What can this site do for you?
I am guessing that you already have more than enough calls on your time and money and now Christmas is coming, with all that entails. So you want to:
Keep your shopping time to a minimum
Keep your budget under control
Most importantly, make sure that your children aren’t disappointed
We aim to help you with this by researching what are going to be the years hottest toys and putting all the information in one place.
You can just skim this page for a quick overview and then follow the links to our full reviews.
You can even go directly to Amazon.com from those pages if you wish, although we will point out if better offers are available.
You can also view Amazons best toy deals in a convenient format here.
Shop Amazon’s Holiday Toy List
The more seasoned among you may have previously experienced the frantic Christmas Eve rush to get your hands on that must have toy, only to find it can’t be had at any price. The lesson is to buy early.
But what will all the kids be talking about this year?
Here is a quick guide to the current best sellers and what are predicted to be the hot items this Christmas.
For Babies
For the babies in the house the Go Baby Go Stride to Ride Dino is the cutest walker ever. It also changes into a scooter when your little one gets a little older.
An alternative for getting your kids out is another out of the ordinary stroller, the Ladybug Smart Trike. This amazing stroller come scooter grows with your child and is great value for money.
If you want to combine musical with cute and collectible, Sing-A-Ma-Jigs is the answer. If they love Mickey Mouse then you just have to buy Disney Dance Star Mickey. It is amazing and the cutest thing ever especially when it moon walks.
Also consider consider either the Fisher Price Brilliant Basics Baby’s First Blocks or the Leap Frog Learn & Groove Musical Table.
For Toddlers
For toddlers, the babies alive bouncin babbles doll is the one to buy for little girls aged 3 and up. They will love looking after this “real” baby. Toddlers will also like the 123 Large Zoo from Playmobil as all kids love cute animal figures.
If it is an educational fun toy you want for your kids have a look at Playskool Alphie. This toy regularly features in the top 20 best selling toys on Amazon and it is easy to see why.
Or for messy fun with learning built in, try Moon Dough Magic Barnyard.
For Boys
Most little boys love trains and cars so Lil Zoomers Spinnin’ Sounds Speedway will be a huge hit with the babies. The cars act as rattlers and the track makes musical sounds to keep them amused for ages.
For those aged four and up, the Tomica Hypercity Mega Station Set is on the hot toys for Christmas list this year as is Imaginext Big Foot the Monster.
If he is over 6 and into action toys you may want to look at the Fast Lane Wild Fire Monster Truck. This is a huge toy as it stands over a foot tall and is very realistic.
Do buy a second battery though as parents are complaining that the first one only lasts 15 minutes when all the features i.e. the noises, lights and flame effects are being used.
For older boys, the NERF N-Strike Stampede ECS Blaster is huge this year. If you don’t like guns, Lego is also a best seller in particular Star Wars and Harry Potter themed ones.
The Lego Harry Potter Hagrid’s Hut or Lego Hogwarts are already in the top 20 on the best seller list and rising fast.
Lego Hogwarts is priced at just under $30 but will keep kids aged 8 and over amused for hours especially if they are obsessed with Harry Potter.
For Girls
For the girls as you would expect, dolls and their houses are once again on the best sellers list. This year the top choice for girls aged between 3 and 8 is the Calico Critters Luxury Townhouse. You may have played with this range yourself when you were young.
It was originally called the Sylvanian family and is as popular today as it was back when you were young. There is a whole range of cute little figures to collect not to mention clothes, furniture and cars to go with the new house.
If it is a doll your little one wants then the Disney Princess and Me range is the one to look at. Alternative suggestions are Best Friends Club Inc or Journey Girls. But don’t delay as these are sure to sell out before Christmas. If you are looking for a baby style doll, the Baby Born range are some of the cutest.
If you know a doll collector or have a little girl over the age of 6 who loves to collect sets of dolls, the Monster High Cleo DeNile and Deuce Gordon doll set should be on your shopping list.
Don’t forget Squinkies Cupcake Surprise Bake Shop
Board Games and Family Games
Traditionally Christmas is a time for board games with Qwirkle and the Settlers of Catan heavily in demand. If you want something fun but a little different then the Lego Minotaurus game is the one to buy this year. If you hate board games but love the idea of family games, Cuponk from Hasbro games is the answer.
This is suitable for kids aged 5 and upwards including the adults and the great news is that there isn’t a video screen in sight! At last someone has come up with a game that really gets the creative juices flowing and involves the whole family.
Alternatively Loopz is a hot favorite and for good reason. This musical version of “Simon says” is fun and funky at the same time. Definitely worth looking into.
Monopoly Revolution is aimed at introducing this old family favorite to a new generation.
More Choices
The Ladybug theme also appears on another favorite toy this year i.e. My Pillow Pets although this particular one is selling out so fast that stores are finding it difficult to maintain stock levels.
In case you haven’t yet seen the numerous adverts, these are cuddly toys with a twist as they turn into pillows for nap time. There is a whole range of animals to choose from, the difficulty will be knowing which one to choose!
Remember Zhu Zhu Pets? Well, they are back with a bang this year with the Zhu Zhu Pets Grooming Salon. They are set to create a stir all over again.
Or how about the Fur Real GoGo Walkin Pup, the closest you can get to a real pet.
Toy Story 3 was a huge hit in the cinemas this year so you can expect plenty of toys based on the characters being released. Woody and Jessie Dolls are popular but it is theImaginext Toy Story 3 Tri-County Landfill which has made the hot sellers list this year.
Suitable for kids aged 3 and above, they will love using this moving toy set to recreate the scene from the films where the toys come close to being incinerated.
Another massive seller will be Jetpack Buzz Lightyear.
Educational
Leapster Explorer, the latest educational toy on offer from Leap World is proving to be a hot seller. If your child needs extra help with school subjects such as writing, math, science or music this is the toy to buy.
The kids have loads of fun while learning at the same time making it the perfect combination. The recommended age range is 4 to 9 years but it will depend on the individual child.
If you have budding pop stars in the family they will love Ucreate Music by Mattel and the Multi Voice changer by Toysmith. If you buy both together you should still have change from $30. Either will provide hours of fun particularly the Ucreate music.
If they have ever played air guitar or fancy themselves as a drummer, they will love any one of the Paper Jamz range.
Why not introduce your child to photography with the Kidizoom Plus Multimedia Digital Camera.
For parents who like to buy educational toys but don’t like the electronic ones, have a look at any of the amazing range on offer from Melissa and Doug. Their deluxe easel, shopping trolley or See and Spell games have all been seen on virtually every best selling toys list on the market.
There is a fantastic range of toys available this year. Hopefully this list will save you some time and stress by narrowing down the choices a little. You can get more details on all these toys from the other articles on this website.
Some old favorites
The market is always swamped with the latest, greatest new toys but there are also some evergreen favorites. They may not be top of the best seller charts but they do sell well at Christmas and children are still delighted to receive them.
Even ones that you remember from your own childhood. So which items would we recommend?
Lets start with the days before Christmas when everyone is getting excited. Advent calendars are probably on your shopping list already. For kids over three, you might want to get a Lego advent calendar in the lead up to Christmas.
Unlike candy advent calendars i.e. the ones that give you a chocolate when you open each day, the Lego version gives you miniature figures. Very cute and a bit more healthy.
While you are building up to the holiday season, it is worth investing in the Elf on the Shelf. This is a lovely book and story but it will also help you manage the kids behavior this year.
For the little girl in your life, dolls and their houses always bring up a smile. If your little one is into Barbie she would probably love a Barbie dolls house.
There are a few on the market but the most popular versions are the Barbie Glam Vacation House or if you want a bigger model there is the Barbie Pink 3 Story Dream Townhouse. If you prefer a more traditional wooden dolls house you should have a look at the KidKraft range.
If she prefers cool over classic, she may like a Bratz doll more than Barbie. The Bratz range was very popular a couple of years ago and still enjoys a huge following among those young girls who like funky clothes and accessories.
If the little girl you are buying for is into sweet dolls then Strawberry Shortcake is a sure fire winner. This cute little redhead lives in Strawberryland with her friends who have equally yummy names.
The Shortcake range have been on sale for years so if you know someone who collects dolls, this could be a perfect present for them too as you can choose vintage or new models.
Lets not forget about the boys. For those with a Wii or Playstation, Lego Batman is the game to buy this year. Kids of all ages will love combining their favorite superhero with their games console and it should keep them amused well into the New Year.
If you would prefer to buy them toys, the Transformers Leader Optimus Prime is well worth looking at. Not only would this make a great present for a kid but it would also suit those husbands and boyfriends who are not quite ready to leave their childhood completely behind. Collectors have also rated this amazing toy.
It can seem that there is almost too much choice but don’t stress about it. Your children are sure to love whatever you buy for them.