As a child, Toys R Us represented paradise to me and my brother, and pandemonium to my mother, who must have spent every trip desperately searching for her children lost somewhere in its aisles. 

In the last few days, European branches of the retail giant have made significant changes to these aisles, changes that will certainly resonate amongst parents everywhere beyond the ring of the cash register. 

Firstly, in response to the atrocities that took place in Paris on November 13th, the retail giant has decided to remove toy guns and other arms-related items from all 48 of its stores in France. 

The move was made as a security measure, as these toys could be misinterpreted as real weapons and cause confusion for French police forces. You only have to look back a year to the fatal shooting of Tamir Rice, a 12-year- old American boy shot by a Cleveland police officer for pointing a BB gun, to recognise the importance of this precaution.

While the decision is currently being framed as a question of security, it is likely to start a conversation on the role of violent toys in child development, although there is currently no clear link between playing with violent toys as a child and later adult aggression. 

Crossing the Channel to the UK, Toys R Us made a powerful move towards gender equality this same weekend by deciding to abandon gender filters on their online store.  Now, no kids will be told what toys they should and shouldn’t play with as they browse the site, 

This is a huge victory for those who have spent years campaigning to let children decide what toys they can enjoy. Many parents and pressure groups complained that categorising toys like trains and construction sets under the label "boys" is not only sexist, but also dissuades girls from taking an early interest in subjects like engineering - a pattern replicated later in life in the number of women pursuing careers in STEM. And the recent success of the ‘Moschino Barbie’ faux-mercial, starring a young boy playing with Barbie, challenges the notion that dolls are just for girls. 

Removing these categories is a crucial step forward in the fight to #LetToysBeToys, allowing children to fill their Christmas lists with the toys that bring them the most joy, regardless of their gender.