Christmas Wind-Up Figures

Wind, release, watch it go

Each figure hides a clockwork mechanism. Your child gives it a few turns, puts the figure on a table or a hard floor and lets go: it sets off by itself until the spring runs down. There are no batteries, no switch and no sound chip. When it stops, you wind it again.

A smooth, hard surface gives the longest run: a wooden table, a tray, a tiled floor. On carpet or a thick tablecloth the figure tends to stall, which children discover for themselves within a minute and promptly put right.

The characters include Father Christmas, a snowman, a reindeer and a penguin, with other festive figures completing the range.

Stocking filler toys that move on their own

Christmas morning, half past six. The stocking is tipped out on the duvet and, between the satsuma and the chocolate coins, a little reindeer turns up. Thirty seconds later it is making its way across the bedside table and the whole house knows about it.

A figure measures 7.8 x 4.8 x 3 cm and weighs 16 g, so it slides into the toe of a stocking with room to spare and goes home from the grandparents in a coat pocket. If you are gathering stocking filler Christmas gifts for several children at once, the set of 8 gives you a figure for every stocking and a few left over for cousins and visitors.

What three-year-old fingers learn from winding

These figures are for ages 3 and up, the age at which a child has the strength to wind a spring and the patience to wait for the result. Three things are at work each time:

• Pincer grip. One hand holds the figure still while the thumb and forefinger of the other do the turning: two hands, two different jobs.
• Finger strength. The spring pushes back a little more with each turn, the same effort that later helps with buttons and pencils.
• Cause and effect. Two turns give a short trip, more turns a longer one. Your child sees at once what the winding changed.

At three, wind it together the first few times, your fingers over theirs, and show them to stop as soon as it feels stiff. Forcing past that point is how clockwork toys get broken, and a child who has felt the limit once rarely forgets it.

One figure or the set of 8

• 1 item: for a single stocking, a little extra tucked in with a card, or a treat for a long car journey.
• Set of 8: for siblings and cousins, a class or party of children, or one figure beside each plate at Christmas lunch.

With several figures the game changes. Mark a start and a finish line on the table with two lengths of ribbon, agree on the same number of turns, and release together. The winner is rarely the same twice, which keeps everyone coming back for a rematch.

They also earn their place as table decorations. Stood among the crackers until pudding, they give the children something to do while the grown-ups finish talking.

For a quieter festive activity to balance the races, our felt Christmas tree lets a child hang and rearrange its ornaments as often as they like. You will find more ideas for busy hands among our Montessori teaching toys.

Christmas wind-up figures: common questions

How do the Christmas wind-up figures work?

You wind the clockwork mechanism, set the figure on a flat surface and let go. It moves along until the spring has unwound.

Which characters are there?

Father Christmas, a snowman, a reindeer and a penguin, along with other festive characters.

How big are the wind-up figures?

Each one measures 7.8 x 4.8 x 3 cm and weighs 16 g, small enough for a stocking or a pocket.

What age are wind-up toys suitable for?

These figures are for ages 3 and up. A three-year-old may need help with the first few turns; by four most children wind them alone.

Do they need batteries?

No. They are purely mechanical: winding is all the power they need.

Size and options

• Size: 7.8 x 4.8 x 3 cm
• Weight: 16 g
• Options: 1 item or set of 8 items
• Mechanism: wind-up, no batteries
• Age: 3+
• Guarantee: 2 years