Christmas gift guide 2014: 15 great children's toys

Stuck for what to get the kids for Christmas ?

Whether you are hoping Father Christmas will bring a few surprises or are looking for something for a niece, nephew or god-child, we have a list of 15 presents children will be thrilled to see under the tree this year.

This Christmas the old is embracing the new as technology tackles old favourites from dolls to Monopoly.

Here are 15 top toys we think will be cropping up on a lot of Christmas lists this year.

Prices listed will vary from retailer to retailer so may be cheaper or more expensive than you see here.

All prices at time of publishing were correct.

Leap TV

The new games console for young children aims to keep their minds and bodies active.

Like similar consoles on the market children can control the action on screen with their bodies, convert the console into pointer mode or use it the old-fashioned way.

Aimed at children aged 3-8 years old this is a good first family console, with easy to follow audio instructions. And there is a free game included so you can get started straight away.

Approximately £115.

Ice Skating Elsa and Anna

There are a lot of Frozen toys on the market this year, which is no surprise as every one is still singing Let It Go a year after the film came out.

One of the most in demand is the ice skating dolls, which recreate the magical moment in the film.

When the dolls are attached to their base they can be rolled forward and their arms and legs move as well.

Stores are apparently selling out fast but online retailers still have them in stock, but hurry if you want one.

£25

Fall-apart Olaf

We might not be having a white Christmas but that won’t stop everybody’s second favourite snowman (sorry Olaf but you haven’t quite overtaken The Snowman in our affections just yet) can’t join in the fun.

The clumsiest snowperson we have ever seen, you can make Olaf fall apart and come back together and he’ll even tell you all of his favourite jokes.

£15

Zoomer Dino Boomer

Meet Boomer, a pre-historic pet for the modern age. Boomer is a robotic dinosaur pet that can chase, chomp, guard and of course roar.

His eyes change colour with his mood, so make sure you give him all the attention he needs.

£59.99

VTech KiddiZoom Smart Watch

Smart watches are in this season so here is one just for kids.

An easy-to-use touch screen, complete with a camera to take pictures and video - and tell the time of course - this might be the answer to getting little hands off your smart phone.

£39.99

My Monopoly

Children might be getting more tech savvy but that does not mean old-fashioned board games are out the window completely. Which is why they have given everyone’s favourite source of family arguments a bit of a revamp.

With this version of Monopoly you download the app and use the photos on your smart phone or tablet to create personalised properties. Use the app to print the pictures and stick them to the tile so you can have Monopoly your way.

And you can even move the property around every time you play.

£21.99

Fault In Our Stars DVD

The book has probably been on a lot of Christmas lists, especially for teens. But this year the book which moved millions of readers to tears was made into a film and we are betting there will be plenty of girls who want to get their hands on it.

This is the story of two teens who met at a cancer support group and is inspired by a real life teenage cancer sufferer. Be prepared to weep.

£12

Benny’s Spaceship - Lego

Lego must be one of the most popular gifts that pops up every year.

But with the release of the Lego movie this year we think building wacky Benny’s dream spaceship is going to be fans top priority.

£79.99

Cadbury’s Children’s Treasure Box

What is Christmas without a selection box or three? And this is bound to trump any other.

A huge box filled with all your favourite Cadbury’s chocolate, although sadly no chocolate coins as they have scrapped those this year. Yeah, we’re not happy about it either.

£10.99

Goldie Blox

If you have not heard of Goldie Box ou are missing out! Created to give girls more confidence in problem soving, some very impressive toy researchers haave discovered the reason girls often go for dolls over lego is because they like toys with a story line.

Goldie Blox, the girl engineer, is a toy created to try and tap into girls’ strong verbal skills, and boost confidence in their spatial skills while hopefully inspiring a new generation of female inventors and engineers.

Which is pretty good for a toy, no?

£15-£25 (depending on toy)

Baking Set

Millions of us watched Great British Bake Off this year and it has inspired a lot of is to get in the kitchen and rustle up some treats.

If your little ones are eager to make their own cakes and biscuits why not get them started with their own baking kit, perfect for little hands.

There are lots on the market, this one is £13.99 from Lakeland.

Cra-Z Loom Bracelet Maker

You could not escape the loom band craze in the playground this year, and we are afraid if you are not a fan it has not quite gone away yet.

This bracelet maker is a good stocking filler for someone who still likes the odd loom band accessory, and it takes all the fiddly difficult bits out of your hands.

Was £14.99 but many retailers are offering it for much less.

My Friend Cayla

20 years ago a doll that could wee and cry was the biggest new thing, but now they are talking to us through our smart phones.

Cayla comes with a free app and once you have it you can chat to Cayla and get to know all of her favourite hobbies and learn about her friends and family.

She is also a bit of a general knowledge fan and loves to answer tricky questions about things like animals, countries and famous people.

She can also play games, tell stories and talk about pictures in her photo albums.

£49.99