Sooty Finger Puppet Theatre

Without doubt the stars of this set are the finger puppets themselves. Small, but perfectly formed, they are just the right size for the three-to-six-year-old target market and move very realistically with the minimum of encouragement. The theatre, whose backdrop has Velcro to fasten it in position, is bright, colourful and is a nice compliment to the puppets. Balance it on a table, bob down behind, open the curtains (which draw and close on a string and have Velcro tie-backs) and it's on with the show. Totally washable, the theatre is well-made and has a handy carry handle for tours and other on-the-road events. Three little pockets make good tidy-away places for the finger puppets, whose main detraction is that they are easily misplaced.

This is a good introduction to puppetry and will encourage creativity, role-play and storytelling skills, and for mum and dad, this will be a fun trip down memory lane. --Sophie Lowe