London 8 November 2017: DreamToys, the UK’s most accurate and authoritative predictive list, today announced the top 12 toys expected to be the most sought after this Christmas.

Nerf Nitro Longshot Smash and The Original Stretch Armstrong bring familiar names to the list while film and TV licenses are represented by PJ Masks Headquarters Playset, Lego’s Star Wars BB-8 and Paw Patrol Sea Patroller.

Laser X – 2 Player Pack and the sequel to last year’s hit Hatchimals, Hatchimals Surprise, highlight the increasing creativity within the growing interactive toy market while L.O.L. Surprise Series 2 and Fingerlings showcase the importance of collectibles to the toy market.

Other products in the top 12 include Mattel’s Enchantimals Playhouse Panda Set, Hasbro’s FurReal Roarin’ Tyler and the big Christmas game for 2017, Toilet Trouble.

“This year’s DreamToys Top 12 is an exciting range of innovative toys that demonstrate the creativity of the toy industry and the magic of Christmas,” commented Gary Grant, chair of the DreamToys committee.

“From the biggest collectible trends and licenses of 2017 to exciting action products and board game sensations, this year’s list is incredibly diverse and with price points to suit all budgets. With so many products vying for a child’s attention it’s pleasing to be able to pick a list that promotes togetherness, innovation and creative play that will capture the imagination this Christmas.”

“39 per cent* of toy presents bought for children at Christmas will be directly driven from children’s wish lists or letters to Santa. Therefore, more than 60 per cent of consumers buying presents for children this Christmas are likely to rely on lists like DreamToys to make an informed purchasing decision.”

Frederique Tutt, global industry analyst for the NPD Group’s toys division added, “With £1.2 billion spent on toys for Christmas – the equivalent of one third of total annual toy spend - the toy industry is all-systems-go as the 25th December draws closer. The list chosen by the 2017 DreamToys panel reflects the increased popularity of traditional play patterns with Games & Puzzles, Plush and Dolls as the fastest-growing categories to date. The 2017 Dream Dozen offers great variety this year, and with it, fun and play value for all age groups and wallets.”

New for 2017 is the DreamToys Facebook page (www.facebook.com/dreamtoysUK) which showcases all the toys selected on the list to help consumers choose the best product for them.

The full Top 12 list is as follows in no particular order (all prices quoted as RRPs, final price may vary from retailer to retailer)

DreamToys takes place at St Mary’s Church, York Street, Marylebone, W1H 1PQ from 7am-2pm.

Spokespeople from the Toy Retailers Association are available throughout the day, along with photography and video assets. Full details of the list and product shots can be found at: www.toyretailersassociation.co.uk/dreamtoys-2017

*Statistics provided by the NPD Group