Here are some of the hottest Christmas toys this year. The listings are provided by one of the leading online merchants, whose fingers remain constantly on the pulse of consumers.

Take a look through these listings for some great ideas for the ideal toy or game for your child this Xmas.

Of those listed, there are some leaders in the race for this year's Christmas top spot.

For younger children, Learn & Groove from Leapfrog will undoubtedly excite the creative juices. Kids love music and toys that deliver education in a musical environment will always be winners, especially at Christmas.

For the older child, strategy games are always great fun to play with. Settlers of the Catan certainly ticks all of the boxes for an ideal gift this year. Not more so because it is expandable. Once you child has mastered it, they can expand the game and start all over again. Great fun!

The big gimmick this year, and possibly the toy in the biggest demand are the Zhu Zhu pets. These cute little creatures will appeal to kids of all ages.