Starting early on a child's development makes sense - so long as you're not hot-housing and helicoptering!

How do you 'develop' your child's skills without overwhelming them? Easy. You go back to basics.

1. Colouring books let kids develop a sense of imagination, an appreciation of fine motor skills and control by needing to stay within lines.

2. Building blocks let kids improve hand eye coordination and stimulate the imagination. They problem solve and develop fine motor skills.

3. Construction sets  encourage problem solving and thinking ahead. They develop calculation skills and stretch their imaginations.

4. Play dough lets kids get messy and explore their creative side without restriction - the 'creation' is entirely up to them and the messy factor develops a sense of freedom.

5. Pretend play with dress ups is all about kids exploring imaginative worlds and cutting loose, while learning to engage with other children, appreciating boundaries and the fine art of sharing.

Would you like to give your children a head start in their times tables? Try Multibandz - a set of time tables they can wear on their wrist and recite whenever they want to!