Research in Scotland has confirmed that children need to have at least 30 mins of exercise a day, preferably an hour. Is this not all logical? Children need the opportunity to express themselves - as kids we were happy with pans and cardboard boxes, so why should we insist that our children have expensive toys that do eveything for them and take out the creativity and inspiration? Our son has a cupboard with pans, tubs, bowls and spoons that he plays with - non are breakable, and yes it means i often have to wash them before I use them, but he copies me, "cooks", builds towers, creates obstacle courses.... he has great fun! Jane, www.ecolocal.com