Must-have Christmas toys 2025: Expert-picked toys tried and tested by kids
Another year, another onslaught of magical Christmas toys. Here's the best picks from toy experts which have been tried and tested by children.
Christmas is only a stone's throw away with hundreds of shiny new toys about to flood onto UK shop shelves.
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 Very, Hamleys, Argos, Amazon and more, share their picks for the must-have Christmas toys to buy for your children.
To help you decide which toys are actually worth it, we'll be keeping an eye on the best products coming out and send them to our child testers. Here's a closer look.
Jump to:
- How do experts pick their top Christmas toys?
- How do we test the top Christmas toys?
- Top Christmas toy predictions for 2025
- Last year's top Christmas toys
How do experts pick their top Christmas toys?
Every year, expert retailers such as Argos, Selfridges, Hamleys and The Entertainer publish lists of the toys they think will be most sought after this Christmas.
Selections are often based on trends from the year like popular TV shows and social media, as well as the latest advancements in toy technology.
Last year 90's nostalgia was a heavy factor, with Furby, Beyblades and Polly Pocket all making a return, as well as Bitzee Digital Pets, which are very reminiscent of Tamagotchis.
Stitch also had a huge renaissance thanks to the new Lilo and Stitch movie – a trend we expect to see more of this Christmas – alongside dolls and LEGO sets from Wicked Part One.
How do we test the top Christmas toys?
Our best lists are compiled by qualified and experienced parenting journalists. They rely on a number of sources, including testing during the MadeForMums Toy Awards and feedback from our trusty Top Testers Club.
For these Christmas toys in particular, we send them out to parent and child testers who deliver detailed feedback as well as direct quotes and imagery from the child themselves. Our family testers consider size, price, assembly, portability, age suitability, durability, how easy it is to store and, of course, how much fun it is!
Each year, 1000s of products are put through their paces by hundreds of parents across the country on behalf of MadeForMums, to ensure we’re bringing you honest and true reviews and recommendations.
Top Christmas toy predictions for 2025
As we've said the top Christmas toys are normally based on the biggest, best and trendiest moments of the year – and there have been plenty of those.
To start, Peppa Pig's mum became national news after giving birth to their new baby Evie. This mammoth moment has us sure there will be plenty of new Peppa Pig products to buy your little one this Christmas.
In films the Lilo and Stitch live action movie came out to huge acclaim from families, plus Zootopia 2 has been announced, so we can expect plenty of Disney-themed toys and plushies.
Last year, a lot of the imaginative play toys centred around kitchen and cooking with the Ooni toy pizza oven and Melissa & Doug Wooden Vending Machine proving particularly popular. With that in mind, we wouldn't be surprised if a new toy ice cream maker popped up.
Plus, there is always so much love for toys that have an exciting opening experience, from last year's Gross Bucket to the new Little Live Pets.
But who knows! We'll be sure to keep you updated as the festive season nears.
Last year's must-have Christmas toys you can still buy in the UK
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.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Vending Machine Toy | £79.99
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.
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
Ooni toy pizza oven, £25
Recommended by: Selfridges and Made for Mums Toy Awards
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
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.
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
- Cotton Candy Maker | £29.99
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.
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!
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.
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 | £49
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!
Bluey 3-In-1 Airplane Playset | £59.99
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.
- Stitch Crack Me Up Plush | £24.99
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.
Furby Galaxy | £55
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
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.
- 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
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.
HEXBUG Wall Crawler Gecko | £29.99
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.
Disney Bitzee | £40
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.
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!
Teksta Purro The Interactive Smart Kitty | £50
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.
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.
SCREAMERZ Babbling Bear | £11.99
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
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
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.
Drop Trivia Family Game | £20
We've more top toys, all tested and rated by parents and children including Best toys for 2 year olds, Best toys for 3 year olds, Best toys for 4 year olds and Best toys for 5 year olds.