Play Type

Collector kids: how they play and what to try

Needs the whole set.

Gift ideas for a Collector

· Quiz another kid

Remind me beforeor

Try tonight

A sticker or card binder with a checklist.

Halloween for a CollectorA bug collector costume, and the great candy sort on Halloween night.See the costume

What it looks like

Collectors sort, catalog and complete. They know exactly which card is missing, they line things up, and finishing a set feels amazing to them.

Give them sets that finish and a way to show them off.

Outside

  • A rock, shell or leaf collection with labels
  • A bird-spotting checklist for your neighborhood
  • Collect a leaf from every kind of tree on your street

At home

  • A sticker or card binder with a checklist
  • Sort and label something real, like the junk drawer
  • A library series to finish, one book at a time

With friends

  • A card or sticker trading afternoon with simple rules
  • Show-and-tell of their collections
  • A neighborhood nature bingo card

Toys that fit

  • A binder with sleevesOur pick: Ultra PRO 9-Pocket Zippered PRO-Binder Find it
  • A tackle box for sorting treasuresOur pick: Plano Three-Tray Tackle Box Find it
  • A field guide for birds, bugs or rocks Find one

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More gift ideas for a Collector, by age

On a screen

Worth saying yes to. Ratings shown on each.

Pokémon Scarlet and VioletESRB ESwitch · Sells things insideThe original collecting game. The main game is complete on its own, and the paid extras are optional.Find it on Amazon
Animal Crossing: New HorizonsESRB ESwitch · Sells things insideMuseum collections of fish, bugs and fossils that actually finish. It's also calm, and it follows the real calendar.Find it on Amazon
Pikmin 4ESRB E10+Switch · Nothing to buy insideCollect treasures and creatures with a clear checklist. Nothing to buy.Find it on Amazon

Watch out for

This is the type most at risk from loot boxes, gacha games and 'limited time' items, which are built to exploit exactly this instinct. Avoid games that sell random packs.

More gift ideas

By age

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ToddlersAges 4 to 6Ages 7 to 9Ages 10 to 12

By occasion

Stocking stuffersChristmasScreen-freeBirthday partiesKids who have everythingGame night

By what they love

Art and drawingScienceAnimalsDinosaursSpaceCars and trucksCooking and bakingReading

By how they play

BuilderExplorerCompetitorStorytellerCollectorPerformerPuzzler

All gift ideas

Things to do near you

Camps, leagues, classes and weekend events that fit a Collector. Tell us where you are and we'll email when there's a good one close by. About once a month.

Play Types in your house
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The other Play Types

Builder Explorer Competitor Storyteller Performer Puzzler

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 made by the same person