The toys predicted to dominate children’s Christmas lists this year are set to ignite dreams of stage and screen fame, says the Toy Retailers Association (TRA) today.

The TRA’s annual ‘Dream Toys’ list, the only official prediction of Christmas bestsellers, reveals a trend towards music, film and TV inspired toys to indulge fame fantasies from the next generation of rock stars and screen heroes. Plenty of old favorites also make a comeback this year, reflecting the nation’s love for nostalgic characters and brands.

This year’s Dream Dozen, in alphabetical order:
BABY born® with Magic Potty, Zapf Creation®
Bakugan™ Starter Pack, Spinmaster
Ben 10 Deluxe Omnitrix, Bandai
Catcha Beast, Bandai
Cupcake Maker, Character Options
Elmo Live, Mattel
FurReal Biscuit, My Lovin’ Pup, Hasbro
High School Musical 3 Musical Dance Mat, Vivid Imaginations
In The Night Garden Upsy Daisy and Her Chase and Play Bed, Hasbro
My Life, Flair Leisure Products (by Playmates in the US)
Rescue Pals Swim To Me Puppy, MGA Entertainment Ltd
Star Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer Helmet, Hasbro

Top Girls’ Toys According to the TRA

Music takes the Girls’ category by storm this year, with the Bratz™ Girls Really Rock Dolls (MGA Entertainment Ltd), High School Musical Sing Together Dolls and the film-inspired Camp Rock Gift Pack (both Mattel) making it onto the wish lists of aspiring rock stars. Another musical hit is sure to be Mattel’s Barbie Princess Liana Singing Doll, which sings songs from the Barbie and the Diamond Castle movie.

Younger girls will love Zapf Creation®’s CHOU CHOU My First Tooth, while animal lovers will be delighted to unwrap Vivid Imaginations’ I Love Ponies Honey My Baby Pony, or FurReal Biscuit My Loving Pup (Hasbro), Sylvanian Families Old Hollow Oak Treehouse (Flair Leisure Products), or the hottest or fittest VIPs from Hasbro’s Littlest Pet Shop range on Christmas day.

Top Boys’ Toys According to the TRA

TV and film inspire the Boys’ category this year, with nearly all of the selection featuring characters from our screens. Rev up Christmas for little petrolheads with Mattel’s film-inspired CARS Walkin’ Talkin’ Lightning McQueen, or the Air Hogs® Zero Gravity™ Micro (Spinmaster) Radio Controlled Vehicle.

Figurine lovers won’t be disappointed, with the Gormiti Island of Gorm Playset (Flair Leisure Products) and WWE RAW Arena Playset (Vivid Imaginations) both on the top 12 list. This year’s hit animation Wall.E has also made its mark, with Vivid Imaginations’ Transforming Wall-E Robot a newcomer to the list, while established favorites are represented with the Power Rangers Overdrive Tracker (Bandai), Transformers Animated Roll Out Command Optimus Prime, Indiana Jones Hat & Whip Set and the Clone Wars AT-TE Vehicle and Star Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer Helmet (all Hasbro).

Top Preschool Toys According to the TRA

Younger children will be kept busy this Christmas with plenty of interactive toys in the Pre-School category. Budding engineers will have their pick of the Bob The Builder Interactive Construction Site (Born to Play), Take Along Thomas Morgan’s Mine Electronic Playset (RC2), or the Roary the Racing Car Silver Hatch Workshop Playset (Vivid Imaginations).

Start work for the green generation with Playmobil’s Recycling Truck. Imaginative little ones can blast off with the Peppa Pig’s Spaceship (Character Options), go back in time with the Playskool Kota The Triceratops (Hasbro), laugh themselves silly with the Mr Tickle Stretch & Giggle or Elmo Live! (both Mattel), or get lost in a good story with the LEAPFROG Tag Reading System. The Teletubbies also make a comeback this year, with Tomy’s Dance With Me Teletubby set to be a huge hit, and keen photographers will be snapping away at the Christmas action with their KidiZoom Multimedia Digital Cameras (VTech).

Here’s a review of the Kota Triceratops: