Despite it only being September at the time of writing this article, the ominous shadow of Christmas looms large. In a truly modern tradition, the first festive adverts have aired on TV earlier than ever before and soon the children of this country will be hit with the motherload of targeted toy temptation.

This article will give parents a heads-up as to what toys and games will be big this Christmas season and, hopefully, will offer parents the chance to avoid at least some of the Christmas shopping madness that will soon be inflicted on the high street.

1. My Keepon - A dancing android sent from the future, designed to entertain your kids. He responds to touch, craves attention and has the amazing ability to pick up the beat of any music and dance in time to it. Essentially, the Furby 2.0.

2. Air Swimmers - These remote controlled fish literally swim through the air, and are one of the most innovative toys to appear on the market in a long time. They have to be seen to be believed. May well be one of the gifts you initially bought for your children, but your child ends up having to fight you for it. Recommended office purchase.

3. Experience Days - There are a plethora of gift experiences available to purchase for children. Some of the options include; a recording studio session for the budding musician, indoor skydiving and safari 4x4 experiences .

4. Lalaloopsy Dolls - Crumbs Sugar Cookie and Jewel Sparkles return, reincarnated with amazingly styleable hair. Their locks can be straightened, twisted, curled and bent into a huge variety of styles. They each come with a pet who has a styleable tail ready for accessorising.

5. Moshi Monsters - Kids have been playing Moshi Monsters online since 2008, and now the brand have released a physical version of the web sensations. In total, there are 30 mini Moshlings to collect, each with different looks and personality.

6. Power Wheels Dune Buggy - This mini-quad bike can fit two children onboard, hits a top speed of 5mph and is suitable for offroad action on grass dirt and gravel. It has storage for all the essentials and is perfect for little explorers.

7. Nerf Vertex-Vigilon - This is the essential upgrade for any imaginary outerspace battle held inside the mind of your child. The foam disks fly up to 50ft and the gun is quick to reload. This toy is suitable for children aged 8+.

Kids these days have a selection of toys that is a far cry from what most parents had for Christmas i.e. a satsuma and a ball-in-a-cup.

A lot of the toys available today will keep you entertained for as long as your children, if not for longer. So be sure to enjoy the festive season, and the month-long January hangover that inevitably follows. Merry Christmas!