Life

The top five toys for Christmas 2019 – and what we think of them

The Toy Retailers Association have revealed 2019's 'dream toys' list. Mum Claire Spreadbury and her daughters, Rosie and Poppy, offer up their verdicts on this years top Christmas present contenders

Mattel's Barbie Dreamplane Playset is set to be this year's most demanded children's Christmas present
Mattel's Barbie Dreamplane Playset is set to be this year's most demanded children's Christmas present Mattel's Barbie Dreamplane Playset is set to be this year's most demanded children's Christmas present

DREAM Toys is the highly anticipated 'top toy' list from the Toy Retailers Association that helps parents work out what their kids might want most for Christmas – and snap them up before they sell out.

This year's Top Five has just been published – but what will a mum and her two daughters think of the selections? Here's the lowdown from mum Claire Spreadbury and her girls Rosie (10) and Poppy (7).

1) Mattel Barbie Dreamplane Playset, £79.99

What is it?: It's Barbie's private jet, of course. Push it on its wheels, open it up, recline the seats and play away. Comes with lots of bits and pieces (including a plastic puppy), but no Barbie dolls.

Kids' view: Generally, my kids are impressed. "That's cool," says Poppy. They're all about the extra 'stuff' that comes with it, but as long as that's included (which it is), they think it's a great toy for children around seven-years-old. Both girls agree £79.99 is too expensive, but you can currently buy it for £50 from Argos, which they feel is definitely worth it.

Parent's view: It's a lot of pink plastic. I'm trying to buy less plastic stuff generally, and Poppy already has a pink plane, albeit a Shopkins one, so I wouldn't buy this, but I can see it being a hit on Christmas Day, and something – much like the Barbie Camper from last year – that would be brought out and played with.

Skyrocket Blume Doll
Skyrocket Blume Doll Skyrocket Blume Doll

2) Skyrocket Blume Dolls, £9.99

What is it?: The Blume doll comes in a sealed plant pot. You water the top of the pot and her hair, which is made of compressed foam, expands so she pops out. It's got the surprise element and the hair also comes off and is interchangeable.

Kids' view: "Oh, wow," says Poppy. "I like gardening and it looks like gardening. I definitely want one of those." Rosie thinks it's a great product – and is especially impressed by the price – but says it's too young for her.

Parent's view: This is the perfect bargain present for Christmas. The surprise element is lovely, it's not too big or too small, and costs a tenner. I'll be giving at least one of these out at Christmas.

Jakks Pacific Frozen 2 Into the Unknown Elsa Doll
Jakks Pacific Frozen 2 Into the Unknown Elsa Doll Jakks Pacific Frozen 2 Into the Unknown Elsa Doll

3) Jakks Pacific Frozen 2 'Into the Unknown' Elsa Doll, £39.99

What is it?: This is a new Elsa doll, from the movie Frozen 2. She has giant eyes, hair you can brush and if you press a button, she says things and sings songs.

Kids' view: Both my kids are less keen on this one, but I should point out that after being obsessed with Frozen the first time round, they're not massively up for the sequel, because they think it will be too young for them. "It's definitely not for anyone my age," says Rosie. The girls agree it would work for four or five-year-olds who like Frozen, but think it's 'way' too expensive. "It's only worth £15," decides Rosie.

Parent's view: I actually agree with my kids. We had singing and non-singing dolls in 2013 when the first film came out (and the singing one was really annoying), but they loved them at the time. Having said that, they didn't get played with all that much, and they are quite expensive, so I'm not sure I'd splash out again.

LEGO Harry Potter Knight Bus
LEGO Harry Potter Knight Bus LEGO Harry Potter Knight Bus

4) LEGO Harry Potter Knight Bus, £34.99

What is it?: 403 LEGO pieces make up the purple Harry Potter Knight Bus and it's aimed at ages eight and over. There's a hinged side panel, removable roof and three mini figures; Harry Potter, Stan Shunpike and Ernie Prang.

Kids' view: There were gasps when they saw the door opens up the entire side, and they both agreed any LEGO and/or Harry Potter fans would love it, and that it's priced pretty fairly.

Parent's view: I think this is great. My kids aren't massively into LEGO or Harry Potter, but I would definitely buy this for friends or family. It's not too overpriced, which a lot of big LEGO sets can be, looks relatively straightforward to make (Poppy would happily get stuck into it, even though she's a bit younger than eight) and the features give it lots of playability.

MGA Entertainment L.O.L. Surprise! 2-in-1 Glamper
MGA Entertainment L.O.L. Surprise! 2-in-1 Glamper MGA Entertainment L.O.L. Surprise! 2-in-1 Glamper

5) MGA Entertainment LOL Surprise! 2-in-1 Glamper, £99.99

What is it?: This is the big LOL toy for Christmas – a pink campervan which comes with 55 surprises inside, and working lights and sounds. The surprises are all bagged up and hidden in different areas of the Glamper. It also comes with one LOL doll.

Kids' view: This was the big hitter in our house. Both the 7 and the 10-year-old want it. There's total silence whilst we watch the video showing it off and a lot of murmerings about it being 'so cool'. What's cool about it? "Everything! There are so many accessories and surprise things." Rosie is impressed by the addition of the phone holder, which means you can play your own music. Poppy thinks it's worth every penny of that £100 note. Rosie's less sure, but you can find it in most places for under £90 right now.

Parent's view: There's no doubt this is a massive crowd-pleaser. Any LOL fans are going to love you forever, and all the different surprises mean it's a gift that will keep on giving for hours. For anyone who already has a Barbie Camper (like us) this feels incredibly similar, but with more bang for your buck. And the girls tell me it's 'so much better'. If you're going to splash out on a lot of plastic, this might be the thing to buy.