The weeks seem to fly by at this time of year. It’s always busy and that’s before we’ve got ourselves organised for the festive period and POD’s Christmas Day birthday. Thankfully help is at hand from DreamToys, as they’ve teamed up with a panel of leading toy retailers, to pull together a list of the top toys for children this Christmas. With a Meccano robot, sing-along Care Bear, interactive Tracy Island from Thunderbirds and a 3D art studio in the mix, the Dream Dozen features an array of toys that will keep children immersed and entertained.
Given POD’s love of both the film and the soundtrack, you can guarantee the Disney Frozen Sing-A-Long Elsa (Jakks Pacific) will be a huge hit. The interactive doll comes with a magical microphone that can recognise who’s singing so you can take it in turns. Elsa’s dress and necklace even light up as well.
The Shopkins Food Fair – Scoops Ice-Cream truck (Flair Leisure) is a great set for imaginative play. It features a treat board and inside an ice-cream display with an umbrella and two Shopkins Characters. Also from Flair is the IDO3D Deluxe 3D Design Studio which enables children to draw in 3D and create multi-colour 3D masterpieces. Using the UV light included they can draw, set and connect or draw in the air too!
From VTech is the Toot-Toot Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home which comes with its own moving lift. The playset also features over 40 melodies, songs, sounds and phrases via Miss Nora’s light up button. Pie Face (Hasbro) sounds like the funniest of games. Played by placing whipped cream or a wet sponge on the “hand” you start turning the handles hoping you don’t get a splat in the face! You score points every time you turn the handle without getting pie faced!
The Paw Patroller (Spin Master Toys) is the ultimate rescue vehicle as it can hold 3 Paw Patrol vehicles and display 6 when it’s open. It comes with Ryder and his ATV vehicle and a real working lift to take the vehicles up to Ryder’s Command Centre.
As you’d expect, LEGO features in the Top 12 Toys for Christmas list with its City Deep Sea Exploration Vessel. The model is loaded with the latest high-tech diving equipment including a remote sub and scuba scooter, winch system and shark cage.
It’s nice to see The Thunderbirds feature with their Interactive Tracy Island playset (Vivid). With the latest smart technology, the vehicles can interact with the island and re-create launch sequences that you see in the show!
Character Options have created Little Live Pets Cleverkeet (Character Options), an interactive pet bird! Not only does he talk, sing, dance and swing, he drives his own cart. And responds to your voice so you can ask him questions. You can even take him out and about with you.
With the eagerly anticipated Star Wars film coming out soon, it’s no surprise to learn there are three Star Wars themed toys in the list. LEGO’s Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle, the Blade Builder Jedi Master Lightsaber and The Force Awakens Millennium Falcon (Hasbro). Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle has six mini figures and lots of features. The highly detailed starship has an opening front, rear and bottom storage bays, wing-mounted, spring-loaded shooters and detachable weapon racks. The Blade Builder Jedi Master Lightsaber has 100+ combinations with lights, sounds and two independently-lit light daggers. The Force Awakens Millennium Falcon is an impressive playset for 3.75 inch Star Wars figures and features a pop-up blaster that fires Nerf Elite darts.
As well as the Dream Dozen, the DreamToys event included a further fifty toys that are likely to be on children’s wish lists this Christmas. A few of our favourites included the Kidizoom Duo Camera and Smart Watch (both from VTech) and the Bratz Selfie Stick + Doll (MGA) which is exactly as it sounds!
We also liked the Baby Born Interactive Doll (Zapf Creations) which has 8 lifelike functions, the Barbie Saddle ‘N Ride Horse and the Barbie Airbrush Designer Doll and Set (Mattel). POD was given a Beanie Boo fox (TY) following the event and she absolutely loves it. There’s something to be said about animals with sparkly eyes!
Having not attended the DreamToys event before, it was great to get a better understanding of the top 12 toys as well as experience those that didn’t make the top spot that will still be popular this year. With POD’s birthday on Christmas Day, we really are spoilt for choice!
The Toy Retailers Association’s DreamToys list is the most accurate available. It provides expert insight into what will be the most popular toys this Christmas as decided by the likes of Argos, Boots, Selfridges, Smyths Toys, The Early Learning Centre, The Entertainer, TK Maxx and Toys R Us.
