Christmas is a magical time when you’re a kid.
This certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t experience the joyful, fairytale-like nature of the festive season as an adult, but suspending disbelief in the likes of Santa Claus and his flying reindeer is certainly easier with little ones around.
When kids reach a certain age (i.e., an age in which they can begin to understand the concept of festive celebrations), parents tend to kick Christmas into full gear. That means creating an entire Father Christmas set-up on the eve of celebrations – we’re talking frosted footprints, handmade cookies, a glass of milk, and a carrot or two for the reindeer, of course.
It also means travelling to a local Christmas Tree Farm so that your family can carefully and preciously select the tree which is set to be your furry companion for the month of December and (oftentimes) beyond. Dressing the woody Christmas centrepiece is an essential family ritual, and stringing ribbons and tinsel across branches while arguing over the placement of baubles provides fuel for a classic sibling bicker.
When you’re little, however, the thing that really keeps the magic of Christmas going is slowly watching presents being slipped under the tree. It’s a true test of patience and reserve, observing that stack of perfectly wrapped gifts build up over the course of a few weeks; knowing that you can’t touch them until the morning of the 25th.
If you’re struggling with ideas of what to pop under the tree for the little ones this year, we’ve curated a selection of the best toys for Christmas 2024 that the kiddos will love. Keep scrolling to spread Christmas cheer.
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Hasbro Twister Air Party Game
- Best: overall
- Age suitability: 8+
The original Twister is a game that we all know and love - one that’s known to get the party started and result in fits of giggles from participants and spectators alike. The new Hasbro’s Twister Air Party, however, takes this game to a whole new level, combining physical gameplay with an augmented reality app that tracks your wrist and ankle movements on screen.
The game is really simple to set up, scanning a QR Code to download the app onto your compatible tablet or phone before mirroring it to your TV screen and completing a brief calibration exercise.
By adding the stretchy bands on your ankles and wrists, the AR app then tracks your movements, with players performing high-energy dance moves as they attempt to sync up with the correct colours presented on the screen.
Our toy testers absolutely loved the high-energy nature of this game, which really got their pulses racing as they competed against each other. While only two people can play at a time, it’s also surprisingly good fun to watch, especially those who struggle to keep up with the pace. It’s worth mentioning that you need a fair bit of floor space to really get the ankle tracking on target, but overall this is a unique and fun ‘twist’ on the original game that is sure to fill your house with laughter.
Was: £24.99
Buy now £16.99, Amazon
Jellycat Bartholomew Bear
Every child needs a classic, sumptuously soft and uber-cuddly teddy bear. Luckily, Jellycat specialises in just that, and the cult-favourite brand’s Bartholomew Bear is set to be an instant hit with your little one.
Buy now £25.00, Jellycat
Play-Doh Drill 'N Fill Dentist activity set
Play-Doh sets have been a fan-favourite for decades, and we don’t think that’s changing any time soon. This Drill ‘N Fill set is a brilliant, fun choice for budding dentists and comes with various dough colours and tools.
Buy now £19.00, Selfridges
Otamatone Regular Yellow Japanese Electronic Musical Instrument
More than just a toy, the Otomatone is a musical marvel which will help your little one unleash their inner artistry. The portable synthesiser has a hilarious smiley face base which produces the hi-tech music notes depending on where you slide your finger on the touch-sensitive bar.
Buy now £44.99, Amazon
Vilac Classic Car
Push the iPad to one side and send their imagination into overdrive with this vintage racing car. Your little one can channel their inner F1 driver with their own customisable vehicle that can be emblazoned with the text of your choice. It is crafted from a hard-wearing metal and encourages motor skills.
Buy now £119.95, Not Another Bill
Sylvanian Families Adventure Treehouse
This wonderful playset is a woodland dream come true, and is exactly what we imagined occurred in the tallest treetops when we were children. The Adventure Tree House has ropes which can go up and down, allowing the contraption to work as a lift.
The log ride accessory can be pushed down the in-built slides, and there are a variety of secret rooms and passageways for the Sylvanian Families figurines to cosy up in and enjoy.
Buy now £44.99, Very
Thank You, Omu! By Oge Mora
Pronounced Ah-moo, Omu means “Queen” in Igbo, but growing up the author used the word to mean “Grandma”. Everyone in Omu’s neighbourhood is captivated by the delicious smell of her stew, and she divvies up portions for everyone who asks. In the end, will there be any left for Omu? This is a lovely story about the power of community and the love that is so often put into home-cooked meals.
Buy now £12.45, Amazon
Sylvanian Families Hedgehog Family
A veritable classic, you simply can’t go without a Hedgehog family in your Sylvanian collection. They even come with their own combs and brushes to tame those bristly locks.
Buy now £14.99, John Lewis
Roald Dahl Collection 16 Books Box Set, Illustrated by Quentin Blake
Enjoy Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake’s entire illustrated collection at a value-for-money price. Delightfully unique, narratively complex yet easy for little ones to grasp, there’s a reason all of Dahl’s books and Blake’s illustrations have stood the test of time.
Was: £104.84
Buy now £30.00, Amazon
Yoto Player
If you’re looking for a one year old toy with plenty of longevity, then the Yoto Player is a fantastic choice. This robust little audio player is designed to put children in control of tech and allows them to listen to their favourite stories and songs, without screens getting in the way.
The Yoto works by slotting cards into the top and the audio playing out of the speaker cube. We tested ours with a selection of Julia Donaldson stories (our one year old’s favourite), but there are also podcasts, songs, phonics, meditations and soundscapes available – as well as blank cards to record yourself reading, singing or talking (a handy feature if you have to miss bedtime once in a while).
Although a child under three should not be left alone with The Yoto Player for safety reasons, we think it is the perfect gift for young children; it can sit up on a shelf quite happily, until they grow into it, and it doubles as a nightlight and clock for the nursery, and new cards can be added to their library as they grow and develop.
Was: £89.99
Buy now £89.99, Amazon
tonies Toniebox Disney Mega Bundle
Take storytime to the next level with tonies. The innovative audio player puts kids in the front seat of bedtime entertainment where they choose the figure to place on the box and the story begins automatically. This is a bumper pack with Disney favourites like Woody from Toy Story, Elsa from Frozen and Baloo from The Jungle Book as well as Aladdin and Winnie the Pooh. The idea is to make it uncomplicated for them to operate themselves and not too stimulating so that they can drift off.
Buy now £134.99, Amazon
Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Illustrated by Jen Corace
The adorably illustrated Little Pea must learn to eat all of his sweets before tucking into vegetables for dessert. In this topsy-turvy land, Rosenthal and Corace create a brilliant, playful and minimalist illustrated book for the pickiest of little eaters.
Buy now £6.65, Amazon
Playmobil 6927 Country Pony Farm
Introduce your little one to the bucolic paradise that is Playmobil’s Country Pony Farm. It comes with three delightful smiling figures, three horses, two lockable stables, a flexible fence and a variety of brilliant accessories to help care for your farmyard friends.
Buy now £46.29, Amazon
Vtech Kidizoom Smart Watch DX2
Best for: Fun for 4+ year-olds
Stripping the idea of a smartwatch for kid right back to basics, Vtech are famed for their tech for tiny ones and, indeed, many of my children’s first forays into the likes of digital photography and video have been with the assistance of kit from the Kidizoom range, so you can be quietly confident of what your £55 outlay will get you.
Doing away with the likes of GPS and SIM cars, the DX2 brings your bambino everything they really want at that tender age, such as the ability to snap and store photos, play learning games (including an app to help learn to tell the time), record and playback voice note, set an alarm, access a stopwatch and a time, and count their steps over the course of the day, just like the adults around them do.
With a small but accessible LCD colour touchscreen and Blue or Pink colour options, the Vtech Kidizoom Smart Watch DX2 hits it age bracket target dead on.
Tech Spec
- Compatibility: Android and iOS
- Display: 1.44-inch LCD, 320 x 240-pixels
- GPS: No
- Camera: 0.3MP
- Waterproof rating: IP67
Buy now £43.99, Amazon
Scoot & Ride Highway Kick 1 Scooter
Best for: Growing with your child
If you’re worried a ride-on toy will become redundant as soon as your child grows out of their toddler years, you might want to consider investing in one of Scoot & Ride’s clever scooters. They’ve been designed to suit children from ages one to five, thanks to the scooter’s innovative design, which allows it to move from a sit-on scooter to a kickboard version without using any tools (it’s the first kids’ scooter in the world to be able to do so).
Little ones will love using it as a ride-on toy at home or outdoors (the padded seat is by far the comfiest option compared to other ride-on scooters on the market) before graduating to the scooter option. The fact that you’ll get several years out of it more than justifies the price tag, plus its beautiful design means it’s very easy on the eye.
Buy now £109.46, Amazon
Rainbow High Skylar Doll & Dream & Design Fashion Studio Playset
Live it up as a fashion designer with Skylar. The blue-haired beauty comes with all the essentials to become a fully-fledged fashionista - a sewing machine, an iron, a worktable, a water-reveal sketchbook and a functional mannequin.
Buy now £41.99, John Lewis
LOL Surprise! Mermaids Tots Assortment
This adorable assortments collection from LOL Surprise! features a groovy underwater mermaid theme. It even comes with accessories to make your very own colourful mermaid tale so that your tot can splash around in the provided water bowl.
Buy now £9.99, Hamleys
Disney Stitch Stitch Crack Me Up Feature Plush
Plush, adorable and entirely interactive, the Disney Crack Me Up Stitch Plush laughs out loud when lifted, and giggles and chuckles when placed on a surface. it requires two AAA batteries which are included in your initial purchase.
Buy now £24.99, Hamleys
VTech Kidi DJ Drums
Has your little one got the virtuoso gene? Treat them to a brilliant light-up DJ drum set from VTech this Christmas. The set has its own expansive sound library with over 10 drum set sounds and 25 built-in songs, but it’s also equipped with built-in Bluetooth for playing along to your favourite songs.
Buy now £49.99, Amazon
Numberblocks Five's Musical Superstar Stage
From the award-winning series comes this fantastic interactive musical playset, which sees Five sing a series of songs with sound effects when placed on the stage. It even has a spinning dancefloor, a special revolving door, and a firework display accessory.
Buy now £49.95, Hamleys
