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Every year, around this time, a panel of the leading retailers in the toy industry will get together and announce the hottest items that are expected to fly off the shelves in the lead up to the Christmas season.  The list of around 70 products divides its content into categories such as “Build It, Make It, Do It”, “License to Thrill”, “Lights, Camera, Action”, ”Little Treasures”, “My Best Friend”, and “Top of the Tots”.

From this list of the expected hottest toys, DreamToys, the UK’s most accurate and authoritative predictive list, announces what it considers to be the top 12 toys that are expected to be the most sought after by parents for their children.  The 2017 list is made up of the following 12 offerings which are arranged in alphabetical order rather than popularity or cost.

Leading the list is the Enchantimals Playhouse Panda from Mattel.  Priced at £32.99, this product features the Prue Doll and her panda friend Nari.  The Playhouse environment has multiple levels and rooms for the child to explore with their two toy companions.  Built into the Playhouse is a nest-shaped lift, a ladder, balcony and beastie bunk bed.

Next in the list is Fingerlings.  With a price tag of £14.99, this Jazwares / WowWee product provides the child with a finger-hugging primate pet.  These miniature, cuddly creatures come with a claimed 40 ways to play and 50 different sounds to let the child know what they are feeling.  A Fingerling has blinking eyes, turnable head and a curly hanging tail.

As one of the three entries in the list from Hasbro, the FurReal Roarin’ Tyler comes next.  This highest priced toy in the list, at £134.99, is a Playful Tiger cub pet.  The Tyler responds to sounds and touch with 100+ sound-and-motion combinations.  Tyler can move its eyes, ears, head, mouth and tail plus play with its supplied chicken-like play toy.

Priced at £74.99 from Spin Master Toys, the Hatchimals Surprise features new eggs, a new hatching process and new species, namely Giravens and Peacats.  Once hatched these creatures, with their own unique personality can be raised with interactive play as they progress through baby, toddler and kid phases.

Available in a 2 Player Pack, the Laser X from Character Options is priced at £49.99.  Suitable for indoor, outdoor, night or day time play, the Laser X has a range of over 60 metres with pinpoint accuracy.  The supplied receiver vests change colour when hit eight times during a contest.  The kit features a voice coach guidance, stereo sound, music and lighting effects.

Developed by MGA Entertainment, the L.O.L. Surprise! Series 2 product is a globe or football shaped device.  There are seven layers of surprises for the child to explore, feed and bathe with 45 units to collect in Series 2.  This product is priced at £9.99.

The second Hasbro product in the list is the Nerf Nitro Longshot Smash.  Priced at £21.99, this toy is made up of a ramp, car and four obstacles.  The child can then use the kit to launch the car as it performs long-distant jumping stunts.

A second entry from Spin Master Toys is Paw Patroller.  This toy is priced at £69.99.  Capable of operating on land or water, the Sea Patroller task is to save the Baby Octopus.  The Sea Patroller features flashing lights, sounds, a detachable anchor, a life ring launcher plus a crane and cage as rescue missions are enacted.

Flair Leisure Products is responsible for the PJ Masks Headquarters Playset.  This toy challenges the child to be on the look out for villains as they protect the PJ Masks Headquarters from attacks.  Goggles will activate Red Owl vision while tree snarls can trap villains.  There is also a Spyscope which can double as a fur-ball shooter, a Catboy Figure and a Cat Car vehicle.  The product is priced at £49.99.

Star Wars BB-8, from the Lego stable, is a diminutive copy of the BB-8 droid from the new Star Wars movie trilogy.  By turning one wheel on the side of the drone, you can rotate its head while a second wheel will open and grant access to a hatch storing an extendable welding torch.  The Star Wars BB-8 is priced at £84.99.

With a blow-away hair style that does remind me of somebody frequently in the news, the Original Stretch Armstrong is from Character Options.  This speedo-wearing figure can be stretched, pulled and tied in knots.  Using its super strength, the figure will then return to its original shape.  This stretchy fun figure is priced at £21.99.

Completing the twelve titles, and the third from Hasbro, is Toilet Trouble.  With a toilet roll spinner used to indicate how many times a player must flush the toilet while hoping to hear the sound of flushing water in order to stay in the game.  Rather than spending a penny, this game will cost £17.99.

As yet I have not had the opportunity to try out any of the DreamToys selection.