THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR KIDS 2024
Our Tried and Tested Guide to this Year's Top Children's Christmas Presents
Our elves have been busy with the most fun job this side of Lapland - testing out this year's hottest kid's Christmas presents.
From farting yoga games, unfathomably cool skates, must-have new LEGO sets and 3D drawing pens to turbo-cute duck pets, high octane electronic racing and Bluey games, London Undergound BRIO and a magical Harry Potter buddies.
Take the stress out of shopping, with our tried and tested reviews of 2024's best kid's Christmas gifts.
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So Slime Go! Gooey Snails Slime Race Set
Snails and gamified slime - is there a more child-pleasing combo?
This is a fun, easy to play and addictive game for kids aged 5 and up, with no batteries or set up time. Boom.
Ours delighted in the sensory play of adding slime to the slides, positioning the snails and cheering on their gooey racers.
Afterwards, they had just as much fun detaching the shell to suck the goo back up, giggling at the slurpy, farty noises it made on the way in.
The slime is pleasingly stretchy and comes in vibrant green, blue, pink, purple and turquoise colours. The children also enjoyed playing with the snails themselves, which can be squeezed to leave colourful goo trails.
BUY FROM SMYTHS. £17.99
Rio Roller Mayhem II Quad Roller Skates
Find a partner who looks at you the way we look at these insanely cool roller skates.
Inspired by the '90s skate scene, Rio's most loved roller derby-style skate has been given a stunning makeover, with a chequered design and vibrant green leather, emblazoned with the famous, Rio signature print.
Our thrilled little tester found them light, durable and comfortable (thanks to the Hi-Impact Chassis and aluminium trucks) ensuring he was in control at all times. A cheeky bonus for parents with excited kids gliding around the house on Christmas Day, is that Rio's exclusive truck design prevents the axles from protruding and damaging floors. This is a turbo-cool gift which will make their Christmas, and get them off the screens BUY FROM SKATES.CO.UK £69.95
myFirst 3dPen Make
This is the ultimate gift for little creatives.
The safe, wireless and easy to use pen enables them to make 3D drawings, from toys, buildings and ornaments to jewellery and anything else their imaginations fancy bringing to life. My eager little artist loved the fact the creations solidified in a flash and the creative freedom she had without wires (thanks to USB charging) and we didn't need to worry about burnt fingers, because the low-heat filment is safe to touch and the heat stays inside the device. The mega bonus for parents, is that this is mess-free art - it's non-adhesive and easy to clean up.
This kid-friendly tech has opened my child's mind to brilliant new creative possibilities, and it's her favourite toy to bring ideas to life, with an endless succession of doll house food, tiaras, spiders, key rings and tree decorations.
BUY FROM MY FIRST. £49
Maleficent's Dragon Form LEGO
Big kids loved this as much as the little kids. Disney's Sleeping Beauty classic is brought to life, with a magical castle, complete with bed, flying Fairy Godmothers, intricate accessories and a nifty Spinning Wheel, which is turned to dramatically animate the vines.
The children loved helping to build Maleficent's majestic dragon form, which breathes fire (win) and has folding wings to swoop over the castle's bridge (double-win).
It also comes with poseable Aurora, Prince Philip and Samson LEGO dolls, for role playing adventures with their sword and shield props. My daughter approved of Aurora wearing trousers and having her own sword, to be a hero, rather than a passive princess. BUY FROMLEGO.COM £59.99
Pets Alive - Mama Duck Baby Surprise
Pets Alive are masters of impossibly cute pets with all the fun bits, and none of the mess and poo.
This toy is a fabulously quackers and exciting concept for
lucky duckies. Our little tester was beyond excited about seeing how many eggs would hatch - squeals filled the house as each egg popped up, with surprise discoveries of slime yolks, a rare golden duckling and two chicks. Mama Duck was pleasingly, much bigger than we expected. And once hatched, her ducklings magnetically attach to her tail following her everywhere, as she quacks and waddles like a real duck. The pink heart on her wing can also be pressed for assorted duck sounds. Afterwards, they can be stored in their nest. BUY FROM SMYTHS £29.99
Transformers One Power Flip Optimus Prime
This ingenious 4-in-1 figure converts from Cybertronian truck to Orion Pax, Optimus Prime and finally to Ultimate Optimus Prime with the snazzy Power Flip move - holding his arms while flipping the figure.
Our tester was mesmerised. Each mode has different lights sounds and special effects. And there are sword, Energon axe, shield and the Matrix of Leadership accessories that attach to the figure in each mode.
It's an impressive recreation of the iconic character from the Transformers One movie. But kids don't need to be Transformers fans to fall for the endless possibilities of this extraordinary action figure.
BUY FROM SMYTHS. £39.99
BRIO World London Underground Train
This year, BRIO partnered with TFL to make a mini London Underground toy, complete with tunnel, model Tube train, driver, commuter and sign.
And it's easy to see why it's the must-have train toy this Christmas. Our bite-sized BRIO fan excitedly connected it to his other BRIO sets - all sets are compatible.
He was thrilled by the lights and tube noises the iconic red, white and blue train made, when pushed. And the carriages were easy for little fingers to open to seat the passengers for their journey.
It's part of BRIO's Trains of the World series, and our little Londoners loved role-playing with something so familiar, and infinitely more fun than the daily commute.
BUY FROM BRIO. £39.99
Play-Doh - Rainbow Swirl Ice Cream Playset
For little chefs aged 3 onwards, this is the sweetest ice cream playset.
Our four-year-old tester found it easy to load the machine with assorted Play-Doh colours, and delighted in watching pretend, rainbow soft serve with colourfully striped edges filling the spinning cups and cones.
Afterwards, he made Play-Doh star and ball sprinkles, by turning its handle - they dropped into a scoop for him to add with ease. He followed these with a gaggle of multicoloured decotations, from candy cups, cookies and pretzels to fruit.
And he enjoyed serving up his colourful creations, using the playset's seven accessories, which include a spoon, toy knife, sprinkle scoop, dish, cone and a lidded cup.
BUY FROM ARGOS. £20.99
Hyper Dash - Electronic Reaction Race Game
This is an addictive way to work off those Selection Boxes and Mince Pies and get the kids away from the screens.
It's marketed for 6+, but our younger testers loved it just as much. We set up the course, using five electronic dash targets - handily it can be used for indoor and outdoor play. And we competed against each other, by racing to follow the voice and light commands of the dash tagger in sequence. Children can play against themselves or with up to 10 players. We enjoyed playing in the 3 different modes: Race in Dash Mode - completing the course in the quickest time and progressing through 10 levels of difficulty; React in Fast Dash, tagging the most targets to win in either 30, 60 or 90 seconds, and Team Dash with up to 4 teams for a cooperative relay race. Hyper Dash encourages families to get off the sofa and get active in fun active racing gameplay and guarantees hours of fun.
BUY FROM VERY, £24.99
Peppa Pig's 2-in-1 Party Bus
The ultimate gift for fans of the muddy puddle loving oinker.
It's a lovely, big, sturdy toy for little hands, filled with three bus floors with interactive features, 13 accessories and Peppa, Candy Cat and Danny Dog figures.
Our tester loved taking them on an open-top bus tour, before popping the bus open into party mode.
He took the characters on a spin on the roundabout, then around the twirling dance platform, down the slide and on the seesaw. And he enjoyed getting the bus party ready, adding touches like balloons, presents (which can be opened) ball pit and jukebox. There are lovely interactive elements, like the rolling destination sign. And everything can be stored inside the bus, which has a handy handle.
BUY FROM THE ENTERTAINER. £49.99
Wizarding World Harry Potter Interactive Dobby
Our mini Muggles fell in love with this interactive Dobby elf - and we wanted to adopt him.
The impossibly cute toy responds to touch, moving his ears, eyes, blinking, moving his head and lifting his arms.
It has all the magic of Harry Potter, with more than 30 noises and phrases from the classic books and films, in English or French.
And the cutest cherry on top of this super sweet Hogwarts cake, is that he can be freed, by giving him a sock, as his evil master accidentally does in the story.
But this little guy is too cute to be freed, so will spend his days at our home, in a perpetual cycle of freedom and imprisonment. The perfect gift for fans of the boy wizard and a cheeky bonus is that our tester has learnt some French phrases from him.
BUY FROM SMYTHS TOYS. £24.99
DC Batman Gear-Up Utility Belt and Mask
Invite the Dark Knight to your Christmas lunch, with this inventive role play set for kids aged 3+.
Our tiny Caped Crusader lived in this, from the second he opened it.
The adjustable straps on the utility belt meant that his older sister could also do a spot of Gotham Cty-saving.
It has handy slots to store three foam Batarangs and two smoke pellets - it's also compatible with the Batman sword, which can be bought separately.
The Batman mask is adjustable and sturdy enough for hours of crime-fighting. A big hit with the kids, even if we do end up with the occasional Batarang in our dinner.
BUY FROM SMYTHS TOYS. £19.99
Bluey Keepy Uppy Game
This brilliant, action table-top game was as popular with the teens and grandparents as it was with the preschoolers.
Bluey's favourite balloon keepy activity is turned into an easy-to-play, motorised game, in which players frantically bop their paddle if the balloon comes near them to keep it in the air. If it lands on a hedge, they lose a balloon "pop" token and the last player with tokens wins the game.
Two to three people aged 4+ can play with Bluey, Bingo, or Chilli character paddles.
It's a lively, exciting and engaging game that will keep Bluey fans occupied and its simplicity means that all ages can get involved - prepare for lots of screeching.
BUY FROM JOHN LEWIS. £16.99
Despicable Me 4: Brick-Built Gru & Minions LEGO
This ingenious new LEGO set for kids aged 9+ enables you to build a posable Gru and then make Minions dance around their boss, with hand-operated mechanics.
It's a brilliantly fun set to build, with satisfying details, like Gru's jointed fingers and arms to reposition him, and detailed Jerry, Dave, Beedoo, Mel and Kevin buildable Minion figures, with moving heads and changeable eyes.
Each Minion can be removed from the model and their hands can be moved to hold assorted accessories, from a fart gun to maracas, a fruit hat and head propeller, for more ways to play.
The hilarious dance feature really sets this set apart. A must for any Minions or LEGO fans
BUY FROM LEGO.COM. £49.99
Fart Yoga Game
The giggles were as loud as the farts, while testing this brilliantly bonkers, parping sloth game.
This hilarious family game for ages 3+ is easy to play and combines the active fun of yoga with a cuddly Sammy the Sloth hugging your waist... who can trump at any time.
The goal is to copy five yoga poses from up to 50 cards, moving as slowly as a sloth, so you don't make Sammy parp more times than is shown on the card. The player with the most fart points wins.
It's perfect for all ages, with simple rules, excellent toilet humour, belly laughs and is a fun way to encourage kids to move, stretch and balance. Once the kids were in bed, the adults enjoyed it just as much, with some added vino.
BUY FROM SMYTHS. £19.99
Style4Eva Unicorn DIY Lava Lamp
A fun craft project for kids, which doubles as a cute lava lamp they can enjoy in their bedrooms afterwards.
Our tester loved creating her own lamp, adding beads, colour, decorations and water inside, before personalising the outside with the sheets of stickers.
Afterwards, she was chuffed to enjoy her handiwork, turning it on and watching the swirling water and colour-changing lights swish around the beads, to create magical effects. It's also battery powered, so she can move it around her bedroom, without worrying about wire bother
BUY FROM VERY £16.99
Cocoba Gruffalo Chocolates
There's no such thing as a Cocoba Gruffalo chocolate, because they got gobbled up in a flash.
The Kent chocolatier has launched a delicious and beautifully presented range of chocolate gifts featuring everybody's favourite wood-dwelling monster.
Our little monsters adored the glossy Belgian Gruffalo hot chocolate bombes, which melted to reveal gooey marshmallows and a creamy chocolate drink.
The range also includes Gruffalo shaped hot chocolate spoons, for an equally sweet way to make a special cocoa.
The themed chocolate bites, shaped like the mouse, Gruffalo and Gruffalo's child were also a big hit.
They're a gorgeous stocking filler or Christmas Eve box surprise. BUY FROM COCOBA CHOCOLATE Hot Chocolate Bombe 3 Pack, £11.95. Hot Chocolate Stirrer, £2.95. Character Bites, £6.95
Grow It - Carnivorous Plants
Move over daffodils and cress, there's a much more exciting range of plants to encourage green little fingers.
The Grow It Carnivorous Plants gift enable recipients to grow their own Venus Flytrap and Pitcher Plant from scratch.
They're fascinating, strangely beautiful and easy-to-grow and as an added bonus, they eat flies.
Kids will be fascinating seeing them grow and then finally watching them at work, behaving like no other plant.
Somewhere between plant and pet, this is a brilliantly unique prezzie with sneaky educational benefits. The kit includes everything you need so you're set up for success, from starter pots to compost discs and seeds.
BUY FROM GIFTREPUBLIC. £12.99
Wobbly Lilly Path Game
This beautifully made, wooden game is an engaging way for little ones to have fun, while developing motor skills and balance.
Children must walk across the wobbly lilly pads, collecting wooden frogs along the way, to reach the frog prince at the end. It's perfect for kids ages 3+, but even our older testers aged 6 and 8 enjoyed playing.
It's a simple, fun and sturdy game, which was also great for open-ended play - the children used it for variations of "the floor is lava" and played out stories with the chunky frogs and pads.
BUY FROM BS TOYS. £27.50
National Geographic - Build Your Own Volcano
For an explosive gift with hours of art, craft and science fun, this kit provides it in spades at great value.
The process was a fun family activity, casting the volcano using the plaster and mould included. Then the kids set to work, bringing it to life with the paint and brushes provided.
Excitement was considerably high when it was finally ready to blow. We filled it with the eruption powder, added water and the children were thrilled with the theatrical results, as it burst, bubbled and frothed from their creation.
They were also excited to find real volcano specimens inside the box, along with a colour volcano learning guide, which their explosive work inspired them to get stuck into.
BUY FROM AMAZON. £11.99
Boogie Bath Duck
Quack open the bubble bath and have a tub disco, with this fun Boogie Bath Duck.
Parents are always looking for ways to make bathtime more fun, and encourage grubby little monsters to have a bedtime bath.
And this little guy brings the party. Our tester loved the underwater disco created by the duck's multi-coloured LED lights.
There are three different colour combos, no sharp edges and it's easy and safe to use.
BUY FROM GIFTREPUBLIC. £9.99
Mindful Gardener Craft Kits
These gorgeous kits enable kids (or big kids) 20 minutes of calming craft, making Lavender, Aloe Vera, or succulent card plants with no scissors required. Boom.
They can then proudly display their pretty creations in their rooms, for the ultimate, low-maintenance plants.
Our little tester also enjoyed the mini mindfulness exercises included in each pack and the interesting facts about the healing properties of each plant.
A gorgeous stocking filler for a moment of calm in the buzz of Christmas.
BUY FROM CLOCKWORK SOLDIER. £7.50
PLUS PLUS Mini Maker Santa
These clever little double plus-shaped bricks easily slot into each other to create a 3D Santa.
Our 6-year-old tester loved getting creative with these, and using the interlocking pieces to make the Big FC - the instructions were easy for her to follow on her own.
She then spent hours making assorted creations from her imagination, from tomatoes to hearts and monsters.
A lovely touch, is that there are different skin tone choices for Santa or your creations.
It's part engineering, part art, with a hint of maths, all cunningly disguised as a fun, screen-free toy.
It's recomended for ages 5 to 12 - but the grown-ups and preschooler were equally entertained.
And it's a great kid's travel activity to pop in a handbag for a restaurant or plane trip.
BUY FROM AMAZON £8.99
Chuckle Soaps
These clever stocking fillers provide the perfect incentive to get kids to wash.
Each Chuckle Soap contains a toy, from LEGO Taylor Swifts to cars, Santas, jewellery and dinosaurs.
They are all SLS Free, Vegan, 100% organic, cruelty-free and handmade for good, clean fun, which is kind to sensitive skin.
Brilliantly, the toys are upcycled as much as possible, but keep your eyes on their Insta, to nab your favourites when they get shared.
BUY FROM CHUCKLE SOAPS. From £4 a soap
We have been gifted samples in order to provide honest and accurate tried and tested reviews. But we never feature anything we don't recommend
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