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The Bigjigs Toys Blog

With over 35 years experience in making award-winning toys, we know quite a bit about what children (and parents) love.

Explore our collection of toy and parenting blogs, written by our toy experts for you and your family.

Bigjigs weighs up Easter eggs Vs. Wooden toys

Bigjigs weighs up Easter eggs Vs. Wooden toys

In 2015, the nation on average spent £56 per child on Easter eggs! Can you believe it?
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Play Patrol Toy Review take 1: A day in the life of.....

Play Patrol Toy Review take 1: A day in the life of.....

The first installment from the Bigjigs Play Patrol reviewers is here! Kicking off with 3 vlogs and then and 4 blogs: just enough light reading in time for the weekend! Read all about some of our fantastic new and best selling toys from the Bigjigs Toys, Bigjigs Rail and Green Toys. all of which so far have become firm favourites with the play patrollers as they tell us about spending a day with each toy! Sophie & Lily - A day in the life with Pull Along Dinosaur and Lily Doll: Watch as this UK parenting and lifestyle vlogging family spend the day with two new toys and how the toys fit into their lifestyle. Watch the vlog here... [caption id="attachment_2425" align="aligncenter" width="220"]Sophie & Lily Vlog review of pull along dinosaur and Lily Doll. Sophie & Lily Vlog review of Pull Along Dinosaur and Lily Doll.[/caption]

The Mummy Stylist - has reviewed the Dinosaur Train Set: See if this Berkshire mummy and son duo got off a roaring success with the train set. Watch the vlog here...

The Mummy Stylist.com review of The dinosaur Train Set mummyof2+1blog Mummy of 2+1 - has reviewed three Green Toys: Read to see how the three play patrollers found the eco-friendly toys for a day in the life with Mummy of 2+1. Click here to read more... Parents in touch - another fantastic blog review, this time two play patrollers learn about food and safety with the two food cutting sets: Fruit Cutting Set & Cheese Board. Click here to read more... parents intouch What the Redhead said and Little Man have reviewed the brilliant Green Toys Cookware and Dining Set and they like it so much they have updated their kitchen with them. Click here to read more... WhattheRedheadsaid Rasingingtherings Raising the Rings Mum Jade & little Toby have just reviewed the Farm Train Set and have fallen in love with transporting chickens and bales of hay around their front room! Click here to read more... LadyBug Home and her two little play patrollers have been zooming and stacking whilst reviewing these two eco-friendly Green Toys toys: Limited edition Purple Plane & Stacking Cups! Watch the vlog here... Ladybug home

Go to page 2 of the reviews

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Advent Calendar Day 24

Advent Calendar Day 24

The Christmas Bigjigs Advent Calendar continues today, and for each day leading up to Christmas Day.
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Advent Calendar Day 23

Advent Calendar Day 23

The Christmas Bigjigs Advent Calendar continues today, and for each day leading up to Christmas Day.
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Bigjigs Advent Calendar Day 22

Bigjigs Advent Calendar Day 22

The Christmas Bigjigs Advent Calendar continues today, and for each day leading up to Christmas Day.
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Bigjigs Advent Calendar Day 21

Bigjigs Advent Calendar Day 21

The Christmas Bigjigs Advent Calendar continues today, and for each day leading up to Christmas Day.
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Bigjigs Advent Calendar Day 20

Bigjigs Advent Calendar Day 20

The Christmas Bigjigs Advent Calendar continues today, and for each day leading up to Christmas Day.
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Bigjigs Advent Calendar Day 19

Bigjigs Advent Calendar Day 19

The Christmas Bigjigs Advent Calendar continues today, and for each day leading up to Christmas Day.
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Play Patrol 2016 Agents

Play Patrol 2016 Agents

Play Patrol 2016 Agents

Play Patrol Logo design file

Thank you to everyone who sent in their applications, we have been inundated with applicants again, which we thank you for and it has a really been a tough decision to pick the final 6 for each category, but, we have selected our finalists, without further ado please see below if you are successful...

The confirmed line up for the reviewing panel for Play Patrol 2016:

Bloggers

Catherine Killen

Donna Wishart

Jade Wilson

Sarah Brew

Tami Anderson

Zoe Lester

Vloggers

Christina Gibson

Hannah Atkinson

Kara Guppy

Lisa Hodson

Sabrina Jillah

Sophie Hull

Retailers

TBC

If your name appears above, please all check your emails for more information.

If you name does not appear, please do not be disheartened, we may be in touch in the future for other opportunities, watch this space.


If you already have a Bigjigs Toys and would like the chance to win £20

Simply review the item here

you have a chance to WIN every month!

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Top 5 Gifts - Boys & Girls

Top 5 Gifts - Boys & Girls

Top 5 Gifts Bigjigs Toys Ltd for Boys and Girls

These are the results of the two polls we placed on our social media channels a few weeks ago; we invited all of the Bigjigs Rail, Bigjigs Toys & Green Toys followers on Facebook and Twitter to vote for their child's or children's favourite toys.

Many people questioned why the polls were split by gender, and suggested it was creating a stereotype, and suggested incorrectly, that here at Bigjigs Toys that boys should play with blue toys and girls with pink, because we produce toys in these colours. However, this was not the intention at all. This quote sums up my response to those felt this;

"Pink and blue aren't the problem, it's the meaning people attach to those colors that become problematic,"

Katie Hurley, LCSW, a child and adolescent psychotherapist, parenting expert, and author of the new book, "The Happy Kid Handbook".

The intention was to create a list of the top 5 gifts for boys and girls, in an effort to help the struggling gift buyers this season; often gift buyers will not know your child, like you do, gender whether we like it or not is often one factor which will help with the gift buying selection process.

each parent selected 5 toys that their child would love as a gift, often with the help of their children from a list of 20 toys, which was the same for boys and girls:

The list of 20 toys:

My Tool Bench Dino Train Set Farm Train Set Magnetic Fishing Game with Base Cook Set Trike (blue) Heritage Playset Rose Cottage My Tool Box Click Blocks (Intermediate)

Stacking Tower Cleaning Set Alice Doll Trike (red) Trike (pink) Magnetic Theatre Jar of Nuts and Bolts Candy Floss Food Mixer Set Cutting Fruit Chef Set Fairy Town Train Set Tool Set

With a mix of themes, colours and products, this gave the children and parents the opportunity to pick their favourites, and of course, the results were different for both genders, it was great to see the following from the results!

boys
  1. My Tool Bench
  2. Dino Train Set
  3. Farm Train Set
  4. Magnetic Fishing Game with Base
  5. Cook Set GW
girls

1. Farm Train Set

2. Tool Set

3. Alice Doll

4. Rose Cottage

5. Cook Set

So, if you are struggling with gift buying or know someone who will be this Christmas then refer them to this list, which has been selected by parents and their children!

And if you still need more help, refer to our Top 10 Toys post or our Gift Finder.

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Bigjigs Rail 957 'Ironclad'

When I was on my family holiday to my hometown in Yorkshire I made an effort to visit the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.
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Do you limit Screen Time?

Do you limit Screen Time?

Do you limit screen time?

It is a concern for many, a godsend for some and a pain for other.

tech Interestingly, 87% of all of the parents surveyed, limit screen time.

Over the past 10-15 years or so, many toy companies have integrated technology into toys. It is not unusual for technology to be a part of a child's life from an early age. This brings the need for many parents to monitor their child's use of technology and in some cases limit it. Bigjigs Toys are designed to be enjoyed for pure play, with traditional play value and therefore, do not include technology or screens.

However, it is important for Bigjigs to understand our customers and their needs regarding toys.

Twitter-Logo_36x36pxFacebook-Logo_36x36px

Your opinions count, in order to find out more, we invited our social media followers to give their opinions in our survey.


The Results of the Toys and Technology Survey

141

the number of respondents who completed the survey

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90% of the respondents were female and the remaining 10% male

Picture6

Majority of respondents were aged between 25 and 44

98% of those who responded were parents or guardians

The majority of respondents have 2 or 3 children


clock87% of the parents who limited screen time:

Typically, their children are allowed from 30 minutes to 2 hours screen time per day.

A few parents chose to give alternative answers about how many minutes they allow for screen time:

- Give less than 30 minutes per day

- Only allow at certain times of the day

- Allow on certain days of the week

- Use as a reward for good behaviour

- Limit use dependent on which child and their age


Parent vs Toys and Technology

When asked which type of toys the parents prefer:Picture3

74% say that toys without technology are better

26% prefer toys with technology

Child vs Toys and Technology

When asked which type of toys the respondents children prefer:

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52% prefer with technology

48% disagree and think toys without technology are better


What type of Toy buyer are you?

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We asked the respondents to pick from the following options about what type of toy buyer they are:

18%: I am a traditional toy buyer; choosing toys without technology or screens

44%: I am a playful toy buyer, choosing toys with or without technology, it should just be fun

35%: I am an educational toy buyer choosing toys with technology or not, it should be educational

2%: I am a techno toy buyer, all or most of the toys I buy should include technology

1%: Educational and fun toys which are engaging, some technology, some without

65% of Traditional toy buyers stated that their children also prefer toys without technology, the other 35% disagree with their parents opinion about technology and toys.

71% of educational buyers said that toys that do not include technology are better.

So, the results from the survey show that many parents limit screen time for their children, ultimately, you should do what is right for you and your family.


Thank you all for taking part in the survey!

Do you agree with the above results from Toys and Technology survey?

Give your opinion about screen time in the comments below.

Well done to the winner of the Mini Play Farm Set

Dan Kat

BJ684-2

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