Shape-Maker

Miller Goodman are Zoe Miller and David Goodman, the designers behind the Tate Gallery's Colour and Shapes books, plus tie-in merchandise.

Yes, somehow these designers have carved out a career in shape and colour for children, which sounds pretty ideal to me - can someone tell me where to find the application forms for that? It also makes them very qualified to have revived the Shape Maker, the puzzle you see, in its many forms, above.

It consists of 25 blocks with geometric designs printed on them, which can be made into a huge variety of images. This is not a new idea: I'm sure I remember playing with something very similar at my grandparents' house. But of course, the simple ideas are the most enduring.

So beguiling is this simple idea, that it has its own Flickr group, where grown adults share the images they've made. And that, I reckon, is what will clinch it if you are considering buying one - that's where you can see the toy's true potential.