'˜Unboxing' toy named as most wanted Xmas present for 2017

L.O.L Big Surprise Ball is expected to be the UKs No 1 toy this Christmas. Picture: Contributed

Now a £60 “mega” version of the collectible L.O.L Big Surprise Ball, which holds 50 toys inside packages stored in a giant ball which youngsters have to open, has been named as the top most wanted toy for Christmas.

The toy, which is the bigger sister of the L.O.L Surprise Ball, is followed by classics such as Lego and My Little Pony merchandise, which are also tipped to be best sellers over the festive season. Since being launched in March this year, the smaller version of the ball, which features seven layers of surprises, has achieved over a half million sales in the UK alone.

Unboxing is the unpacking of new products, where the process is captured on video and uploaded to channels such as YouTube.

It has become increasingly popular in recent months, with children’s toys being a particularly

Marguerite Hunter Blair, chief executive of Play Scotland, said parents could make their own version of the ball in the style of pass the parcel.

She said: “The excitement is in the unwrapping of this toy. I would suggest that you do not have to pay a lot of money to get that excitement and it is worth reminding parents of that. You could create your own pass the parcel game with something small in between the layers.

“The money could be put towards something which children will play with for a longer time and which can be passed down to younger children.”

Other toys tipped to be on the must-have list this Christmas were a six pack of Marvel Titan Hero series figures from Guardians of the Galaxy, a Lego City Police Station and a Fisher Price robot, which encourages young children to move their bodies.

Meanwhile, a Num Noms Nail Polish Maker which allows children to create their own scented nail polish, a Paw Patrol Sea Patroller toy and the latest in the Nerf gun range, the Nerf Modulus Regulator, which features three different firing modes, have also made the top ten list.

Tesco senior toy buying manager Garry Lawford said: “It’s the information parents across the UK have been waiting to hear – the must-have toy that many kids will be hoping to get their hands on for Christmas from Santa.

“We know that picking the right toys for kids at this time can be like the real nightmare before Christmas for many parents, and so our team of experts wanted to offer their help and expertise in helping find what we believe will be the right present.” He added: “While the Big Surprise sits on top of our top ten list there are other toys for kids of all ages – and the good news is that this year’s selection is less reliant on technical innovation, and more to do with getting children to use their imagination.”