LEGO is still a top toy. Aladdin’s Cave toy manager Jason Mahy said that the 70-year-old building brick brand was the classic example of a product that interested parents because of its nostalgic value.

‘They know it’s a quality toy because they’ve experienced it themselves. It’s a brand people are confident in and they want to buy it because they think there will be good play value.’

Lego – the traditional toy for budding young architects – topped a recent Cartoon Network poll for Britain’s best-loved toy. Although children may see the result as illegitimate – the poll was limited to people over 25 – shops maintain that Lego is still a top seller.

‘I think parents enjoy playing with it,’ said Creasey’s Toy Shop assistant manager Jo de la Mare, 27.

‘It’s educational, imaginative and they are bringing new stuff out all the time.’

Mr Mahy said: ‘There are so many other toys that are just a fad and a gimmick, but Lego has longevity. The concept is timeless.

‘Because it concentrates on the basics of stacking blocks together it allows the child to use their imagination. It’s not a toy where it’s all singing, all dancing and does it all for you.’

He said that Lego still competed with the world of interactive toys with microchips and flashing lights because children wanted to play with things where they could provide their own sound effects.

‘In my experience, the child gets bored quicker if the toy does it all for them. They prefer to put something together themselves.’

Mr Mahy cast aside fears that 30 years from now the likes of GameBoy and PlayStation would replace Lego’s current status.

‘It would still be Lego,’ he said.

‘It’s one of the most popular brands going. The year before last, Lego had a fantastic year. It’s a very, very safe bet and there’s always room for traditional toys. Games consoles will never take that away. Children still want to run around and play. They have an inherent need for physical play.’

Scalextric still performs well and came fourth in the poll.

‘That was around when I was a child,’ said Mr Mahy.

‘There was a deep concern that it would die away with Sega Megadrives and Nintendos. It did decline, but it’s coming back again. People are realising there’s still a demand for more-hands-on toys. It has also improved over the last few years. It’s much easier to change the track and the cars don’t fly off like they used to.’

Recent versions feature a race-management system that plugs into a PC. Children are now told how many laps are left and when to pull in for a pit stop.

There is always a place on the shelves for models of film characters. But these change as often as the summer box office hits. Miss de la Mare said that Lord of the Rings characters were replacing those from Star Wars.

Old favourites such as He-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were coming back but without parental prompting.

‘It’s all down to marketing,’ said Mr Mahy.

‘If it gets children’s attention, they buy the toys and it becomes a bit of a craze. That’s not got anything to do with the parents being interested.’

He added that there were a few adult enthusiasts who bought them for their collectable value.

Monopoly is still a best-seller and more than 100 are sold at Aladdin’s Cave each year.

‘That’s one that adults like to buy for their children. No others have the same longevity.’