PRE-SCHOOL MONTH: Golden Bear ramping up for autumn/winter

Golden Bear will be introducing a brand new pre-school line for 2008, launching the My First JCB range.

The firm has joined forces with the construction brand to launch a collection aimed at children aged 12 months and over. Arriving in autumn/winter, the line will centre around bright and bold chunky vehicles each with their own character. The different personalities, such as Joey JCB and Roxy Robot, have friendly faces, a flashing light, articulated features and a number of phrases.

Golden Bear will be extending its Hana's Helpline series with a range of plastic and plush products for autumn/winter.

The talking soft toy collection includes Hana and four of the other characters from the Five animation. There is also a Telephone Playset, which folds out to reveal the office scene from the show.

Moving on, and the firm is adding a wooden line to its existing plastic and plush Charlie & Lola collection. The Wooden Playhouse Playset has a kitchen theme with a table, two chairs, pink milk and a tomato, plus Charlie, Lola and Tiger characters. The Playhouse Accessory Packs mean the scene can be changed to a park or a bedroom.

A Balancing Game, Alphabet Set, Dominoes Set and Numbers Set will complete the wooden line.

Elsewhere in the collection, Chattering Charlie & Lola is a new addition to the plush line, while there is also a Colour-in Lola doll, Poseable Talking Dolls, Giggling Charlie & Lola and Daytime Night-time Lola.

The range also has a selection of games including Lola's Pink Milk Game, a memory game and a pairs game. The Charlie & Lola Incentive Chart is perfect for encouraging a child's good behaviour, while there are also stick-on felts and make and play card sets available.

Golden Bear's Thomas & Friends collection of products continues to grow, too. Billy, Whiff and Stanley join the Talking Thomas line this year and each engine has seven different phrases unique to their character, which children can activate with a button on top of the engine.

The Drive Away collection sees the addition of a unique activity set which includes an activity playmat. The Thomas Step n Learn Playmat is also new; it includes four different modes - numbers, find, colours and names. This is joined by Crash n Bang Talking Thomas Playset.

Finally, the firm will be launching its Peppa Pig range which includes a Peppa Pig Bathtime Playset and the Peppa Step n Learn Playmat.