PLAY-PROVED BY THE EXPERTS: STARLIGHT KIDS PUT AMAZON AUSTRALIA’S TOP 100 TOYS FOR 2025 TO THE TEST

Eight kids from the Starlight Children’s Foundation across Australia become official toy-testers, the Amazon Playmakers, helping Aussies find the perfect gift for little ones this holiday season

Amazon Australia unveils the hottest toys and trends for 2025, set to be big this Christmas

Sydney, Australia, 23^rd October 2025: Amazon Australia has today unveiled its annual Top 100 Toy List with the hottest toys and trends for the holiday season, with the help of its newest official toy-testers, the Amazon Playmakers, and their big kid at heart Amazon Playmakers Ambassador; John Pearce, also known as the Purple Wiggle.

An annual initiative, Amazon Australia has worked with the Starlight Children’s Foundation for the last seven years to appoint children who have been affected by illness from across the country as Amazon Playmakers. This year eight elite toy-testers were given early access to the Top 100 Toy List to review and rate their favourites - all to help Aussies find the perfect gifts for little ones ahead of the Black Friday sale and festive seasons.

The toys in this year’s Top 100 Toy List have been grouped into six key trends including:

• New-stalgia, bringing retro favorites back to life for a new generation.
• Express Yourself: toys that let kids showcase their personality through customisable art, DIY fashion, and music
• Future Play - these smart, skill-building toys inspire curiosity and creativity. From maths games to strategy puzzles, they make learning fun and future focused.
• Value Play ensures budget-friendly and high-quality options for families looking to save
• Collectables which hones in on the thrill of completing sets, discovering rare items, and engaging with fandoms.
• Game On! As a sport and outdoors loving nation, these toys tap into our obsession with the game - from drifting go-carts to soccer balls.

General Manager of Amazon Australia, Matt Benham, said: “The 2025 Top 100 Toy List celebrates the magic of play in all its forms, with the kids becoming the true authorities, putting every toy to the ultimate test and giving their stamp of approval. Our Amazon Playmakers have done an incredible job, ensuring there's something on the list for all kids across Australia. If you’re shopping for little ones this silly season, you’re guaranteed to find toys that will be well received on our Top 100 List, thanks to the expertise and careful reviews from our Playmaker aficionados”.

Louise Baxter, Chief Executive Officer, Starlight Children's Foundation said, "Starlight is excited to again be partnering with Amazon Australia to give seriously ill children the opportunity to become Amazon Playmakers and test the Top 100 toys for this Christmas. I know just how much joy toys can bring to kids facing treatment. Seeing their faces light up as they play and giving them a chance to be a child, even for a moment, is what Starlight is all about. A huge thanks to Amazon for making this experience possible."

"When a child is seriously ill, they face unimaginable challenges, especially at Christmas time when they can be separated from family and friends. At Starlight we know happiness truly matters to seriously ill children and being part of the Amazon Playmakers campaign, bringing joy and happiness to these children and their families at a really important time of year, makes it really special." 

Purple Wiggle and Amazon Playmaker Ambassador, John Pearce said, "I had so much fun working with Amazon Australia and the amazing team at Starlight Children’s Foundation.  Children deserve to be children and not have to deal with illness and hospitals. The smiles on their faces as we tested Amazons top 100 toys was priceless. It’s amazing the joy it brings to the families during these challenging times so I am grateful and privileged to be able to share these moments and contribute to bring joy and happiness”.

Playmaker, Zai, 10, from NSW, discusses his role as an Amazon Playmaker, “I’m SO excited to be a Playmaker! I love toys and testing them all day was so much fun - especially getting to meet the Purple Wiggle! Toys are the best because whenever I’m bored, they make me feel happy and excited again. My favourite toy is UNO Show ‘Em No Mercy Card Game”.

More on the 2025 top toy trends on Amazon.com.au:

New-stalgia: Nostalgia is making a big comeback as beloved toys from decades past find new life with a modern twist. From Tamagotchis to Care Bears and Transformers, retro favorites are being relaunched to capture the hearts of a new generation while sparking fond memories for parents:

• Barbie Dreamhouse
• Polly Pocket Barbie Dreamhouse
• Connect 4 shots

Express yourself: Inspired by digital spaces like TikTok where creativity and personalisation are the norm, kids are looking for the same freedom offline. They’re drawn to toys and activities that showcase their personality and style - from customisable art kits to DIY fashion and music - turning playtime into a platform for self-expression:

• Kinetic Sand Sandbox Set
• Cool Maker PopStyle Bracelet Maker
• LEGO DUPLO Big Interactive Community Train Set

Future Play: As technology reshapes how we work and live, it’s also transforming how kids learn and play. From interactive pets and dolls to maths games, STEM kits, and strategy puzzles, these experiences blend fun with future-ready skills, nurturing problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking from an early age.

• BABY born Annabell 43cm Baby Doll
• Hatchimals Alive, Mystery Hatch Tigrette
• VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch Max

Value Play: Affordable fun doesn’t mean compromising on quality. These, toys spark learning, creativity, and imagination - all without stretching the budget. Perfect for families looking for budget-friendly options ahead of the holidays, Value Play toys deliver endless fun and enriching experiences for kids:

• Mattel Games Scrabble Junior Kids Crossword Game
• Hurry Up Chicken Butt
• Ravensburger Blue Let’s Do This Puzzle

Collectables: This trend taps into the thrill of completing a set, discovering rare items, and engaging with fandom communities. Collectible toys encourage imaginative play, storytelling, and social interaction, turning playtime into both a personal adventure and a shared experience:

• Furby Tie Dye
• Bratz Scorchin' Cloe
• Peppa Pig Peppa's Big Family House Playset

Game On:  As Australia’s love affair with sport continues this year, from the Lions tour to the NRL and AFL finals, Supercars and golf – sport is set to fuel kids’ play. From cricket sets to footies and bikes, sports toys bring the action home, encouraging active play and big celebrations:

• Aerobie Sonic Bounce Ball
• Mitre Nova 24 Soccer Ball, Size 5, Yellow
• Razor Crazy Cart Shift Electric Drifting Go Kart, Blue One Size

The full Amazon Australia Top 100 Toy List and 2025 Trends can be viewed at www.amazon.com.au/playmakers2025.

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*Products subject to availability and subject to change.

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About Amazon Australia

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

Amazon.com.au has proudly supported the Starlight Children’s Foundation for the seven years it has operated in Australia, donating more than $600,000 along with all the toys tested by the Playmakers.

About Starlight Children’s Foundation

Starlight Children's Foundation brightens the lives of seriously ill and hospitalised children and young people by replacing pain, fear and stress with fun, joy and laughter. Since its establishment in 1988, Starlight has expanded to become the broadest reaching children’s charity in Australia and has been consistently ranked as one of Australia's most reputable children’s charities in Reptrak’s Charity Reputation Index. Starlight has also been recognised as a Great Place to Work over the years. There is a Starlight Express Room is every major children’s hospital around Australia. In 2024, Starlight created over 4.4 million positive Starlight experiences for children, teenagers and their families, and Captain Starlight brought fun and laughter to 115 hospitals and 125 remote communities. Starlight also granted 491 wishes in 2024, and almost 170,000 online sessions on interactive platform Planet Starlight www.starlight.org.au