WordUnited: A One Stop Shop for Educational Toys and Books -

As a busy working Mum of four, I find Christmas shopping can be an absolute nightmare if I’m honest. There is nothing worse than trailing around the shops on a weekend, barely able to move, with a long list of people to buy for and no idea what to get. For that reason I do the majority of my Christmas shopping on line, especially when it comes to the kids.

This year I have been introduced to WordUnited – “an independent publisher, bookseller and educational supplier of children’s books, award winning toys and exceptional learning resources for children from birth to 11 years old to nurture learning and development.” In short it’s a one stop destination for gifting an amazing range of toys and books to suit both children and their parents!

We were invited to choose a range of toys for the children and honestly, it was such a difficult task! WordUnited has so many amazing gifts from educational books, toys, arts and crafts, sensory, outdoor, imaginary play, science sets, building kits, covering all ages, abilities and interests. After making our choices I was impressed with just how fast our items arrived and, even more so, how beautifully packaged they were in eco friendly gift wrapping.

I decided to go for a mix of educational items and fun craft sets to put away for Christmas, something the girls especially are into at the moment. Just as I was at the same age, if you can make it, paint it, glue it, stick it, or sprinkle it with glitter, it’s guaranteed to be a hit!!

For Megan I chose the Galt Toys Sparkle Jewellery Kit which, at £5.99, is a fab stocking filler that I know she will love. With a range of beads, elastic cord, and a guide, you can either copy something from the instructions or something entirely unique, which I guarantee Megan will choose to do! I love these little sets and although they are undoubtedly a great Christmas present, they are also a lovely gift for the children to take to the many parties they attend each week without breaking the bank!

I also chose these Playcolour textile pens at £8.48 which can be used to offer mess-free creative play on fabric using solid poster paint. The kids will love creating their own designs on plain t-shirts and bags which you can then cover and iron to set the fabric. Once dry they can even be machine washed – amazing! I also got the Playcolour metallic poster pens at £5.99 for a pack of six colours. I am all for the children doing arts and crafts but limiting the mess is always a bonus!

For Eva, who is still utterly obsessed with fairies, I chose the Mould & Paint Glitter Craft Fairies set, £9.99, which contains everything you need to make fairy fridge magnets and badges. Using high quality plaster in the moulds provided, you can then paint them, sprinkle them with glitter, and either wear them or display them in your home. Eva, at seven, is going to absolutely love this and I’m sure she will have made at least one by the end of Christmas Day!

I also chose the Mould & Paint Space set which even glows in the dark! You can make two rockets, an alien, planet and astronaut and paint them with special glow paints! Although all of these sets are such fun for kids, they are also hugely educational. Not only do they promote imagination and creativity, but they develop observational skills and self confidence, something I really try hard to do with the children.

For a dino-mad Harry I knew he would love this National History Museum Nature Timeline Stickerbook, one of many amazing sticker books available. At just £6.98 the book contains over 100 stickers to create a giant 1.7 metre timeline of Earth which can then even be stuck on the wall to admire. There are pages to colour, a whole host of really interest and age appropriate information, and of course stickers galore. Again this is such a great educational resource, whilst really appealing to young children. As well as being a great gift, it would be a fantastic addition for class rooms and home-schoolers to use within lessons.

And lastly I decided to choose a coupe of Maths work books for Harry and Megan. With Harry now in Year 1 we have discovered that he has real strength in maths and I am hoping to push him as far as possible to really develop those skills. It’s funny but over the last few weeks he has asked each night after school for maths work sheets, spent hours playing maths games on his iPad and watching tutorials online, and as much as he is learning so much, he just finds it the most fun!

WordUnited have an extensive range of National Curriculum work books to choose from, including primary resources maths, and this Maths Practice Book for Year 1 priced at £6.98 has 100 targeted ready-made activities to dit the school curriculum and help your child progress. I will absolutely be buying more of these for Eva and Megan as well as purchasing Literacy books to support them the same.

With Megan off school again with tonsillitis, the arrival of this Maths Activity Book was perfect and meant that, although she was home from school, she could still do some maths practice in a fun and engaging way. Again at £6.98 these books aren’t costing a fortune and are a small price to pay to encourage our children in STEM subjects covered in this series. The books come in gorgeous bright colours with fun illustrations, easy to understand quizzes, and a mix of non-fiction and activities to inspire them.

Megan adores a challenge and although the activities in the were all age appropriate, they still tested her knowledge and built on her skills, and she happily sat there for over an hour working through it. Again these are a great resource for home schoolers or class work and I’ve already made a note of more activity books we will be buying to support the children in their education.

For anyone stuck for Christmas gift inspiration this year, or those wanting to purchase educational books and resources, WordUnited really does have it all. I found the prices to be so reasonable, the ranges extensive, and found gift inspiration for, not only for our own children, those we buy for who I usually struggle on what to buy. If you’re looking for a one stop shop this Christmas then I definitely recommend it!