Come on, feel the TOYS

NICK Thomas seems to be a man who enjoys his job. His eyes shine as he leads us through a treasure trove of trinkets, all made by his company, Vivid Goliath, and heading to a toybox near you.

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He points out a few of his favourites - there's Jelly Blox, a building toy similar to Duplo but made from soft, squishable jelly. Some of them have crunchy plastic balls inside. They'd make brilliant stress toys.

"These have been a massive hit for us," says Nick. "Each block has a different feel to it. And when you step on them, it doesn't hurt your feet!"

It's suddenly clear just how carefully thoughtthrough they are, as a product. For any parent who's ever run the gauntlet of a Duplo-strewn floor, the idea of a pain-free alternative is irresistible.

He leads us to the Clickeez, a range of collectables aimed squarely at the primary school market. The tiny plastic characters make a satisfying 'click' sound when pressed and can even be arranged in a keyboard-style case.