39 best gifts and toys for 10

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We’ve rounded up the best gifts for babies, toddlers and kindergarteners, now we’re bringing you a gift guide for the first year of a child's double digits — 10-year-olds!

Also known as "tweens," 10-year-olds are just a few years away from their teenage years and refining their interests every day, making gift-giving the perfect time to capitalize on their newfound interests and passions.

Whether you’re a parent looking for a few new toys and games to change things up during playtime or a family friend who has no idea what to buy a 10-year-old for their next birthday party, we’ve rounded up the best options according to toy experts, librarians and even a few recommendations from real-life moms, to make things easier.

Since "besties" are prominent during this age, finding gifts that they can share with their friends is always a plus, too. Board games, collaborative crafts, LEGOs are all great avenues to go in.

"They’re starting to spend more time with their friends and a bit less time with their parents, and their activities reflect this shift. 10-year-olds engage in a range of activities with their friends, from organized sports to video games to hanging out and talking," Dr. Katie Davis, Associate Professor at the University of Washington Information School, Director of the UW Digital Youth Lab and author of "Technology's Child: Digital Media's Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up," told the New York Post.

By age 10 they’re ready for more sophisticated board games, read on their own, work independently on school projects and can figure out how to fix mistakes without talking to mom or dad but it's important to note that not every child's development grows at the same speed.

"Some 10-year-olds are on the cusp of early adolescence, whereas others are very much still doing things they did at 8 and 9-years-old," Davis said. "Some 10-year-olds will be happy playing with the toys of their younger siblings; others will be more interested in leaving behind their childhood toys for activities and toys (though they may not call them ‘toys’) they associate with tweens and teens."

The following gifts have all been hand-picked by experts, so rest assure you’re in good hands to find the perfect gift they’ll love. For more information about the 10-year-old age group, make sure to check out the in-depth FAQ section at the bottom of the article. For now, let's get to the gifts!

To shop this gift guide by category, simply click on a specific section below:

For the 10-year-old in your life who loves robots and building them, this is the perfect gift for their passions.

"The Code and Control Robo Dozr combines building play with STEM play. First, kids build a robotic bulldozer, and then they use the remote to program the Dozr. For kids who are new to coding, this is a great introduction," Laurie Leahey, Senior Editor at TTPM (Toys, Toys, Pets and More), who has been reviewing toys for more than 17 years said.

CrunchLabs is a toy subscription box for kids, designed by former NASA engineer and YouTuber Mark Rober.

"This monthly subscription provides a STEM toy that the child can build while being introduced to engineering concepts. It is great for this age range to begin learning about how things work while having a fun time building and playing with the toy. Some examples of what they build are: a fly-wheel disc thrower, a coin spinner and tripwire," Christina Geraci, mother of 10-year-old son, Brett, told the New York Post.

Maddie Michalik, Assistant Manager of Content & Digital Communications at The Toy Association, is a fan of the National Geographic Magnetic Marble Run.

"Kids can learn about engineering and physics on any magnetic surface as they use 75 pieces, including spinners, catapults, and funnels, to create the ultimate marble run. The Rube Goldberg machine-style of play adds an extra fun factor as kids run different combinations and try to get their marbles to the end of their maze," Michalik said.

For the science and superhero obsessed 10-year-olds, this is the ideal gift.

"Kids will learn all about pneumatics and engineering by building their own air-powered glove that launches safe foam darts. Not only is this a fun outdoor toy, but since kids build it themselves, they’ll know all about how it works," Michalik told The Post.

This STEM toy is giving us serious "Iron Man" vibes!

If he or she loves music or wants to learn an instrument, you can't go wrong with this no-stress drum kit.

"The Roll Up Drump Pad lets kids drum wherever they go. It runs on batteries or can be plugged in with a USB cable. It's got nine drumming points, and the rubber surface is very responsive and pleasant to tap. Kids can also play along to one of seven different rhythms and change between seven different drum styles," Leahey said.

If your child inevitably loves TikTok or making videos on your phone, consider getting them this RukusFX device.

"Make and mix music with RukusFX, a music game best suited to musically inclined and active kids and teens. Kids might have seen this on TikTok! Control the music using four basic movements. It comes with 120 built-in songs, 80 sound effects, and the ability to load your favorite music and record your performances," Leahey said.

"Mind the Gap is a really fun game for kids, parents, and grandparents! This trivia board game tests what you know about TV, movies, music, pop culture, slang/slogans, and headlines from four generations. Kids will love turning this game into a kids versus adults competition," Leahey recommended.

Hello game night!

"This is both a card game and a dodgeball game and the kids find it hilarious. You have to collect matching sets of cards faster than your opponents while simultaneously ducking, dodging and throwing squishy burritos. It is simple to play as well," Geraci said.

For even more fun, Michalik recommends the extra-large "Extreme" version of this toy for outdoor fun.

"​​What's more fun than throwing massive inflatable burritos at your friends? This is an outdoor, oversized version of the original dodgeball game Throw Throw Burrito," Michalik said.

For the little guy or gal who enjoys craft time and puzzles, consider the de.bored puzzle collectable sets.

"This three-pack puzzle set includes three individual puzzles that kids can piece together, then combine them all to create a beautiful panoramic scene. Once it's all together, [they] can hang up the artwork in their rooms," said Michalik.

No, this is not an adult board game article! This totally kid-friendly card game is designed for game nights — full of layered innuendos to get the whole family laughing.

"Kids Against Maturity turns raunchy fill-in-the-blank-style card games into family-friendly fun. It's filled with toilet humor for kids and witty innuendos for parents. All you have to do is play the funniest card that fills in the blank to earn a card, and the player with the most cards wins," Leahey said.

Geraci's son is a big fan of the Humphrey series.

"In this book set, for 7-10 year olds, the children can follow the adventures of a class pet hamster. The stories are humorous with Humphrey often breaking out of his age and having adventures, but also teach stories about friendship and kindness," Geraci said.

Calling all mini chefs!

"This graphic novel is a tantalizing read for kid foodies (and there are a lot of them thanks to the popularity of shows like ‘The Great British Bakeoff’)," said Liv Hanson, Content Curator for Youth Materials at Chicago Public Library. "Cooking allows [main character] Cici to celebrate her culture while exploring differences while a budding friendship with her cooking competition partner provides Cici with a foil for exploring family expectations versus individual dreams. In the same vein of the ‘Babysitter's Club,’ a tween girl's exploration of her interests leads her to supportive friendships and a growing sense of self."

If your little guy or gal is a fan of "Harry Potter" books, this is the next best thing.

"The first book in the hottest new fantasy series that combines the best parts of ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Men in Black.’ Follow Amari as she is invited to join the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs and her personal quest to locate her missing brother — this book is an action-packed page turner," said Kevin Kelley, Associate Director for School-Age Programs and Services at the New York Public Library.

For kids who enjoy wordplay and hip hop, look no further than Simon B. Rhymin’.

"Simon might love to rhyme, but he's actually pretty shy when it comes to speaking up," Hanson said. "When he's asked to give an oral presentation on an issue affecting his community, he's not sure if he can say it, but maybe he can rap it? This is a funny and empowering story about a kid figuring out how to use his talents to speak up for the things that matter to him."

For the outer space fanatic, "The Postman From Space" is the next book to gift.

"A charming graphic novel featuring Bob the postman who is content to deliver his packages to his regular customers on their regular planets. When Bob's routine is interrupted by five deliveries to five planets he's never visited before he must figure out how to see the bright side of his situation. Fun influences from ‘The Little Prince,’ this translated graphic novel has something for the whole family," Kelley said.

Combine geography and cooking into one with the "United Tastes of America" cookbook.

"A personal favorite of mine. A map-based book of child friendly recipes featuring signature dishes from all 50 states (plus Washington D.C., and the two American territories!). Families will have a blast reading all about the states and trying out recipes from across the country — and going on journeys to the past with recipes from where their families may have lived in the past," Kelley said.

"With 764 pieces and an age range of 7 and up, this is a terrific set for this age range to build and the train is even able to move with a remote! It takes several hours to put together and children can learn to follow instructions," Geraci said.

Geraci's son also loves playing with the LEGO Millennium Falcon. "Great for ‘Star Wars’ fans, this is a detailed build that opens up to the inside of the ship and contains character figures! For 9 years and up, this keeps the kids off of screens for hours! Then they can play with the ship when it's finished!" She said.

This gift guide would not be complete without LEGOs — the perfect gift for many ages.

"LEGO makes so many great construction toys for a variety of ages. The BrickHeadz lineup is a lot of fun, allowing kids to build a stylized figure, including figures of some of their favorite movie and TV characters, such as Baby Yoda and ‘Harry Potter,'" Leahey said.

"This special edition set features iconic Disney characters that kids can build and then display. It includes Oswald, Disney's first character, Mickey Mouse, the first Disney animated character, Snow White, the star of Disney's first feature film, and Tinker Bell, the first Disneyland mascot," Michalik added.

Does the 10-year-old in your life love Pokemon? If so, this is the gift for them.

"Pokémon continues to be one of the most popular brands for kids, and now kids can build some of their favorite characters. Using more than 800 pieces, Eevee comes to life, standing 11-inches (almost life-size!) with its iconic long ears, furry tail, and cute smile," Michalik said.

"This sleek and fast RC car is sturdy and incredibly fun to race around with friends outside. It even has working headlights and taillights," Geraci said of one of her son's favorite ride-on toys.

For the girls and guys who collect Hot Wheels, consider the id Smart Track as their next birthday or Christmas gift.

"Kids can race exclusive Hot Wheels die-cast cars on the fast track that contains a loop. The car connects to a digital version on the Hot Wheels ID App – so that when they race the car in real life, they can also race it on the App," Geraci said.

Squishmallows are popular among many ages and while 10-year-olds may start to think they’re too old to carry around a plush, they’ll be comfy and cozy for bedtime!

"For kids of any age, you can't go wrong with Squishmallows. There are so many fun styles to collect, and all of them are super soft and huggable," Leahey said.

"These super soft plush toys are everywhere lately! Each one has a different design, theme and name and some collections are made after different food items. My son loves to cuddle with them and take them everywhere," Geraci said.

"Mushrooms are one of the stars of 2023, emerging from ‘cottagecore’ culture that is popular on social media," Michalik said.

Kids can collect up to 12 characters to complete their collection!

"These 1-inch-tall collectibles are irresistibly cute and have a squishy feel, giving this toy an extra fun fidget factor," Michalik said.

Characters include Cinderella, Stitch from "Lilo & Stitch," Mike from "Monsters Inc.," Cogsworth from "Beauty and the Beast" and more surprise Doorables.

"Miniverse Make it Mini Food Cafe Series and Diner Series offers a surprise unboxing with DIY play. Kids get to use pretend food ingredients to create mini replicas of favorite foods: milkshakes, pancakes, cereal, etc. They’re fun to collect and display, but these also become great accessories for dolls or action figures," said Leahey.

For the 10-year-olds who love coloring and art time, consider the Crayola Art with Edge coloring books.

"A step-up from younger kids’ coloring books, Art with Edge titles are more sophisticated and have a cool-factor to them. These premium coloring pages vary with different styles, including Sugar Skulls, Zombie Daze, Graffiti, Batman, Marvel, Star Wars, and more," Michalik said.

If you ask us, anything slim-like is probably going to be well liked by any child.

"Kids love collecting all the different styles and colors of Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty. It's super tactile and fun to squish, snap, and bounce. Kids and adults won't want to stop fidgeting with this cool putty," Leahey said.

The Make It Real 5 in 1 Activity Tower is perfect for kids who like making their own jewelry.

"This arts and crafts kit comes with the tools needed to make five different bracelet styles, including the classic friendship bracelet. Plus, the tower doubles as storage space for kids’ creations," Leahey said.

For the little dreamers, gift them this cute dream catcher kit.

"This craft is one that kids’ will definitely want to hang up in their rooms once it's finished. First, kids will create a lunar-shaped dream catcher, then decorate it with lights," said Michalik.

Both Leahey and Michalik raved about this scooter!

"Kids who like to ride scooters will really like the Valor Kick Scooter. It's a full-size scooter that can hold up to 220 pounds, but once kids get to school, they can fold up the scooter for easy storage under a desk or in a locker," Leahey said.

"This ride is designed specifically for kids to store and take with them on the go. Kids can ride around this full-size scooter around, and then fold it up to fit into a locker or backpack when it's not in use," Michalik said.

While you’ll definitely want to keep the kids outside with this one, they’ll be so happy you surprised them with this gift once you see the smiles on their faces.

"If kids are tired of foam dart blasters, check out the Gel Blaster Starfire Glow in the Dark Gellet Blaster. The gellets start out as small pellets that hydrate and grow ten times their original size. The installed barrel fires at 175 fps, which offers a powerful blasting experience. Plus, the gellets glow in the dark," Leahey said.

Upgrade throwing a football or baseball around with Koosh.

"The Original Koosh Flix Stix is a twist on the classic game of catch. The object is to pass the Koosh ball back and forth with the included lacrosse-style sticks. This offers outdoor and active fun for the whole family," said Leahey.

Ahead of warmer weather, stock up on these Light Up Ski Rockets.

"These rockets are launched by stomping on the foot pump. It sends the rocket flying super high and they even light up! Perfect toy for a summer night. This set is also educational because it comes with a detailed learning guide with experiments and insights into the physics of motion and aerodynamics," said Geraci.

If you’re celebrating a big milestone and don't mind spending a pretty penny on your son or daughter's gift, Geraci raved about this Razor Dirt Quad 500.

"This quad has a powerful motor and can go off-road. It is the perfect size for 9-10 year olds and can go very fast, so make sure [your child] wears a helmet! The quad has a rechargeable battery as well," Geraci told The Post. "Brett will ride this around his grandparent's backyard for hours."

Created by a NFL legend, if the 10-year-old in your life loves playing football, this will be great for the beach, yard, playground and more.

"Endorsed by NFL player Russel Wilson, this toy brings a new spin to the classic football. It has a hollow core and gyroscopic design so kids can send it soaring farther," Michalik said.

Biking is not only fun for 10-year-olds to do with their friends but also a great form of exercising, too.

"Available in a single-speed and a 7-speed model, the Koda 2 Plus 20″ bikes offer a lot of bang for their buck," said Natalie Martins, owner of the kids’ bike review site, Two Wheeling Tots, who has been reviewing kids’ bikes and scooters for more than a decade. "With comfortable kid geometry, great durability and performance for a low price, you can't go wrong with the Koda."

"These playmobil sets are great because they can be used by a wide range of ages, so this is a perfect toy to play with when his younger cousins want to come over. Brett will use his imagination and use the figurines to make up a story, having the figures explore space or put out a fire! The possibilities are endless and it is some good old fashioned fun," Geraci said.

For fans of Twilight Daycare game, they’ll love these dolls.

"This collection of collectible baby dolls are based on the super popular ‘Twilight Daycare’ game within ‘Roblox.’ Each also comes with a code that kids can redeem in the game," Michalik said.

"From the screen to kids’ hands, all of these sets in this collection are based on the Minecraft video game. Kids can build just like they do within the game with familiar characters and locations," Michalik said.

Right on brand, Dr. Davis recommended anything and everything related to Minecraft for the perfect gift for 10-year-olds.

Ahead, our team of child development experts provide insight into the 10-year-old age group and what defines playtime at this stage.

Please note, the following responses are attributed to Dr. Davis.

"At 10, children are starting to make an important pivot from mostly concrete forms of thinking to more abstract thought," Davis said. "Their interior lives become increasingly complex as they develop their ability to engage in ‘what if’ forms of thinking. Both their fine and gross motor skills are developing rapidly, which can be seen in their handwriting (fine motor) and sports playing (gross motor)."

"At 10, play continues to [have] an important role in cognitive and motor development. Often, it's more rule-based than in early childhood. Kids are doing important work as they play," Davis explained. "They’re developing social skills, abstract reasoning, their sense of what's right and wrong, what's fair and unfair. They’re also learning to regulate their emotions if the play experience doesn't go their way, for instance, if they lose a board game or soccer match."

"10-year-olds are going to be most engaged with toys that let them demonstrate their rapidly developing cognitive and motor skills," Davis said. "When it comes to cognitive skills, video games like Minecraft and Roblox fit the bill. For motor skills, 10-year-olds can often be seen with some type of sports equipment, whether a soccer ball, a tennis racquet, or a hockey stick."

"Children with developmental issues often benefit from additional supports, such as representing content in multiple forms (e.g., visually as well as through text). These supports can either be built into the toy, or they can be surrounding the play experience, such as a sibling or parent who provides guidance," Davis told The Post.

"In light of their quickly developing skills, 10-year-olds may sometimes want to explore spaces and content, whether online or offline, that they’re not quite ready for," Davis said. "Parents have an important role to play in helping to find a balance between exploration and safety. This balance will vary from child to child."

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