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Hamleys has announced its Festive 15 toy picks for Christmas 2026, spanning £10 sensory squishies, interactive toys, character dolls, games and construction sets. The retailer also says its Regent Street Santa’s Grotto will run from 14 November to 24 December 2026; some product details and the full list of prices are not provided in the report.
Hamleys has named 15 toys it is highlighting for Christmas 2026, including £10 Big Squij sensory toys, interactive animal toys, Barbie dolls, Peppa Pig and Marvel products. The retailer’s annual Festive 15 covers children from 18 months and up as well as adult collectors, and Hamleys has also announced the return of its Regent Street Santa’s Grotto.
The list ranges from tactile, imaginative play to collectibles and family games. Hamleys says the Big Squij range costs £10 and includes slow-rise designs shaped like a duck, corgi, croissant, watermelon and hearts. The retailer says further additions to the range are due to be revealed during October, November and December. Its buying team describes squishy toys as an area of growing interest, but the report does not give sales figures or survey data measuring that trend.
Interactive toys include Hamleys’ Movers and Shakers soft-toy animals, which can walk, sit, hop and skip. The Ready, Pedal, Go Peppa Pig toy is recommended for ages three and up and has more than 70 sounds and phrases, according to the report. The Numberblocks Sing and Record Music Player, also recommended for ages three and up, has 15 sounds and songs and a microphone that records up to 90 seconds.
Character and collector picks include two Barbie in the Nutcracker dolls, Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy, priced at £30 each and recommended for ages four and up. The report lists a £30 Doctor Doom action figure for ages four and up, a £45 LEGO Marvel Doctor Doom Bust for adults aged 18 and over, and a £28 Hatsune Miku figure recommended for ages seven and up. Other named selections include the £75 Thunder Unicorn, £20 Play-Doh Stamp and Spin Pizza Playset, £25 Articulate: Under Pressure, £55 Primal Hatch Megalodon, £50 ScorpiX RC Transforming Car, £25 Hamleys Wooden London Taxi and £60 Magic 3D Track Set.
A Christmas List Across Age Groups
The selection gives families an early view of the products Hamleys expects to promote during the 2026 Christmas shopping season, with prices and age guidance available for many of the named toys. Its range includes lower-priced gifts such as the £10 squishies alongside products costing £50 or more, making the list relevant to shoppers comparing different types of presents and budgets.
The list also offers a snapshot of the retailer’s merchandising priorities: Hamleys points to sensory toys, interactive play and established characters, while including products for adult fans. These are the retailer’s own picks and predictions, not an independent ranking of children’s preferences or evidence that every listed toy will be widely available throughout the season.
The Grotto announcement adds a separate practical detail for London families planning a visit. Hamleys says the Regent Street experience will run from 14 November through 24 December 2026, with bookings for groups of up to six and prices starting at £75 for three people on selected dates.
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Hamleys’ Festive 15 and Grotto
Hamleys describes the Festive 15 as its annual Christmas toy selection. In the report, the retailer links this year’s choices to interest in hands-on sensory play, toys based on familiar characters and products that let children make up stories. Those descriptions reflect the company’s view of the market; the source does not provide a method for how the 15 items were selected or a comparison with other retailers’ lists.
Alongside the product announcement, Hamleys says its Regent Street Santa’s Grotto is intended for children aged two to eight. Visitors are due to meet Hamleys Elves, explore a workshop and meet Santa, with a gift bag for each child. Visits are scheduled between 10:15 a.m. and 8 p.m., and the retailer says tickets are on sale. A survey mentioned by Hamleys reportedly identified the week beginning 12 October as when Christmas shopping “officially” starts, but the supplied report does not state the survey sample or methodology.
““The Squishy craze is only really just getting going – the demand is huge and we have new editions to unveil in the run up to Christmas.””
— Victoria Kay, Hamleys’ Head of Buying and Merchandising
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Availability and Demand Remain Unclear
The announcement identifies Hamleys’ selections, but it does not establish that the toys are the most popular products across the wider market. The source gives no sales totals, independent demand data or full account of how the list was compiled. Kay’s comments about strong squishy-toy demand should therefore be read as Hamleys’ assessment.
It is also not clear from the supplied report whether every item is currently available, whether prices may change, or whether stock will be consistent through the Christmas period. Hamleys says more Big Squij designs will be announced across October, November and December, but does not name them. For the Grotto, the reported starting price applies to three people on selected dates; the full price schedule and availability of particular slots are not detailed.
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More Toys and Grotto Visits Ahead
Hamleys says it plans to reveal further Big Squij designs during October, November and December 2026. Shoppers can check the retailer’s current listings for updated prices and stock before buying, particularly for products with specific age recommendations or collector-focused features.
The Regent Street Grotto is scheduled to open on 14 November 2026 and run through 24 December. Hamleys says tickets are on sale, with visits for up to six people and prices starting at £75 for three on selected dates. The report does not specify how many tickets remain or whether further booking details will change.
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Key Questions
What are Hamleys’ top toys for Christmas 2026?
Hamleys’ Festive 15 includes Big Squij sensory toys, interactive animal toys, Peppa Pig, Barbie, Marvel and Hatsune Miku products, plus games, creative sets and construction toys. The report names 15 selections but does not provide a single ranked order.
How much do the Big Squij toys cost?
The Big Squij toys are listed at £10 each. Hamleys names designs including a duck, corgi, croissant, watermelon and hearts, and says more designs will be revealed during October, November and December.
Which toys have age recommendations?
The report gives age guidance for several items: the Peppa Pig and Numberblocks toys are for ages three and up; the Barbie dolls and Doctor Doom action figure are for ages four and up; the Hatsune Miku figure is for ages seven and up; and the LEGO Marvel Doctor Doom Bust is aimed at adults aged 18 and over. Check the product packaging or retailer listing for current guidance before buying.
When does Hamleys’ Santa’s Grotto open in 2026?
Hamleys says the Regent Street Grotto will run from 14 November to 24 December 2026. Visits are scheduled from 10:15 a.m. to 8 p.m.; prices start at £75 for three people on selected dates, and tickets are on sale according to the report.
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