My son Dexter is now three months old and has recently started to hold toys, to notice different shapes and to enjoy feeling different textures. So last week, when we were away on holiday, we visited a shop in Scarborough where I bought him a Very Hungry Caterpillar toy. I have loved the Eric Carle book since I was a child in the 1970s and am happy to have toys associated with such a fun, classic book.

It is a Rainbow Designs Very Hungry Caterpillar Developmental Toy and is available from Amazon for £14.99 though I think we paid £11 for it in the shop, so look around for the best price. It is a long toy, one that fits nicely across a baby's lap when they are in the car seat or in a bouncy chair. It has a large rubbery hook on the top, which is great for hooking onto a bouncy chair or a buggy and it is in the shape of a cute green caterpillar, keeping in with the theme.

The toy itself is really pretty. The caterpillar is a wonderful mix of colours and textures; it is bright, fun and interesting. The familiar face is red and crinkly to feel and it has a stitched in eyes and nose. There are purple sparkly antennae on top of the head. The caterpillar's body is in five segments and each one has its own look, texture and little thing it does. They are all crinkly to touch and the middle segment has a strawberry which squeaks when you press it. There are taggies on two segments - little silky bits of material with pictures on.

One segment has a ring round it with beads on, which are great for little fingers to explore and the last part of the caterpillar is ideal for teething on, as it is rubbery and has different textures on both sides. There are six little feet underneath which are brightly coloured and soft to touch.

This is definitely a toy I would recommend as there is so much to discover. It is great value for money, beautiful to look at and well worth the money. But of course, the most important thing in buying a toy is whether the child likes it. Well, Dexter loves it and especially enjoys grabbing it and seeing what happens, as well as chewing on the teething end. He smiles when he sees it and even falls asleep holding bits of it sometimes. I think of it as a wide awake toy though, rather than a sleeping one, as it is quite big and heavier than a cuddly toy. However, Dexter is really getting used to feeling and touching toys and loves discovering the new textures of this toy and finding out what noises each part of the caterpillar makes.

It can be washed in cold water, but I usually use a sponge to wipe any dribble off. So far, the colours and textures have remained just as bright as they were. Overall, it is a wonderful toy, suitable from birth and one I would recommend anyone to buy for a young child. As they grow, they will find more and more things to discover about it and any toy which combines fun with learning has to be a winner.