Bilibo - Everything, nothing, and much more in between

"What is this strange object?", you may ask. This, my friend, is a Bilibo, the unusual award-winning toy for children aged 2 to 7.

It my not look like much, but the Bilibo is the result of extensive research by the Swiss into the playing behaviour of pre-school children. The boffins concluded that modern children's toys with a specific function only stimulate their minds on a purely superficial level - kids prefer to use their imaginations when manipulating objects to create a world of their own.

And I've got to say I entirely agree. Anyone with kids has had that moment on Christmas morning when everything is unwrapped and their Son or Daughter decides that what they want to play with first is the boxes and wrapping paper - no specific function but highly entertaining.

And that is just the niche that the Bilibo fills. It doesn't do anything specific but has unlimited entertainment value.

Put it on your head and you're a knight, a storm trooper or an alien. Sit in it and rock. Carry stuff around in it. Put it on your back and, as if by magic, you're a turtle. The uses are only limited by you and your kids imaginations.

So, if you're looking to keep your kids occupied this Xmas while you dig in to the Sherry and Mince Pies, get them a £15 Bilibo and everybody's happy :)