A stretchy muscleman, a programmable caterpillar and an edible chocolate pen feature in the full DreamToys 2016 list
The Creative Play, Family Fun and licence sectors are big winners in this year’s DreamToys list
A Real Baking Chocolate Pen, Stretch Armstrong, Teletubbies Jumping Po and a code-able caterpillar are just some of the toys that make up this year’s DreamToys list. Decided by a panel of leading toy retailers in the UK, The Toy Retailers Association’s DreamToys list is the most accurate and authoritative predictive list available, and provides consumers with expert insight into what will be the most popular toys this Christmas.
“The full DreamToys list has some licensing heroes such as Star Wars, Paw Patrol and Finding Dory. But toys that have an element of collectability are massively popular and as a result play a big part in the list this year.” commented Gary Grant, chair of the DreamToys selection committee.
“The list is diverse and perfectly illustrates the enjoyment toys bring at Christmas time, providing a present for every budget. For the first time ever, to make the task easier for consumers to find the perfect toy, the full list can now be downloaded as an app by simply searching DreamToys 2016 in the relevant app store.”
Frederique Tutt, global industry analyst for The NPD Group confirms: “This year, sales in the more traditional categories have been growing the market, with games and puzzles, dolls and plush accounting for 70% of the overall market increase to date. We expect many families will enjoy quality time together this Christmas playing games and puzzles as the hilarious Speak Out and Silly Sausage will join the festive classics as this popular sector has enjoyed an impressive 15% growth this year. We’re forecasting a very merry Christmas for the toy industry – expecting annual sales to reach 400 million toys for the first time ever which will potentially see the industry achieve an all-time record high in 2016, going over the £3.3bn mark.”
The list has been broken down into eight categories and from these the 12 Top Toys are selected.
The eight categories are:
*Indicates one of the 12 Top Toys
(all prices are RRPs)
PET CORNER
From fictional beasts to animals from hit movies, these toys are not just for Christmas.
- Beanie Boo Buddies TY UK £11.99
- Finding Dory Coffee Pot play set Zuru – Geemac £19.99
- FurReal Friends Bootsie Hasbro £59.99
- FurReal Friends Torch, My Blazin’ Dragon Hasbro £89.99
- Paw Patrol Treat Time Marshall VTech Electronics £34.99
- The Secret Life of Pets Best Friend Max Spin Master Toys £44.99
- Snuggle My Dream Puppy* Character Options £49.99
- Zoomer Chimp Spin Master Toys £119.99
LOOK WHAT I MADE
Toys that bring out the creative genius in every child
- Bunchems Mega Pack Spin Master Toys £24.99
- Play-Doh Ice Cream Castle Hasbro £19.99
- Pottery Cool Studio Spin Master Toys £34.99
- Real Baking Chocolate Pen Vivid Toy Group £19.99
- Real Construction Deluxe Workshop Jakks Pacific £29.99
ACTION STATIONS!
Nothing sedate here, these toys fire the imagination in every sense
- Barbie Ultimate Puppy Mobile Mattel £44.99
- City Volcano Exploration Base LEGO £79.99
- Fisher-Price Blaze Monster Dome Playset Mattel £29.99
- Friends Amusement Park Roller Coaster* LEGO £89.99
- Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage* Mattel £89.99
- Marvel Captain America: Civil War Blaster Reveal Shield Hasbro £29.99
- Nerf Modulus Tri-Strike Hasbro £59.99
- Nerf N-Strike Elite Hyperfire* Hasbro £49.99
- Nexo Knights General Magmar’s Siege Machine of Doom LEGO £34.99
- Star Wars Bladebuilders Spin-Action Lightsaber Hasbro £44.99
- Star Wars Rebel U-Wing Fighter* LEGO £69.99
- Turtles Heroes Half-Shell Headquarters Playset Flair Leisure Products £69.99
GUYS AND DOLLS
These toys are set to take centre stage under the Christmas tree
- Baby Annabell Doll Zapf Creation £49.99
- Barbie Fashionista Mattel £15.99
- Disney Princess Colours of the Sea Ariel Jakks Pacific £33.99
- DC Super Hero Girls Mattel £19.99
- Frozen Northen Lights Elsa Jakks Pacific £38.99
- Stretch Armstrong Character Options £19.99
- Star Wars Interactech Imperial Stormtrooper Hasbro £39.99
- Trolls Hug Time Poppy Hasbro £49.99
GOOD GAME, GOOD GAME
At the Christmas table it will be nice to see these, to see these nice.
- Bop It! Hasbro £22.99
- Gas Out Mattel £16.99
- Monopoly Ultimate Banking Hasbro £19.99
- Pie Face Showdown! Hasbro £24.99
- Silly Sausage* John Adams £19.99
- Simon Air Hasbro £24.99
- Soggy Doggy John Adams £19.99
- Speak Out* Hasbro £19.99
TOT THEM UP
Toys that will make the youngest smile this Christmas
- Fisher-Price Dance & Move BeatBo Mattel £39.99
- Paw Patrol Air Patroller* Spin Master Toys £39.99
- Paw Patrol Zoomer Marshall Spin Master Toys £69.99
- Princess Peppa’s Rose Garden & Tower Character Options £29.99
- Teletubbies Jumping Po Character Options £24.99
- Thomas & Friends TrackMaster Sky-High Bridge Jump* Mattel £99.99
- Toot-Toot Drivers Gold Mine Train Set VTech Electronics £52.99
- Weebles Paw Patrol Pull & Play Seal Island Playset Character Options £29.99
STARTING MY FIRST COLLECTION
These toys are the starting blocks for budding young collectors
- Disney Tsum Tsum Toy Shop Playset Zuru – Geemac £24.99
- Grossery Gang Yucky Mart Flair Leisure Products £19.99
- Lil Mouse Fun Park Character Options £29.99
- My Little Pony Explore Equestria Crystal Empire Castle Hasbro £41.99
- Num Noms Lip Gloss Truck MGA Entertainment £29.99
- Puppy In My Pocket Pretty Pet Palace Flair Leisure Products £29.99
- Shopkins Chef Club Hot Spot Kitchen* Flair Leisure Products £24.99
- Shopkins Happy Places Home Flair Leisure Products £29.99
- Shopkins Smoothie Truck Flair Leisure Products £19.99
- Shopkins Shoppies Flair Leisure Products £14.99
- Trolls Poppy Style Station Flair Leisure Products £24.99
- Twozies Two-Playful Café Character Options £19.99
CONNECTED
Technology and traditional play go hand in hand
- Fisher-Price Code-a-Pillar Mattel £49.99
- Furby Connect Hasbro £99.99
- Hatchimals* Spin Master Toys £59.99
- Kidizoom Selfie Cam VTech Electronics £49.99
- LeapStart Preschool Interactive Learning System Leapfrog Toys £34.99
- SelfieMic* Worlds Apart £19.99
- Teksta Robotic Puppy with Voice Recognition Character Options £59.99
The full DreamToys list including the top 12 toys can be viewed by downloading the DreamToys app, simply by searching DreamToys 2016 in the App or Google Play Stores.
Spokespeople from the Toy Retailers Association are available throughout the day, along with photography and video assets. Full details of the list can be found at: DreamToys Christmas 2016
The Toy Retailers Association
The Association’s role is to inform and advise members on current and future legislation, as well as ethical practices in respect of toy safety, requirements under the Health and Safety Executive, consumer and employer rights.
It acts as both a watchdog and persuader to ensure fair play for toy retailers and represents the toy retail sector on government panels and safety organisations in the UK & Europe.
About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group provides global information and advisory services to drive better business decisions. By combining unique data assets with unmatched industry expertise, we help our clients track their markets, understand consumers, and drive profitable growth. Sectors covered include automotive, beauty, consumer electronics, entertainment, fashion, food / foodservice, home, luxury, mobile, office supplies, sports, technology, toys, and video games. For more information visit NPD Group and NPD Group Blog. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
The following retail companies and collectives fed into the DreamToys selection process:
AIS, Argos, Boots, The Entertainer, Mothercare, Selfridges, Smyths Toys, Toymaster, Toys R Us, Toy Town and representatives of buying groups across the specialist, local, independent and department store toy departments
