Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

Christmas 2015: 9 best new toys

The most exciting and sought after gifts for kids to hit the shelves this year

Wednesday 11 November 2015 14:09 GMT

Every November, the Toy Retailers Association – which is made up of all the main UK toy retailers – predicts which new products will shoot straight to the top of children’s Christmas wish lists that year.

This so-called Dream Toys list is now accepted as the most accurate predictive list around. In our round-up, you’ll find the nine that we think kids will want the most. With the cheapest around £20 and the most expensive over £100, there’s something for most budgets and ages.

1. Lego City Deep Sea Exploration Vessel: £79.99, lego.com

This highly detailed Lego city model is loaded with the latest high-tech diving equipment, including a remote sub, scuba scooter, a winch system that lowers the submarine below the surface and even a shark cage (with the sharks to boot). There are plenty more minifigures and accessories.

2. Pie Face: £19.99, argos.co.uk

Here’s a great one for kids who enjoy a bit of slapstick humour and don’t mind getting messy. You just pop some whipped cream or the wet sponge on the hand of this toy, stick your head in the hole and start turning the handle. It could go off at any time and you score a point for every time you manage to avoid a pie to the face. The first to score 25 points wins.

3. Little Live Pet Cleverkeet: £42.99, smythstoys.com

Kids will think this interactive pet bird is as good as the real thing (and a lot easier for their parents). You can give it a name, pet it and watch it sing, dance and swing. You can teach it to talk, then ask it questions or hear it mix up your words. It can also be fed and it drives its own cart, along with other exciting exploits. Hours of fun.

4. Paw Patrol Paw Patroller: £59.99, argos.co.uk

This rescue vehicle comes with a figurine of Ryder, hero of the animated Nickelodeon series, PAW Patrol, and his ATV vehicle. Able to hold three Paw Patrol vehicles in total (or display six when open), it has great sound effects and a real working lift to take the pup vehicles up to Ryder’s Command Centre. A fabulous toy for kids with a sense of adventure.

5. Shopkins Scoops Ice Cream Truck Playset: £12.40, amazon.co.uk

This is the perfect vehicle for children who want to take a trip to the beach with their Shopkins, the hugely popular collectable toys. Features include an ice cream truck and display with an umbrella so that your Shopkins can sit and enjoy their tasty treats. It comes with two collectable characters and cooler bags.

6. Star Wars Bladebuilders Jedi Master Lightsaber: £49.99, selfridges.com

A lot of children want a lightsaber at some point in their childhoods and this is one of the best we’ve seen, providing kids with all the components needed to build one themselves. There’s the potential to create over 100 different types of the space-age weapon, and it features a range of lights and sounds.

7. Thunderbirds – Interactive Tracey Island: £73.94, amazon.co.uk

Using cutting edge technology, vehicles interact with Tracy Island to recreate the famous launch sequences that you see in the Thunderbirds puppet show. Included in this exceptionally comprehensive toy is a wearable International Rescue communicator and kids will be enthralled with over 50 actions, lights and sounds to keep them entertained. Be warned: you have to buy the vehicles separately.

8. Vtech Toot-Toot Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home: £43.99, amazon.co.uk

This discovery home, which is aimed at those under five years old, features seven so-called MagicPoints where characters, such as Miss Norah, can interact to show their unique personalities and phrases. There are over 40 songs, melodies and sounds and phrases that are sure to keep children be busy for hours. There’s a moving lift included, too.

9. Star Wars The Force Awakens Millennium Falcon: £95.99, amazon.co.uk

This doesn’t come cheap, but wow, is it worth it. It opens into a playset for all your 3.75-scale Star Wars figures (three of which are included) and features a pop-up blaster that fires Nerf Elite darts, a turbolaser turret, light-up LED cannons, awesome sound effects, along with a playset area featuring a Holochess board and smuggling compartment.

Verdict

If you know a child that likes Lego (who doesn’t?), the Lego City Deep Sea Exploration Vessel is likely to be a dream-come-true for them. We also give a particularly high rating to Little Live Pet Cleverkeet – the ultimate virtual pet.