Created by four fathers, the Bloom philosophy is to fuse aesthetics and functionality. So it comes as no surprise that the Otto Play Table is easy on the eye, but also has sliding art and play tables at either end and handy wipe-clean surfaces

Beneath its curved design, the Clexo Play Table by Timkid is a superbly practical children’s desk. Made from beech and birch plywood, there’s a footrest, washable seat (in red, shown, blue or black) and a tilted table top with two cup holders. £225

is puzzled because the learned association is not followed through.Toys are to babies what work is to adults. Without play, a child would not thrive in the way that without work most grown-ups would not. Perhaps most importantly, for a baby to play with a toy

1. Jump and hop  Make two circles with two pieces of string – a big circle with a longer piece and a small circle with the shorter piece. Then show your child how to jump up and down inside the bigger circle, then do the same for the small circle. Count each complete jump or chan...

If the weather isn't quite ideal for putting up tents outside, why not set up camp inside with an indoor tipi or playhouse?This gorgeous tipi from Moozle Home would be perfect for your very own indoor family festival, with its suitably folksy feel. It's easy to put up and folds a...

Egg rollingEach player has a hard-boiled egg identified by its colour, decoration or a felt-tip-penned initial (decorating can be another day’s activity). Then, to play, just stand at the top of a hill and roll. The fastest to the bottom

Dress up dolls wall stickers £75Wonderfully whimsical... we love these gorgeous 'dress-up doll' wall stickers made by beautiful interiors label Mae. Fun, re-usable fabric stickers that won't damage your walls - how ingenious! With classic themes including woodland creatures and...

Sylvanian Families John Lewis Department Store £79.95 exclusively from John Lewis

Is it a chair, is it a table, or is it a giant jigsaw? The Playzzle is all of these things – and much, much more. The six soft foam shapes fit together to make a 1.5x1.25m cube and are available in fabulous Marimekko print. It costs £1,170 for the whole set. 

An iconic design since 1966, the jewel-like colours of the 48 play pieces catch the light and can be transformed into anything!PlayPlax from £16, by Portobello Games