Christmas 2017: Top gifts for kids - tried and tested

Here we have compiled a tried-and-tested guide of some of the top toys available this festive season:

Playmobil Hiccup and Toothless - £29.99 - www.playmobil.co.uk

5 out of 5

(Please note, this is for children aged 4 and upwards)

I absolutely loved Playmobil growing up and spent hours playing with all types of different figures, pirate ships and what not… But my, how Playmobil has come on since the early 90s.

The figure of beloved How To Train Your Dragon character Toothless is simply stunning - down, even, to the detail of his scales, teeth and eyes. He’s adorable, in fact.

And the designers have paid such close attention to detail; with Toothless’ added rear wing part included and a harness for Hiccup. The dragon figure even has light-up spikes on his back and shoots darts out of its mouth.

The figure of Hiccup is delightfully detailed too; with a cape, helmet, blade and armour all available (as well as the usual detachable hair).

This is not only a gorgeous gift, but also a stunning piece for display.

LEGO Duplo My First Truck - £16.99 - shop.lego.com

5 out of 5

Encourage an early love of Lego with this Duplo My First Truck Set.

Big, bold building bricks, along with two people and a cat, makes this a delightful introduction to the world of the Danish toy firm.

My little one (aged almost two) couldn't get enough of building the little delivery truck and market stall.

There are also eight pairs of matching food-decorated bricks, ideal for playing matching and memory games.

As you'd expect with Duplo products, it's durable and hard-wearing and would withstand even the roughest of play! And what's more, you can store all the bricks together on the truck's wheelbase.

Just brilliant.

Razor Power Core E100S Electric Scooter: Red - www.argos.co.uk

5 out of 5

This super duper scooter is absolutely brilliant - and an excellent gift for girls and boys of any age (though it is not suitable for kids under eight years old).

Its design is cool and slick and is available in a range of colours.

The scooter does, however, take a fair amount of time considering it only runs for an hour or so.

It is powerful though - and entertained my other half (in his late 20s!) no end. It carried his weight too, despite the fact he is 10kg heavier than the recommended weight limit (though I wouldn't push this - he's slim and only of average height. It's a kids toy, after all.)

There's no suspension as such though, making it a little uncomfortable when going over bumps.

The local kids in our village absolutely love it - and my partner even got shouts and thumbs up from the children and adults (big kids) alike, as he rode around on it. An elderly lady even commented to him how fun it looked when he rode it to the doctors.

Bear in mind it doesn't do massively well on grass or steep hills.

An absolutely excellent gift! And SO much fun.

Walkers Shortbread Wobbly Rockin’ Robin Tin - £8.40 - www.walkersshortbread.com

4.5 out of 5

This delightful tin of delicious, indulgent, buttery shortbread is absolutely lovely - and perfect for a Christmas present for those of all ages. It is especially great for children due to its entertaining, quirky robin design.

Filled with 36 exquisite pure butter shortbread stars, this is a superb gift.

Other festive offerings from Walkers include a Christmas Wreath Tin, Red and White Christmas Tree Tin and a Musical Tin.

Delicious!

Disney Winnie The Pooh Snuggletime 12 Inch Plush - £12.99 - Shop Direct, Hamleys and Argos

5 out of 5

My best friend and her partner are expecting their first child this Christmas - and I was struggling to find a unique and eye-catching gift for the pair.

Then I came across the Disney Winnie The Pooh Snuggletime 12 Inch Plush - making the iconic children’s character instantly accessible to a newborn.

Unlike a standard plush toy, this super-soft version includes no materials that could potentially harm the youngster - gone are the glass eyes and harsh stitches in favour of soft alternatives.

This does not take away from the quality and accuracy of the toy however, Pooh is still as striking and cute as ever.

He is made from the softest plush perfect for your youngsters first cuddly toy, and he is also available in different sizes to suit different ages.

The Disney Winnie The Pooh Snuggletime 12 Inch Plush I received now sits proudly in my friend’s youngster’s cot - a firm favourite with the family.

Voldemort Wand - Hawkin’s Bazaar - £35 - www.hawkin.com

4.5 out of 5

Packaged in a stunning black box and sleeve with the words ‘Lord Voldemort, a recreation of the famous wand’ written on it, this gift is exciting before it has even been opened. It comes sealed in its own lined presentation box, as if it was delivered from Ollivanders wand shop.

Once the wand is revealed, the ornament/ toy is far heftier than I had anticipated - and bigger too; at 35cm long.

And the detail is incredible. It genuinely feels magic to hold - geeky, maybe; but true nonetheless.

The wand, which He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named owned back in the days he was known as Tom Riddle, is described in the books as being made from yew wood, with a phoenix feather core. And the light-coloured wood the wand is made from depicts this perfectly.

A stunning gift for movie and toys fans alike.

Feisty Pets’ Princess Pottymouth plush stuffed cat - £19.99 - www.menkind.co.uk or www.smythstoys.com

4.5 out of 5

(Please note, this is for children aged 3 and upwards)

This is perhaps one of my favourite toys I’ve seen in years. Choose from six different characters, including a unicorn, a polar bear, a panda, a dog, a cat and more - and prepare to be utterly amused.

This cute, fluffy toys are adorable. Until you squeeze their temples that is - and the toy turns into a snarling animal, complete with angry eyes and fangs.

Though it may scare the more timid of children, many will find the change hilarious. I know we did.

A little pricey, considering it does nothing else, but highly amusing nonetheless.

Battat Big Red Barn Playset - £45 - Kidly.co.uk

5 out of 5

If Old MacDonald had an actual farm then is is how it might look.

This gorgeous, sturdy open-out barn comes complete with a farmer, a pig, cow and sheep.

It's suitable for children aged 18 months to three, and is perfect for encouraging imaginative play.

What's more, it has a carry handle so your little one can take it anywhere they like (like grandma's for a few hours).

This item isn't cheap but for the £45 price you get a really charming toy which will delight your kids for hours.

Battat Pound and Roll Activity Toy - £22 - Kidly.co.uk

4.5 out of 5

All little kids like to bang things and make a lot of noise.

If they're bored of cupboard doors and saucepans then this could be the ideal solution.

Encouraging children to understand 'action and consequence', this is suitable for babies aged 12 months and over.

Sturdy and resilient, it comes with four balls and a hammer, and will keep tots entertained - and you a break from Cbeebies.

Headache pills aren't supplied.

Rudolf the Reindeer UltraBib- £7.50 - www.bibetta.com

4 out of 5

Is it your child's first Christmas dinner?

Mark this rather special occasion with the comical Rudolf, from Ultrabib.

The bib's made from mum-friendly neoprene (wash-off food under hot water, wipe of liquids) and is super stretchy and flexible so it won't irritate your baby's neck.

And what's more, it comes with a pelican-style pocket so children can retrieve precious dropped food!

You might find your toddler likes it so much, they're still wearing it in February.

Frugi Christmas outfit (Willow Cord Dungarees (£32) and Leryn Body(£11)) - www.welovefrugi.com

4 out of 5

The festive season definitely warrants a new outfit for your little darling and there's nowhere lovelier to shop than Frugi.

The organic baby and childrenswear company has come up with a host of colourful designs, in great quality fabrics.

My daughter, aged nearly two, loved the Willow Cord Dungarees with robin pattern, almost as much as me. The soft corduroy was perfect for delicate skin but still hard-wearing enough for those inevitable tumble on to little knees.

The complimentary bodysuit, with robin motif, was just as lovely and washed really well.

Iggle Piggle Illumi-Mate - £6.99 - www.amazon.co.uk

3 out of 5

Yes, my name is Iggle Piggle - and now I light the way to the night garden.

The popularity of the Cbeebies bedtime hit knows no bounds so little ones will just love this charming little character light.

It changes colour and is cool to touch it even comes with batteries. A must for all battery-operated toys, surely?

My little girl thought it was very sweet but sleeps in the dark so use was fairly limited.

If your kids prefer, there are illuminates in characters from Peppa Pig, Hello Kitty and Star Wars.

Skip Hop Zoo Kids Rolling Luggage - £35 - John Lewis

4 out of 5

The Zoo Kids Rolling Luggage is perfect for jet-setting toddlers.

My daughter loves being able to pull along her own luggage and this busy bee design is just too cute.

Sturdy and easy to pull along, it has just enough space for your little one to carry their travel essentials such as toys, tablets and crayons. There's a zip pocket at the front too for snacks and drinks so you don't have to deal with the constant demands for something to eat or drink - everyone is happy!

And what's more, it's wipe clean because it'll inevitably end up covered in chocolate, jam or other sticky substances!

Skip Hop Zoo Bathtime Basket Dog - £12 - Amazon

4 out of 5

Bored of the same old bath-time routine? Then this Skip Hop toy could be just the job.

Score a slam dunk with your little ones with this inventive waterproof toy.

My daughter loved trying to get the basketball in the net - and kept her busy while I washed her hair. In fact, she liked it so much, it was tricky to get her out of the bath.

It comes with three ball squirties, has quality suction function so attaches to tiles easily. A well made toy which is bound to be a real hit at bath-time.

Micro Riderz - £10 - Wicked Toys

3 out of 5

These little mini-motorbikes will appeal to any budding petrol head. They are deceptively simple, little bikes that accelerate at the push of a hand - no batteries or chargers here - and if you put them in the accompanying plastic track they loop the loop as long as the revs last.

They took a while to get the hang of, shooting off at speed across the kitchen floor and having to be retrieved from under the sideboard.

But in the track it wasn't so easy; getting them to loop the loop took a while but once they did, it's great. Eleven times round the track was the maximum we got to.

A great little present, with no batteries to worry about. However they are susceptible to under-the-cupboard fluff which can kill them off, and the novelty wears off pretty quickly.

Fair Trade Zoo Building Blocks Set by Lanka Kade - £23.99 - www.borngifted.co.uk

4 out of 5

Take a walk on the wide side with this delightful set of zoo-themed building blocks.

Kids will love the brightly-coloured animals including lions, monkeys, penguins and elephants, as well as the shapes to aid construction of a zoo. The set features 49 pieces and a cotton bag to hold them all in

And parents will appreciate the Fair Trade traditional hand-crafted pieces from a solid and sustainable rubber wood. It's a toy with a conscience.

Certainly worth investing in as the set will provide hours of fun for years to come - particularly for little animal lovers.

Indoor Booma - £5.99 - Smyths, Amazon and other toy stores

2 out of 5

This lightweight foam boomerang comes in a variety of colours and could make for a stocking filler this Christmas.

Considering its material, I thought nearly £6 was a little steep though.

We tried to throw it inside and, considering we have fairly large (if not, certainly average) sized rooms, we found it very frustrating as it simply would not work.

Whether this is due to us being rubbish, however, I could not say. Still, underwhelming nonetheless.

UKick - £7.99 - Smyths, Amazon and other toy stores

3 out of 5

This toy combines elements of football and badminton - and would be a good present for kids who are fans of either (particularly those into 'keepy uppies'.

The aim of the game is to keep the UKick off the floor for as long as possible, increasing the difficulty by adding the tokens provided to the bottom to increase the difficulty.

I personally was completely useless at this, but my partner who plays football gave it a go and managed a few.

It was a little underwhelming, however, and a tad overpriced I thought.