10 brilliant Christmas toys under £20 – child-tested, expert-approved and in the Black Friday sales
Looking for affordable presents that actually deliver on fun? These child-tested winners all cost under £20 – and they’re in the Black Friday sales.
With Christmas fast approaching and the wish lists growing longer, we’ve rounded up 10 brilliant toys under £20 that are actually worth your money – and, even better, they’re all discounted for Black Friday.
Each one has been tested by real families as part of the MadeForMums Toy Awards 2025 or recommended by expert retailers like Amazon, Hamleys and The Entertainer.
Best Christmas toys under £20 – at a glance
- Best wooden toy: Early Learning Centre Wooden Little Town Train Set, £15 (50% off)
- Best superhero toy: MixMashers Marvel Avengers Hulk, £14.99 (12% off)
- Best role-play toy for toddlers: VTech Baby Build-a-Burger, £12.99 (13% off)
- Best mess-free drawing toy: Kikidex Magnetic Drawing Board, MFM Toy Awards 2025 Bronze winner, £18.79 (37% off)
- Best educational toy for preschoolers: Orchard Toys Dinosaur Number Eggs, MFM Toy Awards 2025 Gold winner, £8.07 (15% off)
- Best maths toy for early learners: Numberblocks Express Train Activity Set, MFM Toy Awards 2025 Bronze winner, £13.49 (32% off)
- Best baby sleep aid: Fisher-Price Soothe 'N Snuggle Otter, MFM Toy Awards 2025 Silver winner, £18.99 (24% off)
- Best bath toy for toddlers: Toomies Shower & Scrub Bluey, MFM Toy Awards 2025 Bronze winner, £15.99 (20% off)
- Best sensory toy for babies: Clementoni Clemmy Sensory Vacuum Roller, £12.99 (30% off)
- Best storytelling toy: Campfire Chatmallows Storytelling Set, MFM Toy Awards 2025 Editor’s Choice, £19.99 (17% off)
Whether you’re after stocking fillers, playsets or something educational, these parent- and child-approved toys promise great value, hours of play and plenty of Christmas morning smiles.
From build-your-own burgers to magical story-telling marshmallows, here’s what’s worth adding to your basket…
1. Early Learning Centre Wooden Little Town Train Set, £15 (50% off)
Best for: Ages 3+ | Recommended by: The Entertainer
This half-price train set is a brilliant classic choice for toddlers. Made from sustainably sourced wood, it includes over 30 pieces – from tracks and trees to bridges and a colourful train – encouraging imaginative play and fine motor skills.
With no batteries or setup required, it’s a perfect no-fuss gift. Plus, it folds away neatly, so it won’t take over your living room.
2. MixMashers Marvel Avengers Hulk, £14.99 (12% off)
Best for: Ages 4+ | Recommended by: Amazon
Big on action and creativity, this Hulk figure can be pulled apart and mashed together with other MixMashers parts to create unique superhero combinations. With 16 connection points, it taps into the kind of open-ended play kids can’t get enough of – and yes, they will want to collect the others.
3. VTech Baby Build-a-Burger, £12.99 (13% off)
Best for: Ages 2+ | Recommended by: Hamleys
A playful twist on a wooden stacking toy, this burger builder lets toddlers layer up ingredients to create their own delicious (and entirely mess-free) creations.
With chunky, solid pieces perfect for little hands and no batteries required, it’s great for supporting hand-eye coordination and role-play skills.
4. Kikidex Magnetic Drawing Board, £18.79 (37% off)
MFM Toy Awards 2025 Winner – Bronze, Best art/craft toy (under 6)
Best for: Ages 18 months+
This modern take on a classic drawing board is a mess-free winner for on-the-go creativity. Our parent testers loved the removable legs, which make it ideal for travel – “We take it in the car, to restaurants… everywhere,” says Samantha, mum to 2-year-old Myles.
He was instantly interested in it and continues to use it daily.
MFM Toy Awards judges say: “Our testers liked that this mess-free drawing board helps hone fine motor skills – and it’s one they come back to every day.”
5. Orchard Toys Dinosaur Number Eggs, £8.07 (15% off)
MFM Toy Awards 2025 Winner – Gold, Best educational toy (under £20)
Best for: Ages 3+
Equal parts fun and educational, this number-matching game was a hit with preschoolers and their parents alike. “My 3-year-old wanted to play it straight away and we’ve played it several times since,” says mum Kimberley.
We have started to recognise some numbers already – it helps with teaching numbers.
MFM Toy Awards judges say: “It blends learning with play brilliantly – educational, fun, great value and durable.”
6. Numberblocks Express Train Activity Set, £13.49 (32% off)
MFM Toy Awards 2025 Winner – Bronze, Best educational toy (under £20)
Best for: Ages 3–6
For kids who love CBeebies’ Numberblocks, this colourful maths train brings the show to life. It comes with stickers, activity cards and challenges to help teach counting and simple sums in a hands-on way.
She loved the bright colours and enjoyed doing the activity card challenges on her own.
MFM Toy Awards judges say: “It makes learning feel like play, and has multiple ways to keep kids engaged.”
7. Fisher-Price Soothe 'N Snuggle Otter, £18.99 (24% off)
MFM Toy Awards 2025 Winner – Silver, Best baby tech toy
Best for: From birth
More than just cute, this plush otter’s light-up ‘breathing’ tummy and gentle sounds help soothe babies to sleep. MFM tester Hayley said, “The breathing function is perfect to make my baby feel as though he has me next to him.”
It helped settle Zack a lot quicker than Ewan the Sheep.
Bonus: it’s machine washable (just remove the electronics first).
8. Toomies Shower & Scrub Bluey, £15.99 (20% off)
MFM Toy Awards 2025 Winner – Bronze, Best toddler toy
Best for: Ages 18 months+
Bluey fans will love this clever bath toy, which encourages water play and independence. “My daughter absolutely adores this toy,” says Charlotte, mum to 18-month-old River.
My daughter absolutely adores this toy – she didn’t want to get out of the bath without Bluey!
MFM Toy Awards judges say: “Toddler testers quickly learned how all the features worked and had great fun making bubbles and showering Bluey.”
9. Clementoni Clemmy Sensory Vacuum Roller, £12.99 (30% off)
Best for: Ages 6 months+ | Recommended by: Amazon
Turn tidying up into play with this brilliant sensory roller. As little ones push it along, it ‘vacuums’ up soft, squidgy blocks, boosting motor skills and encouraging role play.
The handle adjusts as your child grows and the included Clemmy blocks are soft, safe and even dishwasher-friendly.
10. Campfire Chatmallows Storytelling Set, £19.99 (17% off)
MFM Toy Awards 2025 Winner – Editor’s Choice
Best for: Ages 4+
This clever set turns soft marshmallow-shaped toys into storytelling prompts, helping kids get creative and build their communication skills.
My son was very creative coming up with stories and got excited when sharing.
MFM Toy Awards judges say: “It fosters creativity, empathy and imagination in a genuinely fun way. A real standout for encouraging emotional development through play.”
Buying toys on a budget doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality – especially with Black Friday deals in full swing. Every toy on this list is under £20 and comes approved by real families, offering brilliant play value without breaking the bank.
Whether you’re shopping for a baby, toddler or school-aged superhero, these gifts are designed to delight – and keep them busy while you enjoy a mince pie (or two).
Authors
Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.