Stock up

Book corner

Book cart (Community Playthings, 210, tel: 0800 387 457) Curvy Withrington range, curved beech veneer bookcases with locking castors (Galt, 184.95 per section, tel: 08451 20 30 05) Kindercar, red and blue book storage unit in the shape of a car with two bench seats, one at either end (Galt, 219.95) Sag bags, bean bags in large and medium sizes (Hope, 36.95 and 31.95, tel: 08451 20 20 55) Free-standing book rack, with space for 10 rows of book to be displayed and hinged back-rest which folds flat for storage (Asco, 32.95, tel: 0113 270 7070) Spacio 5 book rack, bright and solid book rack, with plasticised wallets mounted on a tough ABS frame (Asco, 59.50) Role play

Corrugated play panels, set of versatile panels of corrugated board, ready to decorate to create a range of play scenarios (Hope, set of two, 29.95) European and African dolls, boy and girl soft-bodied dolls, with hair or hairless and 30cm, 40cm or 50cm in height (Wesco, prices range from Pounds 14.50 to 22.70 each, tel: 0115 986 2126) Bath tub, doll's bath plus three bath and seven grooming accessories including duck, sponge, potty and tin of talc (Wesco, 14.20) Collapsible cot, doll's cot, 45 x 36 x 30cm high (Wesco, 24.60) Small market stall, market stall with five crates, fruit and vegetables (Asco, 54.25) King/queen cloak and crown (Three Bears Playthings, 24.00, tel: 01669 620315) Kings and queens purple satin cape, has white fleeced edging and collar with gold braid (J&M Toys, Pounds 10.95, tel: 01274 599314) Gold and silver fabric gowns (J&M Toys, 4.95 each)

Small-world play

Barney farm, award-winning farm set (Asco, 79.95, see Reader offer) Knights (Wesco, set of eight, 19.10) Pirates (Wesco, set of ten, Pounds 19.70) Goods train, with one locomotive and three wagons (Wesco, 12.80) Fantasy castle and furniture (Asco, 112.50) Plush finger puppets, set of 24 animals (Hope, 41.95) Safari train, brightly coloured engine with three open wagons and train driver, lion, elephant and giraffe (NES Arnold, 16.95, tel: 0845 120 4525) Tuff Spot, black plastic tray for housing small worlds (NES Arnold, 14.95) Mirror Tuff Spot, black plastic tray with reflective base that acts as a mirror (NES Arnold, 27.95) Fagus wooden vehicle sets, range includes crane (89.95); fork lift truck (39.50); articulated lorry (59.90) and fire engine (Pounds 65.00), available from Asco. (See Reader offer)

Sand and water play

Nova Sand and Water Table, comes in blue or clear versions with lid, locking castors and screw-on valve to make draining easy (Asco, 115, see Reader offer) Transparent buckets (Hope, set of three, 7.99) Fine sand and water filters, 12 transparent cups suitable for experiments with water and fine sand (Hope, 28.95) Aqua Boat Fleet, three plastic boats (Eduzone, Pounds 4.50, tel: 08456 445 556)

Construction play

Cleversticks, flexible construction system with bendable rods that snap-connect end to end, including shapes and wheels (Hope, 42.95) Mini hollow blocks: introductory set, seven pieces in four shapes (Community Playthings, 123)

Puzzles

Farm Yard Floor Puzzle, 24- or 48-piece jigsaw (Eduzone, 12.95 each) A day at the farm, set of six farm animal jigsaws with the animal's picture printed on the base (Step by Step, 34.95, tel: 08451 25 25 50) Animals and their young, set of six jigsaws with adult animals featured in the puzzle and their young pictured underneath (Step by Step, 34.95)