MadeForMums Toy Awards 2025 Winners: Best tech and interactive toys

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• Best audio player
• Best tech toy
• Best interactive toy (under 5 years)
• Best interactive toy (over 5 years)

Best audio player

Audio players have become must-have tech toys, letting children listen, learn and play independently with a wide range of books, music, podcasts and now, even games.

Our young testers loved exploring the features of the latest models, while parents focused on ease of use, value, sound quality and long-term entertainment value. These 2025 winners offer endless audio adventures.

Gold: tonies Toniebox 2

Veronica is delighted with her Toniebox. She particularly likes the games so I'm glad that functionality was added! We've had it for a couple of weeks and it's still the first toy she wants to play when she wakes up and when she comes back home from preschool.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "We're thrilled to award Gold to the newest version of the much-loved Toniebox. The Toniebox 2 has updated features but still retains the charm and innovation that made the first one so iconic, and proves to be just as much a hit with our child testers as the original, if not even more so!"

Gold: Yoto Player

Our son liked playing with the Yoto player, mostly for the songs and music. The Yoto player itself is very well thought-out and the cards technology is clever. The images shown on the front of the player help to keep children interested and engaged.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "A real icon in the toy world, the Yoto Player continues to impress our child judges and their parents thanks to its ease of use, accessibility, multitude of uses and the fantastic library available."

Silver: Jumbo i Learn The Gruffalo Storyteller My First Speaking Companion

Chloe enjoys playing with Gruffalo on a day-to-day basis. She has been grabbing Gruffalo in her little hands and playing the Gruffalo games all around the house. Listening to the Gruffalo stories and doing the Gruffalo relaxation exercises has become Chloe’s bedtime routine now. The Gruffalo has become more than a toy for her.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "Our testers and their parents were seriously impressed by this electronic storyteller — it not only features enchanting audio and four interactive games, but the cute Gruffalo design of the player won our child testers."

Best tech toy

From animation kits to interactive science sets, tech toys let kids experiment, create and explore in innovative ways.

Our testers have been experimenting, animating, moving and learning with this year’s best tech toys. Parents looked at how engaging each toy was, how easy it was to use, and whether it offered lasting play value. Here are the 2025 winners.

Gold: Clementoni Science and Play Smart Tech Greenhouse

Rocco has repeatedly said this is his favourite toy he’s ever received! He’s been very passionate about growing his seeds and has loved every stage. His curiosity was well and truly sparked and he's been experimenting with different seeds growing in different planting matter. He has found it exciting waiting for his seeds to sprout and has enjoyed keeping his eye on the temperature, humidity and light conditions.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "This STEM toy sparked curiosity, fostered experimentation and provided hours of fun for our child testers — it's a seriously impressive high-tech greenhouse that makes the perfect gift for kids who love science, nature, or just anyone who loves experimenting!"

Silver: HUE Animation Toolbox

My child has thoroughly enjoyed playing with this toy and being able to use his imagination. He got creative in so many ways, he was laughing and getting stuck in and concentrating really hard to make things work. It allows children to think outside the box, be hands on and use different equipment and ideas to bring the fun to life.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "If your child loves creating their own stories, this might just be the most perfect gift for them. It includes everything you need to make fantastic stop motion animation and truly bring their creativity to life."

Available from Hue

Bronze: LeapFrog: LeapMove

There are lots of games to play in various different levels depending on age and ability. It's bright, colourful and engaging and really exciting for children to play with. The characters are great and the games are engaging, making it fun, educational and active.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "This clever and innovative piece of tech turns your child into the controller as they work their way through different games and adventures — leading to plenty of fun and learning along the way."

Bronze: Brainstorm Toys NHM Dinosaur Projector Watch

My son has really enjoyed playing with it. He loves putting the watch on his wrist and displaying the projector dinosaurs on various walls around the house.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "This really cool watch does more than just tell the time — it's a projector too! With 24 dinosaur images to project onto walls, ceilings, or inside dens, this toy is great value and perfect for dinosaur fans."

Available from Natural History Museum, Very and Hamleys

Best interactive toy (under 5 years)

Interactive toys for preschoolers are all about capturing attention and sparking imagination. From lights and sounds to moving parts and talking characters, the right toy can bring pure magic to early play.

Our testers loved exploring every sound, movement and feature, while parents considered quality, ease of use, battery life and lasting appeal. These 2025 winners kept little ones captivated again and again.

Gold: Jumbo i Learn The Gruffalo Storyteller My First Speaking Companion

My 3 year old really enjoyed this toy. He enjoyed being able to control the toy himself and change between the functions using the simple buttons. My child gets so excited pressing the buttons and joining in, and it’s great knowing they’re learning as they play.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "We, along with our child testers and their parents, were blown away by this Gruffalo audio player. It has 4 interactive game modes that are designed to entertain, educate and soothe, and it certainly succeeds at all 3. Described as 'more than a toy' by one parent, this interactive toy offers plenty of play potential, hours of fun and even educational value — making it a worthy winner of the Gold award."

Silver: BABY born My Cat Cookie Interactive Pet Kitten with Bed

My little girl very much enjoys the interactive aspect of the cat 'reacting' to her holding it with purring, vibrating and meowing.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "If you can't have a pet, this might just be the next best thing. Our child judges fell in love with this interactive cat that meows, purrs and vibrates like a real cat. They also loved giving it plenty of cuddles thanks to its super soft fur."

Bronze: Pets Alive Mama Turtle Surprise

Thea, 4, was entranced by this toy. She kept saying it was 'all good' and her favourite bit was 'everything.' She loved splashing the turtles and taking them in and out of the tank. She is excited to play with it again.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "Mixing interactivity, a surprise reveal, water play and more, this Pets Alive Mama Turtle Surprise packs in plenty of play for less than £20 — a real value toy. Our child judges also loved how cute the babies were and found plenty of ways to play with them."

Shortlisted: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn 4-in-1 Activity Table & Easel

Best interactive toy (over 5 years)

Older children enjoy interactive toys that combine clever technology with engaging play. Digital pets, puppetronics and smart gadgets offer entertainment and creativity, but only those with lasting play value make the grade.

Our testers aged 5 and above explored a wide range of interactive toys, judging how fun, versatile and engaging each one was. Parents also considered durability, value for money and how much the toy encouraged independent or imaginative play. Here are the 2025 winners.

Gold: How To Train Your Dragon Toothless Puppetronic by RealFX

He’s so lifelike and realistic, I think he’s a really special toy. The plasma blast and roar is awesome and I like making the smoke come out of his nostrils too! Toothless is very soft and fits on my hand really well and I love when he chuckles just like in the movie. He’s really cool. A really cool toy. Yeah, I love him.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "This puppetronic really takes the category of Interactive Toy to the next level. We were so impressed by the immersive experience it offers with 50 interactions included, from sound effects and motion sensors, to a purple plasma blast and even a safe, smoke-free mist effect that comes out of his nose! A true 'wow' factor toy that will be sure to entertain our child judges for a long while to come."

Gold: Dolores Deluxe Puppetronic

I would definitely play with Dolores again, she is one of my favourite toys now. I'm really wowed that the tiny remote can control so much of the dinosaur. I love the part where you can make her eyes wink and her mouth move up and down. I love when you pat her head and she makes noises and that she can go on your shoulder and move her head.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "We found it impossible to separate Dolores and Toothless above — they're both awe-inspiring and revolutionary interactive toys — both deserving of the Gold award in this category. Dolores really impressed our child judges and their parents due to her realistic movements and sounds as well as her playful personality and hours of play potential. Dolores is truly an innovative, immersive and unforgettable toy."

Available from Smyths Toys

Silver: Bitzee Hamster Ball – Interactive Digital Pet

Jamie and his sisters have had a ball — excuse the pun — playing with this. They get excited when a new feature unlocks and have loved seeing the different hamsters. It appears to be of good quality having suffered a few drops from height, and this is definitely much less work and tidying up after a real hamster!

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "With plenty of interactive features to explore, Bitzee Hamster Ball is a really impressive interactive pet that kept our child judges engaged and entertained. We love how much this toy offers in terms of play potential — plus its small size makes it a great for on-the-go fun."

Bronze: LeapFrog: LeapMove

Noah said the thing he liked the most was seeing himself on the TV whilst carrying out the tasks and he can't wait to play again.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: "Based on a motion-sensor, this is a new and different type of interactive toy, but an impressive one nonetheless. There are over 25 games to explore that not only offer interactive fun, but educational value too."

Shortlisted: furReal Handfuls

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