My very first drone
£34.99 toy for kids aged 4 set to be Xmas hit
GONE are the days when children would expect a simple stuffed animal or a book for Christmas.
For some very high-tech toys are among those expected to dominate wish lists this year – including a drone for children as young as four.
The remote-controlled ‘My First Drone’ toy costs £34.99 and flies using helicopterstyle plastic rotating blades.
It is perhaps a surprising choice for children so young considering manufacturer Little Tikes provides a list of warnings including a risk of eye injuries, that users must not touch the motors and that they must keep the device away from water.
The manual adds: ‘Flying a drone takes skill and should be learned under direct supervision of an experienced adult.’
Children up to the age of 11 will receive on average 11 toys, with parents typically spending £121 per child, analysts say. And retailers yesterday revealed some of the other toys expected to be big hits this year, including an animatronic tiger that reacts to voice and touch, and a set of laser guns. A price war has already broken out, with stores such as Argos, The Entertainer and Smyths Toys offering reductions of up to 40 per cent on the top products. Others, such as supermarkets and Amazon, will cut prices around the Black Friday sales event later this month.
The FurReal Roarin’ Tyler electronic tiger, which responds with 100 sounds and movements, has a recommended retail price of £134.99 but is available for 30 per cent less at £94.98. A Lego Star Wars version of the BB-8 robot can be found for £64.99 by shopping around, compared to its RRP of £84.99.
The biggest saving is on the LOL Surprise Series 2 toy, which has five layers each with a different gift. The Entertainer is offering it for £6, 40 per cent off the £9.99 RRP. But there are some toys in such high demand that stores are under no pressure to tempt shoppers with savings. Very few outlets are offering Fingerlings monkeys – electronic sensor-activated toys that react to touch and sound – for less than the official £14.99 price.
Gary Grant, of the DreamToys committee, which represents retailers, said the top toys on their list ‘promote togetherness, innovation and creative play’.