My son has been requesting Christmas presents since August. Not sure about you but my camera roll is full of photos of toys that we’re going to ‘send to Santa to add to the list’. Now we’re veering towards the end of October my panic starts to set in and I need to take these requests seriously… obviously only picking 2 or 3 presents from the never ending list….but which ones should I get!!?
Luckily for us brands have started releasing their top Christmas gift predictions, so we’ve pulled together Which?’s round-up of the trends from the UK Toy Fair with the Argos Top 20 and John Lewis’s top ten, and boiled it down to what’s genuinely looking at before the letters to Santa start arriving.
A quick note: prices are as reported by the retailers and can change, and a few of the popular ones weren’t in stock online when the lists came out.
1. LEGO Smart Play
LEGO’s latest idea adds a bit of magic to the bricks. With Smart Play, Smart Bricks, minifigures and tags react to what you do, lighting up and playing sounds. There are Star Wars sets, such as Yoda’s Hut and Jedi Training (£59.99), and Argos has put the LEGO Pokémon Smart Play set with Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly (£30) on its Christmas list.
Why we’d get it: It’s LEGO, but with just enough extra to feel new.
Watch out for: It’s still LEGO, so expect the bricks under your feet by Boxing Day.
2. Pokémon
Pokémon turns 30 this year and the 1990s nostalgia is in full swing, so expect everything from trading cards to plushies. If you want somewhere to start, the Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy box has three ready-made decks, a board and tutorial guides, and it works with any cards you already have. There’s also an 8-inch Pikachu plush for cuddling rather than battling.
Why we’d get it: A gift you can play together, and one that parents can get properly excited about.
Watch out for: Booster packs are the gateway to a very expensive hobby.
3. KPop Demon Hunters
The film everyone’s children can quote is now well and truly a toy aisle. John Lewis has the Rumi singing doll (£35) in its Christmas top ten, with Mira and Zoey sold separately if you want the full trio. There’s also a KPop Demon Hunters Monopoly Deal game, and a glow-in-the-dark Derpy Funko Pop. Which? has the full round-up if you want to see them side by side.
Why we’d get it: Guaranteed to be recognised the second the wrapping comes off.
Watch out for: Stock. The Rumi doll wasn’t available online when Which? looked, so check in store and don’t leave it until December.
4. The film favourites: Toy Story 5 and Spider-Man
Toy Story 5 arrived in June and Spider-Man: Brand New Day followed at the end of July, so both franchises are back on the wish list. For Toy Story fans there’s the Woody Interactive Talking Action Figure (£37 at the Disney Store), which has 15 phrases and starts chatting when another interactive Toy Story figure is nearby. For Spider-Man fans, look at the LEGO Marvel Mech Battle Spider-Man vs Doc Ock set.
Why we’d get it: Films create a very specific kind of excitement, and the toys are ready for it.
Watch out for: Whether it will still be loved in February. A film obsession can be short and intense.
5. Screen-free storytellers and wooden classics
This is the corner we’re most drawn to. Argos has highlighted screen-free storytellers and traditional wooden play in its Top 20, including the new Tonies Lite (£60) and two Argos exclusives: the Chad Valley Alfie and Jo Wooden Train Set (£15) and the Chad Valley Wooden Classic Kitchen (£30).
Why we’d get it: Good, simple play that doesn’t need charging, updating or a Wi-Fi password.
Watch out for: Tonies characters are usually sold separately, so check what’s in the box and factor the extras into your budget.
6. Cuddly collectables: Jellycat and Fuggler
Plushies aren’t going anywhere. Jellycat, the London-born favourite, keeps growing, with classics like the 28cm Bartholomew Bear alongside the newer, sillier ones. At the other end of the scale there’s Fuggler, whose deliberately odd-looking plush dolls are hugely popular with older children and teens. The Fuggstars 9-inch range (around £10 at The Entertainer) was named a Hero Toy in the plush category at the 2026 Toy Fair.
Why we’d get it: A small gift that’s big on personality, and a good stocking filler.
Watch out for: Fakes. Buy Jellycat from the brand or a reputable stockist, and see Which?’s guide to where to buy them.
7. Hands-on making
For the child who’d rather build than battle, three options stood out. The Giftie Badge Maker (£35) links to a phone app and prints custom badges and cards. The Connetix Ball Run Launcher Pack is a 46-piece magnetic tile set with a launcher that sends wooden balls through tracks your child designs. And the Plus-Plus Learn to Build Space Superset has 1,000 pieces for rockets, planets and aliens.
Why we’d get it: Open-ended play that keeps going long after the batteries would have died.
Watch out for: Anything with 1,000 pieces will be found in the hoover. Choose a container before Christmas Day.
8. The big one
If you’re after something enormous to unwrap, the Hot Wheels City Ultimate T-Rex Garage (£130 at Argos) stores and launches up to 50 cars (I bought this for my son two years ago and he still loves it!)— one of the picks Made for Mums highlighted from the Argos list. At the grander end, John Lewis has the Le Toy Van Paddington Doll’s House (£300), a four-storey house with opening doors, windows and removable roof panels.
Why we’d get it: One big gift can be a whole family present, and it might be played with for years.
Watch out for: The price, and the floor space. Measure the corner of the living room first.
9. World Cup fever and Super Mario
Two more things pushed their way onto the trend lists since we first wrote this. The 2026 FIFA World Cup has football-mad kids after Panini sticker tins, blind-ball collectables and a Strikesphere Soccer Dash set. And Nintendo’s Super Mario range is back in a big way, with Fisher-Price Little People Mario figures for younger fans and Super Mario Odyssey or Galaxy for the Switch for older ones.
Why we’d get it: Both tap into something bigger than the toy itself — a tournament everyone’s watching, and a game character that’s been a constant for three decades.
Watch out for: World Cup collectables (Panini tins especially) work the same way football stickers always have — the pack-opening is the fun part, and it adds up fast.
Before you buy anything
- Ask for a top three. A list of forty is a wish list. A list of three is a shopping list.
- Shop early for the popular ones. Argos itself suggests keeping an eye on availability sooner rather than later.
- Check the age rating and safety mark on the box, especially for anything with small parts. Trading Standards advises looking for a UKCA or CE mark and being wary of popular brands at knockdown prices, as marks can be faked.
- Keep the receipt. Every year there’s a toy that gets ignored by lunchtime.
So where would we start?
For a guaranteed hit: Pokémon or KPop Demon Hunters.
For builders: LEGO Smart Play or the Connetix Ball Run.
For a calmer Christmas morning: Tonies Lite, the wooden train or the kitchen.
For stocking fillers: a Fuggler or a Jellycat.
