Toys: Try chicken croquet

The best board game for sports fans this year must be the new Monopoly World Cup (£27.95). This France '98 Edition features eight specially commissioned playing pieces and the 22 greatest teams - all you need to recreate the excitement of the world's greatest sporting event.

The old table favourite Subbuteo (£29.75) now comes in various editions, including the Premier League, but you can also choose from Pro Action Football (£24.99), with its special magnetic pass mechanism, or Super Striker (£33.50), featuring kicking action with both left and right-footed players.

There is also the totally lame Shearer Shoot-Out (£19.99), where you move Newcastle's best around defenders and score amazing goals, or for your least favourite nephew, World Cup Cricket (£14.75), where you do nothing.

If you'd prefer your kids to be playing on the field, you can give them an early start with a Mondo Kick Off Soccer Trainer (£5.49), with ball and belt fixed by heavy duty elastic for skill practice. Soccer Swingball (£17.99) is based on the original tennis version and is probably equally difficult so a better investment might be a Mookie Indoor/Outdoor Basketball Game Set (£21.99) where at least you could be forgiven for missing.

The one toy that never fails to impress is Scalextric. The electric-powered favourite has been providing hours of fun (on Christmas day at least) for years now, recreating all the thrill of motor racing. It's still available in the traditional Grand Prix (£44.95) as well as the more demanding Audi Racing (£64.75) and the more powerful Monster Trucks (£74.95).

But best of all is the new Football Car Series. Each Ferrari F40 bears the colours and shield of the team of your choice, with seven teams currently available, including Celtic, Newcastle and Chelsea.

Still popular are the football Play Figures (£24.95), complete with kicking action, and there's also plenty of fun to be had with Premier Table Soccer 2000 (£29.99).

Less exciting but equally popular is a snooker table, and the range varies in both size and price. For budding Ken Dohertys there is the Smoby My First Pool Table (£27.99) measuring just 70 by 45 cm. More adventurous is the Monneret 6-in-1 Playtable (£89.95), which easily converts into bar football, speed hockey, table tennis, pool, basketball and, after all that, a study desk.

If all this sounds too much like noise then try Mookie Junior Punchball and Stand (£9.99) or Boxing Gloves (£5.49).

To keep your own eye on the clock, the BBC have a football-shaped Match of the Day Watch (£13.99), or better still, the goal-shaped Alarm Clock (£19.99) that plays Match of the Day theme tune and can be personalised with your favourite team's name.

Golf addicts may like a golf ball Personaliser Kit from Pro Action (£7.49) which prints golf balls with up to three initials to prevent fairway confusion. The less experienced might prefer a Malibu Driving Net (£22.99) for back garden practice.

There's also a great range of skate boards, go-karts, scooters and roller-blades (make sure you get the knee-pads as well).

Finally, if it's a more civilised game you want, you could choose Chicken Croquet (£27.95). The idea is to hit the ball through the wickets, aim for the chicken, then watch her squawk and lay an egg. The first one to get two eggs wins the game. Just don't show it to the turkey.