Cheap Thrills Trivia Quiz

Puzzles can encourage solitary play, promote problem solving and help to develop spatial awareness. Not limited to jigsaw puzzles, as shown in the picture, there are open ended options such as Tetris puzzles and building blocks.

Within this category we can also introduce simple board games such as Slips and Ladders or Candyland. These are great at improving a child's social skills and provides all parties involved in playing the opportunity for bonding.

There are many options here - peg people, dolls, teddy bears, Lego people etc. The ideal would be for ones that are gender-neutral but that is not a necessity. Dolls, by the way, are not just for girls, boys can derive just as much enjoyment from them.

The idea is that children get to play out social scenes with them, create imaginative interactions and explore life themes at a basic level.

Sand, water, rocks... this list is only limited by imagination. Yes, this means the kids will get dirty but it's also an opportunity for them to employ a range of senses - touch, sight and hearing being the main ones.

They don't need to be outside. Indoor options include playdough, rainbow beans, rice, pasta or slime kits.

Please don't shoot me... as much as the noise of a child incessantly banging on a bongo drum or constantly tapping on xylophone keys will serve to annoy adults, children enjoy exploring the sounds made by musical instruments. So, what do children gain from this? A chance at self expression, improved muscle memory and co-ordination and it promotes movement through dance.

There are also arguments that playing instruments will improve reading skills, comprehension and, even, mathematics.

The beauty of toys such as these is that, generally, they will draw the children outside. Yes, you can make things complex by buying swing sets and climbing structures but, something as simple as a ball would suffice. Other options include a gym mat, stepping stones, balance boards and walking cups... or a simple skipping rope.

I won't deny that dolls could also fit into this category but this also stretches to include things such as (the pictured) stove top, costumes to dress up in, stethoscopes, cowboy hats, wooden food sets... the list is endless. Don't forget that a simple sheet draped over a couple of chairs can create a pretend house.

Just like the "character" toys discussed earlier, these toys/items allow children to explore social scenes and, for want of another phrase, walk in someone else's shoes. This will help build imagination understanding and curiosity.

A simple set of different sized wooden blocks will help develop motor skills and creativity. You can expand this to Lego blocks but remember, simple cardboard boxes can be just as much fun and promote the same development.

Never underestimate the power of books. Simple picture books can help children to identify objects in their early years. Things such as birds, trees, flowers, cars or (as my grandson would call a helicopter) air-tokker. Reading bedtime stories to my children was as much of a thrill to me as a reader as it was to my kids as listeners.

Books can be enjoyed by children of all ages. They can stimulate the imagination and inspire pretend play with a range of other toys seen in this quiz. One of their other beauties is that they can be revisited time and time again.

Basic art materials provide amazing opportunities for children. Paper, paints, crayons, coloured pencils etc. These are open ended toys and there is no limit to what they can create. Even the simple act of scribbling or doodling on paper is a movement toward improving some motor skills in a child.

It can even lead to play acting. I still recall my daughter with a notebook and a crayon taking my order at a pretend cafe and then delivering an empty cup with saucer and a small plate to represent my cup of coffee and slice of fruit toast.

Kids love to play out real life scenes. Whether these be cityscapes, airports or construction sites. A simple circular track bearing one train engine with a wagon attached provides endless possibilities for the imagination. Put a building block alongside it and it becomes a station.

Toy cars, firetrucks, planes and boats. In a child's mind they can go anywhere. Did you see that ambulance go under the sea to rescue a fisherman...