We received quite a few requests for help with keeping up with the latest children's trends. First thing to say is that this is almost impossible! However hard you try you have to concede that you will always be one step off the pace - such is the speed of changing youth culture!

Basically, whatever is written here will probably be out of date before you read it but we've tried to offer some useful pointers of how to keep in touch.

Preschool

6 Years Upwards

We feel that under 5's are still relatively easy to please, so make the most of them at this tender age, it doesn't last long!

Your best source of information about the current best loved characters are CBeebies which is on all day on Satellite TV and around 9.00am (BBC2) and 3.20pm (BBC1) and Playhouse Disney and Nick Junior, both preschool Satellite channels. Look out for The Tweenies, Blues Clues, Bob the Builder, Dora, Balamory and Noddy.

You can also find out online at web sites such as www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies and www.nickjr.co.uk

6 Years Upwards

ITV - this is a great source of information about 'what's in and what's new!' Just watching a small sample of after school and tea time commercial TV will give you a good idea about what's being bought and watched by pre-teens (6-13).

You can also find out online at their web site www.citv.co.uk

Music - if you can stomach it, a visit to one of the Satellite music channels such as MTV will give you a flavour for current fashion, music tastes and the 'in' pop stars. There are a variety of styles but most have some consistency.

The 'bubble gum' end of the market is definitely pre teen. The pop acts in this market are usually boy or girl bands who look photogenic. Look out for 'Busted', 'Sugababes' and 'WestLife'. Also anyone who's been part of 'Pop Idol'! (No self respecting teenager would ever admit to liking one of these bands!). Then you move onto the more 'grungy' type bands who prefer longer hair and whose music is louder, much louder! These bands tend to attract the teenagers, who are well into their rebellious phase by then.

There are lots of variations of styles in between, but this gives you some idea of what to look out for.

Games consoles - Most boys and girls 6+ are into computer games or console games of some description. The most popular varieties of games console (the thing that actually plays the game!) are Playstation (Sony) and Gamecube (Nintendo), although younger children tend to prefer the Gameboy (Nintendo) hand held consoles that are portable and can run on batteries rather than the mains. There are always new games coming out for these consoles. There are plenty of good Internet sites selling Games. On the High Street they are usually bought from are Game, HMV, Dixons and Electronic Boutique.

Most stores have 'charts' of what is the most popular games at any given time, so if you are looking for present ideas, a visit to one of these shops will tell you what is popular at the moment.

Toys - there ia always an amazing array of 'in toys' some worth buying and others not - although your grandchildren will never agree with your decision of which is which! You can find details of the latest toys of boys at sites such as www.theintoy.co.uk and www.popcornlive.co.uk

Magazines and Comics - Again if you are really interested in 'youth culture' then comics and magazines are an unbeatable source of information. A browse through at your local newsagents will give you a taste of what's hooking children from preschoolers to teenagers.

Anyway, there are lots of other sources of information, but getting a grasp of music, TV, fashion and computer/console games are at the core of most kids interests from 6 upwards.

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