DreamToys 2025 reveals this year’s must-have Christmas gifts

Christmas toy shopping just got a whole lot easier. The Toy Retailers Association has revealed its annual DreamToys list for 2025 — the 15 toys expected to top kids’ wish lists this festive season.

And if you’ve ever found yourself panic-scrolling for gift inspiration at 11pm in mid-December, this is exactly the kind of cheat sheet you’ll want in your back pocket.

Chosen by a panel of independent toy experts and retailers, DreamToys has long been one of the most reliable guides to what’s going to sell out before you get anywhere near a checkout. This year’s line-up blends nostalgia, big-name licences, tech toys, collectables and a couple of gloriously daft picks that only kids could love.

But behind the fun, the industry is having a booming year — UK toy sales are up 6%, the biggest jump since 2020, with parents spending 12% more on gifts than last year. Add to that a huge swing back towards in-store shopping, and it’s looking like a bumper Christmas for toy shops across the country.

This Year’s Top 15 Toys

Here’s the full alphabetical list — DreamToys never ranks them — along with RRPs (though high-street prices will vary):

• Disney Stitch Ultimate Interactive Plush – £79.99
• Dress To Impress Mystery Model Dolls – £12.99
• Gui Gui Shimmer Deluxe Pack – £19.99
• Hot Wheels Racing F1 Grand Prix Circuit – £79.99
• Human Controller – £34.99
• Jurassic World Primal Hatch T.Rex – £64.99
• LEGO One Piece: The Going Merry Pirate Ship – £119.99
• LEGO Speed Champions F1 Racing Cars – £22.99
• Marshmallow Madness – £19.99
• Mini Brands: Fill the Fridge Playset – £19.99
• Monster Jam Smash & Bash Grave Digger RC – £49.99
• Peppa Pig Oinks & Snuggles Evie Doll – £29.99
• Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box – Gardevoir – £54.99
• Sticki Rolls Sticki Rolluxe – £39.99
• Wicked For Good Singing Dolls – £34.99

Expect Lego to fly off shelves (again), with building sets the fastest-growing toy category for the second year running. We’re also big fans of Hot Wheels, which also has its own building sets on sale now. Collectables are also on the rise, up 18% year-on-year, so Mini Brands and Pokémon fans may want to start queueing now.

What’s driving the toy boom?

According to industry analysts Circana, licensed toys are the big hitters, now making up 36% of all toy spending. That includes everything from Peppa Pig to Jurassic World, plus a heavy dose of Formula 1, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary with sets from both Lego and Hot Wheels.

The report also points to a shift in who’s buying toys. Kids still rule the wish lists, but older children and adults now account for 31% of toy sales — up 5% on last year. Whether it’s co-play, nostalgia, or adults simply buying toys for themselves (no judgement here), it’s become a major part of the market.

There’s also a surprising trend this year: a big return to physical toy shops. Visits to city-centre stores are up 72% since 2022, and more than a quarter of kids now discover their next toy just by wandering the aisles. Screens haven’t won entirely, after all.