It's not just Santa who delivers toys at Christmas.

Internet toy shops are busy preparing parcels for girls and boys with clever mums and dads.

Toys R Us has an excellent online store crammed with toys and games. There's plenty of product information and clear pictures to help you decide and, if you're in need of inspiration, you can check out the list of hot items or search by age, price, product type, brand or character.

Your order will arrive in four working days. Postage and packing is charged at an extra £3.50.

Early Learning Centre has a slick and sophisticated web site, which offers an alternative way to shop for its own label products and big name brands.

Use the excellent search facilities and order on line, adding £3.50 for delivery, which usually takes five working days.

If you're after more traditional, wooden toys, look at Dawson and Son. This family-run mail order company offers more than 300 high-quality, wood-based toys on its site, which has been endorsed by Which? and is secure for online orders.

The toys are arranged into active play, early years, educational, games, older, vehicles and stocking fillers, with puzzles (from £8), dolls houses (from £60), construction sets (from £14), rocking horses (from £36) and some great ideas for under £5. The product photos could be a bit bigger but there's plenty of detail and all toys meet British and European safety standards.

Postage costs an additional £3.99 and your toys will usually be despatched within 48 hours, although out of stock items can take up to 28 days.

Board games always go down well and Games Web is a fantastic shop-based site with literally every game you could imagine. Despite the volume of products, it's extremely easy to find your way around with everything logically arranged and clearly sign posted. Search by game type (board, card and so on), age (under fives to over 14s) and price (£5 and more than £40) or browse the selections for children, families, parties, strategists, traditionalists, travellers and puzzlers.

All the usual favourites are there, such as draughts (£6.90), snakes and ladders (£4.90) and Frustration (£7.90). New releases include the limited edition Spiderman Monopoly at £24.90 and 13 themed Harry Potter games at £2.50 to £39.90.

The Great Little Trading Company mail order and internet specialist offers all kinds of gift ideas, including personalised pencil sets (£6.99), hand puppets (£12.99 a pair) and dressing up outfits (£20 to £30).

www.toysrus.co.uk
www.elc.co.uk
www.dawson-and-son.com
www.games-web.co.uk
www.gltc.co.uk