14 interactive toys for children of all ages to enjoy

Specifically designed to support your child's development between ages one to three years, this friendly dino will introduce your little one to numbers, music notes and shapes. It includes eight colour food counters to put into the dinosaur's mouth and it will talk to your little one as it recognises what it has been fed.

Pros: Fun and educational
Cons: Younger children may have difficulty putting the counters in the dinosaur's mouth

Review: "This toy is fantastic! I don't know who loves it more, me or the kids (1-year-old and a 2-year-old). My kids love putting the pieces in and out of the belly part, they also like just playing with the counters that it comes with. It says things like 'I am hungry can you feed me' and 'I like food'. It has two play modes, one for numbers and one for shapes and foods. This toy also has a string and so it can be pulled along and there is a little catch that you can tie the string around when it's not in use. It has a flashing light on the top of the dinosaur's head which is also a button, when pressed it asks you to feed it either a certain number of counters or asks for foods that are pictured on the counters depending on which mode you have it in.

"The toy also recognises the different 'foods' that are pictured on the coins when you feed it. It also has a spinning wheel on its back which triggers melodies when moved and colourful buttons on the front numbered 1-5. In number mode, the buttons simply say the numbers and things like 'this is the number 5', in the other mode the toy says the shapes of the buttons (circle, square, triangle, heart and star).

"The only issue I have noticed is that the coins can be a bit tricky for my 2-year-old to put in the mouth, but he loves it anyway. My kids enjoy this toy so much that on Christmas Day they favoured playing with this over their new toys! My two-year-old actually went looking for it in the toy box! The only other thing I don't like about this toy is trying to find all the coin pieces when the kids have done playing with it :)"

A smart soft toy that'll keep your bubba company while educating them. The puppy loves cuddles and it also knows more than 100 words so it can introduce your little one to parts of the body, colours, numbers and so much more.

Pros: Teaches over 100 first words
Cons: Some parent reviews mention it was louder than expected

Review: "My daughter is pregnant so when I spotted this, which was a fantastic price, I knew I had to get it.
It’s even cuter than in the pictures and all the interactive elements are well thought out and not as annoying as I’d feared. It comes with batteries, even though I chose the one without but I suspect they’re just for demo so won’t last long.

"There are 3 levels of interaction depending on your toddler's age, each becoming more comprehensive, introducing numbers, letters etc. You change the level by pressing and holding the button on the teddies foot.
Can’t wait for the baby to start playing with this. Amazing value for money and looks like an impressive gift, great for a child’s first birthday or Christmas."

Calling all miniature music makers, the magic touch piano allows children to create their own music or play along to classic melodies. It has no keys or buttons to push, your little one can just use their hands and fingers to play sweet melodies as it uses innovative touch technology.

Pros: Uses touch technology, includes batteries
Cons: The music sheets included could easily get lost

Review: "Really pleased with this purchase, which was for a toddlers first Christmas. He's fairly interested in it but mostly for making a noise rather than learning to play but I'm doing lots of demonstrating for him.

A solid purchase, pleased with it. Good value, made even better with an Amazon voucher that I didn't know I had until checkout!"

For a child that loves nothing more than pretending they're a chef or a shopkeeper, this food truck is the perfect gift. It has an interactive food prep area, which includes a light-up grill and service bell, plus a till that reads menu cards and helps with number recognition.

Pros: Teaches counting, size, sequencing and shapes, includes 20+ food pieces for role play
Cons: Batteries aren't included

Review: "Bought this for my 1-year-olds birthday which she just loves! It’s educational and plays a range of noises and music and is very cleverly designed. I got it at reduced price so it was very good value for money and my 4 year old even loves it too. It’s also great for young children that are learning to stand and walk as my baby has learnt to walk to it from the sofa and sit down gently as in the picture. 5 stars would highly recommend! ⭐️"

Is your little one always grabbing for the tv remote? They'll have their own to play with if you get them this toy. By pressing each of the buttons, your little one will be introduced to the alphabet and numbers plus a whole host of sounds and music they can dance to.

Pros: Lots of functions, batteries included
Cons: Some purchasers expected the sound quality to be better

Review: "My one-year-old absolutely loves this remote, in fact, it's actually in her go bag for anywhere we need to travel in the car. It's got a bunch of different modes, from play to Learning it caters for it all. Buttons work flawlessly and some even light up (the numbers at the bottom). Others just make a noise and make things flash and talk. Overall: Definitely recommend this remote, probably one of the best purchases we made for the little one. Kept her quiet for ages, not sure how long that will last for though!

For little ones fascinated by cars, this interactive steering wheel toy is just what they need. They can toot the horn, turn the key in the ignition and ramp it up a gear to hear familiar car sounds, as well as press the other vehicle buttons to hear animals, colours, numbers and music. It also has a non-breakable mirror on the side for the purpose of self-discovery.

Pros: Includes 10 melodies and two sing-along songs
Cons: Some parents thought it was smaller than they expected

Review: "Good value for money, sturdy and not too heavy for little ones to move about, bright, sounds good to my little boy who already plays with it with a smile. He uses all the levers and steering wheel controls with ease."

Fuel your child's creativity as they write and draw whatever they like with the help of the Chad Valley magnetic easel. It has three game settings, including English, Spanish and music modes, to help them get to grips with letters, words, numbers and counting.

Pros: Can be used to develop writing skills as well as drawing
Cons: The two AA batteries required for it to work are not included

Review: "I bought this for both my one-year-old niece and nephew, and they love it. Drawing whatever comes to their minds, using the extra drawing pieces to create more detailed shapes and shading, they are kept entertained for ages."

Peek-a-Roo comes to life with adorable sounds and actions as soon as it feels your little one's touch. It has a mystery Baby-Roo in its tummy that will join in with games and sing songs too.

Pros: Responds to your little one's touch
Cons: Some parents thought the toy was limited in what it can do

Review: "Absolutely love this!! It's so fun! You can feel the baby moving in its belly! And then it pops out! My child loves this!!"

Does your child have a need for speed? They'll love their own Scalextric set. This nostalgic toy is something that both you and your kiddo can enjoy together. There are nine different layouts for the supercars to race around with controllers that are easy for smaller hands to operate.

Pros: Develops hand-eye coordination
Cons: Not suitable for children under three

Give your little one their own fluffy friend to look after. Higgle The Hedgehog has super-soft fur that will feel nice against their skin as they snuggle up to it and if they give it some love by petting it, it'll respond with super cute phrases, giggles, sneezes and snores.

Pros: Perfect size for little hands
Cons: Could have more interactive features

Review: "My daughter is obsessed with hedgehogs so this was the perfect gift! Very cute she loves it! Delivery was much quicker than expected. Brilliant all round!"

Is there anything cooler than a robot toy? We don't think so! Your child can talk to it and it'll respond, they can record messages and listen to them back in a robot voice, it'll move around your room by following their touch, and they can also watch it dance and sing.

Pros: Available in a variety of colours
Cons: Some parents felt like they needed a lot of floor space for this toy

Review: "I bought this as a gift for my 3-year-old son and he loves it! This can be controlled by voice commands eg 'come here' and the robot will come to u or 'can u dance' and the robot will start playing music whilst dancing around. There are a range of commands this will respond to, also it has a voice recording function where the robot will repeat what is said to it but in its own voice. Overall, this is a great product and keeps my son happy, he always giggles at it and follows the robot around everywhere."

Everyone's favourite Space Ranger, Buzz Lightyear, will have your child dreaming about infinity and beyond as they play. They can recreate their favourite scenes from Toy Story and Lightyear and press buttons on his space suit to get Buzz to talk and trigger laser lights.

Pros: Some reviews mention it was bigger than expected
Cons: More features are unlocked when you have the Woody or Jessie figures too

Review: "The toy was for my grandson who loves to play with it. It is larger than I thought but that's a bonus as he wanted a large one. He loves the different buttons and the lights. Great for a 3-year-old."

If your child is a natural behind a camera and loves nothing more than taking selfies, they won't be able to put this kiddie camera down! It works as a normal digital camera but your child can edit the pictures with different effects, stamps and borders to add their own creative stamp before printing out their creations from the built-in thermal printer. The flip-up lens can also be used to capture videos too.

Pros: Full of fun photo effects, includes games
Cons: Only includes one roll of photo paper

Review: "Bought for my daughter’s 6th birthday and it has not failed to please! Such a fantastic little camera for the price, so many different types of pictures you can print, including colour by numbers and little cards too! Fascinated by the technology and also love the fact the refills don’t cost the world! Definitely recommend, a massive hit in our house, and now my nearly 9-year-old wants one too!"

A Tamagotchi is everyone's favourite virtual pet. Its small size makes it a great toy to take when you're out and about with your kids as it will easily fit inside a pocket. It gives kids a chance to care for their pet from an egg to an adult, tending to its every need so their new friend stays as happy and as healthy as possible.

Pros: Teaches responsibility, nostalgic toy that parents will remember
Cons: Some parents thought the pet was a bit needy

Review: "My daughter asked for one for her 6th birthday, and she loves it! It is a great nostalgic toy for me to 'babysit' while she is at school too! Super simple, and even goes to bed at night so it doesn't disturb sleep! My only complaint would be that there's no backlight on the screen, but being a 90s kid, it doesn't bother me, just my daughter!"