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Small hands check

Ages, sizes and safety. Every box carries an age mark. Here is the reasoning behind ours, which is more useful than the number on its own.

The metal pieces

Our spinners are rated 8 and over. The limit is not the spinning — it is the size. A spin ball is 1.5 inches cubed and a cube spinner 1.15 inches, which is small enough to matter in a house with a toddler in it. Keep them on a shelf, not in a toy box.

No batteries, no magnets, no removable caps. The glow in the dark finish is a pigment in the coating and charges from ordinary room light.

The 180 piece jigsaws

Marked 4 and over. The pieces are large, the board is thick and the picture resolves fast enough to hold a four year old's attention to the end. An adult usually sorts the edge.

The 1000 piece jigsaws

Marked 8 and over, and honestly they suit teenagers and adults best. A 1000 piece map is a multi day object and children under eight tend to lose the thread by the second evening.

The micro puzzles

Marked 14 and over. The pieces are fingernail sized and the artwork rewards patience rather than speed.

The scooter

Suits roughly 5 to 12 depending on height, with handlebars from 24.4 to 33 inches. Maximum rider weight is 110 pounds. A helmet is not an accessory.