November
07
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HEART LONDON’S CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE FOR KIDS 2026
Big fun, brilliant surprises and presents they’ll actually want to play with
Forget boring presents, Christmas morning should be about ripping off the wrapping paper and discovering something brilliant underneath.
From bikes, dinosaurs, gemstones and outer space to Minecraft, gaming and family challenges, this year’s Christmas gifts are all about adventure, imagination and having fun.
Whether you’re shopping for a budding astronaut, a Minecraft fanatic, a fearless little cyclist or the child who turns absolutely everything into a competition, Heart London has picked out some brilliant gifts to make Christmas morning extra exciting.
APOLLO OUTRAGE KIDS BIKE – 18″ WHEEL
For the little adventurer who wants to GO, GO, GO!
There are some presents that simply have Christmas morning magic written all over them – and finding a shiny new bike beside the tree has to be one of them.
The Apollo Outrage Kids Bike – 18″ Wheel from Halfords is a fantastic first bike for children who are building their confidence on two wheels.
Designed for children approximately 112–126cm tall, with an age guide of 5–9 years, it has all the excitement of a proper mountain bike while still feeling reassuringly manageable for newer riders.
Inspired by Apollo’s adult mountain bikes, it looks grown-up enough to make younger cyclists feel incredibly cool, while practical touches including an enclosed chain guard, adjustable saddle and easy-to-use front and rear V-brakes help make riding feel safe and comfortable.
Perfect for family bike rides, park adventures and children already dreaming about their first muddy trail.
Heart London loves: The WOW! factor. This is the sort of present they’ll remember getting for years.
Best for: 5-9
Price: £140.00
Stockist: Halfords
JUMANJI CORE REFRESH
Ready to escape the jungle?
“Jumanji has escaped into the real world” is a pretty exciting way to start a family game.
The jungle has invaded the city in Jumanji Core Refresh from Spin Master, and players must work together to reach the temple and close Jumanji’s doors before it’s too late.
Nigel fires out increasingly speedy instructions telling players when to take, trade and use their survival tools, while the electronic city centre tests everyone’s reactions.
Listen carefully, hit the correct button and you might just escape. Get it wrong and you lose a life – and the further you get, the faster everything becomes.
We love a game that can drag everyone away from their individual screens and around the same table, and this is exactly the sort of chaotic, noisy Christmas Day fun we’re looking for.
Heart London loves: It gets the whole family involved.
Players: 2–4
Age: 9+
Price: £14.99
Brand: Spin Master – available from Very and other stockists
STRANGER THINGS – THE UPSIDE DOWN TERRARIUM
Things are getting strange…
For the Stranger Things fan who already has the T-shirt, mug and poster, this is a brilliantly different gift.
The Stranger Things The Upside Down Terrarium lets children recreate Vecna’s sinister house and the eerie world of the Upside Down, while adding an unexpected botanical twist.
Part craft kit, part science experiment and part Stranger Things collectible, the terrarium uses hydroponics, allowing children to watch roots gradually grow down into its dramatic red base.
They can build and decorate the spooky scene themselves too, with the kit containing a container, seeds, clay, plaster of Paris, moulds and tempera paints.
It’s the sort of present that lasts far beyond Christmas Day because children get to make it, grow it and then proudly display it in their bedroom.
Heart London loves: It combines science, crafting and fandom in one seriously cool gift.
Age: 8+
Price: £12
Where to buy: Argos
RMS LED CRAZY GOLF – ALIEN
Mini golf has had an alien invasion.
Forget straightforward putting – the RMS LED Crazy Golf – Alien from Robert Dyas turns mini golf into an arcade-style challenge packed with lights, moving obstacles and plenty of opportunities to get competitive.
Players have to time shots through opening doors and gates, aim through targets and navigate ramps, jumps and slides.
The LED lighting and moving 3D obstacles make it feel much more exciting than a traditional indoor golf set, and because children have to physically get up and play, it’s a welcome alternative to another afternoon in front of a screen.
There’s plenty inside the box too, including two magnetic putters, 12 metal golf balls, 30 score cards, stickers and instructions.
At £19.99, we think it offers a lot of fun for the price.
Heart London loves: Fantastic value and brilliant for family tournaments.
Price: £19.99
Where to buy: Robert Dyas
Includes: LED lights, moving 3D obstacles, two magnetic putters, 12 metal golf balls, 30 score cards, stickers and instructions
GEOSAFARI® ORBITING SOLAR SYSTEM & PROJECTOR
For future astronauts, astronomers and space explorers.
If you have a child who can name the planets faster than you can, this one is going straight to the top of the Christmas list.
The GeoSafari® Orbiting Solar System & Projector brings space into the bedroom with moving 3D planet models that orbit the Sun at different speeds.
Children can choose between orbiting and static modes, and part of the fun comes from building the display themselves by placing the planet arms in the correct positions.
Then comes the really exciting bit.
The Sun-shaped centre doubles as a projector, displaying 32 high-quality space images, including NASA photography, across walls and ceilings.
Planets, constellations, asteroids and other wonders of space can all be explored from the comfort of home.
It’s one of those STEM toys that manages to make learning feel like play – exactly how we like it.
Heart London loves: Educational without feeling remotely like homework.
Price: £54.94
Where to buy: Learning Resources
Features: Moving 3D planets, static or orbit mode, Sun-shaped projector and 32 space images including NASA photography
BRAINSTORM TOYS – DEEP SPACE HOME PLANETARIUM & PROJECTOR
Turn bedtime into a trip through the stars.
For children who dream of exploring space, the Brainstorm Toys Deep Space Home Planetarium & Projector can transform a darkened bedroom into a miniature universe.
The tabletop unit works as both a planetarium and slide projector and rotates so children can switch between the two.
Using interchangeable domes, it can project moving stars and constellations around walls and ceilings, instantly creating a wonderfully atmospheric bedroom light show.
Turn the unit around and it becomes a projector featuring 24 colour images from NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope, including spacecraft, astronauts, planets and nebulae.
Images can be projected up to one metre wide, with an adjustable lens to keep everything looking clear.
There’s even a night-light dome, turning the projector into a rotating star and constellation night light.
A secret code also unlocks extra educational content online about the night sky and NASA photography.
Heart London loves: It feels magical first and educational second.
Price: £31.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Brand: Brainstorm Toys
Features: Planetarium, projector, rotating stars and constellations, night-light mode and 24 NASA and Hubble images
MINECRAFT – CHICKEN JOCKEY ICON LIGHT
Small gift. Major Minecraft points.
Minecraft fans will instantly recognise the wonderfully bizarre baby zombie riding a chicken, and now they can have one glowing away in their bedroom.
The Minecraft Chicken Jockey Icon Light from Menkind recreates the character in classic pixel-art style and makes a fun addition to a gaming desk, shelf or bedside table.
It gives off a soft, warm glow, so it can work as a night light as well as a piece of Minecraft décor.
Even better, it’s battery powered, meaning there are no annoying wires trailing around the room and children can move it wherever they like.
At £15, it’s a great little present for Minecraft fans and perfect for anyone looking for a stocking filler that feels a bit more exciting than the usual chocolates and socks.
Heart London loves: Affordable, instantly recognisable and guaranteed to make a Minecraft fan smile.
Price: £15
Where to buy: Menkind
Best for: Minecraft fans, gaming bedrooms and stocking fillers
THERMOS® DISNEY TOY STORY BOTTLE
To hydration… and beyond!
For little Toy Story fans, the Thermos® Disney Toy Story Bottle is a fun and practical Christmas gift they can use every day.
Featuring colourful artwork inspired by Disney Pixar’s much-loved Toy Story characters, it’s a brilliant choice for school, days out, sports clubs and family adventures. Combining the trusted quality of Thermos® with a playful Disney design, it turns an everyday essential into something children will actually be excited to carry.
Perfect for keeping drinks close at hand throughout the day, it’s a lovely alternative to another toy and makes an especially useful present for children heading back to school after the Christmas holidays.
Heart London loves: A practical everyday gift with plenty of Disney and Toy Story magic.
Price: £15
Where to buy: Menkind
Best for: Toy Story fans, school bags and days out
HEART LONDON’S CHRISTMAS VERDICT
The best children’s presents aren’t necessarily the ones that get played with for five minutes before disappearing underneath a mountain of wrapping paper.
They’re the gifts that spark a new obsession, encourage children to make something, learn something, get moving or pull the rest of the family into the fun.
Whether that means taking their first proper bike ride, exploring the solar system from their bedroom ceiling, escaping from Jumanji or perfecting their alien crazy-golf technique, these are the presents we think could keep the Christmas excitement going well beyond December 25.
Now the only difficult part is deciding what Santa should put under the tree…
