There are currently less than two months to go until Christmas, so now might be the perfect time to start thinking about the perfect presents for little ones. But with heaps of popular options around, many people won't know where to start.
Thankfully DreamToys has revealed its list of must-have presents for 2020, including a LEGO version of Harry Potter's Hedwig (£34.99), a Pokemon Carry Case Playset (£39.99) and a Monopoly For Sore Losers board game (£18).
Retailers like Hamleys and Amazon have already released their toy predictions earlier this year, but the DreamToys list is seen as the most authoritative independent prediction of toys that will be the most sought after this Christmas in the UK.
There are plenty of big names on the list too, with the ever-popular L.O.L Surprise Dolls and Peppa Pig both featuring, along with a Baby Yoda toy from The Star Wars series (£29.99) and the Paw Patrol Dino Rescue Patroller at £45.
The cheapest item listed is a Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Capsule for £6.99. Check out the entire list below.
DreamToys top 12 Christmas presents
- 5 Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Capsule, Zuru, £6.99
- Barbie 3-in-1 Dream Camper, Mattel Toys, £79.99
- Harry Potter Hedwig, LEGO £34.99
- L.O.L Surprise O.M.G Remix Fashion Doll Asst, MGA Entertainment, £39.99
- Laser Battle Hunters Vehicle, Character Options, £40
- Monopoly For Sore Losers, Hasbro, £18
- PAW Patrol Dino Rescue Dino Patroller, Spin Master Toys, £45
- Peppa Pig Peppa's Shopping Centre, Character Options, £39.99
- Pokemon Carry Case Playset, Character Options, £39.99
- Present Pets (Asst), Spin Master Toys, £54.99
- Star Wars The Mandalorian The Child "Baby Yoda", Mattel Toys, £24.99
- Super Mario Adventures With Mario Starter Course, LEGO, £44.99
Data from NPD show toy sales have increased by 6% in 2020, as mums and dads spent more time with their children during the Covid-19 lockdown.
A survey of 2,000 parents in the UK with children under the age of 10 found that 46% of them said that toys had been played with more this year as a result of lockdown.
In addition, 56% of parents said that they had personally spent more time playing with their children this year, and 88% of those said that playtime had brought them closer to their children.
Gary Grant, chairman of the DreamToys selection committee said: “This is not to panic people but there will be some unhappy children at Christmas if parents aren’t organised. Buying toys is very different this year.
“Our biggest concern is capacity - both for shopping in person and online for delivery.
“Due to Covid restrictions across the country, retailers will simply not be able to serve as many people in store due to social distancing.
“In addition, couriers are already overloaded and will struggle to meet the demand to get presents to people before Christmas.
“Added to this is the limited availability of stock compared to previous years; our advice is to shop early to avoid missing out.”
He went on to say: “We implore consumers not to leave their Christmas shopping to the final few weeks of the year."
Frederique Tutt, global analyst for The NPD Group's toy division, said during lockdown: “Toys have been a constant source of joy for children during this difficult time and have brought families closer together.
