Gift ideas · ages 7 to 9

Gifts for 7, 8 and 9 year olds

Between 7 and 9, kids want to get good at something. They'll stick with a hobby, a set of rules or a big project if it matches how they like to play. Find the kind of play that sounds like your kid and start there.

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For kids who love to build

  • 1A big mixed bin of LEGO, not a single setA set gets built once. A bin gets built a hundred different ways. Find one
  • 2A kid-sized real tool kitA real hammer, screwdriver and tape measure, used with a grown-up. Find one
  • 3A gear or K'NEX building setMoving parts give a builder a new kind of problem to solve. Find one
  • 4Cardboard building connectors, like MakedoEvery delivery box becomes a building project. Find one

All ages for a Builder

For kids who love exploring outside

  • 1Kid binocularsSmall, light and made to be dropped. Find one
  • 2A compass and a map of a park you go toLet them lead the way on the next walk. Find one
  • 3A headlampHands free for backyard nights and camping. Find one
  • 4A field journal and colored pencilsFor drawing and writing down what they found. Find one

All ages for an Explorer

For competitive kids

  • 1A chess set, and then teach themIt's the classic for a reason. Winning takes thinking, not luck. Find one
  • 2A door-mounted basketball hoopKeeps score all winter. Find one
  • 3A speed card game, like Blink or Dutch BlitzFast, loud and good for a kid who likes to win. Find one
  • 4A jump rope and a chart for their recordCompeting against yourself is a skill too. Find one

All ages for a Competitor

For kids who love pretend play

  • 1Blank comic booksThey write the story and draw it. Find one
  • 2A fort-building kitClips and poles that turn blankets into a castle. Find one
  • 3Rory's Story CubesRoll the dice and tell a story with the pictures. Find one
  • 4A kids' cameraFor making their own movies and photo stories. Find one

All ages for a Storyteller

For kids who love to collect things

  • 1A binder with card sleevesFor cards, stickers or anything flat. Find one
  • 2A field guide for birds, bugs or rocksCollecting gets better when they know what they found. Find one
  • 3A rock tumblerIt's loud and runs for days, so choose the spot. Polished rocks are worth it. Find one
  • 4A coin folder for quartersChecking your change becomes a daily hunt. Find one

All ages for a Collector

For kids who love to sing, dance and perform

  • 1A ukuleleSmall, not expensive, and a few chords go a long way. Find one
  • 2A Bluetooth speaker with a microphoneKaraoke at home. Find one
  • 3A keyboard with headphonesThe headphones are for you. Find one
  • 4A dance class or a dance video gameSomewhere to learn real moves. Find one

All ages for a Performer

For kids who love puzzles and figuring things out

  • 1Gravity Maze from ThinkFunA building puzzle with challenge cards that get tricky. Find one
  • 2A beginner electronics kit, like Snap CircuitsReal circuits with no soldering. Find one
  • 3A Rubik's cube and a beginner guideLearning the method is the puzzle. Find one
  • 4Wooden brain teasersSmall enough to keep in the car. Find one

All ages for a Puzzler

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.

Gifts for one age

Other ages

Gifts for 4, 5 and 6 year oldsAges 4 to 6Gifts for 10, 11 and 12 year oldsAges 10 to 12

Made by a dad of three. Ideas and picks are chosen by hand, and nobody pays to be on this site. Game ratings come from the ESRB and the App Store, so check anything yourself before saying yes.Also from the same dad: Nightlight, tonight's dinner and bedtime in three taps, and Halftime, for when the day gets away from you.