The UK’s number one parenting site has announced its pick of this year’s best toys for .
has revealed the must-have toys this year, as judged and recommended by kids and parents and approved by experts.
The theme that emerged from the rigorous testing was based on the cost-conscious climate of the cost-of-living crisis.
The categories included a ‘big present’ that can be loved by children again and again, an eco-friendly toy, and clever toys that challenge the mind.
Among the products to impress the judges was one of the latest all-singing, all-dancing, all-light-flashing showstopper toys like the Jurassic World Real FX Baby Blue, an animatronic velociraptor that you wear on your arm, which the judges ‘got huge enjoyment out of’.
Interactive, electronic gadgets were popular as always, but MadeForMums’ child testers also rated highly many ‘educational toys’ that in cooperated children’s growing fondness technology – such as Pixicade, a toy that invites you to create your very own mobile game.
The testers’ parents also commented positively on the increasing availability of sustainable, recyclable and long-lasting new toys and eco-friendly packaging.
A spokesperson for MadeforMums said: ‘We know from our child judges’ parents that this year, when costs are rising, buying one big toy, rather than lots of smaller ones, is a smart option.
‘As long as that big toy has a wow factor and the potential for months of fun. And we’ve discovered some really great-value toys at under the £40 and £20 mark, too – often toys that parents told us they expected to pay more for.’
Here, FEMAIL reveals the top 15 toys for Christmas 2022…
1. Pixicade – £19.99
Pixicade Mobile Game Maker (pictured) helps children bring their imagine to life – and the judges said ‘they had never seen anything like it’
Age: 6+
What is it? It may look like just a set of workbooks and pens but it’s actually an incredibly clever interactive guide that helps you draw video games and then make them come to life for you – and your friends – to play on screen.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘I’ve never seen anything like this before. My son loves it. It combines two things he loves most – drawing and gaming – in a really original way’
2. Jurassic World Real FX Baby Blue – £99.99
This wearable baby dinosaur blends realism with fun and comes with a host of sounds effects and movements
Age: 7+
What is it? An animatronic velociraptor that you wear like a glove puppet on your arm and operate with pistol-grip controls inside to make it blink, roar, bite and lunge. With loads of sound effects.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘Sturdy, hard-wearing and incredibly realistic. It really looks alive! My child is thrilled. A great buy for any Jurassic fan’
3. Barbie Dream Camper Vehicle Play Set – £114.99
Barbie made the top list, with the newest dream camper which includes a mega slide and camper set
Age: 3+
What is it? This year’s Barbie playset has wheels – and opens out to reveal a kitchen, a sleeping area, a pool, a fire pit, a TV den and a huge slide. It comes with lots of accessories, including binoculars, utensils, furniture and two puppies.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘It’s very well made – and it has it all! But the standout feature is definitely the huge slide. I can see my daughter playing very happily with this for quite a few years’
4. Xootz Bumper Car – £179.99
This bright red bumper car is a perfect example of a ‘big present’ that will last for a long time, designed with younger riders in mind it spins 360 degrees and has flashing lights on the back
Age: 3+
What is it? A one-seater bumper car with flashing lights, a seatbelt and either joystick control or remote control (for younger riders). It goes forwards, backwards – and does a lovely 360 degree spin.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘It’s pricey but we‘re having so much fun with it. Lots of my son’s friends are desperate to come and have a turn’
5. Build Your Own Pinball Machine – £19.99
This build-it-yourself pinball machine is a great gift for novice and vintage gaming fans alike, and is suitable for children from the age of eight
Age: 8+
What is it? It’s made entirely out of cardboard pieces – and they all slot together without glue to make a working pinball machine (with marble balls supplied). A great construction project for an older child – and fun to play with once made.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘It looks amazing – all those bright colours. What a clever idea! My daughter really enjoyed putting it all together and then pinging the marbles round’
6. McMiller Fire in the Hole – £32.99
This family game is made entirely of biodegradable materials and scooped the top spot for eco toys
Age: 7+
What is it? A beautifully designed family game, made out of biodegradable cardboard and felt, where you have to throw little cannonballs into the holes on the pop-up pirate ship – without letting your elbows leave your side.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘This is so different – and such fun! And we all think it’s a great plus that it’s so environmentally friendly’
7. Got2Glow Fairy Finder – £39.99
This toy will provide hours of fantasy fun for fairy fans, as it ‘catches’ virtual fairies in the vicinity for you to look after and play with
Age: 7+
What is it? A sweet little interactive jar for you to catch and keep (virtual) fairies in. There are over 30 fairies to catch, all with different personalities – and you can play games with them, feed them and get them to say hello.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘My daughter gets so excited when the lights flash to say there’s a new fairy to catch. This jar now goes everywhere with her’
8. Fisher-Price DJ Bouncin Beats – £44.99
A colourful, big-eared creature on springs that bounces hilariously around in time to the music you play by pushing the buttons on its head designed for children below one
Age: 9 months+
What is it? A colourful, big-eared creature on springs that bounces hilariously around in time to the music you play by pushing the buttons on its head. Includes a button that records your voice and then plays its back with remix effects.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘My son hasn’t played with anything else since this arrived. It’s so great to watch him laughing and dancing’
9. Thames & Kosmos Ultra Bionic Blaster – £50
A robotic glove with a blaster on the top will provide hours of fun for active children, and 릴게임 starts off as an 100 piece build
Age: 8+
What is it? A robotic glove with an air powered dart blaster on top that you construct yourself before you have a blast firing it all over the place. It’s a serious 100-piece build (great instructions) that turns into serious fun.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘This is brilliant! It is great quality and exciting to play with. My son plays in the house using targets and also takes it outdoors to play with friends’
10. Great Little Trading Co. First Class Toy Post Office – £60
This ‘first class’ post office made of wood can provide hours of imagination play for youngsters and is made of sustainable material
Age: 3+
What is it? A neat little all-wood playset that’s a post office counter on one side and the postmaster’s workstation on the other. It comes with moving weighing scales, cash machine, a stamper, bank card, Velcro-based stamps, and little letters and postcards to drop in the box.
MadeForMums toy tester said: ‘It’s a quality, solid wooden toy that packs a lot of fun into a compact size. Big thumbs up from me!’
11. Hexbug Hexmods Pro Series Elite – £49.99
A natty yellow remote-control racing car that comes with a reconfigurable suspension and gears and a variety of spoilers, tyres, rims and bumpers
Age: 3+
What is it? A natty yellow remote-control racing car that comes with a reconfigurable suspension and gears and a variety of spoilers, tyres, rims and bumpers to choose and fit and swap. It can go up to 13mph and runs on a rechargeable battery.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘We’ve had so much fun with this every day, creating ramps for it to drive up and performing stunts. My son’s taken it to the park and has been swarmed by other children wanting a turn’
12. LEGO Friends Olivia’s Space Academy – £59.99
A sweet space station with lots of details including a robotic arm and a multi-axis trainer for aspiring astronauts
Age: 8+
What is it? A 757-piece LEGO set that builds into a space-exploration academy, an observatory with a roof telescope, a multi-axis trainer for getting astronauts ready for zero gravity, and a shuttle with an extending robotic arm.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘It’s a good long build and there are lots of lovely little details and moving parts. It’s opened up some great conversations about space and the planets’
13. Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart – £74.99
This wooden trolley comes with all sorts of surprises for young ones including puzzles to work out
Age: 12 months +
What is it? A brightly coloured push-along trolley with built-in shape sorters on the sides, a veg-themed spinner at the back and 2 chunky puzzle boards. It comes with a little pretend coffee cup that fits in its own special hole.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘It has so many elements to explore and play with. I think this will stay a favourite for a long time’
14. Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Ultimate Ice Cream Truck Playset – £99.99
This ice cream truck includes 12 pots of Play-Doh in different colours, cones and bowls and umpteen squishing and moulding tools
Age: 3+
What is it? This preschooler-height static playset is pretend-ice-cream making heaven: up top there’s a musical soft serve handle and sprinkle maker and down on the prep counters and shelves below, there’s a dinging cash register, 12 pots of Play-Doh in different colours, cones and bowls and umpteen squishing and moulding tools.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘This costs quite a lot but there’s hours and hours of fun, learning through play and creativity to be had. It’s worth the money’
15. Clementoni Harry Potter Wizarding World Hagrid’s Hut Terrarium – £19.99
This Harry Potter themed nature project based on Hagrid’s Hut allows children to get green fingered in the garden
Age: 7+
What is it? It’s a Harry Potter-themed nature project. First you make Hagrid’s hut – and its pumpkins – with plaster and moulds. You paint them and place them in your transparent bowl on top of stones and soil you sow with clover and pine seeds – and then watch them grow.
MadeForMums parent tester said: ‘A great “make” with craft and paints and sowing seeds. Well and truly worth the money – I’d have expected to pay more, to be honest!’
To view the entire list of award winning toys and read the review in full please head to the
