Amazon Australia reveals the Top 100 toys for Christmas 2025, approved by a team of experts… kids!
At just seven years old, Zai was diagnosed with Stage 4 High-Risk Neuroblastoma, leaving his family devastated. After surgery to remove a tumour from his chest, he began 15 months of intensive treatment. His mum described it as one of the most gruelling experiences a child can face. The side effects were tough, and Zai relied on Starlight and his family to get through long hospital stays. He now takes daily medication to stay cancer-free and has regular scans to monitor his health.
‘Being a Playmaker is awesome because I get to try out some of the coolest toys! The Razor Crazy Cart Shift is so fun. You can drive super-fast and even drift, which makes it feel like you’re in a real race! I also love the Rebounce Game because I’m really into ball games, and this one lets me challenge myself to beat my own score. And Spikeball is like handball but even better!’
At 20 weeks pregnant, George’s parents learned their baby had a heart defect. Born three months early at 27 weeks, he was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a serious heart condition that affects blood flow, oxygen levels and the structure of the heart. George spent 110 days in the NCCU, and hospital visits remain part of his life for ongoing care. Despite this, his big personality shines through, and nothing holds him back. Thankfully during the dark times, Starlight has helped bring moments of joy to the family.
‘My top favourite is the remote control Monster Jam Megalodon! The best part is it can go on water. I don’t have any other remote-control trucks that can do that! The LEGO Advent Calendar is another favourite; I can’t wait for December to open a new LEGO every day and build something awesome. And the soccer ball is great because I LOVE playing soccer with all my neighbours after school!’
The youngest of three girls, Maeve’s world was happy and carefree until everything changed at aged three. When symptoms started presenting, to Maeve’s family complete shock, they found out that a CT scan revealed a large mass located in the cerebellum of her brain. Thankfully, a surgery to remove the tumour was highly successful. When the biopsy results came in, they revealed what the family had feared. Maeve was diagnosed with brain cancer known as Medulloblastoma. She started intense high dose chemotherapy, admitted to hospital for five days for each round of treatment. The treatment left her feeling extremely unwell. With so much of her life filled with hospital, Starlight has helped create vital moments of happiness and given Maeve and her sisters the chance to still socialise and have fun.
‘I’m so excited to be a Playmaker and test the best toys! My favourite toy is the Monster Jam Megalodon. It’s blue and that’s my sister’s favourite colour so I love it.
At the start of 2023, Hudson was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, devastating news that came while mum Brittany was 28 weeks pregnant. Dad Jake stopped work to support Hudson’s early treatment, while Brittany cared for daughter Myla and prepared for baby Koa’s arrival. Living with ADHD, hospital life was overwhelming for Hudson, but Captain Starlights brought joy and distraction through countless tough days of transfusions and lumbar punctures. In March 2025, after two challenging years, Hudson proudly rang the bell to celebrate being cancer-free.
‘Being a Playmaker is the best because I get to play with so many awesome toys! The Transformers are so cool, I’ve wanted one forever! The LEGO Race Car Ramp is amazing, I’d give it 100 out of 10. And the Harry Potter Bitzee is my favourite ever. I love it so much I’m taking it to bed with me!’
At just five weeks old, Arlo was diagnosed with Laryngomalacia, a birth defect which makes breathing and feeding difficult. He relies on a feeding tube and also lives with Autism, ADHD, and sensory processing challenges, visiting the hospital every two months for tube changes. Captain Starlight has brightened his hospital visits, and while fatigue keeps him from full-time school, Arlo loves building LEGO masterpieces, brick by brick.
‘I love my Furby Tie Dye because she’s so cool and interactive, it’s like having another best friend! LEGO is awesome too because I can create so many different things from just one set. And the Marvel Spidey Plush is so much fun because I love dancing along with Spidey and his amazing moves!’
At birth, Ella had issues with her breathing, and her mum Sophia recalls she didn’t even cry. They were immediately transferred to the children’s hospital three hours away, where doctors diagnosed Ella with Laryngomalacia and tracheomalacia – floppy windpipe and paralysis of the vocal cords. At just three months old Ella went through her first life-saving procedure. Amid all the pain, Starlight has helped bring Ella and her family vital moments of joy.
‘My favourite is the Barbie Dreamhouse because it has a slide and it’s soooo fun! I also love the Rainbow Science Kit. The rainbow experiments are so colourful and cool! And the Bratz doll is awesome because I can brush her hair and dress her up in fun clothes!’
Earlier this year, while staying with her grandparents, Elena was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, after a small lump was noticed on her leg. She began chemotherapy and underwent major surgery, including a gastro feeding tube and central line for medication. The experience has been physically and emotionally tough for Elena, who spent nearly four months bedridden, and challenging for her younger brother Victor and their close-knit family in ACT. Amid the pain, Starlight has brought them moments of joy and fun.
‘I loved the Harry Potter Bitzee because it’s really cool and lets you watch movies and play games. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, so it was perfect since I love the books and movies. The Razor Crazy Cart was also amazing, it goes super-fast and you can drive it anywhere, which is so much fun! And the goggles are great too; they protect your eyes from the stingy chlorine.’
Lucie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at just four years old, a week before Christmas. She began eight months of intensive treatment, finding joy in games with her brother and Captain Starlight in the Starlight Express Room. After a relapse in 2020 left her unable to talk or move, Lucie bravely relearned how to speak, walk, and use her limbs. Now, four years post–bone marrow transplant, she’s thriving at school, singing in choir, and exploring her creative passions.
‘UNO is one of my absolute favourites! The No Mercy edition is super fun because you have to use strategy to win. The Harry Potter LEGO Book of Monsters was amazing to build, it took me a couple of hours, but it was so worth it! It’s a great way to focus and be creative. I also love the Bracelet Maker because it lets me be crafty and design bracelets for my friends, which makes it really special and thoughtful.’
