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
- 1A beginner woodworking kitA birdhouse or a box they cut, sand and nail themselves, with some help. Find one
- 2LEGO TechnicGears and motion, for kids who have outgrown regular sets. Find one
- 3A low-temperature glue gun and a craft binCardboard, sticks and glue will keep a builder busy all winter. Find one
- 4A beginner robotics kitBuilding first, then a little coding to make it move. Find one
For kids who love exploring outside
- 1A set of walkie-talkiesExplorers can go a little farther and still check in. Find one
- 2A kid's tent for backyard campingA night in the yard counts as an adventure. Find one
- 3A beginner fishing rod and tackle boxA reason to spend a whole morning outside. Find one
- 4A digital microscopeThe kind that connects to a tablet, for looking at leaves, bugs and dirt. Find one
For competitive kids
- 1A strategy game you'll actually replay, like Ticket to RideLong enough to plan, short enough for a school night. Find one
- 2A table tennis set that clips to the kitchen tableNo table tennis table needed. Find one
- 3A simple step counter or kids' fitness watchTheir own numbers to beat every day. Find one
- 4A tabletop air hockey or foosball gameTwo players, fast rounds and a lot of rematches. Find one
For kids who love pretend play
- 1A stop-motion animation kitA phone stand and some clay figures go a long way. Find one
- 2A good journal and a nice penFor the stories they don't want to show you yet. Find one
- 3A book series to get lost inSomething with a world they can keep going back to.
- 4A beginner role-playing game setStarter sets are made to teach the rules to a new group. Find one
For kids who love to collect things
- 1A shadow box or display shelfFor the best pieces in the collection. Find one
- 2A beginner coin or stamp collecting kitWith a guide, so they learn what they're looking at. Find one
- 3A label makerCollectors this age want a catalog. Find one
- 4Binoculars and a bird list for your areaA collection they can't lose, and it's free to add to. Find one
For kids who love to sing, dance and perform
- 1A beginner guitar and some lessonsA performer this age is ready for a real instrument.
- 2A phone stand and a small lightFor making videos of their act. Find one
- 3Tickets to a local kids' theater showSeeing kids their age on stage is a big push.
- 4A magic set with a real how-to bookA show they can do anywhere. Find one
For kids who love puzzles and figuring things out
- 1An escape room game in a boxThe Exit and Unlock! series are made for one night at the table. Find one
- 2A 500 to 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzleA puzzle the whole family can chip away at. Find one
- 3A coding robotThe problem is making it do what they want. Find one
- 4A book of logic puzzlesPencil puzzles last a long time. Find one
Not sure how your kid plays?
Most kids are a mix of two Play Types. The quiz takes two minutes, and nothing about your kid is sent anywhere.