Popular! The toys tipped to be top

From dinos and diggers to dolls, here's what kids will be asking for at Christmas.

- By LISA SALMON

SINGING witch dolls, a grave-digging monster and shimmering slime are among the predicted top-selling toys this Christmas, according to industry experts.

The 15 toys to have made the 2025 DreamToys list, selected by a panel of independent toy retailers and experts, include innovative and unusual items, as well as old favourites such as Lego sets, and even a Human Controller game that encourages teenagers and adults to do daft things like pretending to lay an egg like a chicken.

"The list is still very much driven by licences, movies and interactive toys," says Paul Reader, chairman of the DreamToys selection Panel at the Toy Retailers Association.

He reassures parents that all the toys on the list should remain in supply until Christmas, pointing out that some items were left out of the running because they weren't widely available.

"We exclude any supplier exclusives or products that are only available in selected retailers," he explains, "because while they may be popular, they're not easily accessible by the masses.

"It's really important that when we select what we believe to be the hottest toys at Christmas, they're in general distribution - so you can be anywhere from Land's End to John o' Groats and you should have access to all the products on our list."

The cheapest toys on the list are the £12.99 Dress To Impress Mystery Model Dolls, and the most expensive is the £120 One Piece Lego Going Merry Pirate Ship, and Paul stresses: "Two-thirds of the products are under £50. We're very conscious when we put the list together that it's still challenging out there as a parent or a grandparent.

"Christmas is very special, and you want the kids to have a really enjoyable experience, but it's got to be affordable.