A £7 furry bouncy ball with a face is tipped to be one of the must-have toys this Christmas, according to expert buyers at Hamleys.
The Ty Bouncers – essentially fluffy tennis balls – range from cats, cows and monkeys to Spider-Man and Paddington. With 80 to collect, Victoria Kay, the head of buying and merchandising at Hamleys, said the bouncy soft toys offered “uncomplicated fun”.
“They’ve been building steadily all year to a point now where they’re a full-on craze,” Kay said. “They are simple – no tech, no instructions – just bounce and laugh. They also offer tactile engagement, with soft textures and a sensory break from digital overload.”
At this time of year, Hamleys produces a shortlist of the toys it expects to feature on Christmas lists come December. With soft-toy collecting back in vogue for children and adults, the list includes one of its classic teddy bears and Evie Pig (baby sister to Peppa) at a time when its buyers have identified a “growing cultural shift towards simplicity”.
Hamleys, known for its landmark store on Regent Street, London, is also selling cutesy toy versions of food and drinks, including a £12 cuddly slice of pizza, as tactile food-themed toys are a big toy trend.
The list of 15 items is not all low-tech, as it includes a robotic Woody from Toy Story (the priciest item at £80), a remote-controlled drifting car and Soccer Dash, an AI-powered football skills game that uses a “smart” ball.
After a difficult 2024, UK toy sales are running up 8% so far this year, according to data firm Circana, buoyed up by the popularity of the Minecraft and Lilo & Stitch films, as well as a wave of “newstalgia” – when parents re-buy toys they once owned as children, such as Barbie, Care Bears and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
In a nod to this trend, the Hamleys “Festive 15” includes a £40 Star Wars Power Crystal Lightsaber that has seven blade colours.
The toy industry is also increasingly catering for “kidults” (buyers aged 12 or over) who spend their spare cash on expensive Lego sets and collectible figurines. With the Circana data highlighting a growing interest in manga and anime merchandise, a figurine inspired by the Japanese cartoon series One Piece makes the list. The “retro-futuristic” collectible characters are designed by the sculptor Jason Freeny.
Hamleys Festive 15
Lego Marvel Spider-Man vs Doc Ock Subway Train Scene £45
Roblox Dress to Impress fashion doll £30
TY Bouncers £7
L.O.L. Surprise Magic Flyers £30
Hamleys Food Plush Pizza £12
Hamleys Soccer Dash – AI-powered football trainer £50
Hamleys Human Controller £35
Robosen Mini Robot – Woody £80
One Piece Egghead Arc Series figurine £15
Hamleys Silver Micro Drift RC £30
Star Wars Power Crystal Lightsaber £40
Peppa Pig – Evie with Blanket £13
Sky Trails: S1 Starter Kit £70
Wooden Hamburger Stacker £15
Hamleys Tilly, Maple and Bertie Heritage Teddy Bears. Available in 20cm, 25cm and 30cm, from £20
