Yes, we know Halloween hasn’t even happened yet. We know it feels much too early to get out the mince pies or put up the Christmas lights.
But every parent will know that Christmas preparation has to start early. You have to get ahead of the mad rush if you want to be in with a chance of the latest cool toy on the block (which will always sell out, no matter how ridiculous it may be).
So let’s get started. Christmas prep starts now.
According to Hamleys, these are going to be the top ten best-selling toys this Christmas (so we’d recommend getting them now):
1. Pieface Showdown – £25
Yes, this is literally a game that hits players in the face with a handful of whipped cream or a wet sponge. It’s very suspenseful, but someone will definitely end up getting a face of cream. Kids are strange.
When we reviewed it last year, we gave the original Pieface 8/10, for being delightfully silly.
2. BeanBoozled Spinner Game – £25
Two Jelly Belly beans – one colour, two very different flavours.
Spin the wheel and risk putting a jelly bean that tastes like actual puke into your mouth… or one that tastes like peach.
3. Virtual Reality Viewer – £15
This one’s actually pretty cool (and you’ll probably end up stealing it after the kids go to bed).
You pop on the Google Cardboard headset, insert your phone, and are then given a virtual reality experience of Star Wars games, landscapes, and adventures.
4. Star Wars Krennic’s Imperial Shuttle – £80
Trust us, for Christmas 2016 you can’t go wrong with anything involving Star Wars and LEGO.
5. Nerf Mega Mastodon – £90
Yep, it’s a motorized blaster that sends out giant foam darts at super speed. It’s pretty massive, has a shoulder strap, and holds 24 MEGA Whistler Darts at a time.
6. DreamWorks Trolls Hug Time Poppy – £50
As the name probably gives away, Hug Time Poppy is all about hugs.
But we’re not talking regular hugs. We’re talking high-tech hugs.
Poppy’s owner can wear a special Hug Time bracelet which interacts with the doll. When activated, both the bracelet and Poppy’s hair light up in time with music, and Poppy will dance and sing songs from the new Trolls movie. She can also speak 25 different phrases. Sweet.
7. Paw Patrol Zoomer – £70
Marshall, AKA the Paw Patroll Zoomer, is an interactive dog that moves on his own and responds to petting and movement.
It has a fancy game built in, with more than 80 missions kids and Marshall can solve together, and he can say more than 150 different catchphrases and sounds.
Basically the next best thing to actually having a puppy.
8. Fisher-Price Think and Learn Code-A-Pillar – £50
If you’re looking for something a little more educational, this one’s your best option for younger children.
It’s a caterpillar that creates tasks involving problem, solving, planning, and sequencing, and effectively functions as an early intro to coding.
The way kids connect the pieces sends the Code-a-pillar on a different path, so they’ll need to plan carefully depending on where they’d like the caterpillar to go.
Endless fun and a great reminder that our kids will be more techn-savvy by ten years old than most of us ever will be.
9. VTech Kidizoom Smart Watch – £43
A kid-size smart watch that helps kids to tell the time, lets them take pictures (with photo effects, frames, and filters), and features a pedometer so they can track their activity.
10. Hamleys Magic Showcase Set – £20
Hey, everyone loves magic.
Hamleys’ set includes an app that lets kids perform 3D interactive tricks with a phone or tablet, and the case turns into a mini magician’s table. Snazzy.
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