We’ve been testing out the best toys for girls and boys 2018 since August! That’s 5 months of toy testing! Finally, we’ve come to a decision and decided who to include in this year’s children’s gift guide! This is an extensive list so don’t forget to keep scrolling. If you’ve tested a toy that impressed you or your children lately, please let us know so we can include it in our guide.
All of these toys span a range of ages, some are suitable for toddlers while others are suitable for older children. If you’re looking for gift ideas for teenagers, check out our teenager’s gift guide!
Without further ado, here we go! Who do you think will win our Top Toy Award this year?
My First Microscope
By Thamasandkosmos, this is a beautiful, chunky, seemingly indestructible microscope which is why we loved it so much. My youngest adores all things science but is a little clumsy and so, at age 7 this is the ideal gift to set her on the path to becoming a marine biologist! It’s easy to use and magnifies to 8x, which is enough for little eyes.
Squeezamals 8inch Unicorn
The squeezamals 8 inch unicorn does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s cute, it’s cuddly and it’s a perfect stocking filler along with being a stress reliever.
Pass the Pigs
Pass the Pigs has been around for a long time, so I was unsure about including it in our guide, that is, until I played a game with my 7 year old daughter and we collapsed in fits of giggles at the positions those piggies ended up in. She also found it easy to keep score, which is an added bonus. We spent a good hour playing Pass the Pigs, we love it.
Xplora Watch
From myxplora, the Xplora watch is the ideal robust watch to keep in touch with smaller children, whether they’re at an after school club, a party or a friend’s house. It’s very easy to use, and gives complete peace of mind while keeping you connected to your little ones. It’s the best we’ve tried by far.
Jelly Belly Harry Potter Chocolate Wand
For a little bit of fun this chocolate Harry Potter wand from Jelly belly is ideal as a stocking filler. It even comes with spell instructions on how to cast the most popular spells. It’s very tasty but I found my daughter didn’t want to eat it, instead she wanted to keep it intact as it looks so good on a shelf.
My First Snowman
My first snowman from Step 2 is a great present for babies and toddlers. It’s extremely lightweight so they’ll have no trouble putting it together. It’s strong and durable and also has extra light up features. It’ll look great under the Christmas tree this year.
Build a Bear Glisten the Reindeer
Every year Build a Bear launch their team of reindeer and this year’s addition is pink. Nothing can replace the experience of building a bear in store with your child, it’s a heart tugging experience. We love the reindeer as they come with a token that can be used on a phone app for great games and singalongs. They also look fancy in all their finery around Christmas time.
Green People’s Organic Children Gift Set
If your little one loves a bath, they’ll adore this gorgeous smelling range from The Green People. It’s kind to skin and organic and comes with generously sized products. Why shouldn’t children enjoy a little pampering at Christmas?
What’s That Smell?
We were a little unsure about this to begin with, surely smelling vomit will put us off our Christmas dinner? However, the kids absolutely love it and find it hilarious when the adults pull faces of disgust. It’s a family winner.
Sphero Mini
The Sphero Mini is the perfect little robot to keep children entertained on Christmas Day. He connects to an APP and rolls all over following simple commands.
Rescue Runts
You’ve heard of scruff a luvs, now meet Rescue Runts. These are adorable. Once opened, the child must remove the fleas, the tears and bandages and give the Rescue Runt a good brush before putting on their collar and making them a loved pet. They’re a great way to teach children about taking care of animals.
Pomsies
Pomsies are kittens that wrap around the wrist and make little sounds and songs while their eyes light up. They’re bendable and extremely portable, soft and fluffy. We think they’ll be all the rage this Christmas.
Gund Flora the Animated Bunny
Flora the animated bunny from Gund is the super soft rabbit that twitches her ears and bounces. She’s very huggable and made with extreme care. She is a high quality gift for a special baby or child and will no doubt last for decades.
Nerf Laserops Delta Burst
We toyed (pun intended) with the idea of putting this in our teenager’s gift guide as we believe they would also enjoy it. It’s a Nerf gun without the worry of losing the foam bullets. Playing with a friend, this is a home friendly game that will bring adults and children together.
Furreal Rock a Too The Show Bird (Parrot)
He’s a talkative chap Rock a Too and brightly coloured too. He sings, he dances and he asks questions making him one of the most interactive of the Furreal group. He’s a joy to have as part of the family and is sure to become a child’s best friend this Christmas.
Star Wars Ultimate Co Pilot Chewy
This Chewy is so expertly made that he’s bound to be around for generations. He’s sturdy and interactive, soft and cuddly and has a wide range of unique features. This is a great present for any Star Wars fan of any age, from 6 to 60.
Botley the Dynamic Coding Robot
Botley is the cutest robot with big eyes that boys and girls are bound to fall in love with. In addition to this, he also teaches coding and is very simple to use straight from the box. Coding novices (parents) will not feel intimated setting this up for their children and both parties are bound to have hours of fun.
So Glow DIY Magic Jar Tool Case
Fairies, unicorns and all things magical have been big news this year, which is why we adore this SO Glow DIY Magic Jar Tool Case. Forgive us, but usually children’s craft kits are great at keeping children entertained, but they don’t always produce a product that you’re happy to keep. Children and parents will love the magic jars that come from this tool case. In fact some may say you’d feel enchanted!
Baby Wee
There are so many new baby toys on the market this year that it was hard to pick one. From dolls that eat real food (that your child mixes) to those that poop and those that play games with the use of an APP. Baby Wee, specifically baby Alex, is simple. With big eyes and lots of features he’s a great baby for role play and he doesn’t cost the earth!
Cry Babies
How many fads has your child gone through in the last year alone? How many times have you had to tear your little one away from unboxing videos on Youtube? How many times have Cookie Swirl C told your child about a must have blind bag, from LOL dolls to Pikme Pops and all in between?
I’ve been through all of these, my favourite being the Hatchems (that explode like a balloon into a dinosaur), my second favourite are Cry Babies and my daughter loves them too. Unlike some (that we won’t mention) you actually get a lot here for your money. They’re large and are fabulous as a stand alone gift as they’re quite substantial. The packaging can also be reused as part of roll play and there aren’t that many to collect – which makes them a lot cheaper than the alternative. No matter what blind bags your child is into this Christmas, they will adore a Cry Baby in their stocking.
Furreal Ricky the Trick Loving Pup
I’ll be honest here, we’ve enjoyed just about every Furreal animal over the years. (I have an 18yr old, 14yr old and a 7yr old) and I thought we’d seen them all. Then Ricky came along. We have 4 dogs, two of which are puppies, so I wasn’t sure Ricky would be well received compared to the real thing but apparently Ricky is better! He’s a great size, he’s cuddly and soft and he does a range of tricks. He’s a best pal that doesn’t need walking and who won’t bark when the doorbell rings. We love him.
Cheeky Monkeys from Orchard Toys
Orchard Toys are one of our favourite toy brands for educational toys that are cheap but of obvious quality. We’ve played all of the games from Smelly Wellies to Llamas in Pyjamas but Cheeky Monkeys is our favourite. Every home should have a collection of Orchard Toys games for rainy days, they’re simple but fun and a great way to introduce younger children into the world of games.
Imaginext Jurassic World Jurassic Rex
This toy is HUGE! He’s one big T-Rex and he has multiple features to delight any Jurassic World Fan. My 7yo daughter, Percy, adores Jurassic World and so this was a no brainer for Christmas. The T-Rex has a wide array of incredible features that are bound to replicate the adrenaline burst viewers feel from watching the films. The T-Rex breaks free of his holding base, his eyes change colour and Owen, in his SUV, must capture him. This is one of our favourite toys of the year!
Harry Potter Lex -Go
From Waddingtons comes this inventive game where age doesn’t matter. It’s not a case of who has the biggest vocabulary as it’s a game based on speed.
With additional spell tiles and at £9.99 this is a great stocking filler for Harry Potter fans of all ages. 