Must-have Christmas toys 2024: Expert-picked toys tried and tested by kids

Every year the UK's biggest retailers, like Very, John Lewis, Argos, Amazon and more, share their picks for the must-have Christmas toys to buy for your children.

This time around, we've seen the usual roster of major brands like Barbie, Bluey and LEGO, as well as a resurgence of nostalgic figures like Stitch and Furby. According to Nina Findley, Director of Toy Buying at Argos: "This year’s list of most covetable toys for the festive season sees the coolest toys from world-famous brands that we know both kids and adults will love."

To help you decide which toys are actually worth it, we've been keeping an eye on the best products coming out and sending them out to our child testers. Here's a closer look.

Check out some of the winners of MadeForMums Toy Awards 2024:

Jump to:

• Top Christmas toys at a glance
• What are the experts' top toys for 2024?
• Top Christmas toys in the UK for 2024

Top Christmas toys at a glance:

Best playsets

• Goo Jit Zu Hero Creator Pack, £20
• My 1st Record Player, £22
• Polly Pocket Gingerbread house advent calendar playset, £21
• Ooni toy pizza oven, £25
• The Gross Bucket, £29.99
• Cotton Candy Maker, £29.99
• Hot Wheels Ultra Shark Car Wash Playset, £39.99
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutation Station Van, £40
• Connetix 24 Piece Motion Pack, £44.95
• Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels Chase Vehicle, £44.99
• Miniverse Make It Mini Kitchen playset, £45
• Beyblade Xtreme Battle Set, £45
• Hape Marble Run Construction Toy, £48.44
• Numberblocks Five's Musical Superstar Stage, £49.95
• Bluey Mega Bundle Home, BBQ And Family Playset, £50
• Leapfrog Build a Slice Pizza Cart, £55
• Bluey 3-In-1 Airplane Playset, £59.99
• Melissa & Doug Wooden Vending Machine Toy, £79.99

Best soft toys

• Snackles Axolotl (Krispy Kreme), £15
• Stitch Crack Me Up Plush, £24.99
• Disney Stitch plush, £30
• Mystery Hatch Pufficorn Interactive Pet, £49.99
• Daisy The Yoga Goat, £50
• Furby Galaxy, £55

Best dolls

• Mini Barbie Land Fashionistas Dolls, £20
• Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase Dance and Show Horse, £24.99
• Moana Singing Doll, £29.99
• Rainbow High Winter Wonderland Fashion Dolls, £34.99
• Gabby’s Dollhouse Rainbow-Themed Celebration Doll’s House, £47.48
• Barbie Ultimate Stable Playset, £49.99
• Alessandra Fur White Bonnet Baby Doll, £120
• Monster High Haunted High School Doll House, £199.99

Best electronic toys

• HEXBUG Wall Crawler Gecko, £29.99
• Spiderman Dance N Crawl Spidey, £39.99
• Lexibook Disney Stitch Electronic Diary, £39.99
• Disney Bitzee, £40
• Bulldozer Stunt Car, £45
• Little Tikes Story Dream Machine, £45
• Teksta Purro The Interactive Smart Kitty, £50

Best LEGO sets

• LEGO Marvel Dancing Groot, £39.99
• Wednesday Addams LEGO set, £44.99
• LEGO Transformers Bumblebee Model Set, £79.99
• LEGO Wicked Emerald City set, £89.99
• LEGO Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer, £149.99

Best toys under £20

• Fisher-Price Wooden Stack & Sort Animals, £8.50
• LOL Surprise! Mermaids Tots Assortment, £9.99
• Play-Doh Rainbow Swirl Ice Cream Playset, £10.99
• SCREAMERZ Babbling Bear, £11.99
• Play-Doh Marvel Hulk Smash & Squish Playset, £14.40
• Polly Pocket Dolphin Rescue & Play Compact, £16
• Squish-a-longs 14 pack, £17.99

Best board games

• Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game, £10
• Drop Trivia Family Game, £20

What are the experts' top toys for 2024?

This year's toy trends are a treat for millennial parents as much as children, as toy experts are predicting a huge upswing in 90's nostalgia. Among the familiar friends, Furby is expected to rank highly – Argos reports a 237% in Furby searches this year – as is Barbie, who is currently celebrating her 65th anniversary, not to mention a resurgence in Beyblades and Polly Pocket.

According to Nina Findley, Director of Toy Buying at Argos: "There's a real mix of influences this Christmas, with simple, classic toys continuing to resonate and nostalgic favourites making a comeback."

However, these classic characters seem to be evenly matched by modern icons like Bluey, and in particular, Stitch. Plus, LEGO is set to be as popular as ever but this time with an emphasis on TV and movie-themed sets from Marvel, Harry Potter and even the new Wicked movie. According to a survey conducted by Very, 30% of parents would still choose LEGO above any other toy

Findley added: “Kids love to recreate their favourite scenes and adventures from TV and film and toys based on popular characters and stories allow them to do just that."

Hamleys head buyer Victoria Kay agreed, saying: “Some of the toys on this year’s list foster a sense of connection, comfort and familiarity, whether they are transforming Bumblebee, sending Chase on an epic Paw Patrol rescue mission or enjoying Stitch giggle his way around the home."

If you're worried about space, don't! Because Very said that mini is very much in this year: "Miniaturisation is captivating kids! We're seeing incredible growth in miniature toys, whether it's tiny baby dolls, shrunken plush, or miniature food playsets. Brands like Miniverse are at the forefront of this trend, capitalising on kids' fascination with all things small and collectible."

John Lewis has also been keen to emphasise toys with a focus on "togetherness", this can come in the form of new board games, like Drop Trivia, or in larger sets that encourage imaginative play – in this case, you can't go wrong with food-based toys like the Play-Doh Rainbow Swirl Ice Cream Set and the Build a Slice Pizza Cart.

Plus, interactive pet toys, which are great for inputting a sense of responsibility, are also set to boom, whether that's cuddly plush friends like Daisy the Yoga Goat or animatronic, coding-based toys like the Gecko Hexbug. As Very said: "The lines between digital and physical play are blurring."

So far, Argos, Selfridges, Hamleys, Very, The Entertainer, Amazon and John Lewis have released their top lists, but we'll be updating this as more are added.

Top, must-have Christmas toys in the UK for 2024

Best playsets

Goo Jit Zu Hero Creator Pack, £20

Recommended by: Argos and Very

Age suitability: 4+
Batteries required: None

You can now make your own Goo Jit Zu Hero from scratch. Simply mix water, plenty of goo and a few fish and pump it into the figure, then watch as it comes to life. Once filled, your Goo Jit Zu's body can be stretched to three times its size.

“Making it was really fun and at the end I liked that you could move all the bits that were inside it and stretch it. I like the weird noise he makes when he has liquid in him. I would play with it again and I am going to refill it again soon.”

Goo Jit Zu Hero Creator Pack | £20

My 1st Record Player, £22

Recommended by: John Lewis

Age suitability: 12 months - 3 years
Batteries required: 3 x AA (included)

Spin the decks on your first-ever record player. This interactive turntable can light up, skip and fast forward songs as well as remix the tracks with animal sounds and other noises. Plus, there's 5 records to choose from, each with a different genre of music: Jazz, Pop, Techno, Country, and Hip Hop.

My 1st Record Player, £22

Polly Pocket Gingerbread house advent calendar playset, £21

Recommended by: Selfridges

Age suitability: 4+
Batteries required: None

This Polly Pocket playset is perfect for the Christmas build-up, with a new surprise in store each day. Among the surprises you'll find 2 Polly Pocket dolls, as well as vehicles, gingerbread, animals and more.

Polly Pocket Gingerbread house advent calendar playset, £21

Ooni toy pizza oven, £25

Recommended by: Selfridges

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: 3x AAA (not included)

Children love to copy their parents' day-to-day lives, so if you're a fan of the Ooni pizza oven, you can now buy a mini one for your pint-sized chef. The oven comes with a flame-effect light to make it feel as real as possible, plus accessories like a pizza cutter and pizza ingredients.

My son was very excited to play with this as soon as he saw it and instantly wanted to jump straight in. He is a really big fan of roleplay and even put on his chef’s apron and hat to get fully into the experience. He asked to play with it again straight away the next morning and has gone back to it in the days since. When asked about the toy he said: ‘My favourite thing is everything. I’d give it 12/10!’

Ooni toy pizza oven | £25

The Gross Bucket, £29.99

Recommended by: Hamleys and Very

Age suitability: 3-4+
Batteries required: 3x AAA (not included)

This playset is only for the strong stomached as it features a huge range of "freaky figures" and "creepy compounds" from inside the Fast Food Fryer. From mouldy milkshakes to smelly sauce, each of the 9 compounds is certain to gross you out, and inside 8 of them is a collectible creature.

My son is 7 and he really enjoyed opening and playing with this toy. He loved that there was different slime and bath bombs, and all the various aspects to it. He enjoyed making his sisters smell the smelly sauce and seeing their reactions. He said it was the best toy ever and would definitely recommend it and said it was a 10/10.

The Gross Bucket | £29.99

Cotton Candy Maker, £29.99

Recommended by: Very

Age suitability: 8+
Batteries required: 2x non-replaceable rechargeable batteries (included)

This portable candy floss maker is perfect for sleepovers, movie nights or easy dessert-making. All you need to do is add a table spoon of sugar, switch the machine on, and voila! Plus, this machine is safe to use, easy to clean and small enough to store away.

Cotton Candy Maker | £29.99

Bluey Mega Bundle Home, BBQ And Family Playset, £50

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

Bluey is back with another intricate playset, featuring her whole family – Bingo, Chilli, and Bandit – and everything they need for a fun family BBQ. In the set you'll find a house with removeable furniture, garden benches, and a BBQ set complete with food ready to be cooked.

Bluey Mega Bundle Home, BBQ And Family Playset | £50

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutation Station Van, £40

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

Get ready to make some crazy creatures with this Mutation Station Van from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. Inside, you'll find 6 2.5-inch figures (including 2 Ninja Turtles) which can all be divided into three sections, you can then put any combination of these sections in the the Mutation Station, press the button and voila! You'll have a new hybrid creature made up of the different characters.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutation Station Van | £40

Leapfrog Build a Slice Pizza Cart, £55

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: 3 x AA (included)

Another one for the pizza lovers, this set comes with 30+ role play pieces including: an interactive pizza cart, 4 pizza slices, pizza box, 6 toppings, pizza cutter, and an interactive spatula that recognises the toppings you're using and can even teach you a bit of Italian.

Leapfrog Build a Slice Pizza Cart, £55

Connetix 24 Piece Motion Pack, £44.95

Recommended by: John Lewis

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

This new Connetix set comes with two vibrant red motion car bases with real rubber wheels, so your child can create any train, plane or car they like.

Connetix 24 Piece Motion Pack | £44.95

Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels Chase Vehicle, £44.99

Recommended by: Hamleys

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: 2 x AAA (included)

Embark on daring missions with Chase's Deluxe Rescue Cruiser straight from the Paw Patrol movies. The impressive monster truck boasts huge wheels, a motorised retractable winch with a functional claw, plus lights and sound effects. It also comes with a projectile launcher and a Chase action figure, so you're more than prepared to fight crime.

I think my daughter has really enjoyed this toy. It's a very attractive toy, having lights and sounds and moveable parts. It's also big enough to withstand a preschooler dropping it, but small enough that she can pick it up and bring it downstairs.

Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels Chase Vehicle | £44.99

Miniverse Make It Mini Kitchen playset, £45

Recommended by: Selfridges

Age suitability: 8+
Batteries required: 3 x AA batteries (not included)

This 30cm mini kitchen comes with an oven with UV light, refrigerator and countertop, plus oven mitts and a cupboard full of mystery ingredients. From doughnuts to smoothies you can assemble your mystery meal with through combination of goo, sprinkles, fruit and more, then put it in the oven to finish your creation.

Miniverse Make It Mini Kitchen playset | £45

Hot Wheels Ultra Shark Car Wash Playset, £39.99

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

This is a super exciting new Hot Wheels set featuring a colour-changing car. Simply place it in the shark's head and press down to splash water on it, revealing the car's decoration, then let it race along the car wash, through a foam roller and movable gates, until its dunked into the water tank and changes colours again!

Hot Wheels Ultra Shark Car Wash Playset | £39.99

Beyblade Xtreme Battle Set, £45

Recommended by: Argos and The Entertainer

Age suitability: 8+
Batteries required: None

Beyblades are back with a vengeance this Christmas. This new generation of tops is called Beyblade X, and the new Xtreme Beystadium (the arena) features an X-Celerator Rail and X-Celerator Gear System to level up the acceleration, speed, and ferocity of your Beyblade battles.

I think the Beyblade Arena is cool and I love that the Beys can battle easily in the arena without going all over the floor. I would play with it again when my friends come over.

Beyblade Xtreme Battle Set | £45

Hape Marble Run Construction Toy, £48.44

Recommended by: Amazon

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

Let your child run wild with creativity with this do-it-yourself marble run. The set includes blocks, tracks, slides, marbles, marble trays as well as a jump, a bell-bucket, a spiral funnel, a ringing bell and a sliding track for your marbles to get through.

Hape Marble Run Construction Toy | £48.44

Numberblocks Five's Musical Superstar Stage, £49.95

Recommended by: Hamleys

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: 2 x AAA (included)

Numberblocks fans can now see Numberblock Five take centre stage in her very own band. This interactive musical playset includes a stage and a Number Five figure who can sing songs and make sound effects. There's also a spinning dance floor complete with revolving door and firework display, and 11 accessories such as a guitar and microphone.

Numberblocks Five's Musical Superstar Stage | £49.95

Bluey 3-In-1 Airplane Playset, £59.99

Recommended by: Very

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

Try not to lose any of the 25 pieces in this 3-in-1 playset, because Bluey and her family will need all of them to get on their holiday! This intricate set transforms into a plane, a resort and a boat, and comes with a load of detailed props, including an Aussie passport!

When my 3-year-old son first saw this he said ’Wow!’ and his face lit up. He clearly thought it was really cool but struggled to be able to use all the features independently. When my 4 year old saw he is shrieked ‘Oh cool, a Bluey plane!’ and hasn’t stopped playing with it since. It has easily become his favourite toy. He loves showing me around the house – he gets very excited to swing the hammock, pull down the bedsheets, and swivel the chairs around.

Bluey 3-In-1 Airplane Playset | £59.99

Melissa & Doug Wooden Vending Machine Toy, £79.99

Recommended by: John Lewis

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

The Melissa & Doug wooden vending machine is a great way of improving your child's dexterity, colour-matching and imaginary play. Simply insert one of the three colourful coins, or credit card, and pick one of the nine coloured snack boxes, including food packages, snack bars, drinks and pouches.

My son Ezra has loved playing with this. He was so excited when he opened it, he played with it for 2 hours straight, and wanted to play with it immediately when he got up the next day. I can see he will come back to it again and again. It’s something he can play alone or with us or his friends and there are many opportunities for imaginative play.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Vending Machine Toy | £79.99

Best soft toys

Snackles Axolotl (Krispy Kreme), £15

Recommended by: Amazon

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

Every Snackle is a huge super soft plush (over 40cm) and comes with a much-loved licensed snack including Mentos, Reece's Pieces, Pringles and more. This gorgeous pink axolotl for instance comes with a Krispy Kreme donut they hug close.

Snackles Axolotl (Krispy Kreme) | £15

Disney Crack Me Up plush, £24.99

Recommended by: Argos, Hamleys and The Entertainer

Age suitability: all ages
Batteries required: None

Stitch is set to be one of the most popular characters this Christmas, so be quick to scoop up a teddy, or the Crack Me Up robotic version which laughs and talks. You can also buy a variety of Stitch plushies from the Disney Store.

My daughter has really enjoyed playing with Stitch. She likes making him interact with the family, and found great pleasure in making stitch grumpy by putting his ears down and then biting her brother and her dad. She likes that his personality changes depending on if his ears are up and down. She also likes that he starts snoring when you stop playing with him. She likes that he is cuddly and has taken him to bed as well as out and about.

• Disney Stitch plush | £30
• Stitch Crack Me Up Plush | £24.99

Mystery Hatch Pufficorn Interactive Pet, £49.99

Recommended by: Very, Amazon and The Entertainer

Age suitability: 5+
Batteries required: 4 x AA batteries (included)

Experience the excitement of hatching your own mystery creature. Watch mist and lights pour out of the egg as it begins to open, then enjoy your wonderful creation's 100 sounds and reactions. You can cuddle, tap and rock your character to get them to make noises, and if you give them enough love a heart will light up on their tummy.

Mystery Hatch Pufficorn Interactive Pet | £49.99

Daisy The Yoga Goat, £50

Recommended by: Argos and Very

Age suitability: 4+
Batteries required: 4 x AA (included)

Meet Daisy, the interactive toy goat featuring over 60 sound and motion combinations. To begin play, simply flip the switch on her belly and pet her back. Then you can hear her giggles and yoga phrases and watch as she starts to perform poses like Downward Dog (or goat I suppose). She can also perform 3 minute meditation seconds and will gurgle up the water you giver her.

Daisy The Yoga Goat | £50

Furby Galaxy, £75

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 6+
Batteries required: 4 x AA (included)

This brand-new ethereal Furby can glow in the dark. With five voice-activated modes and over 600 phrases, jokes, songs and more, this cuddly creature can be talked to, brushed and played with for hours. You can tell Furby what to do with these 5 commands: Dance Party, Copy Cat, Tell My Fortune, Let's Chill and Lightshow, or you can play with the pizza charm around its neck and see what it does.

My daughter loves this toy and was excited from the moment she saw the toy in the box. She plays with the toy on a a daily basis and it has become one of her comfort toys that she takes to bed and on car journeys. She has told all her friends about her Furby at school and she has friends with the same toy. Furbys can interact with one another so she is excited to take the toy on play dates with her friends.

Furby Galaxy | £55

Best dolls

Mini Barbie Land Fashionistas Dolls, £20

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 4+
Batteries required: None

Inside each of these five lipstick tubes sits a 1.5-inch Barbie doll, wearing a fabulous surprise outfit. Each doll can bend at the waist and has a heart-shaped base tailor made for the Mini BarbieLand playsets (sold separately).

Mini Barbie Land Fashionistas Dolls | £20

Moana Singing Doll, £29.99

Recommended by: Hamleys

Age suitability: 3-4+
Batteries required: None

Before heading off to watch Moana 2 in cinemas, why not treat your child to this singing doll version? The heroic, wayfinding princess is wearing a brand-new red and white dress, complete with sea glass necklace and flower crown, plus, if you press her torso, she'll sing the song "We're Back" from the upcoming film.

Moana Singing Doll | £29.99

Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase Dance and Show Horse, £24.99

Recommended by: Very

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: 3 x AG13 (included)

Groom and style this Barbie horse with the comb and adorable hair clips, extensions, and gems. You can also give your horse a trophy for best groomed and feed it with a pile of grains.

Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase Dance and Show Horse | £24.99

Rainbow High Winter Wonderland Fashion Dolls, £34.99

Recommended by: Very, Amazon and Selfridges

Age suitability: 4+
Batteries required: None

The Rainbow High Dolls are wrapped up and ready for winter with their furry coats and puffy boots! They've also got plenty of winter accessories like this friendly snowman.

I like the Rainbow High Doll – I love her clothes, and I think her hair is so beautiful. I wish I could redo her skirt again because it was very fun but hard to do. I like doing fashion shows with Bella and doing her hair. I like her make-up too and I love her style. I would play with this doll again because it is very good.

• Rainbow High Winter Wonderland Fashion Dolls | £34.99
• Rainbow High Watercolour and Create DIY Fashion Doll | £24.99

Gabby’s Dollhouse Rainbow-Themed Celebration Doll’s House, £47.48

Recommended by: Amazon

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

Gabby's Dollshouse is one of the hottest toy franchises around and this Christmas she's knocked it out of the park again. In this bright rainbow-coloured doll's house, you'll find 6 rooms which you can ride up to using the Cat-A-Vator, at the top there's a hidden attic and a secret button that makes sound effects from the Gabby's Dollhouse show. Plus, for the extra wow factor, the set comes with 2 surprise toys which you can unbox just like Gabby does.

Gabby’s Dollhouse Rainbow-Themed Celebration Doll’s House | £47.48

Barbie Ultimate Stable Playset, £49.99

Recommended by: John Lewis

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

This 25-piece playset gives kids the chance to help Barbie feed, clean and brush her horse. With six areas of play, you can try training at the jumping fence, hanging pictures on the trophy wall and planting roses in the garden.

Barbie Ultimate Stable Playset | £49.99

Alessandra Fur White Bonnet Baby Doll, £120

Recommended by: Hamleys

Age suitability: 3-4+
Batteries required: None

The goal of this baby doll is to be as realistic as possible to assist your child's imaginative roleplay. The body is 40cm long and made from soft vinyl, while accessories include white and beige clothes, a sleeping bag, dummy, dummy clip, nappy and even a family record book complete with certificate of authenticity.

Alessandra Fur White Bonnet Baby Doll | £120

Monster High Haunted High School Doll House, £199.99

Recommended by: Very

Age suitability: 4+
Batteries required: None

This is the ultimate set for Monster High fans. The Haunted High School Doll house has over 35 pieces of furniture and accessories and 7 play areas. Plus, if you explore you may find a few hidden trap doors and secret passages.

Monster High Haunted High School Doll House | £199.99

Best electronic toys

HEXBUG Wall Crawler Gecko, £29.99

Recommended by: John Lewis

Age suitability: 4+
Batteries required: 2 x AAA (not included)

This realistic robot lizard can scurry along floors and scale up walls just like a real gecko. The remote control makes it easy to move around and its eyes light up in the dark to help you spot it at night.

This toy is super cool. I love its glowing eyes as they make it look real and alive, although it’s a bit too noisy and I was worried it would fall off the wall and break.

HEXBUG Wall Crawler Gecko | £29.99

Spiderman Dance N Crawl Spidey, £39.99

Recommended by: Very

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required:4 x AA batteries (included)

Spidey fans will love this interactive super-hero who sings, dances, and "Webs up!". Spidey is perfect for pre-schoolers as he crawls and comes with 20 sounds and phrases.

Spiderman Dance N Crawl Spidey | £39.99

Lexibook Disney Stitch Electronic Diary, £39.99

Recommended by: Amazon

Age suitability: 6+
Batteries required: 3 x AA (not included)

Every child needs a little bit of privacy away from their parents, and you can give them that with this Stitch-themed Electronic Diary. The Electronic Diary comes with a paper notebook which can be locked away inside with a 4-digit code. It also comes with a voice recorder, 10 songs and a built-in photo frame to add the personal touch.

Lexibook Disney Stitch Electronic Diary | £39.99

Disney Bitzee, £40

Recommended by: Argos, Very and The Entertainer

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: 3 x AA (included)

The Bitzee pet was a hugely popular toy last Christmas, and now they've followed up with a magical Disney version. Now, the virtual pets you can stroke, feed and play with could be Stitch, Wall-E, Goofy, Olaf and more. With more than 30 iconic characters to choose from and dozens of responses and sounds, this is an ideal companion for your little Disney fan.

Bitzee captivated my son’s attention from the moment it came out of the box. He was so interested in how it works and what he had to do. We have never seen a toy like this before so were all very interested in how it works, it definitely has the originality aspect.

Disney Bitzee | £40

Bulldozer Stunt Car, £45

Recommended by: Hamleys

Age suitability: 5+
Batteries required: Rechargeable (Included)

Experience the high-speed thrills of this Bulldozer Stunt Car with it's huge wheels and sleek black and orange exterior. It can be expertly driven with its fully remote control and rechargeable battery.

Bulldozer Stunt Car | £45

Little Tikes Story Dream Machine, £50

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: 4 x AA (included)

Kids audio players have boomed in recent years, just take the Yoto and Toniebox for example. Now, you have the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine, which can help your child watch, listen, and read along to their favourite stories. Unlike the other players on the market, this device projects an image of the story onto your wall and also comes with a special nightlight mode. The first stories you can listen to are The Princess and the Pea, and The Emperor's New Clothes and The Ugly Duckling Duck.

My 3 year old twins have been loving this and played with it all day. Ben said ”I love my stories, I want to use it in my bed”. His twin brother Jack has said ”it’s my favourite”. I was concerned that he would require help to change the books or use the dream machine but he got the hang of it very quickly and they feel pretty durable too.

Little Tikes Story Dream Machine | £50

Teksta Purro The Interactive Smart Kitty, £50

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 5+
Batteries required: 4 x AAA (included)

Purro is an interactive smart kitty made from knit fabric. It responds to touch, sounds, and music, moving by meowing like a real cat. You can feed Purro magnetic fish, watch it chase a mouse toy, and enjoy its touch-sensitive tail, wiggling ears, and light-up smile. With over 75 different meows, purrs, and sound effects, there's plenty to keep you entertained and it might be enough to stop your child asking for a real cat!

My daughter was instantly drawn to Purro’s adorable appearance and her face lit up once Purro came to life and started meowing with glowing cheeks and bright eyes. Purro has multiple features and accessories so whether it be brushing her tail, feeding her, or dancing along to her music, there is a lot of fun to be had.

Teksta Purro The Interactive Smart Kitty | £50

Best LEGO sets

LEGO Marvel Dancing Groot, £39.99

Recommended by: Argos and Very

Age suitability: 10+
Batteries required: None

Straight from the Marvel Universe is this Dancing Groot LEGO set from Guardians of the Galaxy. Made from 459 pieces, this set is easy to build and comes with a tonne of accessories like sunglasses, extra plants and signs for pot Groot sits in. Best of all, it comes with a handle which you can insert into the pot and turn to make Groot dance.

LEGO Marvel Dancing Groot | £39.99

Wednesday Addams LEGO set, £44.99

Recommended by: Selfridges

Age suitability: 10+
Batteries required: None

If your child loved the Netflix series Wednesday, they'll adore this 720-piece LEGO set, complete with Nevermore Academy background, secret drawers, a typewriter, and Wednesday's handy assistant Thing. Plus the figure of Wednesday comes with two outfit options, her uniform and her homecoming dress.

Wednesday Addams LEGO set | £44.99

LEGO Wicked Emerald City set, £89.99

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 9+
Batteries required: None

With the Wicked movie coming out this December, why not get ahead and buy this vibrant Emerald City set? From 945 pieces, you can build a beautifully-detailed model of the Emerald City, and enjoy the 5 LEGO Wicked mini-dolls – Glinda and Elphaba, The Wizard, Madame Morrible and Fiyero. This set is currently only available for pre-order and will be available from 1st October.

LEGO Wicked Emerald City set | £89.99

LEGO Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer, £149.99

Recommended by: Amazon

Age suitability: 10+
Batteries required: None

If your kid is a Star Wars fan, this could possibly be one of the best gifts they ever receive. With 1,555 pieces, it's a time-consuming but educational challenge for your child that will teach them to stick with things if they want a good pay-off. Because, at the end, they'll have a fully realised Star Destroyer complete with moveable wings, blasters, and an interior bridge. Plus they can then play with the set using mini-figures of Darth Vader, Commander Praji, Imperial Gunner, Imperial Navy Trooper, Stormtrooper and more.

LEGO Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer | £149.99

Best toys under £20

LOL Surprise! Mermaids Tots Assortment, £9.99

Recommended by: Hamleys

Age suitability: 7-9+
Batteries required: None

Like with all LOL Surprise products, you won't actually know which doll is inside until you open it on Christmas Day! You could get any one of the colourful mermaids on offer, but you do know each will come with a make-your-own mermaid tail which you fill with glitter and let set for 30 minutes, then simply pop it over the legs of the LOL Surprise doll.

LOL Surprise! Mermaids Tots Assortment | £9.99

Play-Doh Rainbow Swirl Ice Cream Playset, £10.99

Recommended by: John Lewis

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

We all scream for ice cream, and now your child can mix it, serve it and decorate it for themselves with this beautifully colourful Play-Doh set. Load the machine with two or more Play-Doh colours and press the handle to fill the spinning cup or cone with the perfect Mr Whippy. You can also make sprinkles from the dispenser at the side and additional toppings from the moulds.

My 3-year-old daughter loves that this toy has so many different colours of Play-Doh. She gets really excited when the ice cream comes out out of the nozzle, she absolutely loves the sprinkle feature, and decorating the little Play-Doh ice creams. She and she loves that there’s lots of different pots to be able to put the ice cream into like a real ice cream parlour.

Play-Doh Rainbow Swirl Ice Cream Playset | £10.99

SCREAMERZ Babbling Bear, £11.99

Recommended by: Amazon

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: 2 x AAA (included)

These sweet bug-eyed toys look perfectly innocent, but squeeze their tummies and get ready for a hilarious outburst. Like the name suggests, Screamerz scream. One squeeze and they let out a small yell, a longer squeeze and they scream a little harder, shake and squeeze at the same time and you'll hear a crazy shaky scream that's sure to send your little one into peals of laughter.

I absolutely love this toy. I really like when he makes the scream sounds, and I love shaking him and watching his eyes go crazy. It’s fun sneaking up and pranking everyone even, my big brother! I will play with him all the time, because I love him – he’s so funny.

SCREAMERZ Babbling Bear | £11.99

Polly Pocket Dolphin Rescue & Play Compact, £16

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 4+
Batteries required: None

This Polly Pocket Dolphin Rescue set comes in a purple compact with an added fidget popper feature. Then, inside you'll find a pool complete with 2 Micro Dolls, Sea Pets and Ocean Accessories.

Polly Pocket Dolphin Rescue & Play Compact | £16

Play-Doh Marvel Hulk Smash & Squish Playset, £16.99

Recommended by: Hamleys

Age suitability: 5-6+
Batteries required: None

Use the Play-Doh mould set to make tanks, trucks, pipes and more, and then get ready to Hulk Smash it to a pulp! The Hulk Toy is a bendy 5-inch action figure who comes with a power suit and plenty of rage.

Play-Doh Marvel Hulk Smash & Squish Playset | £16.99

Fisher-Price Wooden Stack & Sort Animals, £8.50

Recommended by: Argos

Age suitability: 1+
Batteries required: None

Improve your child's dexterity, matching skills and imagination in one fell swoop with this stackable animals toy. With the wooden blocks you can build an alligator, lion, koala, or a mix of all 3!

My 15-month-old daughter enjoyed tipping the pieces off. She also engaged with the animal characters, in particular the crocodile.

Fisher-Price Wooden Stack & Sort Animals | £8.50

Squish-a-longs 14 pack, £17.99

Recommended by: John Lewis

Age suitability: 3+
Batteries required: None

From the creators of Squishmallows you can now buy Squish-a-longs: 14 1-inch versions of the cuddly creatures, plus accessories like hats and sunglasses. Plus, you can start your collection and see what's missing with the accompanying collector's guide.

Squish-a-longs 14 pack | £17.99

Best board games

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game, £10

Recommended by: Amazon

Age suitability: 8+
Batteries required: None

The crazy name on the box pretty much matches the crazy energy this game will produce! Designed for 2-8 players this high-octane card game is similar to Irish Snap except with fun pictures and words instead of numbers. It's silly, simple and the perfect remedy for post-Christmas lunch sluggishness.

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game | £10

Drop Trivia Family Game, £20

Recommended by: Argos and Hamleys

Age suitability: 13+
Batteries required: 3 x AAA (not included)

The new Drop Family Trivia Game is an updated version of the much-loved classic: Trivial Pursuit. Play in teams or head to head and take turns answering questions by dropping the coloured pucks into the tower, you then earn points for the answers places in the right spots. Plus, for the full game-show experience the tower has a speaker that guides you through the game and keeps score.

This is available for pre-order and will be released in October.

Drop Trivia Family Game | £20

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