There is nothing more fun than gifting little ones at Christmas. Finding the perfect present will always get you feeling nostalgic and Christmassy and it is also guaranteed to bring out your inner child! There are a huge number of great gift available this festive season. Below are some of the best...
The Learning System works with all levels of LeapStart activity books. These activity books help children learn a variety of things, from designing a robot and exploring the galaxy, to cooking using maths. Importantly, it gets kids excited about counting, learning to read, problem solving, and more.
The magic behind LeapStart is a stylus that reads invisible dots on every page, triggering questions, challenges, songs, jokes, and more. With more than 400 activities across a library of 25+ books, which are sold separately, LeapStart helps kids build tomorrow’s skills today, in new imaginative ways.
Included in the box is the learning system, a sampler book, and a stylus that teaches proper handwriting grip.
LEGO Duplo | Lightning McQueen & Mater's Car Wash Fun
The set encourages parents and kids to work together to construct a car wash, drivable Lightning McQueen, and Mater. It features a movable washing arm and spinning tuning table for kids to carry out repairs. Mater can also tow Lightning McQueen when kids attach him to his hook.
Sylvanian Families | Family Picnic Van
Sylvanian Families is a classic toy brand that little ones have loved for decades. The brand offers a huge collection of high quality miniature dollhouses, playsets, and figures. One of the brand's latest playsets is the Family Picnic Van and it makes for the perfect Christmas present.
The Family Picnic Van (£29 John Lewis) is a car with a roof rack that can fit up to eight figures inside. The adorable pink wagon can be played in two ways - it can be driven around or used for picnicking, with the boot door and seats coming out to transform into a fun picnic table set.
The set includes the van, alongside various components that transform into a picnic set. There is also a basket, plates, cheeses, croissants, and drinks for role playing fun.
As with pretty much all Sylvanian toys, the Family Picnic Van can connect to other Sylvanian products to help grow the child's Sylvanian Village. For example, the Family Picnic Van can be combined with the Sylvanian Bakery Shop Starter Set to transform the van into a mobile bakery.
Tamagotchi | Original Starry Showers Tamagotchi
My next gift recommendation will have you transported back to the 90’s. It is the iconic Tamagotchi (£20 Argos). The beloved virtual reality pet is back and it is better than ever.
Featuring its original generation 2 programming, the Tamagotchi lets kids raise the Tamagotchi from egg to child to adult. They have to feed their digital pet, clean up after it, and take care of it. The virtual pet can even be disciplined if it's being naughty! How they take care of their Tamagotchi and how they do in the game, determines which Adult Tamagotchi they'll get!
My next gift recommendation will have you transported back to the 90’s. It is the iconic Tamagotchi (£20 Argos). The beloved virtual reality pet is back and it is better than ever.
Featuring its original generation 2 programming, the Tamagotchi lets kids raise the Tamagotchi from egg to child to adult. They have to feed their digital pet, clean up after it, and take care of it. The virtual pet can even be disciplined if it's being naughty! How they take care of their Tamagotchi and how they do in the game, determines which Adult Tamagotchi they'll get!
Like the version we all grew up with, this 2023 edition can attach to pretty much anything, allowing kids to keep it close by when they’re on the move.
Orchard Toys | Dinosaur Dig Game
The rules of the game are simple. Players race to find all the bones they need to build their own 3D dinosaur! Each player picks a colour which correlates to the colour of their dinosaur. They then take it in turns to hook a dinosaur bone from the 3D board. If the colour on the number matches their colour they can add the piece to their dinosaur body! However if they hook a T-Rex card, they'll lose a piece of their dinosaur back to the board! The winner is the first player to complete their dinosaur.
Hot Wheels | Hot Wheels City Ultimate Garage Playset
My final toy favourite is the Hot Wheels City Ultimate Garage (£129.99 The Entertainer), a massive playset that allows kids to explore four levels of racing, stunting, and storytelling. Each level inspires track-play adventures that include side-by-side racing, loop stunts, and an epic battle with a car-eating dragon.
The first floor features cool track-play details like moveable hoses, a car wash with a foam roller, and diverters. You can then take the 2-car elevator to the next level where you can launch the cars straight from the elevator into a side-by-side race. On the third floor you can launch cars into a side-by-side loop stunt, adjusting the diverters to change the cars' final destinations. On the forth floor awaits a car-hungry dragon. You have to launch your car at the dragon to defeat it and watch it plummet to the bottom of the garage. If you fail, your car will get eaten and 'pooped' out!
In addition to four levels of fun, the Hot Wheels City Ultimate Garage Playset features enough parking for more than 50 Hot Wheels cars. The set also comes with two Hot Wheels cars and has feature connectors that allow you to connect it to other Hot Wheels City sets!
JD Bug | Junior Kids MS100 Matt Black Original Street Foldable Scooter
Considered the safest and most popular kids foldable scooter in the UK, the JD Bug Junior Street MS100 is perfect for smaller kids, aged four and above, that want to keep up with their siblings who are already scooting around on the JD Bug Original Street MS130B.
The lightweight scooter features an extendable bar height (ranging from 630mm - 845mm), a 360-degree bar spin, chrome abec 5 bearings, a spring loaded, quick stop brake system, an adjustable T-Bar, and an extra safe folding mechanism.
The JD Bug Junior Kids Scooter is available in seven colours, Silver, Matt Black, Sky Blue, Red Glow Pearl, Pastel Pink, Reflex Blue, and Purple Matt.
Yoto | Yoto Player
The Yoto Player – now onto its 3rd Generation – offers kids a creative and interactive audio experience. Its user-friendly design enables it to be used by children as young as three, and its impressive features mean it's enjoyed by children as old as 12+. To use the Yoto, children simply insert a Yoto Card and play the audio, change the track, and adjust the volume by pressing and twisting its big buttons.
The Yoto Player can store 600+ hours of audio for offline listening and can also work as a regular Bluetooth speaker.
The Yoto Player features acoustically-engineered stereo sound, a pixel display that brings audio to life, a headphone jack (wireless headphones can be used too), a USB-C charger, up to 24 hours of play per charge, and a room thermometer. It can also be charged wirelessly using the Yoto Wireless Charging Dock. Although sold separately, the Wireless Charging Dock costs just £15 if purchased with the device.
Another handy feature is the ok-to-wake clock, a feature that displays a sun when it’s time to wake, and a moon when it’s time to sleep. Timings can be customised by parents to help kids know when it’s time to get up and go. You’d be surprised to know how many kids stay in their beds until they see the sun! For kids that don't need (or want) the ok-to-wake clock, the Yoto Player can also be turned into a nightlight with seven light colour options. When the display is faced down, the night light function kicks in and the Yoto Player delivers an instant sleepy ambience that fills the room.
Swizzels | Sweet Shop Favourites Tub
The brand behind the iconic Love Hearts and Drumsticks create a huge number of sweets and a huge number of gift boxes that makes the perfect presents for Christmas.
A guaranteed winner is the Sweet Shop Favourites Tub (£5 Ocado), which is packed full of some of the Swizzels fan favourites that include Drumsticks, Squashies, Double Lollies, Refreshers, Parma Violets, Love Hearts, and Fizzers.
NOMO | Nomo Kids Selection Box
If you’re looking for a foodie option for a child with an allergy, you can’t go wrong with a gift from NOMO. This year, the brands Kids Selection Box (£4 Waitrose) makes for the perfect sweet treat.
It is a vegan selection chocolate box that is free from egg, gluten, peanut, and tree nut, making it an tasty and safe gift for allergy sufferers and vegans.
Included in the box is one Cookie Dough Reindeer, two Creamy Choc Lollies, and two Crispy Mo’s.
Lush | Catch Me If You Can Bath Bomb
NOMO | Nomo Kids Selection Box
If you’re looking for a foodie option for a child with an allergy, you can’t go wrong with a gift from NOMO. This year, the brands Kids Selection Box (£4 Waitrose) makes for the perfect sweet treat.
It is a vegan selection chocolate box that is free from egg, gluten, peanut, and tree nut, making it an tasty and safe gift for allergy sufferers and vegans.
Included in the box is one Cookie Dough Reindeer, two Creamy Choc Lollies, and two Crispy Mo’s.
Lush | Catch Me If You Can Bath Bomb
Bursting with citrusy sweet wild orange oils, cosy, warming ginger powder, and skin-softening Fair Trade organic cocoa butter, this nourishingCatch Me If You Can Bath Bomb adds that extra special touch to the bath…and not to mention, glitter!!
M&S | Spencer Bear Hot Water Bottle
Making the perfect warm bedtime companion, this adorable teddy bear hot water bottle is crafted from soft and snuggly faux fur and features a secure riptape fastening to keep the hot bottle safely in its pouch. Little boys and girls are guaranteed to love it!
Mamas & Papas | Sequin Ballerina Dress
Crafted from luxury fabrics and designed to be both comfy and stylish, the Sequin Ballerina Dress (£35 Mamas & Papas) features a supersoft cream velvet bodice with frill detail on the shoulders, and an eye-catching golden mesh sequin tutu skirt. The party-ready dress is also finished with an elasticated waistband in gold stitching, giving it that truly special touch.