John Lewis reveals Top Ten Toys for Christmas 2023

• With 150 sleeps to go, John Lewis reveals the best toys for Christmas, as chosen by a panel of kids
• 90s favourites are back, with the Furby and Barbie car set to be popular picks this year
• The nation is already gearing up for the festive season, searches for ‘Christmas gifts’ are double  compared to this time last year 

Following months of sourcing and testing, our expert buyers handed John Lewis’s 2023 toys over to the ultimate toy testers - four kids aged five to ten. 

The tiny and tricky-to-impress youngsters had one job - to choose their favourite toys from the collection. After hours of play time and much deliberation, the toy-savvy group whittled down hundreds of products to their ultimate top ten. 

Nostalgia is set to take over this Christmas. Toys from the 90s are making a resurgence with the iconic Furby and Barbie car set to take the top spots. Customer searches for ‘retro’ on johnlewis.com have increased by +72 percent compared to last year. Bucket hats, Vans and checks are all popular and searches for nineties favourite  Lacoste is up +84 percent. We predict the Barbie phenomenon to continue into the winter months as interest in our Barbie range surges, with sales up +215 percent this week, in comparison to the same week last year.

One of Britain's favourite dog breeds also makes it on to the list, as kids can walk and nurture their very own Cockapoo. The DJ Mix and Learn Deck means children can impress their family with their mixing skills and provide the background sounds to their Christmas Day. The Barber Role Play and the Wooden Café Set are predicted to be popular, encouraging imaginative play and storytelling skills. 

The Top Toys for Christmas 2023

1. Gabby’s Dollhouse Girl Doll - £14.99 (Available end of August)
2. Barbie Convertible Doll Car - £27.99 (Available now)
3. Le Mieux Puppy, Cockapoo - £29.95 (Available end of August)
4. Melissa & Doug Barber Role Play Set - £34.99 (Available end of August)
5. John Lewis Wooden Café Set, exclusive to John Lewis - £40 (Available end of September)
6. Fisher-Price Mix and Learn Music Table - £54.99 (Available beginning of August)
7. Little Live Pets Mama Surprise - £64.99 (Available September)
8. Hasbro Furby - £74.99 (Available end August)
9. Lego Holiday Main Street, exclusive to John Lewis - £89.99 (Available now)
10. Scalextric John Lewis vs Waitrose Car Racing Set, exclusive to John Lewis - £129.99 (Available September)

Alongside the top ten, we've a huge range of affordable toys and gifts, with over 1,500 available for under £20. These include Lego from £3.49, books and games from £4.99 and soft toys from £8.99

Alan Wright, Toys and Books Category Lead, says “At John Lewis, we value the importance of imagination and want to ensure our smallest customers have the opportunity to experiment through creative-play. The top ten toys offer something for every kid, no matter what they would like to be when they grow up. From a barber shop set and mix and learn DJ table to John Lewis’ very own wooden café set. Our top ten toys will help youngsters develop their nurturing skills, with Mama Surprise and Le Mieux’s Cockapoo showing them how to take care of animals.”

Watch this video to see our little ones choosing their favourite toys and view all high-res images of our toy testers and toys here. 

Further regional sales stats 

Barbie Best Sellers

• Peter Jones sells the most Barbie product, followed by Oxford Street
• Best selling Barbie doll in Leeds is the Barbie Extra Fly Travel Doll with Snow Fashion
• Best selling Barbie product in Liverpool: Barbie Newborn Pups Playset
• Best selling Barbie product in Newcastle: Barbie Ballerina Doll
• Best Selling Barbie product in Edinburgh and Cardiff  Barbie Newborn Pups Playset
• Best Selling Barbie product in Glasgow Barbie Skipper Babysitters Inc Dolls & Playset

LEGO Best Sellers

• Best selling Lego in Edinburgh - Bird of Paradise 
• Best selling Lego in Glasgow - Van Gogh Starry Night
• Best selling Lego in Liverpool - Assembly Square 
• Best selling Lego in Newcastle - Van Gogh Starry Night 
• Best selling Lego in Leeds - Bonsai tree