Parents are racing the calendar and the cost of living, hunting stress-free wins that slip into stockings without draining wallets.
This week brings a fresh chance to bank small, smile-raising gifts without the panic. Lidl is lining up Bluey favourites at pocket-money prices, just as lists grow and budgets tighten.
Bluey at Lidl: what, when and how much
From Thursday 30 October, Lidl stores add a line-up of Bluey toys aimed squarely at stockings and party bags. The headliner is a 20cm Bluey soft toy for £5.99, with a matching Bingo plush for the same age group of three and over. Alongside the cuddlies sit compact playsets and vehicles that slide under the £10 mark, giving parents room to breathe without losing the magic.
In store from 30 October, the 20cm Bluey plush is £5.99, with all other Bluey playsets and vehicles under £10.
The range mixes tactile cuddles with small-world play. That balance lets children switch between comfort and make-believe while you keep a firm grip on the budget. Here are the headline items:
- Bluey soft toy, 20cm — £5.99
- Bingo soft toy, 20cm — £5.99
- Bluey family figure playset (Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, Chilli) — under £10
- Farmer’s Market playset — under £10
- Unipony Ride playset — under £10
- Ice Cream Shop playset — under £10
- Bingo’s Helicopter vehicle — under £10
- Bandit’s Beach Quad and Bluey in his green truck — under £10 each
Why this lands well for your Christmas list
Gift lists swell while prices nibble at pay packets. Sets that stay under a tenner help you say yes more often, without storing up a bigger bill for December. They also keep the wow-factor for younger children who value characters they know over sheer size.
Price points that make sense
£5.99 for a licensed 20cm plush is a rare fit for stockings. It’s big enough to cuddle but small enough to wrap around other bits. With the rest sitting below £10, you can match one soft toy to one playset and still come in under £20 for a tidy two-gift bundle.
Mix one £5.99 plush with one sub-£10 playset to build a complete Bluey moment for less than £20.
Stocking fillers that still feel special
Small doesn’t need to feel throwaway. Wrap each item separately. Add a sweet treat or a handwritten “coupon” for a movie night. Space the unwrapping so children savour each piece rather than blitzing through in a minute.
What else shares the aisle
The Bluey bay isn’t arriving alone. Lidl is also putting character buys nearby, handy if siblings fancy different shows or you’re splitting gifts across cousins and classmates.
- Gabby’s Dollhouse Squishis in seven characters, including Cakey Cat and Pandy Paws
- Gabby’s Dollhouse playset, play tunnel and play tent
- Christmas annuals for different ages, spanning Cocomelon and Crayola to Roblox, Fortnite, Squishmallows and Taylor Swift
That spread helps you cover mixed tastes in one run, reducing postage fees and cutting time lost to last-minute dashes.
The Bluey line at a glance
| Item | Size | Price | Age guide | In stores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluey soft toy | 20cm | £5.99 | 3+ | From 30 October |
| Bingo soft toy | 20cm | £5.99 | 3+ | From 30 October |
| Family figure playset (Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, Chilli) | Small figures | Under £10 | 3+ | From 30 October |
| Farmer’s Market, Unipony Ride, Ice Cream Shop playsets | Compact sets | Under £10 each | 3+ | From 30 October |
| Bingo’s Helicopter, Bandit’s Beach Quad, Bluey in green truck | Vehicles | Under £10 each | 3+ | From 30 October |
Smart shopping: timing, hiding and stretching
Timing and tactics
Go early in the week and early in the day. Character drops move fast when prices sit below £10. Scan middle-aisle ends first, then the toy run. Keep a two-minute list on your phone so you don’t double-buy when nerves kick in.
Hiding in plain sight
Wrap gifts as soon as you get home, but leave labels off. Stash them in plain boxes, on top of wardrobes, under the bed or inside suitcases. Snap a quick photo and name the hiding spot in your notes app so you don’t mix up gifts come Christmas Eve.
Make every pound travel farther
Match one character toy to one practical extra: a book, crayons or a craft pack. Rotate presents over the holidays rather than handing them all over on day one. That spreads delight and reduces the itch for another shopping trip.
Safety and suitability
Most of the range targets children aged three and over. Check for small parts on playsets and vehicles if you’ve got toddlers in the mix. Keep packaging until you’ve checked pieces against the instructions, then recycle what you can.
Why Bluey toys punch above their price
Characters from the show act as anchors for pretend play. A plush Bluey comforts at bedtime and rides in the car. A tiny Ice Cream Shop fuels stories about waiting, sharing and manners. The learning sits inside the fun, so you’re not paying extra for a label alone.
Bluey sets help kids practise real-life moments — queuing, helping, taking turns — through bite-sized, repeatable play.
Extra ways to squeeze value from the haul
Keep one or two sub-£10 sets aside for January birthdays or party invites. If your child loves setting up scenes, combine two small playsets to build a larger world on a shoebox lid. Add dry pasta as “market goods” or pompoms as “ice cream scoops” to extend play without new buys.
For care and longevity, surface-clean the plush with a damp cloth and mild soap, then air dry. Store tiny accessories in a labelled zip bag. If something doesn’t suit, hold onto the receipt; returning promptly keeps choices open if your child changes their mind after the first unwrap.
Saving grace for stockings! I’ll be at Lidl early doors on 30 Oct—those £5.99 Bluey/Bingo plushes plus a sub-£10 playset makes a neat under-£20 bundle. Love the tip to wrap separately and stretch gifts over the holidays. Also keeping the packaging till I’ve checked the tiny bits—learnt that the hard way last year. This is definitley the kind of price point that lets me say yes without the January bill sting.