Wanted: Top tots to trial Christmas toys

Christmas will come early for ten lucky tots, as a search gets underway to find the UK’’s youngest panel of toy experts to play Santa’’s little helpers’, and pick out the must have toys for this festive season.

North West based Toy company, Martin Yaffe, is offering 10 children aged between three and six years old a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join its ‘play panel’ - spending a whole day playing with hundreds of brand new products that won’’t hit toy shop shelves across the country until September.

The lucky tots will have free reign of the company’’s on-site, custom-built toy shop to test out the latest products from ranges including Bob the Builder and Rupert Bear, as well as new concepts designed by Martin Yaffe such as ‘Odd Bodz’ and ‘Miss Wheelz’.

The panel will offer a unique insight into which toys will be in most demand during the run up to Christmas, and which products are top of the toy box across different age groups and sexes.

Peter Hatton, Toy Director at Martin Yaffe, said, ““The ‘play panel’ makes perfect sense, who better to trial toys and give us honest feedback than the children they have been designed for?”

“”We’’re looking for fun-loving, enthusiastic, energetic, children who enjoy being creative and trying out new things. We need as much feedback as possible, so little chatterboxes are essential!”

“”We plan to use the information to compile a definitive ‘top toys’ list for 2007, ensuring that parents and relatives alike are left in no doubt as to what Santa should bring down the chimney on Christmas Eve.””

Feedback from the play panel will also help to anticipate product demand, influencing distribution and stock levels.

Peter added, ““Our junior judges will give us foresight into which products will fly off the shelves, allowing us to stock up in advance and avoid disappointment on Christmas morning.””

To give your child the chance to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, explain in less that 50 words why he/she would be a perfect participant on the ‘play panel’ and send your entry to playpanel@beattiegroup.com or write to :

Eliza Risk,
‘The Play Panel’,
Beattie Communications,
46 The Calls,
Leeds LS2 7EY

Deadline for entries is Monday 20 August.

All nominees must be aged from three to six years-old and be available to travel with at least one guardian to Martin Yaffe’s toy factory, Rochdale, Greater Manchester at a date to be confirmed.