Nursery World is the most respected brand in the early years sector – it is a successful London exhibition and a growing online community of followers.

Pullable toys

Ms Johnston says youngsters who have just learned to walk love the challenge of walking and pulling something behind them, such as the wooden pull-along array of animals.

Ms Brierley says with some pullable toys maybe the ears flap, the tail wags or it makes a noise as it rolls along, which adds interest. You can just add up a string to a wheeled toy for experienced children to tow and some children choose pushable toys.

Soft toys

Ms Johnston says the only value of soft toys is as a comforter. Ms Brierley says puppets are a good selection, particularly ones that link in with vocals that the children know, but whatever you pick it has to be washable.

Dolls

Buy a range of gender and multi-ethnic appropriate dolls, suggests Ms Johnston. But consider of how the children will play with them, says Ms Brierley. If they play in water buy a plastic doll. If the kids are likely to have their clothes off, purchase dolls with soft tummies that are easier for small hands to control

Ms Thomas suggests that a biting dolly be about 18cm long, not jointed and made of a plastic that gives without cracking.

For children around 26-29 months, she proposes providing several dolls 20-25cm high (in both genders, several races and some twins).

Puzzles

Keep it painless. Maybe follow a theme with nursery rhymes practiced in the nursery so there is a thread running through the provision that the youngsters can recognise.

Enduringness is important, because puzzles will get chewed.

Mirrors

'Mirrors assist youngsters develop a sense of self-reflection both literally and metaphorically,' says Martin Pace, managing director of Reflections Nurseries.

He says the big wall-mounted mirrors, infinity cube and Mirror Exploratory are made from robust acrylic or plastic with fabulous reflective properties so they are safe and sound for young children to use.

Practitioners can use mirrors at floor level to provide young kids with interesting viewpoints and to engross their attention.

Mirrors can also be sited behind resources to create exciting surroundings to search.

Ms Johnston likes the Combi mirror with both concave and convex mirror images.

Magnets

Kids are always hypnotized my magnets. Ms Johnston recommends getting a magnetic knife rack from IKEA store