As a family we all enjoy being outside and like to play games where all the family can join in. A few years ago I bought a Tobar catch ball set and it has been a firm favourite ever since.

The set consists of two round bats; each about 20 cm in diameter. The plastic bats are covered with pink and green Velcro. The bats are strapped to the users hand by means of a Velcro fastened strap. Also included is a tennis type green and pink ball. The idea is that one player throws the ball, whilst the players with the bats try to catch the ball. The ball sticks onto the Velcro pad. The idea really is very simple, but it is great fun and can be played by children and adults of different ages and skills.

The manufactures recommended this game for children form aged 5 and above. However by son was very skilled at this game when he was just 4. The plastic covered bats are quite robust and even after lots of outings the Velcro on our bats is still in tact. We have enjoyed playing with this set both in the garden and on the beach. My children are quite competitive and like to make up games where you gain points for catches. We sometimes throw the ball to each other making it hard to catch by spinning the ball or throwing it slightly away from the catching player. We also play a piggy in the middle game, where one player with a bat tries to intercept the ball from the other two players who throw to each other. The set is great for those who may find catching difficult, as the bat has a larger circumference and makes catching easier.

The set is easy to pack and takes up little space. It is also lightweight so is idea to put into a suitcase for holidays. I like the colours of the set too, and think that it makes the ball easy to identify in the toy cupboard! I can't remember how much I paid for this set, but it is widely available for around £5. This is a very simple games ,that is great fun, can be played on different levels, helps coordination and is not too expensive.