Once again, the Hatchimal is the Christmas "it" toy not only in Canberra but across the world - and the only place you'll find them is online (often at seriously marked-up prices).

The $100 toy starts as a plastic egg and eventually hatches into a soft and furry baby animal (which is a fusion of two animals, like a Bearakeet or a Penguala) through careful nurturing via an app.

The toy - which has a microphone to hear how often its child owner communicates with it - is sold out in ACT toy stores, and if you're buying online you're too late for Christmas delivery.

Toyworld Fyshwick owner Geoff Morton has been on the phone almost every day trying to secure Hatchimals for his store, only to be told the toys "have all been allocated globally".

"To have a toy this popular for two years running is extremely unusual," Mr Morton said.

It's been a crazy few weeks at Toyworld Fyshwick, where, according to Mr Morton, Christmas-shopping parents are mostly demanding "collectibles" for the girls and "anything that's remote controlled for the boys".

This includes Shopkins and the new LOL Doll collectibles, as well as drones and remote-controlled boats.

Old favourites like Lego and Nerf guns are on top of the wish list for 2017, Mr Morton said, but aside from Hatchimals, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics toys are flying out the door - not because parents want something educational for the kids, but because the kids are loving scientific play.

"There's actually been quite a push - from both parents and kids - this year for STEM and educational products so Meccano, robotics kits, slime-making kits and that sort of thing," Geoff said.

Global toy brands like Play-Doh and Lego are working harder to elbow in on kids' screen time, releasing new holiday toys that blend offline play with technology.

The new Play-Doh Touch toy allows kids to make their own Play-Doh animal and then scan it in and play with a virtual version of their creation via the Play-Doh Touch app.

The new Lego Boost robot kits involve constructing a robot from Lego (there are seven different options) and then coding your robot's movements and noises.

For Mr Morton, whose family has been in the toy business in Canberra since 1924 and whose favourite toy as a child was a set of Matchbox cars, the blend of traditional toys and technology "is inevitable".

"It's good to see kids still involved with traditional products, role play and imaginative play, and not dependent on just screens," he said.

"But there's no doubt screens are here to stay."

If you're like me and you've left your Christmas shopping late, you have zero chance of securing one of the original, bigger Hatchimal eggs in any toy store in Canberra. (You can get the smaller eggs though.) The Hatchimal is the "it" toy worldwide for the second year in a row.

In this hugely popular board game by toy giant Spin Master, the aim is to move your token around the board while bathing the pup in the middle. If he shakes all over you, it's back to the start. (Hot tip: if you can't find this in stores, I have a cheeky pugalier who would happily accept a bath from your kids).

Finally, a board game that incorporates Canberra! The Australian edition of Monopoly features the Australian War Memorial, Questacon and a generic Canberra tile. The highly sought after blue properties are Sydney harbour and the birthplace of Banjo Patterson: Orange NSW. (Orange won the glamour spot after a nation-wide search.)

Drones were huge in Canberra in 2016 according to Mr Morton, but this year there's unprecedented demand for quadcopters - drones with four rotor blades to keep them in the air. Carrera's Quadcopter offers first person view via its own app. Download the app to your phone and place it in the control panel for an instant heads up display. The Carerra quadrocopter also includes "return to home" functionality so if you're worried about flying it into Lake Burley Griffin, don't be.

Tiny little punk babies (think mohawks, flower crowns, Alice in Wonderland dresses) live inside the LOL doll balls, and every ball - about the size of a rockmelon - is a surprise. You can even buy the bath bomb version, and sit and wait for your doll to appear while you soak in the fizz.

No need to head to the National Zoo and Aquarium to pat a tiger - this Christmas you can have your own in the lounge room. Hasbro's Furreal Friend toy of Christmas 2017 is Roarin' Tyler, a tiger who roars back when you roar at him, purrs when you stroke him and has his own rubber duck chew toy. Cuuuuute.

Luke Skywalker's return in this week's brand new Star Wars film, The Last Jedi, has parents nostalgic and kids more engrossed in the space films than ever. Star Wars toys are always popular, according to Mr Morton, and this star destroyer is flying off the shelves.

What are your kids pestering you for this Christmas? Tell us in the comments section below.