In the show, dedicated to choosing Christmas presents, the This Morning host tested several high-profile toys.

The toys, including slime, pets, games, robotic and collectibles, were tried out by Phillip, various celebrity guests and their families, as Phillip enlisted the help of soap actor Simon Gregson, football pundit Chris Kamara, comedian Sally Philips and Toyologist Peter Jenkinson.

Nerf Laser Ops Pro AlphaPoint was deemed the most popular and was commended for making no mess. Phillip and his team were also impressed by The Sock Game, Segway Drift E Skates, Feber’s My Lovely Unicorn and Robo Chameleon.

Other games trialled included Break Free, Chow Crown and What’s that Smell, while competing interactive pets enjoyed by the panel of child testers included Club Petz’ Mystery Mao, furReal’s Rock-a-too the Show Bird and Little Live Pets’ Rollie My Kissing Puppy.

Phillip also tried out an Air Hog Supernova, a Boxer robot and seemed somewhat bemused by Poopsie Unicorn Slime Surprise, although admitted he thought it would be a popular choice.

Collectibles were examined to see how much of a collection could be amassed for £50, and how much outlay would be needed to acquire a full set, with LOL Surprise! dolls, Hatchimals Collegtibles and Lego Minifigures put to the test. Several slime, play compounds and colouring items were also tested to see how easy they were to clean up after.

Phillip commented: “We have road-tested, rated and reviewed the very latest products hoping for a place under your tree, to reveal our very best picks for your hard-earned cash this Christmas. I’ve met a mind-reading cat, been slimed by kids and e-skated with all the grace of Bambi on ice.”

Kosmos Games UK will be showcasing the new title from Devir Games, The Colour Monster, at London Toy Fair.

The Colour Monster launched to much fanfare at DAU last weekend in Barcelona. Anna Llenas, the author of the best-selling books on which the game is based, took part in a signing event on Sunday morning, alongside the game’s award-winning designers Dani Gómez and Josep M. Allué.

Featuring original art from Anna Llenas’ best-selling book series of the same name, The Colour Monster is a game for all ages. Based on a confused monster who’s unable to understand his own emotions until his friend – a little girl – helps by teaching him about them, the Colour Monster encourages children to talk about and understand their own feelings. Players must find different colours representing various feelings such as calm, anger, fear, sadness etc.

As play progresses, they also have to find an object which can hold the feeling they’ve found, before they move on to talk about a time when they experienced that feeling themselves.

Jo Drage, sales director at Kosmos Games UK, commented: “The Colour Monster is a wonderfully engaging game for children. We’re confident it will be popular with families who want to help promote positive mental health and as a tool for those children who perhaps find it hard to understand and talk about their feelings. The captivating artwork will appeal to all ages.”

Brainstorm will become the exclusive UK distributor of craft brand Eugy in 2019.

Brainstorm, which is renowned for its educational ranges will introduce the new collection at London Toy Fair.

Created by New Zealand based Dodoland, Eugy is a range of unique 3D craft collectibles that inspire creativity and are eco-friendly. The opening collection will feature 10 animals and creatures that enable children aged six plus to build beautifully detailed 3D models using biodegradable card cut-outs printed with eco-friendly ink and non-toxic glue. The sturdy, stylish designs make great craft projects to collect and keep. Animals include Elephant, Penguin, Unicorn, Panda, T. Rex and more. Kids follow a simple numeric sequence to bring their animal to life.

Nick Saunders, sales director at Brainstorm, commented: “We loved Eugy as soon as we saw it and the team at Dodoland are very innovative so the possibilities to create line extensions are endless. With consumers becoming ever more conscious of our environment, these simple yet creative products will have massive appeal. Our initial range launches at Toy Fair but they are available to pre-order now; visit here for more information.”

The retailer is urging customers to help it erase present poverty this Christmas by supporting The Big Toy Appeal.

The toy retailer has pledged to match Christmas gifts bought and donated by customers.

Running until Saturday 8th December, The Entertainer will donate a toy for every toy bought and donated to The Big Toy Appeal in any of its 158 stores or via its online platform, TheToyShop.com. Gifts will be distributed using local Salvation Army centres to families who might not otherwise be able to afford to put Christmas presents under the tree for their children.

Together with the help of its customers, The Entertainer hopes to put a smile on the faces of thousands of children this festive season and is encouraging consumers to pick up an extra gift for a less fortunate child, with The Entertainer doubling the total number of donations.

Gary Grant, founder and executive chairman of The Entertainer, commented: “It’s heart breaking to think of so many children across the UK who won’t experience the magic of waking up to find a present waiting for them. Also, to think of their parents who will miss out on watching their face light up as they open it. That’s why we’re encouraging our customers to consider buying an extra present during their Christmas shopping to donate to a family in need via The Salvation Army. This will then be matched by The Entertainer allowing us to work together to transform Christmas for families who are really struggling across the country.”

Tony Daniels, territorial director for community services, commented: “The Christmas Present appeal is an opportunity for local communities to join with us in helping people in need at Christmas time. During the festive season, when many people are enjoying celebrations with friends and family, others are struggling to make ends meet. That’s why we are absolutely delighted that The Entertainer and its customers are generously supporting us this year.”

This year is shaping up to be one of record growth for the company, which has ambitious plans for the future. 

Schleich UK has expanded its sales team with two key additions this November.

Jen Hodges joins as key account manager, who is returning to the toy industry after time at other ventures, following 10 years at Lego.

Kate Watson also joins the team as a key account manager and is also returning to the toy industry after time at John Mills, having previously worked at Hasbro, as well as Johnson & Johnson and Waitrose.

Thomas Randrup, Schleich UK’s country manager, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Kate and Jen to the team. They join us during a year of growth and their experience and pedigree will be great assets as we strive to realise our ambitions for the company. We also welcome them back to the toy industry; their return indicates just what a great industry it is to work in.”

To speak with the Schleich sales team about the opportunities ahead for 2019 please contact Jen on 07990 033651 – jenny.hodges@schleich-s.co.uk or Kate on 07920 057414 – kate.watson@schleich-s.co.uk

Big Potato has installed a vending machine in East London’s Loading Bar, offering up a selection of its party game classics.

The Shoreditch-based indie games company Big Potato has unveiled a new board game vending machine at East London gaming hub, Loading Bar. Inside, customers can purchase a huge range of party games, from the death-defying adult game Bucket of Doom, to the festive rhyming game Santa Banter.

The vending machine officially launched on Friday the 23rd of November at Loading Bar in Dalston, where it will live out its year-long tenure. To celebrate, Big Potato is giving customers the chance to win an exclusive Potato Plushie whenever they use the machine – customers can look for the special sticker on the back of their new game and, if lucky, go up to the bar to collect their prize.

The Big Potato team will also be holding a Twitch live-stream from inside Loading Bar today (Wednesday 28th) at 5pm, where they’ll be playing a wide range of party games.

Big Potato’s Alex Lolies has been working with Loading Bar on the installation, and commented: “We’re always looking to do something a bit different and cool and this seemed like the next step for us. We have a very good and longstanding relationship with our neighbours at Loading Bar, so this was the perfect opportunity to collaborate on something interesting that will also fit really well into their space.”

James Dance, the owner of Loading Bar, added: “Whenever an interesting idea comes along, we can’t say no. When I got the email from Big Potato suggesting a vending machine, I was excited to have all kinds of snacks up for grabs – it was too awkward for me to say anything once I realised it was board games.”

Readers who are interested in installing a Big Potato Games vending machine of their own should get in touch with Alex Lolies – alex@bigpotato.co.uk or 0758 8690 997.

An eBay survey polled 2,000 parents planning to spend on toys for their own children as well as other people’s.

The study reveals that parents will be purchasing an average of 19 toys ahead of Christmas morning – with Lego, Disney themed merchandise and Star Wars toys all set to take their place under the tree this year. Nearly eight in 10 parents also admitted to overspending at Christmas – with a third of parents even confessing to buying too many toys and having to keep some for other occasions. The survey revealed that, on average, parents plan to spend  around £392.82 on toys for their own children as well as other people’s.

However, despite the majority of parents splashing out this Christmas, ebay.co.uk has also seen an increase in budgeting this year as the purse strings tighten, with 63% admitting they have a financial plan in place to ensure they can afford to buy their children everything they want – nearly a quarter of parents will try and limit spending to under £200 overall. Parents also admitted to getting more organised by spending an average of 19.4 hours planning, shopping and wrapping children’s Christmas presents.

When it comes to choosing what toys to buy, half of parents said toys which spark imagination motivates their decision the most, with more than four in 10 concerned about the educational impact of toys, while 45% buy toys which they enjoyed playing with as a child.

It seems parents also consider their children’s ‘creativity and artistic nature’ when choosing toys for Christmas, with 47% saying this often motivates them to buy certain items. And while 56% of parents say their children’s pester power has a ‘massive impact’ on their purchasing decisions, many are influenced by recommendations from others, and the popularity of TV shows and books.

Over the last year there have been more than 100m searches for toys on eBay.co.uk. There have been 578,000 searches for Lego, nearly 185,000 searches for Scalextric and nearly 180,000 people were looking at Playmobil in the lead up to Christmas. And when it comes to classic favourites, top performing items sold over the last decade include Uno, Scrabble, and Hama Beads.

Alice Winter, category manager of toys and games at eBay.co.uk, commented: “We know how much time goes into finding that perfect present and this year, regardless of budget, we want to help people navigate our great selection of toys – from the latest Lego set to the traditional and retro.”