CELEBRATE a price-crunching Christmas with 2009's official list of must-have toys.
Affordable toys to inspire the young and old Shopping for Christmas toys this year won’t break the bank balance says the Toy Retailers Association (TRA).
The TRA’s annual ‘Dream Toys’ list, the industries official prediction of Christmas best-sellers, only contains toys priced under £50, ensuring an affordable and enjoyable Christmas for everyone.
This year’s Dream Dozen, in alphabetical order: Bakugan Battle Pack, Spin Master (RRP £19.99) Battle Strikers starter Set, Mega Brands (RRP £9.99) Ben 10 Alien Force Kevins DX Action Cruiser, Bandai (RRP £29.99) Bendaroos Mega Pack, Spin Master (RRP £19.99) GO GO Pets Hamsters, Character Options (RRP £9.99) GX Racers Tightrope Terror, Flair (RRP £22.99) Kidizoom Multimedia Digital Camera, V-Tech (RRP £49.99) LEGO Games Minotaurus, Lego (RRP £17.99) Monopoly City, Hasbro (RRP £24.99) Princess Peppa’s Palace, Character Options (RRP £39.99) Sylvanian Families Caravan, Flair (RRP £44.99) Transformers Movie 2 Voyagers Figures, Hasbro (RRP £22.99)
Gary Grant, Chairman of the TRA, comments: “This year, the toy industry has turned the latest trends into up-to-the-minute concepts to provide today’s kids with innovative and creative toys.
The top 72 toys really demonstrate how forward thinking and pioneering the toy industry is. This year’s list also reveals a trend towards nostalgic characters and brands which have been updated with a modern twist. Consumers are reverting back to heritage brands which will last longer than the Christmas season”.
“With licensed toys combining the fun and familiarity of popular characters as well as collectable, pocket money priced toys making a big comeback this year, we are in for an affordable, family orientated Christmas.”
Animals take the Girls category by storm this year, with the GO GO Pet Hamsters (Character Options), Pony In My Pocket Pony Arena (Corinthian), FurReal Friends Lulu my Cuddlin’ Kitty (Hasbro) and Fluffy goes Walkies (Vivid) making it onto the wish list of all young animal lovers. Children will also be thrilled to unwrap the Animagic, Peanut My Playful Pup (Vivid), the closest you can get to having your very own real-life puppy.
Dolls are set to make a come back this year in the form of the old and new, with Baby Annabell 2009 (Zapf), Sally Doll (Zapf), Cicciobello Love ‘n’ Care (Flair) as well as Barbie & The 3 Musketeers Corinne Doll (Mattel) and Liv Dolls Asst (Spin Master).
The Sylvanian Families are also back this year encouraging imaginative play with Flair’s Sylvanian Families - The Pleasure Boat and Sylvanian Families - The Caravan. Girls Top 12 Toys for Christmas Animagic, Peanut the Playful Puppy Vivid RRP £44.99 Baby Annabell 2009 Zapf RRP £44.99 Barbie & The 3 Musketeers Corinne Doll Mattel RRP £19.99 Cicciobello Love ‘n’ Care Flair RRP £39.99 Fluffy Goes Walkies Vivid RRP £19.99 FurReal Friends Lulu my Cuddlin’ Kitty Hasbro RRP £49.99 GO GO Pets Hamsters Character Options RRP £9.99 Pony In My Pocket Pony Arena Corinthian RRP £24.99 Liv Dolls Assortment Spin Master RRP £19.99 Sally Doll Zapf RRP £24.99 Sylvanian Families - The Caravan Flair RRP £44.99 Sylvanian Families - The Pleasure Boat Flair RRP £49.99 It’s a bumper year for the Boys this Christmas, with the top 12 packed full of TV and film inspired toys, rip-roaring cars and battle sets. Figurine lovers won’t be disappointed with the Gormiti Guardian Creature (Flair), pre-historic buffs will love Screature (Mattel) and those with a steady hand can blast darts from the Nerf Raider Rapid Fire CS-35 (Hasbro).
Car lovers can relish in Ben 10 Alien Force Kevins DX Action Cruiser (Bandai) and can send GX Racers across tightropes to perform incredible stunts with the GX Racers Tightrope Terror (Flair). Star Wars and Transformers influence the list this year with Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Blaster, the Transformers Movie 2 Deluxe Figures and the Transformers Movie 2 Voyagers (all Hasbro). Prepare for battle with the i-Bladez Flightstick and Salvation 3D Helicopter (Bladez Toys), and the H.M Armed Forces Tank (Character Options), or engage your friends in combat with the Battle Strikers Starter Set (Mega Brands) and Bakugan Battle Pack (Spin Master). Boys Top 12 Toys for Christmas Bakugan Battle Pack Spin Master RRP £19.99 Battle Strikers Starter Set Mega Brands RRP £9.99
Ben 10 Alien Force Kevins DX Action Cruiser Bandai RRP £29.99 GX Racers Tightrope Terror Flair RRP £22.99 Gormiti Guardian Creature Flair RRP £19.99 H.M Armed Forces Tank Character Options RRP £39.99 i-Bladez Flightstick and Salvation 3D Helicopter Bladez Toys RRP £49.99 Nerf Raider Rapid Fire CS-35 Hasbro RRP £29.99 Screature Mattel RRP £34.99 Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Blaster Hasbro RRP £39.99 Transformers Movie 2 Deluxe Figures Hasbro RRP £12.99 Transformers Movie 2 Voyagers Figures Hasbro RRP £22.99