BUYING your children’s toys for Christmas can be a huge task, with the number of choices and places to buy from growing each year.
In fact, research by online retailer Very found that parents spend an average of £95.58 on toys for each of their kids every year.
With so much cash set to be parted with this festive season, it’s essential to know that the toys you buy won’t be abandoned once Christmas is over.
Here, The Sun asked parents of children between seven months and 13 to share their top toy recommendations for this Christmas and their top money-saving tips.
Keiran Walker, a 34-year-old Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) Advisor, has bought Christmas gifts for his two children, Hazel, 13, and Jacob, 10.
He was part of the Dads Choice Awards testing team this year, a panel tasked with putting toys through their paces to find the best ones.
Keiran, who lives in Essex, said his top top toys for Christmas this year are the Outsmarted The Live Quiz Show Board Game and Xshot Insanity HorrorFire Dread Hammer.
Outsmarted is a modernised version of traditional trivia-based board games, while the the Xshot is a blaster, similar to a Nerf.
Keiran told The Sun: “Both toys are under £30 and available from Smyths.
“One of the key things I think about when buying toys is Christmas is reusability and things that can be played with family and guests on Christmas day. The board game, in particular hits this brief.
“Plus, I’ve found games, arts and crafts and things – the ones that get the kids off their screens for an hour – are a big hit.”
Natalie Hull is the founder of childrenswear brand Sockatoos and has two children – Reuben, nine and Etienne, 13.
She said: “This year my boys would like a football goal, and they vary in price between £40 and £60 depending on the size.
“But because the boys will be sharing the goal, it makes it more affordable.”
The 45-year-old from Cheltenham said her boys also love a marble run and that she will be buying them the £16.99 Dropzone game.
“It’s reasonably priced and uses creative engineering to solve captivating challenges, it is the ultimate marble run building game,” Natalie said.
JUST because something is on offer, or is part of a sale, it doesn't mean it's always a good deal.
There are plenty of comparison websites out there that’ll check prices for you – so don’t be left paying more than you have to.
Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers.
Here are some that we recommend:
When it comes to picking toys, Natalie said the most important thing for her is that they will continue to be played with long past Christmas.
She said: “I want affordability, wow factor and longevity.
“I want to buy something that the boys will use and have fun whilst being creative or sporty – I try to avoid the big brash plastic toys, opting for something that is higher quality and long lasting.
“I like toys that will stay in good shape so I can pass them on when they have grown out of playing with them.
“They have younger nephews and nieces.”
Tom Church, Co-founder of money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk and father of a three-year-old boy, said you don’t need to spend a fortune to give kids’ a memorable Christmas.
He said: “At this time of year, there are plenty of deals to be found, and if you’re a savvy shopper you can bag a bargain.
“If you’re shopping for toddlers, I think educational, creative and active toys are a great way to go, and I’ve found a well-priced toy for each of these categories.”
This year, Tom will be wrapping up the Orchard Toys Match and Spell Game, which is currently £7 at Amazon.
It’s a reading and spelling game that encourages letter recognition and word building.
“For the creative gift, you can’t go wrong with Play-Doh,” Tom added.
“The eight-Pack Rainbow Modelling Set is currently on offer for just £5 at Amazon.
“And for something active, walking toys are a great way of getting kids up and moving.
“I found the John Lewis Wooden Chick Push Along Toy, made from FSC-Certified Wood, reduced from £16 to £12.80, a great price for a wooden toy.”
Jemma Zoe Smith, from Oxford, who is known as Mama Educates on social media, said she won’t be buying many toys for her seven-month-old son Bean.
“At this age, he is more interested in the shiny paper and boxes than the gift itself, and I know that our extended family will buy lots of gifts, too,” Jemma said.
But the 33-year-old said she will be splashing out on one gift for Bean this year – a Yoto mini.
It is a screen-free audio player with story cards that can be inserted inside and then read aloud to the child.
It is a little pricey at £47.99, but Jemma said she sees it as an investment for the future.
“I would rather buy once and buy something that is high quality and that offers the chance for expansion.
“The Yoto is a good example of this as it isn’t just for stories.
“You can purchase recipe cards for baking – which I’m looking forward to using as Bean becomes a toddler – and they have music on there too.”
Meanwhile, a Sun investigation has revealed that parents are paying up to 70% extra buying top Christmas toys due to an easy mistake.
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
