Christmas is on the horizon, which means soon, a tidal wave of shiny new toys will be flooding out of UK stores and into your shopping baskets.

Advertisement

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or family friend, it's important to keep your finger on the pulse of all the best new toy releases if you're going to get that magical present-opening moment on Christmas morning – which is where the experts come in.

Every year the UK's biggest retailers, like 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.

More like this

Jump to:

Top Christmas toys at a glance:

Best playsets

Best soft toys

Best dolls

Best electronic toys

Best LEGO sets

Best toys under £20

Best board games

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.

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."

John Lewis have 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.

So far, Argos, Selfridges, Hamleys and John Lewis are the only UK retailers to release 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

Goo Jit Zu Hero Creator Pack
Argos

Recommended by: Argos

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.

Goo Jit Zu Hero Creator Pack | £20

My 1st Record Player, £21

Recommended by: John Lewis

My first record player toys
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, £21

Polly Pocket Gingerbread house advent calendar playset, £21

Polly pocket calendar
Selfridges

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

Ooni pizza oven toy
Ooni

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.

Ooni toy pizza oven | £25

The Gross Bucket, £29.99

Gross bucket
Hamleys

Recommended by: Hamleys

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.

The Gross Bucket | £29.99

Bluey Mega Bundle Home, BBQ And Family Playset, £35

Bluey house set
Argos

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 | £35

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutation Station Van, £40

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles truck
Argos

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, £40

Leapfrog pizza van
Argos

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, £40

Connetix 24 Piece Motion Pack, £44.95

Screenshot 2024-09-25 114008
John Lewis

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

Paw Patrol chase truck
Argos

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.

Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels Chase Vehicle | £44.99

Miniverse Make It Mini Kitchen playset, £45

mini kitchen playset
Selfridges

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, £45

Hot wheels shark set
Argos

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 | £45

Beyblade Xtreme Battle Set, £45

Beyblade car set
Argos

Recommended by: Argos

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.

Beyblade Xtreme Battle Set | £45

Numberblocks Five's Musical Superstar Stage, £49.95

Numberblocks set
Hamleys

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

Melissa & Doug Wooden Vending Machine Toy, £79.99

Screenshot 2024-09-25 122102
Melissa & Doug

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.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Vending Machine Toy | £79.99

Best soft toys

Disney Stitch plush, £30

Stitch plush
Argos

Recommended by: Argos, Hamleys

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 this teddy measuring in at 45 cm, or the Crack Me Up robotic version which laughs and talks. You can also buy a variety of Stitch plushies from the Disney Store.

Daisy The Yoga Goat, £50

Daisy goat
Argos

Recommended by: Argos

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

Furby Galaxy
Argos

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.

Furby Galaxy | £75

Best dolls

Mini Barbie Land Fashionistas Dolls, £20

Barbie lipstick set
Argos

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

Moana doll
Hamleys

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 Ultimate Stable Playset, £64.99

Barbie stables playset
Argos

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 | £64.99

Alessandra Fur White Bonnet Baby Doll, £120

Baby Alessandra doll
Hamleys

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

Best electronic toys

HEXBUG Wall Crawler Gecko, £29.99

gecko robot
John Lewis

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.

HEXBUG Wall Crawler Gecko | £29.99

Disney Bitzee, £40

Disney Bitzee
Bitzee

Recommended by: Argos

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.

Disney Bitzee | £40

Bulldozer Stunt Car, £45

Recommended by: Hamleys

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

Bulldozer stunt car
Hamleys

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

Little Tykes dream machine
Argos

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.

Little Tikes Story Dream Machine | £50

Teksta Purro The Interactive Smart Kitty, £50

Screenshot 2024-09-25 152142
Argos

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!

Teksta Purro The Interactive Smart Kitty | £50

Best LEGO sets

LEGO Marvel Dancing Groot, £39.99

Dancing Groot
LEGO

Recommended by: Argos

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

Screenshot 2024-09-25 152821
LEGO

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

Screenshot 2024-09-25 153306
LEGO

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

Best toys under £20

LOL Surprise! Mermaids Tots Assortment, £9.99

LOL Surprise mermaid
Hamleys

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, £12.99

Play doh ice cream set
John Lewis

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.

Play-Doh Rainbow Swirl Ice Cream Playset | £12.99

Polly Pocket Dolphin Rescue & Play Compact, £16

Polly Pocket compact
Argos

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

Hulk play doh set
Hamleys

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, £17

Fisher price stack animals
Argos

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!

Fisher-Price Wooden Stack & Sort Animals | £17

Squish-a-longs 14 pack, £17.99

Screenshot 2024-09-25 155047
Squishmallows

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

Drop Trivia Family Game, £24.99

Drop Trivia
Argos

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 | pre-order for £24.99

Advertisement

We've more top toys, all tested and rated by parents and children...

Authors

Olivia Garrett
Advertisement
Advertisement

Create the perfect wishlist for your baby with MyCrib

Are you expecting and don't know where to start? Discover how MyCrib can help you build your dream wishlist. You can add products from any site with just one click and even use MyCrib's buying assistant to help get you started.

Advertisement feature with MyCrib

Build a personalised registry now
Advertisement