Yoto Player
This screen-free audio platform is ideal for limiting children’s screen time. Simply insert one of the cards (which start at £4.99) to play songs, activities, podcasts and sound effects.
Collaborations with publishers such as Penguin and Macmillan mean there’s no shortage of material, plus it can also be used as a radio or Bluetooth speaker. From £79.99, yotoplay.com
Oculus Quest
This gloriously faff-free entry into VR comes from the crème de la crème of VR headsets, allowing gamers to experience virtual worlds like never before without needing a smartphone, console, beefy PC or any external sensors to get up and running. From £399.99, argos.co.uk
14-in-1 Solar Robot Kit
How can you not like the idea of tinkering with robots? And now everyone can all get a slice of some animatronic action by building their own bot. To be specific, 14 different solar-powered robots (including some designed for use in water) can be created using this ingenious bit of kit. £17.99, prezzybox.com
Tech Will Save Us Arcade Coder
Turn irritable offspring into budding braniacs with this ingenious iPad accessory, which allows them to design, customise and code their very own games. Every Arcade Coder, which simply fits over iPads, comes with stickers, a board-game insert, a USB-C cable and a Games Studio iOS App. £119.99, fruugo.co.uk
Pebble Gear Special Edition Disney Kids Tablet
This Disney-themed tablet is everything a kid-friendly tablet should be: it’s rugged, comes with built-in blue light protection, and is packed with games, apps and e-books. There are no in-game purchases or adverts, and customisable settings allow full parental control options. £99.99, pebble-gear.com
Hasbro Baby Yoda
This one isn’t available until later this year but the promise of an animatronic, talking baby Yoda is too brilliant to leave out. Tap his head to activate one of the 25 sounds and movements, lie him flat and he’ll take a Force Nap. Before then, check out Disney’s soft toy Baby Yoda (£21), out in May. £59.99 (available November), iwantoneofthose.com
Retro Pocket Games Console
This tiny games console is a great way to give kids’ grey matter a retro workout. There are built-in speakers (which can be silenced for that inevitable time when a moment of quiet is required) and 150 games, playable on a 1.8in full colour LCD screen. Turns out the best things really do come in small packages. £14.99, firebox.com
GameSir G6 Mobile Gaming Touchroller for iPhone
The nifty Bluetooth-enabled Touchroller turns iPhones into gaming mean machines, thanks to a 10-button analogue-style controller that allows smartphone gamers to carry out a wide range of actions simultaneously. The Touchroller can also be charged during play. £34.49, gamesir.hk
Home learning
Roblox
Free (with in-game purchases) Roblox, iOS, Android, PC, Mac, Xbox One, Fire OS
This app allows users to create and code their own games, then share them with Roblox’s huge online community. It’s simple to use too, thanks to a creator studio that offers a step-by-step guide to game development.
Fender Play
£9.99 a month (free for first three months), tryfender.com or apps.apple.com
Music lessons can be costly but there are pocket-friendly alternatives like Fender Play. It’s a tuition app designed for aspiring axe players keen to learn how to play the guitar through slickly made, instructor-guided videos.
Algoriddim Djay
Free, iOS, Android
Budding bedroom DJs should download Algoriddim’s popular Djay app. It can help you get to grips with the basics of mixing by turning smartphones and tablets into virtual mixing decks. Supported by Tidal too.