Looking for the best toys to buy for your kids? Well, provided they've been good boys and girls of course, there are loads of awesome toys on the market right now, whether you’re looking for something creative, educational or cuddly.
Right here, we've rounded up the best toys and found something for every child. In this guide, you’ll see some big names in the toy world including Barbie, Lego, and Star Wars, but we’ve also included a variety of lesser-known brands that provide all sorts of fun toys and games for children including doll houses, action figures and Nerf guns.
Some toys are quite pricey, but if you’re on a budget, there’s plenty here to cater to all price ranges too, as we realise that many families right now are struggling through a cost of living crisis.
For even more toys and games, we also have dedicated guides for popular toys such as the best Lego sets, best Nerf guns and best remote-control cars. While those who want to get a steal on toy buying for next year, T3's best water guns buying guide is filled with a selection of superb Super Soakers and water pistols.
Best toys 2024 ranking
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(Image credit: Hasbro)
1. Galactic Snackin' Grogu
Who doesn't love Baby Yoda?
Reasons to buy
+ Plenty of interactivity Super-cute reactions Neat accessories
Reasons to avoid
- Can be a little repetitive
The character formerly known as the Child (and before that, Baby Yoda) gets a new animatronic spin, paying tribute to his insatiable appetite in season 2 of The Mandalorian. With 4 interactive accessories that can be placed in his hand, Grogu reacts to snacks both delicious and disgusting, beckons for a hug and, yes, uses the Force when you pat its head 3 times. We're not sure how many kids have actually seen The Mandalorian, but we know this: they seem to bloody love Grogu, and this will sell like hot bone broth.
(Image credit: Jazwares)
2. Cocomelon Bedtime JJ Doll
It's cuddly and it sings!
Reasons to buy
+ Massively popular Cuddly body Plays music
Reasons to avoid
- Isn't as interactive as Grogu
If your young kids are glued to YouTube or Netflix - as today's youngsters tend to be - then you've probably been subjected to more than your fair share of CoComelon. It's absolutely huge. This cuddly JJ isn't going to help stop the songs rolling around your head, given that it plays 'Yes Yes Bedtime' with a squish of the tummy, but it'll certainly delight those for whom CoComelon is a way of life. And that's really the point, isn't it?
(Image credit: Lego Group)
3. Lego Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block
Lego and Super Mario... need we say more?!
Reasons to buy
+ Super-cute microfig Mario Hidden stars to find Plenty to play with - or just look at
Reasons to avoid
- Pricey
One for the older kids or perhaps particularly digitally advanced youngsters, Lego's epic 2064-piece set stashes away microfig-scale dioramas of iconic scenes from Super Mario 64, including Bob-omb Battlefield, Peach's Castle and Cool, Cool Mountain. Scale be damned, it's also compatible with the interactive Lego Mario and new Lego Luigi figures for a little extra play potential. Lego is such a big part of many kids and adults childhoods so this toy is also great to bond over and play with together.
(Image credit: MGA Entertainment)
4. L.O.L. Surprise O.M.G. House of Surprises
Perfect for O.M.G fans
Reasons to buy
+ Neat rotating rooms Compatible with both doll sizes Sturdy construction
Reasons to avoid
- A little expensive
MGA's super-deformed surprise toys continue to be a huge hit, and this four-floored wooden Dreamhouse-baiter is sure to be topping a whole lot of birthday or Christmas lists. It's compatible both with smaller L.O.L. dolls and their larger O.M.G. counterparts, includes transforming furniture, spinning rooms and a whole bunch of furniture - though unlike last year's O.M.G. House there's no doll included.
(Image credit: Mattel)
5. Barbie Extra with Pink Fluffy Jacket
Classic Barbie with OTT clothes, accessories and attitude
Reasons to buy
+ Fun outfits and accessories Comes with a pet Curvier build
Reasons to avoid
- Make sure you don't lose the small accessories
While there's definitely part of us which prefers the slightly more sensible Barbie You Can Be Anything Range, there's no denying that a Barbie completely overdoing it in ludicrous outfits and an accessorisable pet just feels right. Mattel says this range has a 'more is more' attitude, which sounds about right with the glitter, emojis and stand-out hair. Each doll has a fun unique look and style so we're sure your kids will want to collect them all.
(Image credit: Moose Toys)
6. Bluey & Family 4-Pack
Wholesome figures from the popular kids show
Reasons to buy
+ Poseable construction Encourages creative play It's Bluey - honestly that's enough
Reasons to avoid
- Don't do very much!
There is no kids' show more wholesome and lovely than Bluey, to the point that it has become actively encouraged viewing in many kid-packed households - not something that can be said for every screeching headache of a franchise. These are uncomplicated articulated action figures of Bluey, Bandit, Bingo and Chilli, but they're perfect for little imagined adventures.
(Image credit: Hasbro)
7. Nerf Ultra Select
A battle-ready blaster that's set to hit the mark
Reasons to buy
+ New straighter-flying darts Neat quick-switch magazines Motorised firing
Reasons to avoid
- Bullets can jam easily due to the powerful gun
The Ultra line hasn't had the easiest of starts, but Nerf's latest Ultra Select looks to have got things much more on target. It's a twin-magazine motorised blaster which includes a bunch of standard black Ultra darts (built for distance but tending to fly a little wayward) and the new silver variety, which use a flat end and vastly improve accuracy. The magazine-switching gimmick is pretty cool, too.
(Image credit: Hasbro)
8. Transformers Bumblebee Cyberverse Adventures Dinobots Unite Roll N’ Change Optimus Prime
Autobots, get ready to engage in an epic battle
Reasons to buy
+ Highly reconfigurable Kids genuinely love it Plenty of add-on packs available
Reasons to avoid
- Fiddly and time consuming to revert back to vehicle form
This new generation of Optimus Prime switches quicker than ever, transforming from vehicle to robot mode with a push. This 2-in-1 toy is super eye catching with 10 button-activated sound effects and multiple accessories. You will need to take into account that transforming the robot back to the vehicle is a 10-12 step process (which as the parent, you'll probably be made to do when they get bored) but there's still a good bit of fiddly fun remaining.
(Image credit: VTech)
9. VTech KidiZoom PrintCam
Like a Polaroid for a new (and younger) audience
Reasons to buy
+ Prints are cheap Versatile camera Easy for kids to grip
Reasons to avoid
- Have to pay for replacement paper
Pre-Insta kids are going to go mental for VTech's instant snapper. Yes, you'll be on the hook for thermal paper, but it's far cheaper than Polaroid at about a penny per picture, there's SD storage for photos and videos, the sensor flips up for selfies - everything kids want. They won't even worry too much about the resolution, which VTech is keeping quiet about (but which we suspect is pretty low).
(Image credit: Ravensburger)
10. Gravitrax Pro Vertical Starter Set
Give your kids a rolling start in engineering life
Reasons to buy
+ Virtually unlimited ways to lay out track Expandable with extra sets Secretly very educational
Reasons to avoid
- Lots of pieces to assemble
Marble runs are still big business, though Ravensburger's system doesn't use the 'M' word. These are gravity spheres. That terminology isn't surprising considering its STEM roots, and the Gravitrax system is hugely extendable. The Pro line is entirely compatible with the basic Gravitrax range meaning you'll be able to create more and more complex runs while your kids watch and beg for a turn.
(Image credit: Playmobil)
11. Playmobil Back to the Future DeLorean
Pure nostalgia and good Playmobil fun
Reasons to buy
+ Comes with Doc, Marty and Einstein Awesome detail Packs Playmobil plutonium
Reasons to avoid
- Might not appeal to kids who don't know what Back to the Future is...
We see this set as a teaching aid more than anything: give this flux capacitor-packing, gull-wing-doored DMC-12 to a Playmobil-obsessed youngling and they'll soon learn just how cool Marty and Doc's adventures were. It also includes a nifty little Einstein dog figure and is, as far as we're aware, the first Playmobil set to come complete with a hazardous flight case filled with plutonium rods.
(Image credit: Moose Toys)
12. Little Live Pets Gotta Go Turdle
Kids love toys which poop
Reasons to buy
+ Fantastic punny name Reusable food Amusing sounds and tunes
Reasons to avoid
- Little repetitive for kids who get bored easy
The sequel to 2020's smash hit sand-plopper the Gotta Go Flamingo, the Turdle mixes up the poo-based fun by... actually, what does it do different? We're not entirely sure. Not that it matters. The fun of feeding it, watching it poo some hydrophobic magic sand into a transparent toilet, and then refeeding it those droppings is disgusting enough to keep kids entertained, and it'll repeat what they say in a silly voice, too.
(Image credit: Moose Toys)
13. Akedo Ultimate Arcade Warriors Battle Arena
Who knew that splitting someone down the middle could be so much fun?
Reasons to buy
+ Easy to play, but deep too Collectible element Great sound effects
Reasons to avoid
- Can be fiddly and hard to get to grips with for younger players
Super-collectible toys released along with an accompanying cartoon, the way toys used to be, Akedo Ultimate Arcade Warriors takes the old Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots concept and dials it up a notch and down a size. Put a little dude on each plinth, and smack them together until one is so battered it literally splits in half down the middle. If that doesn't sound like fun, you need your priorities realigned.
(Image credit: MGA Entertainment)
14. Rainbow High Winter Break
High quality fashion dolls in a rainbow of colours
Reasons to buy
+ Nifty fashions Fancy hairstyles Good range of options
Reasons to avoid
- Clothes can fit a little odd
Last year's must-have fashion doll is still a hot ticket. The Original Six from Rainbow High has been reimagined for Winter Break with outfits inspired by the likes of Supreme, Gucci and Dior. Easy to pose, dress, stand and play with, any fashion obsessed kid is sure to love these dolls and want to collect them all.
(Image credit: Spin Master)
15. Paw Patrol Dino Rescue Dino Patroller
Great toy for Paw Patrol fans
Reasons to buy
+ Easy to operate motorisation Fits up to six pups Lots of functions to test out and play with
Reasons to avoid
- Can jam a little easily
The recent movie has heated Paw Patrol right back up again, as if it ever truly cooled off - and 2021's best Paw Patrol toy packs in everything younger kids love. It's motorised, it shoots stuff, there's an exclusive Chase figure, and it also includes a dinosaur for, we're sure, an entirely plausible reason. Given that we're dealing with a mysteriously-funded pack of somehow-talking dogs that can also drive, perhaps they don't exactly need a reason.
(Image credit: Moose Toys)
16. Squeakee The Interactive Balloon Dino
A balloon dino that's not a total let down
Reasons to buy
+ A long list of functions Plenty of personality Cute in its own unique way
Reasons to avoid
- Runs out of charge quickly
Another sequel, of sorts, following up last Christmas' wildly popular Squeakee balloon dog. This time there's more interactivity, with chomping, roaring and breakdancing functions joining the balloon-related gimmicks of the previous generation. This could be the robot of the year - it's certainly a whole lot of silly fun. Make sure you pick up some rechargeable batteries to go with it.
(Image credit: The Pokémon Company)
17. Pokémon TCG: Battle Academy
Gotta catch 'em all
Reasons to buy
+ Great selection of cards Helps newcomers Expandable later on
Reasons to avoid
- Numbers on cards are a bit tiny
You can blame lucrative YouTube pack unwrapping for the recent resurgence in the Pokémon TCG's popularity - and there's no better way for kids to get into the game than through the Battle Academy pack. You get three custom decks, built around Charizard, Pikachu and Mewtwo, as well as a game board which neatly explains the various zones of play. Add on a couple of V Battle deck packs, and you've got yourself a meta.
(Image credit: Arklu)
18. Lottie Doll Young Inventor
A doll that encourages good things
Reasons to buy
+ Great outfits Totally non-brash Inspired by real kids
Reasons to avoid
- Not an interactive doll and doesn't bend
We're always going to suggest Lottie dolls: they're super-cute, brilliantly poseable, and backed by a very solid philosophy. If the glitz and glamour of Rainbow High or Barbie is too much for you, the Lottie Young Inventor (or the Fossil Hunter, or Kid Activist, or ESA-approved Star Gazer) might help convince your kids that there's a lot more to life, and that modest and well made clothes are pretty cool, too.
(Image credit: Jellycat)
19. Jellycat Bashful Sparklet Bunny
Cuddly, cute, and supremely soft
Reasons to buy
+ Really soft Really, really cute Really, really, really cuddly
Reasons to avoid
- More of a cuddle toy – only an issue if you want something interactive
Jellycat makes beautiful soft toys. While there are a host of very wacky designs available - think clementines, pieces of toast, octopuses and the like - the delightfully cuddlable Bashful Bunny line is probably its most iconic product. It's a proven hit with youngsters of all ages, and this new sparkle-eared variety (which also comes in a small version) is an absolute delight.
(Image credit: Fisher-Price)
20. Fisher-Price Linkimals Cool Beats Penguin
Smart toys for toddlers
Reasons to buy
+ Movement and sound Pretty indestructible Links with other creatures
Reasons to avoid
- Very noisy!
Fisher-Price's Linkimals are pretty neat: they'll play music and jiggle about (both toddler mainstay features) but they'll also join up with other Linkimals so you can build an interactive network of creatures. Parents might wish to think twice about whether they'll actually want a noisy toy like this around; aunties and uncles, though, should absolutely inflict one of these on their siblings.
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