Asking a five- to eight-year-old what they want for Christmas can be dangerous. With no concept of money, they’re as likely to ask for something that costs a fiver as a Lego set in the hundreds. They could have seen something fleetingly on an advert but not quite know what it is, leaving you Googling “blue flashing monkey toy with wings” for days. And they’re old enough to be very insistent – and remember what they asked for come Christmas Day. No pressure.

So, we bypassed all the “top toys of 2024” lists created by marketing departments and went to the source for you, asking 21 kids what they really want for Christmas, from slime to a load of Lego.

The best gifts for five- to eight-year-olds

Slushy van

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Lego City penguin slushy van building set, £17.99
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I want it because I like building Lego and I love slushies. I want to pretend to make slushies for people in the city. Leo, five, York

Lookalike doll

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Miranda doll, £26.99
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The Our Generation Heals on Wheels set, £52.12
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I love that the doll looks like me with her hair, and I like that these dolls are bigger than Barbies. The wheelchair looks fun to push around and it’s got lots of accessories. Grace, six, Manchester

Dial up the glam

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Claire’s purple rainbow bling mobile phone makeup set, £8
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Makeup Revolution, flip phone eyeshadow palette, £5.59
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I love that it looks like a phone to play with, but really it’s makeup! I’d feel fancy when I put the makeup on. Grace, six, Manchester

Self-build project

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Lego Creator modern house, £89.99
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£72
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I like that you can make three different houses from the same set. I love building on Minecraft and Roblox, but it’s fun to do it in real life with Lego too. I used to play with it a lot when I was younger, but I still like it now as it makes me feel calm and relaxed. George, eight, Manchester

Light it up

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LED strip lights, £14.99
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Various LED strip lights, from £19.49
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I would like these lights in my room because I think they will make it bright and colourful and make it standout. My older cousins have them too. When I get rid of my mirror on the wall, I’m going to put a [Real Madrid footballer] Vini Jr mural there instead with LED lights around it. George, eight, Manchester

Cute cuddly

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Original Squishmallows Pikachu 14-inch, £30
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£32.99
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Reason one, it’s giant. Reason two, it’s really squishy. Reason three, it’s Pokémon. Reason four, it’s so cute. Nathaniel, six, Stroud

Football kit

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England football kit, £35.74 with code THREELIONS
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£64.99
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I really want an England football kit because I love England and I love football. Tom, six, Essex

Trendy toys

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Galt slime lab, £16
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£14.99
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Joyin mochi squishy toy set, £9.99
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Squish-a-longs mini-squish-pack of 8, £10
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I love slime and my friend Poppy is getting slime too. I love squishies because they are so sweet. Sophia, eight, Essex

For the great outdoors

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Subea kids’ swimming mask, £24.99
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Flyboo snorkel mask, £20.99
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SwimFin buyonacy aid, £34.10
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Shark fin swimming aid, £9.60
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Jumbo doodle chalk, £4.80
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Giant pavement chalk, £5.76
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I want a snorkel so I can breathe underwater and a plastic fin with a string so it can wrap around my body and point up like a shark. And I’d like some chalk for outside. Chase, six, Yorkshire

Spinning toy

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Beyblade starter kit, £7.99
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Various Beyblades, from £5.45
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I want a Beyblade because they spin! Ava, six, London

New wheels

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Electric ride-on Mercedes GT4 AMG, £129.99
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Various models, from £149
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I want a car that I can drive – with gears! Those are the best things in the car. Oh, but that will be really expensive, won’t it? Fred, six, Kent

For horse lovers

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Squishmallows horse, £21.22
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I want a horse, but if I really can’t have a horse, then I guess a giant Squishmallows one is the next best thing. Fleur, six, Amsterdam

Cosy onesie

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Super Mario onesie, £25.99
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£28.99
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I want a Mario fleece onesie so I look cool and can stay warm after swimming. Harrison, six, Cirencester

Speedy skates

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Olyspm roller skates, £39.99
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I want roller skates and I like these ones because they look really cool. Eva, five, Essex

Hogwarts bedding

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Harry Potter glow-in-the-dark duvet cover and pillowcase, from £22
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Harry Potter reversible duvet cover and pillowcase, £32
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I would like a Harry Potter duvet because I’m obsessed with Harry Potter! Emily, eight, Essex

Animal onesie

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Lion onesie, £16
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£24.99
_amazon.co.uk

I want to be cosy on the sofa, and also be able to pretend I’m a lion when I feel like it. Lila, seven, Bristol

Building imaginations

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Minecraft game for various platforms, from £19.99
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Minecraft: Standard Edition for PC and Mac, £17.20
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I want to build my own secret underground lair! Ezra, seven, Bristol

Rev it up

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Hot Wheels monster truck remote control car, £37.99
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£67
_argos.co.uk

I want a remote-controlled monster truck that goes brrrrummmmm brrruuummmmmm. Zandy, five, London

First mobile device

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VTech KidiZoom device, £44.99
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£45
_argos.co.uk

My older sister has one and I want to take photos on it – it has some games on it too. Thea, five, Essex

Building with dad

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Lego City downtown streetcar and station, £79.99
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£62.99
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I love building Lego with my dad. Oscar, five, Essex

Cuddly Disney character

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Stitch soft toy, £24
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£24.99
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I’m really into Lilo and Stitch. My friends and I love it! Lovisa, seven, Essex

Marble fun

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John Lewis marble run, £20
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Chad Valley marble run, £11.25
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I love playing with the marble run at school. You put the balls in and they go down, down, down – it’s fun. Blake, six, London

Sweet joy

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Choc On Choc chocolate animal making kit, £14.99
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Chocolate lolly making kit, £16.99
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When I go to the Natural History Museum, I like to get a chocolate dinosaur lolly. I looked on the internet with my mum and liked these animal ones. We can make them together at home. Blake, six, London