Gift ideas · ages 10 to 12
Gifts for 10, 11 and 12 year olds
At 10 to 12, kids can tell a gift that's for little kids from one that takes them seriously. Real tools, harder challenges and things they can do on their own tend to win. Find the kind of play that sounds like your kid and start there.
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For kids who love to build
- 1An Arduino starter kitOur pick: Arduino Starter Kit R4Real code that makes lights blink and motors turn. Find it
- 2A beginner woodworking kitOur pick: Stanley Jr. Build Your Own BirdhouseA birdhouse or a box they cut, sand and nail themselves, with some help. Find it
- 3LEGO TechnicOur pick: LEGO Technic Lunar Outpost Moon Rover (42211)Gears and motion, for kids who have outgrown regular sets. Find it
- 4A low-temperature glue gun and a craft binOur pick: Surebonder Mini Low Temp Glue GunCardboard, sticks and glue will keep a builder busy all winter. Find it
- 5A beginner robotics kitOur pick: Makeblock mBot2Building first, then a little coding to make it move. Find it
For kids who love exploring outside
- 1A hiking daypackOur pick: Osprey Daylite 13LTheir own pack for real trails. Find it
- 2A kids' fishing rodOur pick: Ugly Stik GX2 Youth Spinning ComboA whole morning outside that feels like an adventure. Find it
- 3A set of walkie-talkiesOur pick: Midland T10 two-way radios, pairExplorers can go a little farther and still check in. Find it
- 4A kid's tent for backyard campingA night in the yard counts as an adventure. Find one
- 5A digital microscopeOur pick: Plugable 250x USB Digital MicroscopeThe kind that connects to a tablet, for looking at leaves, bugs and dirt. Find it
For competitive kids
- 1CatanOur pick: Catan, 6th editionTrading, planning and a lot of rematches. Find it
- 2A strategy game you'll actually replay, like Ticket to RideOur pick: Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder)Long enough to plan, short enough for a school night. Find it
- 3A table tennis set that clips to the kitchen tableOur pick: STIGA Retractable Anywhere table tennis setNo table tennis table needed. Find it
- 4A simple step counter or kids' fitness watchOur pick: Garmin vívofit jr. 3Their own numbers to beat every day. Find it
- 5A tabletop air hockey or foosball gameOur pick: GoSports 40-inch tabletop air hockeyTwo players, fast rounds and a lot of rematches. Find it
For kids who love pretend play
- 1A role-playing game starter setOur pick: D&D Starter Set: Heroes of the BorderlandsStarter sets are made to teach a new group of friends. Find it
- 2A stop-motion animation kitOur pick: HUE Animation StudioA phone stand and some clay figures go a long way. Find it
- 3A good journal and a nice penOur pick: Leuchtturm1917 A5 hardcover notebookFor the stories they don't want to show you yet. Find it
- 4A book series to get lost inOur pick: Harry Potter paperback box set, books 1 to 7Something with a world they can keep going back to.
For kids who love to collect things
- 1A display case for their collectionTheir best finds, finally out of the drawer. Find one
- 2A shadow box or display shelfFor the best pieces in the collection. Find one
- 3A beginner coin or stamp collecting kitOur pick: Whitman State Quarters album and 50 coinsWith a guide, so they learn what they're looking at. Find it
- 4A label makerOur pick: DYMO LetraTag 100HCollectors this age want a catalog. Find it
- 5Binoculars and a bird list for your areaOur pick: Celestron Outland X 8x25 binocularsA collection they can't lose, and it's free to add to. Find it
For kids who love to sing, dance and perform
- 1A USB microphoneOur pick: RØDE NT-USB MiniSongs, podcasts and voiceovers with real sound. Find it
- 2A beginner guitarOur pick: Córdoba Protégé C1M, 3/4 sizeA three-quarter size guitar and free video lessons go a long way. Find it
- 3A phone stand and a small lightOur pick: UBeesize 10-inch ring light with tripodFor making videos of their act. Find it
- 4Tickets to a local kids' theater showSeeing kids their age on stage is a big push.
- 5A magic set with a real how-to bookOur pick: Fantasma Most Incredible Show magic setA show they can do anywhere. Find it
For kids who love puzzles and figuring things out
- 1A set of cubes from 2x2 to 5x5Our pick: QiYi 2x2 to 5x5 cube gift boxOnce they've solved one, there's always a harder one. Find it
- 2An escape room game in a boxOur pick: EXIT: The Haunted Roller CoasterThe Exit and Unlock! series are made for one night at the table. Find it
- 3A 500 to 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzleOur pick: Ravensburger The Fantasy Toy Shop, 1,000 piecesA puzzle the whole family can chip away at. Find it
- 4A coding robotOur pick: Makeblock mBot2The problem is making it do what they want. Find it
- 5A book of logic puzzlesOur pick: Puzzle Baron's Kids Logic PuzzlesPencil puzzles last a long time. Find it
Not sure how your kid plays?
Most kids are a mix of two Play Types. The quiz takes two minutes. No account needed, and adding a name is optional.
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Holiday gift lists
Christmas gifts for kids that last past New Year'sChristmasStocking stuffers for kids that actually get usedHolidays
Buying for the grown-ups too? Gifts they'll still own, scored on warranty and repair: for dad, for mom, under $100.
Print it before the partyHalloween Party Games for Kids: picture bingo, a monster hunt and pin the face on the pumpkin. 11 pages, $5.Get the printable →
