Eduzone provides enough space for extra toys to be loaded on board and comes with an integral sorting bar plus shapes with net bag, a fabric pouch at the front and a duck on the handle bar that beeps to warn everyone when the wagon is moving. The rear wheels on the Jolly Wagon can be restricted or locked to act as a brake. Priced 39.95.
A traditional Brick Trolley is also available for slightly older children.
This comes with 24 coloured wooden bricks that are printed with lower case letters and numbers, priced 28.50.
Telephone 08456 445 556 www.eduzone.co.uk
Pintoy's range of wooden toys, made from replenishable rubberwood, includes three animal characters with a sturdy wooden stick attached and a chunky handle to grasp hold of. The handle is just the right heightto encourage 12-month-olds and upwards to get the toy moving. Available as a primary coloured parrot, mouse or duck, priced 13.99 each.
Telephone 01604 774 949 www.john-crane.co.uk
Another traditional-style toy, but with a modern twist, is Push-Along Velvet from Mamas & Papas. Velvet is a black horse with white flash and feet. It comes with a bridle and saddle and is mounted on a wooden four-wheeled frame with push handle and horse 'sound effects'. The horse can be pushed along or sat on and is suitable for children from nine months upwards. The handle height is 54cm and seat height 38 cm.
Pip the Dog is new to the range and can also be pushed along or sat upon.
Pip comes with his own bone which, when put to his mouth, elicits a bark.
Pip has 'crinkle fabric' ears and patches. The handle height is 34cm and seat height 30cm.
Each toy is priced at 50.
Telephone 0870 830 7700 www.mamasandpapas.com
Hopefully children won't be too disconcerted by the fact that the head of the Push Along Giraffe in the Bruin range can turn round 360 degrees! The handle contains a button that activates melodies and flashing lights. The wheels are textured to increase grip and traction and encourage steady walking. Suitable for 12 month olds upwards, the Giraffe is priced 11.99 from Babies R Us.
Telephone 08457 869 778 www.babiesrus.co.uk
Pull-alongs
Once children are a little bit steadier on their feet they will enjoy pulling toys along behind them. The Clapping Caterpillar from Great Gizmos is traditional in appearance but makes an interesting clacking sound as its concertina body is pulled along the floor. Made from birchwood, the caterpillar is suitable for 18-month-olds upwards and is priced 8.99.
Telephone 01293 543 221 www.greatgizmos.co.uk
The colourful Rhino Rhythm from Mega Bloks functions as a stacking toy as well as a pull-along. The rhino character is accompanied by three other animals - a lion, leopard and parrot, each with different textures and sounds. The animals stack one on top of the other using magnets, and as the toyis pulled along it emits jungle sounds. Suitable for 12-month-olds upwards, priced Pounds 9.99.
Telephone 01844 350 033 www.megabloks.com
Brio has a whole new range of pull-along toys, designed for 12-month-olds upwards. An ant with a rolling egg on its back has spring-mounted antennae and wheels with rubber rings to provide good ground grip. As the ant is pulled the egg tumbles around on its back. The ant measures 220mm and is priced Pounds 12.99. A Pullalong Snail anda Funnel Engine are also in this range. For slightly younger children the Chug & Shake Train is made from padded fabric and has four battery-operated sound effects that range from tooting to chuffing. The train has a fabric loop that could be grasped and used even if the baby is still at the crawling stage. Priced 7.99.
Telephone 01509 231 874 www.brio.co.uk
The Pull-Along Tortoise from Mail Order Express is made from rubberwood with cotton/nylon fabric shells. The toy consists of two smiling tortoises linked together, and their heads wobble and nod up and down as the child pulls them along. Suitable for 12-month-olds upwards, priced 9.99.
Mail Order Express also stocks the Sevi Pull Along Indian Girl and Sevi Pull Along Cow Boy. The girl sits on the back of the horse and moves up and down as the horse is drawn along. The cowboy also rides a horse and both toys are intended to be tactile, so the figures have soft string hair and arms with felt leg coverings and feathers. Suitable for 12-month-olds upwards, priced Pounds 29.99 each.
Telephone 0870 012 9090 www.mailorderexpress.com
An all-singing, all-dancing bug comes from Vtech in the form of the Spring & Sort Crazy Bug, part of the Smart Start range. This bug wobbles from side to side as it moves and also plays well-known nursery rhymes. When the bug is stationary, children can sort the attached shapes - the bug's legs light up when they find the correct space for each shape. Suitable for 12-month-olds upwards, priced 19.99.
Telephone 01235 555 545 www.vtechuk.com
Tolo's award-winning Pull Along Pony is made from moulded plastic and includes a pony and a boy in a carriage that can be played with together or separately. When the toy is pulled along the driver works the reins and the horse makes a 'clippety-clop' sound. Suitable for 12-month-olds upwards, priced 14 from John Crane.
Telephone as above
Bugs seem to be a very popular choice for pull-alongs. The Pull and Glow Bug from Spacekraft has two transparent balls on its back and these contain bead balls that rotate and emit 15 different bug sounds, plus flashing lights, when the toy is pulled along. Priced 18.95 from Spacekraft.
Telephone as above
Pull-Along Pals are made from wooden body sections with rubber connectors which make the toys articulated. The range includes a mother duck and her three ducklings, a black and white cat, a ginger cat, a Dalmatian dog, a dachshund and a big red dog of indeterminate breed. All the animals have three rubber dividers that make them waddle, wiggle and wag their tails as they are pulled along. Pull-Along Pals are all mounted on four wheels and made from replenishable rubberwood, priced 19.99 each from Mulberry Bush.
Telephone 0870 777 6776 www.mulberrybush.co.uk
