Choosing the right toy is mostly about getting the age right. Too young and it's boring by Boxing Day; too old and it ends up in the cupboard. We've picked our favourite Christmas toys for 2026 from our shelves here in Newport, South Wales, and sorted them by age so you can find the right present quickly. Everything below is in stock now, but some lines are down to the last few, so don't leave it too late.
Babies and toddlers (0 to 3)
At this age, look for chunky pieces, simple cause-and-effect play and anything that survives being chewed or dropped in the bath.
- My 1st Teething Keys Sensory Toy (£9.99): a soothing first toy for teething babies.
- Rub-A-Dub Magnetic Bath Boats, pack of 3 (£5.99): soft boats that link together at bath time, for ages 2 and up.
- Playmobil 123 Farmer and Cow (£4.75): Playmobil's 123 range is made for little hands, from 18 months.
- Playmobil 123 Car & Horse Trailer (£16.99): a bigger 123 set for a main present.
Ages 3 to 5
Pre-schoolers love toys from the shows they watch, plus anything they can role-play with.
- Bluey Magic Xylophone Episode Pack (£12.99): three mini figures and a collector's case. We also have The Beach, Pavlova, Grannies and The Sign packs.
- Gabby's Dollhouse Bakey with Cakey Kitchen (£17.99): a playset full of little surprises for Gabby fans.
- Construction Helmet with Tool Belt (£8.99): dress-up for little builders.
- CAT Dig N' Build Concrete Vehicle (£6.99): a sturdy digger-and-mixer toy for construction fans.
- Hot Wheels Marvel Avengers cars (£6.99 each): Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and more.
Ages 6 to 8
This is the age for building sets, collectables and their first gadgets.
- Sluban Girl's Dream Ice-Cream Shop (£11.99) and Sluban Town Excavator (£11.99): brick sets that work with the leading brick brands, at a friendlier price.
- Bitzee Interactive Digital Pet Doghouse (£19.99): a digital pet to look after.
- Furby Furblets Foodies (£9.99): a mini electronic Furby with over 45 sounds and tunes, and a clip for bags.
- Rainbocorns Puppycorn Scented Plush (£8.99): crack open the egg to find a scented surprise plush.
- Navir Super Optic Wonder (£15.99): a multi-function explorer's tool for outdoor adventures.
- Polly Pocket Camp Adventure Llama Compact (£15.99): a classic pocket-sized playset.
- Playmobil Knights 6628 (£23.49): castles, knights and plenty of storytelling.
Ages 9 and up
Older children want a challenge, something to build or something to collect.
- Zuru Max Fuggler Building Brick Sphere (£9.99): a mystery capsule with up to 167 bricks to build one of four Fugglers.
- K'NEX Rad Rides 12-in-1 (£9.99, reduced): over 200 pieces and 12 different vehicles to build.
- Sluban Army Attack Helicopter (£17.99) and Sluban T1 Camper (£13.69): bigger builds with more detail.
- Schleich Eldrador Stone Robot (£8.75): a detailed fantasy figure for ages 7 to 12.
- Minecraft Legends Wood Golem (£13.99): for Minecraft fans.
Games for the whole family
- Pictionary Air Star Wars (£24.99): draw in the air and guess on screen.
- Uno (£6.99): the card game everyone knows.
- Magnetic Travel Games (£3.99): ludo, chess, draughts or snakes and ladders for car journeys to the relatives.
Christmas shopping tips
- Order early. Everything goes out Royal Mail Tracked, but the Christmas post gets busy in December.
- Check the age on the box. Toys with small parts aren't suitable for under 3s.
- Don't forget the stocking. See our stocking filler toys under £5 guide and our gifts under £10.
Shop Christmas at The Imagination Shop
Toys, gifts and stocking fillers from an independent shop in Newport, South Wales, with tracked UK delivery.
