If you're shopping for children, grandchildren, godchildren, nieces or nephews, the pressure to 'get it right' at Christmas can feel real – especially when wish lists are long, and trends change fast. The good news is that the best Christmas toys aren’t always the loudest, flashiest, or the hardest to get hold of.
Child development expert Dr. Amanda Gummer agrees. “I speak to so many people who panic-buy at the last minute and end up spending more than they planned on toys at Christmas that don’t always hit the mark,” she says. “A bit of forward-planning can make a big difference.”
To help you get started, This Morning recently shared its Top 10 Toys list featuring everything from jelly building blocks to colour-magic painting kits. But we’ve gone even further: we’ve scoured retailers, sifted through trends, and asked real parents for their favourite finds to bring you this – the ultimate guide to the top Christmas toys for 2025.
We’ve looked beyond the headlines and retailer hype, and spoken to parents about the toys their children actually return to again and again.
Top toys for Christmas: retailers
- Amazon: Toys for every age and budget
- Argos: Up to 50% off top toys
- Lego: Creative sets for all ages
- Marks & Spencer: Quality toys from dolls to drones
- Selfridges: Trending and exclusive toys
Top Christmas toys 2025
As Christmas gets closer, this year’s top toys will start disappearing fast. If you spot something that’s firmly on a wish list, it’s worth grabbing it sooner rather than later.
Below you’ll find our curated selection of the best kids’ gifts for Christmas 2025, organised by category to make your search quick, simple, and stress-free.
Top family board games
Based on the award-winning game Hurry Up Chicken Butt, Exploding Pigeon is sure to be yet another family favourite this Christmas. Act, draw or battle out what the card says before the timer ends and the pigeon explodes! The game says suitable for ages 7+, but there's undoubtedly fun to be had for old and young alike here. A brilliantly fun game to enjoy with the whole family over the festive period.
When it comes to family board games, Monopoly is hard to beat, and it's great to see Hasbro keeping this tradition alive with so many alternate versions for people to enjoy. "I got this in the summer, and my son and I still play it regularly at the weekend," says Kerrie. "We are big fans of Roald Dahl and love all the nods to stories in the community chest, street names, and silver play pieces – it's such a joy. I don't know a parent who wouldn't be happy with a set like this (or similar) for their kids for Christmas."
"I got this for my eight-year-old son, who I am already in a constant battle with over screen time," says woman&home editor Kerrie Hughes. "I always look for new board games to enjoy with my kids at Christmas, to help build those bonds and make space for quality time away from digital devices. I just know he will love the brain teaser and fun elements to this one – I can't wait to play it with the family this Christmas."
Top TV toys
If the children in your life love Disney, this enchanting projector is a lovely way to bring their favourite characters to life without the need to plug them into a tablet or TV screen. Suitable for ages one to six years, the set includes some of Disney's best-loved stories – including The Lion King, Bambi, and Lady and the Tramp – played through 8 slides of images, narration, and music. A magical way to bring bedtime stories to life
Baby Evie is Peppa's new baby sister, so she has lots of novelty appeal for young fans, making her an exciting and special Christmas gift. This cute and cuddly interactive doll makes over 20 sounds when little ones feed her, bounce her, or lay her down. Dressed just like in the show, she giggles, oinks, and even snores at nap time.
With the Gabby’s Dollhouse movie hitting cinemas, you've no doubt heard all about this colourful universe – especially if you have little ones aged three and up in the family. Gabby, the cheerful, cat-loving heroine, has already captured hearts on Netflix, and her magical dollhouse is topping children's wish lists across the UK.
Top creative toys
Bring all the magic of the Build-A-Bear experience home – without the queues or the price tag. Children can stuff, decorate, and personalise their own soft toy from start to finish, including accessories and a cute little heart to tuck inside the bear – a lovely gift for making something memorable.
Got a budding artist in the family? The Instant Print Tablet blends screen time with hands-on creativity – children can draw, design, and instantly print their masterpieces. It's a tech toy that encourages imagination, problem-solving, and storytelling, and it's grounded in real-world play.
We tested this waterproof kids’ camera in a swimming pool, and it was brilliant fun – it’s fully water-resistant up to three metres, making it perfect for pool days, beach trips, and rainy-day adventures. Kids will love the selfie mode, fun filters and frames, plus there are three built-in games for extra entertainment. A rechargeable battery keeps the fun going without needing endless replacements.
Top vehicle toys
Know an energetic kid who loves making mayhem? Then this remote-controlled truck is just about the perfect gift. Not only can it crash into walls spectacularly, but it also falls apart and then puts itself back together at the touch of a button. Thankfully, it's also impressively durable.
This is one of those gifts that will steal the show on Christmas morning. Beginning life as an unhatched egg, it builds anticipation with lights, sounds, and subtle movements until the dinosaur breaks through its shell and comes to life, moving and responding to touch.
Endlessly entertaining, this two-headed dragon car transporter is perfect for little car enthusiasts aged four and up – watch the dragons eat, launch, race, and store Hot Wheels cars. It’s the kind of playset that inspires imaginative play and hours of storytelling fun.
Top interactive toys
"This was the perfect choice for my eight-year-old son, who is football obsessed and desperately wants to practise all the time, whatever the weather," says woman&home digital editor Kerrie Hughes. "The fact that he can play it by himself and switch between modes to mix things up means he rarely tires of using it, and it means his dad and I get a break from constantly being in goal too! I'm a big fan of anything that keeps him active and away from a screen, so for that and the amount of use it gets, I would say it's a worthy investment – and one any parent would be happy for their football-loving kids to receive."
Designed for kids who can’t get enough football – and adults who don’t want to spend their winter afternoons endlessly returning missed shots – this clever training set is a brilliant, practical gift. The launcher fires the ball back at varying speeds and angles, helping little ballers t0 practise passing, control, and reaction skills independently.
“As a mum of three and seasoned shopping editor, I’m quite fussy about the toys I recommend,” says woman&home ecommerce editor, Heidi Scrimgeour. “My daughter loves football and trains several times a week, so we’re always looking for ways she can practise independently at home. The Soccer Launcher has been genuinely helpful – it allows her to work on control, reaction time and repetition without always needing another person involved. It’s simple, effective, and crucially, it keeps training fun rather than forced. I’d happily recommend it to any family with a football-mad child, whatever their level.”
If the little ones in your life want a real pet, the Zuru Pets Alive range is every parent's dream. The closest thing you can get to a real pet without the reality of having to look after it or any mess, this will keep both kids and adults happy. "I bought my four-year-old the Pets Alive swimming Axolotl a while back, and it comes out for play at every bath time," Kerrie says. "When my parents asked for gift suggestions, I sent them details of this mummy turtle and babies set, as I know she'll love it."
Top screen-free toys
"I have yet to come across a toy that will keep my very active three-year-old engaged for such a long time," says Kerrie. "My daughter is very sensory and easily distracted – Connetix magnetic tiles not only keep her entertained for ages, they are also such a calming influence on her. I wouldn't be without them now and recommend them to every parent with kids of a similar age."
A favourite among parents, the updated Toniebox 2 is a brilliantly simple, screen-free audio player that streams stories, songs and educational content. Ideal for encouraging quiet moments at home or on the go, and fostering a love of stories.
Delightfully ridiculous, this new toy is designed to make kids laugh while cleverly teaching them about routines and responsibility, Gigi the giraffe wiggles, giggles, talks, and sings when she needs the loo - plus she comes with reusable magic 'food' that kids can feed her!
Top action toys
A beautifully detailed, build-it-yourself model of Wicket the Ewok - one of the most beloved characters from the original Star Wars trilogy. Fully poseable, it’s part of Lego’s more advanced range, making it a brilliant choice for tweens and teens who still love to build.
Inspire a new generation of Star Wars superfans or spoil the mini Jedi in your life – and impress their Star Wars-loving parents! This is the first lightsaber of its kind that kids can build and personalise, choosing different crystals to change the colour, sound effects, and power level.
Fortnite fans will be thrilled with this new creative building toy – it’s both challenging and imaginative, encouraging kids to get hands-on. It also doubles as a striking display piece, making it perfect for tweens who love to show off their latest builds.
How to choose the best Christmas toy for a child
With countless must-haves, trending toys, and mile-long wish lists, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But according to Dr Amanda Gummer, it’s worth pausing before adding the hottest Christmas toy to your basket.
“Look beyond the hype,” she says. “Ask yourself: Will this still be played with in a week – or forgotten by Boxing Day?”
Her expert advice:
- Choose toys that last – Focus on value for money, quality, and longevity, not just novelty.
- Avoid five-minute wonders – A toy that dazzles on Christmas morning but gets abandoned within hours isn’t worth the space or expense.
- Think about how it will be played with – Look for toys that work both independently and with siblings or friends. This builds social skills, encourages sharing, and extends the toy’s lifespan.
- Match the toy to the child – Consider age, personality, skill level, interests, and the kind of play that engages them most.
What are the best Christmas toys to buy?
To balance expert advice with lived experience, we spoke to Vese Aghoghovbia, founder of inclusive children’s brand Philly and Friends.
“Choosing the right toy can be overwhelming, especially during the holiday season,” she says. While she always considers her child’s preferences, she also thinks about her goals as a parent: whether that’s encouraging creativity, supporting learning, or just bringing pure joy.
“Sometimes I prioritise STEM learning. Other times, I just want to see the excitement on my child’s face – even if the toy isn’t educational. And honestly, kids can be delighted by the simplest things. My son loves Pop-Its and Hot Wheels.”
Here’s Vese’s expert breakdown of the top toy categories for Christmas 2025:
- Dolls & Figurines – Great for imaginative play, storytelling, empathy and introducing diversity into the toy box.
- Learning & Educational Toys (STEM) – Perfect for toddlers through tweens. Think coding kits, science sets, puzzles and maths games.
- Craft & Creativity Kits – Baking sets, art kits, gardening projects and make-your-own sets keep kids absorbed while building fine-motor and creative skills.
- Magnetic Toys – Magna-Tiles, SmartMax and other magnetic kits encourage open-ended play, problem-solving and spatial awareness.
- Pretend Play Toys – Dress-up clothes, play kitchens, tool sets and shop counters deliver hours of imaginative fun.
- Digital & Screen-Free Tech – Audio story boxes, kids’ cameras, and interactive (but low-stimulus) tech encourage independent play without screens.
This thoughtful, category-led approach makes shopping easier – and ensures the toy you choose is meaningful for both the giver and the child.
What is the latest toy craze for Christmas 2025?
This year’s top Christmas toy trends are shaping up to be bigger than ever:
- Character favourites continue to dominate, especially Bluey, Gabby’s Dollhouse, Star Wars and Jurassic World.
- Interactive hatching creatures remain firm favourites thanks to their mix of mystery and nurture-play.
- Surprise-led collectables – blind boxes, slime packs and mix-and-make toys – are flying off shelves this Christmas.
- Retro play is back, with LEGO, classic board games, and wooden toys proving timeless hits.
- Hands-on creativity kits – build-your-own… anything! – are trending across all ages.
