As this crazy year of lockdowns and cancellations comes to a close, there’s one constant our children can still look forward to – Christmas.

Role-play toys can be an endless source of entertainment for your child, but they can also serve an important purpose for their growth, building gross motor skills, confidence and an understanding of the real world.

Little Tikes believes imaginative role play is essential for your child’s development and designs products to nurture imagination, empathy and physical wellbeing. Here, we list our top Christmas toys for children of various ages, all of which are available from selected retailers.

My Buddy (six months – three years)

This cute and cuddly elephant teaches and entertains your child as they embark on their early years. First, your baby will be exposed to physical stimuli including textures, cuddles and tickles. Then, as they grow, My Buddy teaches them about the alphabet, counting, musical instruments and how to follow directions.

Available in the blue Triumphant and the pink Lalaphant, My Buddy has more than 200 songs and phrases and introduces your child to learning in a playful way, leaving them with a positive association with education. Remember, an elephant never forgets.

Cozy Coupe® (18 months – five years)

Let your child’s imagination drive them into new worlds next year with the Cozy Coupe®. Having celebrated its 30th anniversary, this original ride-on toy has been enjoyed by generations of children who’ve loved flicking its ignition switch, beeping its working horn and using its storage space to take their toys on a fun day out.

With a removable floor, you can either push your little one around as they steer or, when they’re big enough, let them push off the floor to propel themselves along, building gross motor skills and physical strength in the process.

First Washer-Dryer (24 months – three years)

Give your child an uber-realistic set to wash and dry clothes just like a grown up with the First Washer-Dryer.

This is a great toy for encouraging a sense of responsibility and social-emotional learning in an enjoyable and positive way.

Using the toy’s 24 accessories and fun features, including a tumbling drum, sliding draw, tabletop for folding clothes and built-in storage basket space, your child will love imitating you as you get through the laundry, learning real life skills and feeling more grown up.

Mighty Blasters Bow (three – five years)

Your child’s imagination is their greatest strength – or at least it was. This Christmas, your child could get their very own superpower with the Mighty Blasters Mighty Bow; a safe and easy-to-use projectile launcher which blasts soft power pods over 12ft.

With chunky controls, easy front-loading and a simple pull-back mechanism, the Mighty Bow is great for young ones and helps build their creativity, coordination and motor skills. Your child can choose from four power pods (Magic, Wind, Shark Bite, Secret) to launch justice at the monster targets and save the day.

Tobi Smartwatch (four – six+ years)

Without a doubt the must-have kids gift for 2020, the award-winning Tobi Robot Smartwatch™ is an interactive toy with over 100 facial expressions, fun sound effects and moving arms and legs, keeping kids engaged with active and educational games while inspiring empathy from the emotive robot face.

Your children may have seen smartwatches and smartphones by now so think how amazingly grown-up they’ll feel having one of their own – and it does just as much as the real thing. With a front and rear camera, the Tobi Robot Smartwatch™ can store up to 3,000 photos or 30 minutes of video and has a built-in pedometer to help your child track their activity as they play the watch’s many active games.

Christmas is a time for the family and creates cherished memories for everyone. To make your child’s year and help them grow, visit selected retailers and browse through our top toys for Christmas 2020.