Top toys 2024: 35 most popular toys on kids' wish lists this year

Little Live Pets lead the way when it comes to interactive pets - we have had several of their cute products at home over the years. New for this year is their My Walking Penguin and he goes by the name of Waddles, if you want to take note. It’s an apt name as he can walk (he comes with his own little leash) dance and eat. He also burps, which is adorable. I know this will be top of my daughter’s Christmas wish list!

Laura Sutcliffe, HELLO! Fashion & Beauty News Editor, says:  "Peppa Pig is a big deal. In fact, I would say she's on par with Mickey Mouse in the under fives market! This super cute new toy is ideal for fans of everyone's favourite talking farm animal. The Peppa's Muddy Puddles Party doll is an interactive masterpiece. She talks, sings and dances, captivating young minds. I love the fact it encourages your little ones to shake and move. My daughter also loved the fact her heroine wears a sparkly party dress and has the all important yellow wellies - which are removable, FYI!

"You can change the mode of Peppa which results in different sounds and phrases; the vibrant party mode was a big hit in my house. Hours of fun!"

The first Lilo & Stitch movie was released in 2002, but the lovable blue alien is still one of Disney’s most popular characters, with new toys being released yearly. WOW! STUFF’s new interactive toy is going to be big this Christmas in more than the figurative sense—standing at 45cm tall, he’s almost as big as a real-life Stitch! 

He has over 100 actions and sounds. He speaks in his alien voice of Tantalog, blinks and squints, moves his mouth, head and ears and has touch sensors on his nose, head and tongue.

Laura Sutcliffe, HELLO! Fashion & Beauty News Editor, says: "Barbie fans that watch the Netflix series Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase will absolutely adore this lovely interactive toy that has so many lovely pieces included. With over 20 realistic sounds, it encourages so many ways to play, from performing songs, dancing and the art of hairstyling. Also, it's so pretty!

"This horse dances, blinks its eyes, plays songs inspired by the show, and even munches and gallops. Accessory-wise, there's a trophy, food, brush, and feeding bin. I would always say adult supervision is required with all the bits and pieces that are included."

This cute wooden vending machine made it into John Lewis’ list of top toys, which is decided after hours of play with young testers - and we can see why. It comes fully assembled, stacked with double-sided play food packages, including snack bars, drinks and pouches - plus coins and a bank card to pay for the snacks. 

Kids must select an item, pay, then press the corresponding letter and number button to make the snack drop into the collection drawer. There’s also a personalisable sign and a reusable card to keep track of stock.

Laura Sutcliffe, HELLO! Fashion & Beauty News Editor, says: "It can be tricky to buy a toddler a doll;  Barbie dolls can be a little grown up and can include small parts, so when I saw this Moana doll, I knew it would be ideal for my three-year-old. 

"As part of the Disney Princess range, the My Friend Moana 2 Toddler Doll is gorgeous. Super realistic, she is dressed in her iconic red skirt and white top and with flowing brown hair.

"With her big, shimmering glitter eyes and clothing you can take on and off easily, children will love playing make believe with this wonderful doll. It's also great for fans of the new film Moana 2.

"Slightly older children will enjoy the Moana 2 Maui & Moana Dolls Set. This three-piece set includes miniature figures of the best-loved character that are ideal for pretend play."

Barbie mania shows no sign of slowing down and with 2024 being her 65th anniversary, Barbie toys are just as popular as ever. The Barbie Dreamhouse - as seen in the live-action movie - is the ultimate toy for Barbie fans - it even includes the pink slide that Barbie herself Margot Robie said was her favourite feature!

We were one of the first families to get the chance to play with the original launch of Bitzee, and it’s a toy that my kids keep going back to. New for this year, und sure to be a top toy for Christmas 2024 is the Disney version. 

It’s currently trending on Amazon, where 1k have been bought in the last month alone. Kids can nurture and grow 30 Disney characters - including Stitch, Mickey Mouse and Olaf from Frozen - by interacting with the hologram characters.

Surprise toys are always a hit, so the random assortment element of these cute plushies is what’s going to make them so appealing. Each character comes with its own snack and there are a total of 11 to collect so kids can build up their own Snackle family.

A family favourite in previous years, this card game has been chosen by the Amazon experts for the 2024 Top Toys list. It’s a fun, addictive game which resembles Slap Jack or Irish Slap that challenges reflexes, speed and observation. A great stocking filler for kids aged eight and above.

If you don’t laugh when you see this toy in action then you’re lacking a funny bone! It’s a ‘prank plush’ which is full of babbling screams and unexpected reactions that will mean children won’t want to put it down! Choose from bear, monkey or rabbit

One for kids who love fashion and art - they can release their creativity using washable colours and a tie-dye kit. The great thing is that the designs can be washed off, so they can get creative to their heart’s content.

Disney's iconic character Stitch is a massive hit for Christmas 2024, this time he appears in the form of a very cool gadget - the Stitch Electric Diary that lets kids share their thoughts and doodles in private, thanks to its secret password feature. There are also sound effects and lights, which are always a fun addition.

It’s nice to see a wooden STEM toy on the list - this great construction set combines building, problem-solving and critical thinking as kids work out how to make their marbles run smoothly while building their own marble run.

My daughter loves Hachimals so this will definitely be on her Christmas list. It’s an incredibly cute plush which needs love to hatch. After the magical hatching experience (complete with mist, lights and sounds) you have a little friend to teach how to talk, feed and dance with. Adorable!

If you have a little Gabby’s Doll House fan at home they’ll love to be able to recreate their favourite scenes from the show at home. The set comes with 15 pieces as well as characters and accessories.

A great one for encouraging imaginative play, this Play-Doh set lets kids picture themselves at pizza delivery drivers and chefs. They can experiment with shapes and colous to their hearts' content till they have the perfect pizza, then deliver it on their motorbike. I’ll have pepperoni and extra cheese please!

Lego is a present all the family can get involved in, and it’s one that keeps kids busy for hours. This 1555-piece set is an Amazon exclusive which is brand new for this year and lets them build their very own Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer. May the force be with you!

You can’t go wrong with Play-Doh, and this Ice Cream Playset is a sensory toy that will keep kids entertained for hours on end. It comes with a spoon, a toy knife, a sprinkle scoop, a dish, a cone and a cup with a cover - everything you need for a pretend ice cream shop.

LEGO is a toy that appears on Top Toy lists on repeat and Joh Lewis picked this cute set to appear on their top toy list this year. Little elves will have lots of fun building the cute red-and-gold sleigh before discovering all the gift elements packed inside, including a teddy bear, a guitar and a pair of skis, and playing with the big man himself too, once he’s built. 

Once playtime is over, this also becomes a lovely festive decoration that can be reused yearly.

Choose from five music styles - Jazz, Pop, Techno, Country or Hip Hop - drop a record on the turntable and have a listen. Little ones can alo interact with the music using the re-mix and skip buttons.

One to keep them busy, the LEGO Transformer Bumblebee is a 950-piece build set with articulated joints, an ion blaster and a jetpack. He transforms from a robot to VW Beetle and has a display panel for when he’s built and kids want to show him off on their bedroom shelves.

CBeebies viewers will recognise Five from Numberbocks - she’s the star of the band and she’s ready to take centre stage in this fun playset, which features lights, sounds, 10 changing backdrops and even a spinning dance floor!

The Gross Bucket is full of terror-fying surprises that kids will love. There are nine freaky figures to find inside, from the mouldy milkshake to the fizz bomb burger. They also come with creey compounds so foul food fans can fizz, crack and squelch to their heart’s content.

A great addition to the list for Paw Patrol fans is the Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels Deluxe Vehicle, featuring Chase. It has a motorised winch, flashing lights and sounds which kids will love. They can also load the green projectiles into the launcher and push the button to save the day.