When it comes to toys, mother-of-12 Rachel Fogel has a pretty good idea of what children want.
So much so that she has created a new range of educational ones. Called Bizzy Bitz, they are construction toys which use a simple ball-and-socket system. They come in an assortment of coloured shapes, which children build into provided designs or ones of their choice. It has been highly praised by early years advisers and OFSTED.
Mrs Fogel developed the concept with her husband, Alta. The couple work in nurseries in Stamford Hill, north London. She tells People: "We have been working with children for more than 20 years and felt there was the need for a different kind of toy that challenged children and kept them entertained. We came up with the idea three years ago and then had to find the designers, come up with prototypes and get it patented. The toys are a lot of fun and educational too."
She says they help children develop spatial awareness, imagination, problem solving skills and brain power.
The Fogels' offspring range from 10 months to 21 years. "We have children of pretty much every age trying it and it really works. It's pretty addictive."
The couple are taking the product to the Education Show at Birmingham's NEC in March and hope to get it into stores. What about the BBC's Dragons' Den? "We have thought about it but we don't really want someone to take a lion share of the business." Bizzy Bitz cost between £12 and £52, depending on size.
