What are Hatchimals and where can I buy them?

Hatchimals have become the 'must have' Christmas toy for children across the country, with frantic parents going to great lengths to get their hands on one in time for Christmas.

Some retailers are already out-of-stock because of high demand.

So what are Hatchimals and more importantly where can you find them?

What are Hatchimals anyway?

Hatchimals, are like a sophisticated hybrid of a Furby and Tamagotchi.

There are two families of Hatchimals — Pengualas and Draggles — and as the names suggest, their look is inspired by penguins, koalas and dragons

All incubate inside an egg, which is how you buy them from a shop.

Once gifted, the Hatchimal will only hatch once it has been played with enough by its owner.

The more the child plays with it, the faster it hatches. Children will be able to teach their Hatchimal how to talk and walk as it grows through three stages: baby, toddler and child.

How much are Hatchimals?

Hatchimals are £59.99 at Toys ‘R’ Us, Argos, The Entertainer and Smyths.

Tesco are selling them for £56.95.

However, demand is so high that parents everywhere are turning toward online sites to buy the toy and pushing up prices.

On eBay, Hatchimals are currently being listed for between £90 to £150.

Are there any left and where can I get them ?

Retailers have now announced that more Hatchimals will soon be hitting their shelves, meaning some children will still be get their new toy on time for Christmas, but competition is high.

The official Hatchimal website has issued a warnig to its customers: "The consumer response to Hatchimals has been extraordinary, exceeding all expectations. Some of our first shipments have already sold out. While additional product will hit retail shelves in November, we anticipate this inventory will also sell out quickly."

"We have increased production and a whole new batch of Hatchimals will be ready to hatch in early 2017. This is a special season and we don’t want anyone to be disappointed, nor do we support inflated prices from non-authorized resellers. We are working on creative solutions to help kids and their parents withstand the wait. In the interim, some retailers are developing pre-sale and/or rain-check programs for redemption in January. We will continue to update with program details as they become available."

The official Hatchimals retailers are Toys ‘R’ Us, Argos, The Entertainer, Tesco and Smyths, but many are running out of stock.

UK parents are sharing information about stock availability on website Playpennies. Click here for the update thread.

According to the Playpennies, Toys ‘R’ Us and Smyths are currently only stocking them in certain stores, while The Entertainer, Argos and Tesco have all sold out completely.

There are still plenty left on eBay, but be prepared to pay the price for your child’s happiness with some Hatchimals selling for as much as £500.

Stocks are limited on Amazon (France) but some Hatchimals are selling from £71, prices are higher on the online retailer UK website with Hatchimals selling from £114.