This year’s most coveted Christmas toy

Children across the country are demanding a very gassy gift this year and it has nothing to do with eating sprouts.

Kara Byers

5 min read

December 16, 2024 - 2:10PM

Experts reveal the hottest toy trends for the holidays and Black Friday, including one that every 90s child craved. Picture: Amazon Australia

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What are kids asking Santa for this year? You’ve got five days to make delivery by Christmas and experts say this year’s ultimate, must-have toy is a ‘fart blaster’ with 15 sounds that shoots ‘fog fart rings,’

Currently on sale for $49 at Amazon (down from $60), the Ultimate Fart Blaster – a Despicable Me 4 spin-off toy – features scents like banana and ‘fart’ (smells – mercifully – more like burnt popcorn), and is expected to sell out.

According to Amazon’s ‘The Playmakers,’ kids enlisted by Starlight Children’s Foundation to test and review the retailer’s Top 100 Toy List, top marks go to the Despicable Me 4 Ultimate Fart Blaster, Barbie and Bratz, games,LEGO sets and even Furby is back!

Barbie Dreamhouse is currently more than half price off at Amazon.

Luckily, for the elves among us, most of these toys are currently on sale or priced under $25 and classic toy bangers have had prices slashed by 50 per cent or more, like 52 per cent off three-storey Barbie’s Dreamhouse .

Offering over 75 pieces of toy furniture, a three-story pool slide, puppy play areas and a pet elevator, the “absolute dream house” has racked up almost 3500 five-star ratings on the Amazon website,

“Worth the cost” said one shopper, with another noting it’s the “most prized toy” in their daughter’s room.

Lovevery’s new kitchen has a real, working sink. Picture: Supplied

If you’re looking for a show-stopping gift, Lovevery have launched The Real Life Play Kitchen, which is pricey at $485, but comes with a real, working sink (via a tank), choose-your-own back splash and accessories.

The Lovevery kitchen comes with a customisable back splash - with six patterns to choose from. Picture: Supplied

All the toys were tested by the world’s highest qualified toy experts – kids. Picture: Amazon Australia

Here, we’ve grouped this year’s best toys buys by trend, favourite characters and brands, toddlers, babies, buying for children with additional learning and sensory needs and stocking fillers.

QUICK LINKS

• TOP TOY TRENDS 2024

• TOYS UNDER $25

• LEGO

• BARBIE

• TOYS FOR THOSE WITH ADDITIONAL LEARNING AND SENSORY NEEDS

• TODDLERS

• BABIES

• BIGGER KIDS AND ADULTS

Of all the toys to make a comeback, it had to be this weirdly cute little furball. Picture: Amazon Australia

TOP TOY TRENDS 2024

1) Sport

Following a mammoth year for sports in 2024, our next generation of athletes will find toys to start the training early in the backyard such as soccer kits and rollerskates.

According to Avneel Narayan, Head of Toys at Amazon Australia, this year the stand out toy trend is sport.

“Kids are adding AFL footballs and cricket sets to their wish lists,” he said. “Active play items like Scoot and Ride, NBA and Razor are expected to be hot for under 5s, too.”

AMAZON

• Powerplay 2020 Deluxe Size 3 Cricket Set, $17.44

• Sherrin AFL Youth Football, $27.99 (RRP $34.99)

• Speedo Unisex Kid’s Biofuse 2.0 Goggles, $28.92 (RRP $40)

THE ICONIC

• Speedo squirty toys, $18 (down from $30)

• Globber Ecologic Primo Foldable Scooter with Lights, $149

Will Santa be bringing your loved on a fart blaster this year? Picture: Amazon Australia

2) Animated Icons

The stars of the big and small screens continue to be popular with Bluey, Spider-Man and Disney representing, plus interest in toys from the movie version of Wicked.

According to Mr Narayan, this category was most popular. “The stand out toys given the tick of approval by our official toy testers are the Despicable Me 4 Ultimate Fart Blaster, Barbie Dream House and LEGO. As well as the NERF super soaker and NERF N Series Pinpoint Dart Blaster which are great value,” he said.

• Despicable Me 4 Ultimate Fart Blaster, $49 (RRP $60)

• NERF N Series Pinpoint Dart Blaster, $29 from BIG W

• Bratz Slumber Party Doll – Cloe, $44.83 (RRP $60)

• SAF Dance N Crawl Spidey, $81.29

• Moriah Elizabeth 11 inch Georgie Plush, $33.98 (RRP $39.99)

• Tile Town Bluey Heeler Home & 4WD Vehicle Magnetic Tiles Playset, $69.99

Thsi Mikki & Me Dear Santa and Easter Bunny chalkboard takes the guesswork out of gifting. Picture: Supplied

3) Sharing is Caring

Toys and games designed for group fun sharing are popular choices for the holidays when you’re spending more time with friends and family. Hot Wheels and an Exploding Kittens card game are top picks, with these picks ideal for keeping everyone entertained at once:

• Big Potato Games The Chameleon Card Game, $19.96 (RRP $39.95)

• Drop Trivia Game from Trivial Pursuit, $33.14 (RRP $39.99)

• Dumb Questions to Ask Your Friends, $27.98 (RRP $34.95)

• That Sound Game, $36.70 (RRP $46.45)

This cutie is excited to meet a Furby that’s for sure. Picture: Amazon Australia

4) Edu-Play

Turns out toys can be fun and educational, which we kind of know already thanks to the likes of Play-Doh and VTech toys, but these picks are also brain boosting and fresh.

• ThinkFun – Gravity Maze, $56 (RRP $69.99)

• The Fun Zone Ice Cream Slime Kit, $59.45 (RRP $69.95)

Interactive cameras are set to be a big hit with kids this holiday season. Picture: Amazon Australia

5) Quiet Time

Toys that just require kids’ brilliant imaginations and are designed to keep the kids quietly entertained, including Hatchimals and Melissa and Doug, plus

• L.O.L. Surprise Tweens MERMAID Doll – Lana Marine, $25.48 (RRP $30)

• Sticki Rolls Sticki Station, $35

• Kidizoom Duo FX Interactive Kid Camera, $69.87 (RRP $99.95)

• Cookeez Makery Freezy Cakez, $52.49 (RRP $70)

TOP TOYS UNDER $25

These are toys at great value and kids actually will actually want them.

AMAZON

• Rubik’s cube The Original, $12 (RRP $16.99)

• TOMY Pop Up Pirate Action Game, $13.60 (RRP $16.95)

• Elmer’s Glue Slime Starter Kit, $14.99 (RRP $25.99)

Pop-Up Pirate is a classic and a great buy for under $25

Hot Wheels for a steal too. Pictures: Amazon Australia

MYER

• Two-Player Electronic Laser Tag, $19.99 (down from $29.99)

• 3-Inch Plasma Orb, $17.49 (down from $24.99)

TOP LEGO SETS

these are the top LEGO picks for Christmas this year.

Car Transporter Truck with Sports Cars, $109 (RRP $149.99) at Amazon

What's the best LEGO to buy for Christmas? Picture: LEGO

Treat a toy car enthusiast with this set, perfect for kids aged seven and over. They can tilt the cab, hitch the trailer, and use ramps to load classic and modern cars, including a ’50s tail dragger, ’70s muscle car, and electric supercar.

Elsa’s Frozen Castle, $47.20 (RRP $59) from Amazon

What's the best LEGO to buy for Christmas? Picture: LEGO

Do you want to build a princess’ castle? Kids can build a castle with a kitchen, fireplace, swing, slide, ice canoe, and more for imaginative storytelling with this set.

Wicked Glinda & Elphaba’s Dormitory, $69 (RRP $99.99)

LEGO has plenty of sets to tie in with the Wicked movie. Picture: LEGO

Heartlake City Water Park, $99 (RRP $129.99) from Amazon

What's the best LEGO to buy for Christmas? Picture: LEGO

There are three mini-dolls, a micro-doll, and tons of accessories for endless creative play with this set suited to kids aged eight and over.

Star Wars The Vintage Collection, from $12

From a $12 Bobba Fett set to a $170 C3-PO, there's a Star Wars option for every budget. Picture: LEGO

BEST BARBIE BUYS

MYER

• Barbie Signature 2024 Holiday Fashion Doll, $55.24 (down from $64.99)

• Barbie & Ken Roller-Skating Fashion Dolls, $31.49 (down from $44.99)

Everyone loves a Barbie for Christmas. Picture: Myer

AMAZON

Amazon have slashed prices on Barbie favourites including better-than-half price Barbie.

• Barbie DreamHouse, $175 (RRP $369.99)

• Barbie Extra Toy Car, $72.47

Barbie Dreamhouse is currently half price at Amazon

TOY IDEAS FOR THOSE WITH ADDITIONAL LEARNING AND SENSORY NEEDS

For parents who need toys that will entertain their kids while also enhancing their cognitive development for those with additional learning and sensory needs, Mr Narayan recommends checking out Amazon’s Edu-Play trending category. Top picks include:

• Galt Science Lab, $35.71 (RRP $46.99)

• The Fun Zone Ice Cream Slime Kit, $59.45 (RRP $69.95)

• Educational Insights BrainBolt Brain Teaser Memory Game, $33.30 (RRP $38.66)

TODDLERS

• Lovevery The Real Life Play Kitchen, $388 (RRP $485 ) | 18 months – 5+ years)

Lovevery's The Real Life Play Kitchen features running water and customisable back splashes. Picture: Lovevery

• Steam Studio 120pcs Magnetic Tiles Including Two Cars (Age 3+), $67.98 (RRP $99)

• Play Doh, from $3.49 (we love the Peppa Pig Ice Cream set, $29.99 and the Little Chef Start Set, $13.99)

BABIES

LOVEVERY

This brand may seem expensive at first glance but the toys are exceptional quality and my daughter (now two) still plays with ones from her early kits and each one comes with information on baby’s development and how the toys contribute. Highly recommend.

• The Play Kits, from $130