Christmas is a-coming and children everywhere are writing their letters to Santa and dreaming of glittering parcels under the tree. London retailer Hamleys has released its predicted top 10 toys of the year, so if you are searching for a surefire hit gift, look no further!
The 2019 top 10 toy list features plenty of tech like Coding Critters, but there is still room for plenty of traditional play too with the new LOL Surprise Chalet, and even a combination of the two with choices like Pictionary Air. We've been putting the top ten toys of the year through their paces, here's the lowdown.
1. Cute little My Real Rescue is a little ball of scruff that arrives at your door as a matted little fur ball. Shower this sad, abandoned pet with love, wash and blow dry it, and take good care of it to reveal whether it is a dog or a cat.
With more than 35 lifelike sounds and interactions including whimpering, shivering and hiccups, the pet can be fed and cared for, and even has a heartbeat. With good care it slowly changes from scruffy to fluffy, a friend to be loved.
Our verdict: A delightful combination of interactive animal and traditional cuddly toy. And SO cute!
2. Coding Critters is an educational game that introduces problem solving and critical thinking to pre-schoolers through play. Storybook adventures teach young children how to code, then they can learn how to teach their pet critters to play games like hide and seek or fetch.
Our verdict: Learning the important STEM skill of coding without screens is an awesome idea.
3. The Smart Pixelator is a clever device that allows kids to use Bluetooth technology to pixelate and build their own 2D or 3D designs. With easy-to-follow lights and a whole new world of arty tools, this nifty gadget develops important STEAM (art too!) learning and creativity.
Our verdict: A brilliant toy for long car or plane journeys and so good to see Art brought back into STEM again.
4. The Linkimals Slow Moves Sloth is a friendly, interactive toy that has exciting lights, songs, music and some super cool dance moves. It will help babies and toddlers learn about numbers, colours and more as well as being great fun. Works in unison with other Fisher Price Linkimals when played with.
Our verdict: I'm one of the few people who liked sloths way before they were cool, and this is just adorable!! Older babies and toddlers will love it.
5. Pictionary Air is the new digital version of the classic Pictionary game. An app allows players to draw in the air with a digital pen and see the image on a phone, tablet or TV screen, making this Smart modern variant a Christmas must-have.
Our verdict: Who doesn't play Pictionary at Christmas?! This version brings new life and excitement to an old classic.
6. The LEGO Hidden Side Paranormal Bus combines a physical bus to build with an app that allows users to play with the bus in virtual reality. This fast-paced new experience combined with the fun bus means you can go on ghost hunts and find monsters hidden in the walls - literally.
Download the Hidden Side app then scan the model with your phone to bring the AR world to life.
Our verdict: When the classic hands-on toy, LEGO, gets in on the VR act, you know it's time to embrace it! This is a great introduction to augmented reality.
7. Poopsie Rainbow Surprise Dolls
After the huge hit of Poopsie Rainbow Slime Surprise Unicorn last year, here come the Poopsie Rainbow Surprise Dolls, a range of collectible dolls which make slime. The colourful dolls come with fabulous fashions and D.I.Y. slime powders to create rainbow slime surprises with.
Our verdict: Cute dolls with beautiful, brushable hair + slime is a guaranteed hit with the 5+ crowd!
8. The new Nerf Fortnite Rl Blaster is a new variant on the classic Nerf gun based on the video game Fortnite. This latest blaster comes with foam rockets and the design is based on the one used in the game.
Our verddict: With this new Fortnite Nerf gun they can bring the action into real life, perfect for Fortnite-obsessed boys!
9. The Oblique Drifter is a four wheeled, 360-degree rotating electronic buggy with remote control that comes in two cool colours: green or blue. It has its own music sound system and this all-terrain buggy is perfect for driving on an off-road adventure.
Our verdict: A return to our childhoods when everyone was outside with their new bike or remote-control car on Christmas morning! Great off-road vehicle for hours of driving fun.
10. The L.O.L Surprise Chalet Dollhouse is set to rival last year's L.O.L. Surprise House sell out. The Chalet is a three-storey house with six rooms, and includes more than 95 surprises from a real ice skating rink, to a hot tub and even a working ski lift. This si the hot toy for any L.O.L. fan.
Our verdict: If you have an L.O.L. fan at home, then this is the must-have toy of the year/decade. The ultimate L.O.L. Surprise play centre!
Pin it:
The 2019 top 10 toy list features plenty of tech like Coding Critters, but there is still room for plenty of traditional play too with the new LOL Surprise Chalet, and even a combination of the two with choices like Pictionary Air. We've been putting the top ten toys of the year through their paces, here's the lowdown.
1. Cute little My Real Rescue is a little ball of scruff that arrives at your door as a matted little fur ball. Shower this sad, abandoned pet with love, wash and blow dry it, and take good care of it to reveal whether it is a dog or a cat.
With more than 35 lifelike sounds and interactions including whimpering, shivering and hiccups, the pet can be fed and cared for, and even has a heartbeat. With good care it slowly changes from scruffy to fluffy, a friend to be loved.
Our verdict: A delightful combination of interactive animal and traditional cuddly toy. And SO cute!
2. Coding Critters is an educational game that introduces problem solving and critical thinking to pre-schoolers through play. Storybook adventures teach young children how to code, then they can learn how to teach their pet critters to play games like hide and seek or fetch.
Our verdict: Learning the important STEM skill of coding without screens is an awesome idea.
3. The Smart Pixelator is a clever device that allows kids to use Bluetooth technology to pixelate and build their own 2D or 3D designs. With easy-to-follow lights and a whole new world of arty tools, this nifty gadget develops important STEAM (art too!) learning and creativity.
Our verdict: A brilliant toy for long car or plane journeys and so good to see Art brought back into STEM again.
4. The Linkimals Slow Moves Sloth is a friendly, interactive toy that has exciting lights, songs, music and some super cool dance moves. It will help babies and toddlers learn about numbers, colours and more as well as being great fun. Works in unison with other Fisher Price Linkimals when played with.
Our verdict: I'm one of the few people who liked sloths way before they were cool, and this is just adorable!! Older babies and toddlers will love it.
5. Pictionary Air is the new digital version of the classic Pictionary game. An app allows players to draw in the air with a digital pen and see the image on a phone, tablet or TV screen, making this Smart modern variant a Christmas must-have.
Our verdict: Who doesn't play Pictionary at Christmas?! This version brings new life and excitement to an old classic.
6. The LEGO Hidden Side Paranormal Bus combines a physical bus to build with an app that allows users to play with the bus in virtual reality. This fast-paced new experience combined with the fun bus means you can go on ghost hunts and find monsters hidden in the walls - literally.
Download the Hidden Side app then scan the model with your phone to bring the AR world to life.
Our verdict: When the classic hands-on toy, LEGO, gets in on the VR act, you know it's time to embrace it! This is a great introduction to augmented reality.
7. Poopsie Rainbow Surprise Dolls
After the huge hit of Poopsie Rainbow Slime Surprise Unicorn last year, here come the Poopsie Rainbow Surprise Dolls, a range of collectible dolls which make slime. The colourful dolls come with fabulous fashions and D.I.Y. slime powders to create rainbow slime surprises with.
Our verdict: Cute dolls with beautiful, brushable hair + slime is a guaranteed hit with the 5+ crowd!
8. The new Nerf Fortnite Rl Blaster is a new variant on the classic Nerf gun based on the video game Fortnite. This latest blaster comes with foam rockets and the design is based on the one used in the game.
Our verddict: With this new Fortnite Nerf gun they can bring the action into real life, perfect for Fortnite-obsessed boys!
9. The Oblique Drifter is a four wheeled, 360-degree rotating electronic buggy with remote control that comes in two cool colours: green or blue. It has its own music sound system and this all-terrain buggy is perfect for driving on an off-road adventure.
Our verdict: A return to our childhoods when everyone was outside with their new bike or remote-control car on Christmas morning! Great off-road vehicle for hours of driving fun.
BUY OBLIQUE DRIFTER (UK only)
10. The L.O.L Surprise Chalet Dollhouse is set to rival last year's L.O.L. Surprise House sell out. The Chalet is a three-storey house with six rooms, and includes more than 95 surprises from a real ice skating rink, to a hot tub and even a working ski lift. This si the hot toy for any L.O.L. fan.
Our verdict: If you have an L.O.L. fan at home, then this is the must-have toy of the year/decade. The ultimate L.O.L. Surprise play centre!
Pin it:
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