educational toys for 8 year old boy

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• Gifts for babies and kids

The 32 Best Gifts for 8-Year-Olds

By Ellen Lee and Wirecutter Staff

At age 8, many kids are ready to level up to more-advanced toys and activities. A lot of 8-year-olds are playing team sports, getting involved in other clubs or hobbies, and tackling increasingly challenging projects on their own.

Kids who end up pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers may start developing those interests by age 8, said Tamara Moore, a professor of engineering education at Purdue University and the executive director of Inspire , a research institute in the university’s School of Engineering Education. (The research group reviews numerous engineering toys, kits, and games for its annual gift guide .) Opportunity plays a role here: Age 8 could mark the time of the “first spark,” when kids see and understand that it’s possible for them to become scientists or engineers, Moore said. “So you want to capture their imagination.”

Many engineering toys are recommended for kids ages 8 and older specifically because they have the dexterity to manipulate small pieces, the logic and reasoning skills to follow instructions, and the ability to focus on tasks for longer periods of time. Art supplies, craft kits, and creative games can also be a key part of the mix at this age, as many educational researchers have noted the importance of expanding STEM to STEAM , to include an emphasis on art, design, and humanities.

We relied on input from experts and members of our staff to find all kinds of gifts that are likely to engage and delight the 8-year-old in your life. If you’re looking for more kids gift ideas, check out our guides to the best gifts for 1-year-olds , 2-year-olds , 3-year-olds , 4-year-olds , 5-year-olds , 6-year-olds , 7-year-olds , 9-year-olds , and 10-year-olds , as well as wonderful stocking stuffers for kids. We also have guides to gifts for tweens and teens . (Just keep in mind that kids develop at different rates, so all age recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt.) And be sure to share your own best ideas in the comments below.

Code like a pirate

Potato Pirates

In this goofy card game, players captain a pirate ship crewed by potatoes—and may pick up some coding skills, too.

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This wacky card game for three to six players may look like it’s just a battle between cute little potatoes, but it also introduces kids to the fundamentals of computer programming. Each player is the captain of a pirate ship with a crew of potatoes, represented by soft tan balls. Drawing cards, players search for the elusive Potato King cards and take turns “programming” their ships to execute a function—for instance, “roasting,” “frying,” or “mashing” (that is, destroying) another ship’s crew. Students who tested Potato Pirates for Purdue’s Inspire Research Institute named this game one of its top-pick engineering toys . Fair warning: Regardless of age, players might need some help getting the hang of how this game works; the instructions can be difficult to decipher, one of our editors found.

Learn a new trick

Juggling for the Complete Klutz

This tried-and-true juggling set is great for beginners, with velour cubes that are easy to handle.

Juggling for the Complete Klutz , an instruction booklet (first published in 1977) accompanied by a set of three red beanbags, appeared under my family’s tree one year when I was a kid. My three younger brothers and I tossed the cube-shaped bags around for months until we became fairly proficient jugglers. To say that this set changed our lives would be an overstatement, but I’m proud to say that all four of us can still juggle. (To this day, my dad has hung on to our original set.) Klutz still makes the classic kit, which is recommended for ages 8 and older, and my 9-year-old is just gearing up to take on the challenge. The velour cubes are easy to grip, and the clear-cut instructions lay out the steps to successful juggling (the toss, the drop) with expertise and a dash of humor. Juggling is great for hand-eye coordination, but more than that, it’s one of those hard-won skills that help instill the joy—along with the inevitable frustration—of mastering something new. And it’s not a bad party trick, either.

A sticky challenge

Melissa & Doug Suspend Family Game

Players build a spindly structure by balancing metal rods—which can topple over at any time.

My kids and their friends love pulling out this Melissa & Doug Suspend Family Game , an easy-to-learn and easy-to-set-up game that was also recommended by Lisa Regalla, head of on-site and digital experiences at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, California, at the time of our interview. Players take turns balancing thin, bent metal rods (which come in an assortment of colors and lengths; a roll of a die determines which rod a player must use) on a stand, creating a delicate wire sculpture. If you place too many rods at a precarious angle, the structure, or parts of it, comes crashing down—a satisfying end to the game.

How illustrative

How to Draw All the Things for Kids

This approachable book shows kids how to sketch 42 charming illustrations, such as a unicorn, a submarine, and a turtle.

As the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. However, in the case of How to Draw All the Things for Kids , it’s probably safe to do just that. The inviting images on the front of this how-to guide prompted me to pick it up as a birthday gift for my son’s friend; once we heard it was a hit, we got our own copy. The author, Dallas-based visual artist Alli Koch , demonstrates how to draw various things (an astronaut, a butterfly, a cactus plant, a strawberry) by breaking them down into their most basic, approachable steps. The resulting illustrations are streamlined and satisfying. (They’re also simple enough to allow room for individual embellishments.) I appreciate that the book is fairly short, with only 42 projects, so kids aren’t overwhelmed by trying to figure out what to draw. And you can work your way through it, regardless of how much experience or proficiency you’re bringing to the table. The series also includes books that show kids how to draw animals , magical things , and sea creatures .

Black heroes

Black Heroes: A Go Fish Card Game

In this beautifully illustrated take on Go Fish, each card features a historical or contemporary Black figure.

Black Heroes: A Go Fish Card Game is a 44-card game that introduces historical and contemporary Black figures across 11 categories: activism, art, exploration, fashion, film, literature, music, politics, science, space, and sports. Each card has the hero’s name at the top, a symbol representing the family the card belongs to, and a portrait of the person. Players trade cards and try to collect all four in a family. I love the excitement as my son recognizes key figures like Serena Williams and begs me to quiz him on James Baldwin’s birth year (1924). The deck also features under-discussed individuals, such as multimedia artist Faith Ringgold and Kenyan political activist Wangari Maathai , the first Black African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

Pom-pom projects

Klutz Mini Pom-Pom Pets

This craft kit lets kids make more than 20 adorable pom-pom critters.

My boys can’t get enough of cute little stuffies. So they were pretty excited to unwrap the Klutz Mini Pom-Pom Pets kit, which lets kids create their own diminutive animal friends from yarn pom-poms. My husband and I had to help with the first couple of critters, but the instructions are clear. And once the “body” is done—you wrap the included yarn around a fork to form a sort of ball, then clip the string loops, tie it off, and voilà!—the rest of the job, gluing on eyes and other features, is simple. The kids seemed to find satisfaction in envisioning and creating their own little bunny or chick, and one even gifted the resulting poofball to a friend who was going through a rough time. We liked the set with a variety of animals, but you can also focus on just pom-pom puppies or pom-pom kitties .

An iconic cube

Rubik's Cube

This classic puzzle has solvers twisting, turning, and spinning the pieces until the colors match.

GAN 11 M Pro

This updated speed cube offers a smooth feel, adjustable tension, and a snappy magnetic core.

There are, apparently, 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 ways to spin a Rubik’s Cube , the legendary puzzle, invented in 1974, that continues to draw new fans to this day. YouTube videos of people solving it blindfolded (and underwater , while juggling , and on America’s Got Talent ) only add to the enduring allure. Know an avid puzzler with a need for speed? Consider taking things up a notch with the GAN 11 M Pro , our upgrade pick for the best speed cube . An expert kid puzzler I know who can solve it in under 45 seconds also gave it high marks (and recommends the smaller, easier GAN 251 V2 speed cube for novices. The GAN cubes have adjustable magnets, and you can twist the interlocking pieces at a dizzying pace.

An approachable intro to chess

Winning Moves Games No Stress Chess

The cards included with this simple chess set walk players through the rules and potential moves until they’re ready to navigate the board on their own.

The board game is cardboard; the pieces are lightweight plastic. The special thing about No Stress Chess is that one side of the board is marked to remind you where to put the pieces to set up a new game, and a deck of cards instructs you on which piece to move, in a sort of training-wheels approach to understanding the game well enough to eventually make your own choices. Of course, using the cards means that you miss out on much of the strategy, but when my son was suddenly interested in learning to play chess, I found that the method helped me to quickly teach him (and refamiliarize myself with) the pieces and the rules of how to navigate the board. After maybe a dozen games, we graduated to cardless play. The game is officially rated for ages 7 and up, but since the cards have diagrams as well as words, some pre-readers may be able to understand them. And as kids pick up the game, you can consider upgrading to one of our favorite chess sets .

A book about differences

Different Differenter: An Activity Book About Skin Color

With thoughtful activities and prompts, this interactive book guides you through discussions about colorism and race.

Few books eloquently tackle the subject of race for kids while also offering something for adults. Different Differente r by Jyoti Gupta goes a step further, addressing a topic that, it turns out, is critical for kids to grasp before taking on racism: colorism. The beautifully illustrated Different Differenter introduces children—pictured with different skin colors, body types, and physical abilities—to terms such as melanin and genes, as well as cultural differences among families and family traditions. Because it’s also an activity book, it’s full of instructions on how to learn and interact with children on these topics through play. My then 5-year-old son, whom we call a chef for his love of playing with food, often asks to make the book’s recipe for laddoo, a popular Indian dessert. My teen took on one of Different Differenter ’s more serious activities: making a one-minute anti-bullying video. Between the art activities and the theatrical prompts, it’s a book that our family refers to often to kick off authentic conversations that are both warm and thoughtful.

A box for keepsakes

Singing Nightingale Treasure Box

Kids can store jewelry and other special treasures in this lovely musical box.

As my children age, they’ve begun to collect more special items that need safekeeping. The Singing Nightingale Treasure Box has two small compartments, one that opens at the top and a pull-out drawer at the bottom, which are great for hiding small mementos such as jewelry, little notes, or even random mini collectibles like special coins. This elevated jewelry box’s eye-catching artistic details also stand out—it almost looks as though each box is painted by hand. And a small gold crank in the back prompts the box to play a classic Italian folk song loudly and clearly.

Ultra-satisfying clay

Hey Clay Aliens

This air-drying-clay kit pairs with an app that walks kids through building jaunty, colorful alien figurines.

We also recommend Hey Clay in our gift guide for 6-year-olds , but we’ve found that our own kids can’t get enough of the stuff, and that little kids who started with sculpting farm animals or birds may appreciate wackier aliens or monsters down the line. The molding mania begins with 18 cans of delightfully textured clay. Kids can either sculpt on their own or create figures with the help of a fun instructional app. Burgeoning sculptors learn useful techniques, such as how to introduce texture, and the clay dries completely in 24 hours, resulting in a figure that can be displayed or played with. Artistic-expansion opportunities aside, these kits are also excellent travel companions. One word of warning: Once the individual pots of clay are open, it’s a good idea to use up the contents within a couple of weeks. We’ve found that they dry out if left alone for much longer.

Circuit construction

Elenco Snap Circuits Classic

Kids can use this circuitry kit’s color-coded pieces to build radios, alarms, doorbells, and other electronic gadgets.

E-Blox Circuit Blox Build Your Own Sound Machine & Radio

This circuitry kit includes wire blocks, switches, and other gizmos to make 120 electronic projects.

From a toy house that lights up to a working radio, the Elenco Snap Circuits Classic and E-Blox Circuit Blox Build Your Own Sound Machine & Radio building sets allow kids to explore the fundamentals of electronics and circuit design with easy-to-use pieces that snap together. The Snap Circuits Classic set, one of our recommended STEM toys , comes with basic components such as power sources, switches, and wires. The E-Blox Circuit Blox pieces are similar to Snap Circuits pieces but resemble—and are compatible with— Lego bricks . STEM education expert Elizabeth Gajdzik told us that she likes both sets for kids who are interested in exploring the basics of circuitry, though she found that the E-Blox pieces could be easier to manipulate for kids with a little less dexterity.

A storytelling game

Players of all ages can enjoy this simple storytelling game with its stunning art and open-ended structure.

My daughter came home from a friend’s house one day raving about “a bunny game.” The bunnies turned out to be from Dixit (players are represented by bunny-shaped game pieces), one of Wirecutter’s favorite board games for both kids and adults and a past winner of the Spiel des Jahres prize for general-audience games. Dixit players each receive six wordless cards that bear provocative and interesting illustrations (though my daughter and I noticed that the humans represented in those illustrations could be more diverse). In each round, a “lead player” chooses one of their cards and makes a short statement—a sentence, poem, story, song, even a single word—about what’s on it, without revealing what it is. The other players respond by selecting a card of their own that they think best fits with the statement, and then everyone votes on which card is the closest match. Rather than rewarding speed or dexterity, Dixit is all about creativity, provocation, and storytelling.

Balls that keep the game going after dark

GlowCity Light Up LED Basketball

Two motion-activated LED lights inside this basketball allow kids to keep shooting hoops after dark.

GlowCity Light Up LED Soccer Ball

This light-up soccer ball, available in multiple sizes, is ideal for evening play.

Even in places where winter nights are temperate enough to spend time outdoors, it can be tough for kids to play their favorite sports once the afternoons grow short. Backyard or driveway lighting helps, but it can still be difficult to see a ball well enough to avoid the occasional face shot. GlowCity’s Light Up LED Soccer Ball (available in regulation size and smaller) and Light Up LED Basketball solve this problem because they light up from the inside, allowing kids to keep the game going as late as they want to—or at least as late as you let them. The company also makes a football , but we haven’t tried it.

Bigger adventures ahead

REI Co-op Tarn 18

This versatile daypack has comfortable shoulder straps, an adjustable waist belt, ample room for water, and plenty of space for other assorted treasures collected along the way.

The durable REI Co-op Tarn 18 is one of the best hiking backpacks for kids , though my own kids have used it for a lot more than just camping trips and mountain trails. Our family has also put it into service on cross-country flights and loaded it up for playdates and park outings. And more recently it has even been put to use as my third-grader’s school bag. (We pulled the now-years-old pack from our gear closet particularly for its rows of daisy-chain loops, which are ideal for attaching an army of tiny stuffies to the outside of the bag.) The 18-liter bag, which also includes a built-in whistle and a slot for a water bladder, is best for kids about 8 and up and is likely to fit them well into their early teen years. (Smaller kids will do better with the REI Co-op Tarn 12 .)

Friendly reminders

Loopdedoo Friendship Bracelet Maker

This nifty loom turns vibrant threads into bracelets, headbands, and other accessories.

Friendship bracelets are a nostalgic craft that have made a big comeback. “It’s a nice gesture for kids to be able to give something that’s homemade and that lasts,” said Debbie Imperatore, manager and buyer of Funky Monkey Toys & Books . The Loopdedoo Friendship Bracelet Maker kit includes a spinning loom that twists the included brightly colored threads into bracelets that, according to Imperatore, are not like the ones you might remember braiding in the ’80s or ’90s. “It makes these gorgeous, multidimensional designs that are truly gift worthy,” she said. In 10 minutes, kids can weave bracelets, headbands, necklaces, and other accessories into designs as simple or as intricate as they want, thanks to a set of online step-by-step Loopdedoo video tutorials .

Fabulous watercolors

Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolors

The paints in this luxurious set dilute and mix like watercolors but have the rich vividness of acrylic paints.

Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolors represent a step up from most watercolors, and a set makes a special and likely unexpected gift for a kid (or an adult) who’s interested in graduating to next-level artistry. Made by a 117-year-old sumi-ink manufacturer in Nara, Japan, this set features an array of bright colors to experiment with, and the large pans and quick-dissolving formulation make the paints easy to use, even for kids.

Mac B., Kid Spy: The First Four Books

This series follows kid-spy Mac B. on his top-secret assignments for the Queen of England.

City Spies Classified Collection

Traveling everywhere from Paris to Beijing, five globe-trotting kids take on daring undercover assignments in this thrilling series.

The Spy School vs. SPYDER Collection

Humorously hapless Ben Ripley gets into all sorts of misadventures at the CIA Academy of Espionage.

Book series, with their compelling characters and familiar worlds, can do an especially good job of drawing kids in and getting them excited about reading. I witnessed this firsthand when my son was in the third grade and got hooked on the spy-kid genre—he would finish one series and then immediately move on to the next. Lucky for him, there’s no shortage of options. The premise is often the same, some variation on the theme of an otherwise totally ordinary elementary schooler getting plucked from obscurity and thrust into the high-stakes world of international espionage. But how the authors spin their yarns is where you’ll find the secret sauce. The Mac B., Kid Spy books by Mac Barnett feature clever humor and lively illustrations. The City Spies Classified Collection by James Ponti is moodier and more self-serious. With 10 books and counting, the Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs keeps the formula fresh by constantly switching up the setting (think Spy Ski School and Spy School British Invasion )—they all sounded slightly like campy ’80s movies to me, and they all kept my kiddo negotiating for a later bedtime.

Finishing touches for projects

Kid Made Modern Arts and Crafts Library

This maximalist craft kit contains more than 1,000 googly eyes, beads, jewels, and other supplies.

Regardless of whether your kid is especially arty, the Kid Made Modern Arts and Crafts Library is an appealing toolkit for a wide array of creative endeavors. It’s the finishing touches like those found here—beads, stick-on jewels, pom-poms—that take a project from good to great. (We also recommend the 300-piece Kid Made Modern Rainbow Craft Kit in our guide to the best gifts for 7-year-olds .) And when the treasure trove begins to dwindle, the 10-by-16.5-inch cardboard box itself can serve as a space to store miscellaneous arts-and-crafts items your kid already owns.

$50 and over

A trip to the theater.

TheaterWorksUSA Tickets

TheaterWorksUSA produces popular kid-focused musicals and plays that tour around the country.

A few years ago, my sister gave my son tickets to see Dog Man: The Musical , based on Dav Pilkey’s ridiculously popular series about a cop with a dog’s head and a human’s body. The production was good, cheeky fun, and I found it gratifying to see my son perk up to a spectacle unfolding IRL instead of on screen. But what I love most about this gift, and any gift of theater, is the built-in opportunity to spend time together. We had lunch beforehand and then talked about the show for days afterward: Which actor was funniest? Was Petey the cat more evil in the book or onstage? Many cities have terrific kid-focused playhouses (such as the New Victory Theater in New York) and play host to touring shows, including those supported by TheaterWorksUSA , which brought us Dog Man and produces a number of other kid-focused musicals featuring beloved characters and stories, such as Charlotte’s Web , Pete the Cat , and The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System. But options exist in small towns, too—nights out with my parents to see a local school production remain among my favorite childhood memories.

A doll to pass along

American Girl Truly Me Doll and Accessories

This popular line of 18-inch dolls comes in a range of skin tones, hair colors, and styles.

I can think of no single toy that I coveted more fiercely as a child than an American Girl doll . They were expensive then (around $80 in the early ’90s), and they’re still expensive now. (They’re also a pick in our guide to the best dolls .) But for my sister and me, they were a long-term investment in imagination and love, in more ways than I could have realized at the time. We cherished and played with our dolls through adolescence, amassing a collection of outfits and high-quality accessories. Years later, my stepmother rescued our dolls and their belongings from the attic and sent them off for a restorative stay at American Girl’s Doll Hospital . A quarter-century after we first got them, we presented the spiffed-up American Girls to my two daughters when they were right around the same age. They now love their dolls, just as I remember my sister and I having loved ours.

When I was a kid, American Girl offered just five dolls, each from a different time period. The company has since expanded that line of historically themed dolls , but nowadays it also has a much wider, more diverse, and more inclusive slate of dolls , allowing your child to choose one that looks like them. To my delight (and awe at the march of time), American Girl introduced a new historical doll in 2020: an ’80s girl named Courtney .

A lunar landing pad

Lego City Lunar Research Base 60350

This 800-piece Lego set includes everything necessary to live and work on the moon, including a research lab, a rover, and even a tiny microscope.

The Lego City Lunar Research Base set imagines life on the moon, from a moon buggy for getting around to a habitat with sleeping quarters and a tiny garden. One of our favorite Lego sets for kids , it comes with large pieces for easy construction, as well as small pieces that add charm and fun details, such as a petri dish and beaker for the lab. Six brave Lego figurines live on the base (and come with the set). The set is also compatible with Lego’s other space-exploration playsets; it includes a docking point for the Lunar Roving Vehicle .

An easy read

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids (11th generation)

This e-reader is waterproof, has a two-year warranty, and comes with a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.

Some folks get skittish at the prospect of introducing an e-reader to kids, and I understand where they’re coming from: The last thing children need is another screen to suck them in, right? I was skeptical about buying one for my then-second-grade son, remembering how much I had loved the tactile delights of real books when I was growing up, and wanting the same for him. But after a year and a half of regular use, I can happily report, the benefits of my son’s Kindle far outweigh the sacrifices. (We have an earlier model, but the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is waterproof, offers adjustable light, and is Wirecutter’s upgrade pick for the best e-reader ). Two of the obvious perks—as adult e-reader converts can attest to—are the convenience (an unlimited library that’s lightweight and portable) and the long-term cost-effectiveness (thousands of titles are included with a monthly $5 subscription to Amazon Kids+ for Amazon Prime members). I also appreciate how low-fi the whole experience feels: Unlike tablets, with their videos and apps and untold rabbit holes, the Kindle serves up only black-and-white words on a page. And I’ve noticed that as soon as my son finishes a book on his Kindle, he rushes to find the next one—the rare example of a kiddo’s desire for instant gratification having a healthy by-product.

A cozy comforter

Pottery Barn Solar System Glow-in-the-Dark Duvet Cover

With patterns like glow-in-the-dark solar systems, Pottery Barn Kids’s comfy duvet covers are out of this world.

Utopia Bedding Quilted Comforter

This affordable comforter is fluffy, warm, and breathable.

If your 8-year-old is still sleeping with a comforter from their preschool days, they may be ready for an upgrade. Pottery Barn Kids duvet covers represent a nice middle ground between little-kid bedding and adult linens. The covers come in more than 50 colors, prints, and patterns , including glow-in-the-dark solar systems , Minecraft, and ballerinas. The more classic options, such as checkered, floral, or solids, could grow with a kid through their teenage years. Our family chose a pastel, watercolor-like rainbow print for our three kids’ beds, and I’ve often remarked to my husband that the silky cotton fabric feels softer and finer than that of our own duvet cover. The Pottery Barn Kids covers have handy corner ties that attach to a comforter insert to keep it from shifting around. Pair your cover of choice with the inexpensive but ultra-fluffy Utopia Bedding Comforter Duvet Insert , Wirecutter’s pick for the best down-alternative comforter .

Crash landing

Skil-Care Crash Pad

This large, squishy foam pad is great for belly flops, roughhousing, and lounging.

The Skil-Care Crash Pad is like a supersize beanbag, except that it’s filled with ultra-absorbent pieces of foam, and rather than encouraging kids to chill out, it practically begs them to summon their inner Hollywood stunt double. An occupational-therapist mom friend first told me about the Crash Pad; she keeps a bunch of them in her office gym for pint-size patients to gleefully topple into. My son primarily uses the cushion for doing epic belly-flops, horseplaying with his friends, and (way less frequently) curling up to read. We keep it in his room, and when my husband and I do our nightly bedtime rounds, we both make a beeline for it—this pad may be the most comfortable spot in the house. It comes with a nonnegotiable royal-blue nylon cover. (Note: I like the extra-large, 35-pound, 5-by-5-foot model because it provides a lot of runway for shenanigans, but it’s definitely huge. Skil-Care also makes a more scaled-down, 3-by-4-foot version.)

Marvelous marbles

Ravensburger Gravitrax Starter Set

This elaborate marble-building set comes not only with tracks and junctions but also special pieces such as a magnetic cannon and marble vortex.

My then-8-year-old spotted this next-level, build-it-yourself marble run at a local toy store and requested it from his grandparents for the holidays that year. The toy, which has you stack and arrange plastic disks to build complex marble-racing routes, incorporates concepts of gravity, magnetics, and kinetics, and it feels far more refined overall than the taller, tubular plastic marble runs we encountered when my son was younger. (This GraviTrax set was one of the top picks in Inspire Research Institute’s past gift guides .) I’ve found that it’s the sort of thing he pulls out and focuses on for a few days and then doesn’t play with again until a number of months later. But each time my son rediscovers GraviTrax in the game closet, he seems ready to take his marble chutes to the next level of complexity.

A superior sled

L.L.Bean Polar Slider DLX Sled

This speedy plastic toboggan is comfortable, extremely durable, and easy to load into a car.

A favorite in our guide to the best sleds , this zippy, nimble, and long-lasting plastic toboggan is an impressive all-round sled. Because it can be steered, the Polar Slider DLX is suited to a greater variety of hills than the somewhat-faster snow tubes we recommend for wide-open, straight sledding hills (and in our guide to the best gifts for 6-year-olds ). Among the otherwise-flimsy plastic toboggans we’ve tested—some of which have shattered on the first day of testing —this sled’s thick, flexible plastic stands out. Rider-friendly upgrades—including a grippy, lightly padded sitting area and a convenient pull strap—help to justify the higher price. Our only complaint is its small(ish) size: We managed to squeeze an adult and a kid (or two kids) into the 48-inch “extra large” size; the 36-inch version is definitely a one-person ride.

An invention kit from MIT

JoyLabz Makey Makey

This STEM kit can turn household objects into electronic devices—like a pumpkin keyboard.

Developed at the MIT Media Lab, Makey Makey is an “invention kit” that connects to a computer via USB and allows kids to turn household objects into a keyboard, a controller, or a touchpad. (If this is hard to visualize, check out this video or this project guide , which shows some of the things that kids can create with Makey Makey, including a banana piano and a Play-Doh gaming controller.) The possibilities are endless, which is why Makey Makey is recommended by Lisa Regalla, the head of on-site and digital experiences at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, California, at the time of our interview. “You can hook up fruits, vegetables, flowers, anything that mildly conducts electricity,” Regalla said.

Sleek headphones that sound as they should

Puro Sound Labs BT2200-Plus

These comfortable, stylish headphones, which can work wirelessly or with a cord, limit volume to kid-safe levels.

Though a lot of headphones for kids claim to keep volume to safe levels for developing ears (under 85 decibels), many fail to actually do so. The Puro BT2200-Plus headphones, one of our upcoming picks in our guide to the best kids headphones , remain within safer listening levels when used properly—and were the favorite of all of our kid panelists. While other kids headphones are made of breakable cheap plastic, the BT2200-Plus set has a well-constructed aluminum frame. The Bluetooth connection lets kids use these headphones wirelessly or with a cord. (Puro also makes a version with active noise cancelling, called the PuroQuiets , which we also recommend.) The BT2200-Plus headphones come in a range of appealing colors, and they’re sleek and fun without looking like a toy.

A fun first smartwatch

Verizon Gizmo Watch 3

Kids can call, text, and video-call up to 20 designated people with this smartwatch.

Verizon’s Gizmo Watch 3 is a fun smartphone alternative for kids who are ready to venture out on their own a bit—it’s a pick in our guide to choosing the best first smartwatch for your kid . The Gizmo Watch 3 can make phone calls, send simple preset text messages (such as “Where are you?”), and produce silly fart sounds, in addition to telling the time. It’s a tool that allows school-age kids to communicate simply but easily with their parents or other caregivers, potentially contributing to their own growing independence. It also uses GPS to track a kid’s location, which parents can see on a smartphone app; this feature may help some people feel better about their kids’ first solo ventures.

A baller gift

Spikeball Standard 3 Ball Kit

This lawn game can be as active and competitive as players desire, involving everything from casual volleying to aggressive diving.

My sister has five kids, so finding a single gift that appeals to the whole lot has always been both a challenge and a moving target. The wildly physical Spikeball backyard game has been a hit with the entire crew, their friends (ages 8 and up), and parents. Spikeball is played a little like volleyball but with a much smaller ball and a net pulled taut over a mini-trampoline base (instead of stretched between poles). Two teams of two gather around the net, volleying the ball back and forth to one another before spiking it down onto the net at the other team. It’s fun and exhausting for all, yet it doesn’t take up a large amount of space in a backyard. This game is also easy to pack down for travel to the beach or park.

Take them out to the ball game

Tickets to a professional or collegiate sports game (price varies)

Eating cotton candy may have been my son’s favorite part of going to baseball games, but he still loves reminiscing about all the games he’s been to with his dad. Taking a kid to a live sports event can be a special shared experience, whether they’re witnessing a series-winning home run or cheering for a breakaway shot. And it doesn’t have to be a high-profile game: For an 8-year-old, a minor-league hockey game can be just as fun and memorable as the Stanley Cup playoffs. (Your closest pro team’s website should have a link to its minor-league affiliate, or you can search for the minor-league affiliates by sport, such as baseball .) You could also check to see whether any professional soccer games, women’s basketball games, or ultimate tournaments are hosted in your area. If you have your heart set on tickets to a matchup that will be on the front of the sports page, keep in mind that the “nosebleed seats” are less expensive and may actually deliver a more relaxed experience. Yes, you might have to catch some of the action on the Jumbotron, but if your kid gets tired or overwhelmed by the noise of the crowd or the blaring music (as my son has in the past), you won’t feel as bad about leaving early.

We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend .

This article was edited by Kalee Thompson.

Meet your guides

Ellen Lee is a senior staff writer covering baby and kid gear for Wirecutter. Her work has also appeared in The Atlantic, BBC, and Real Simple, and she was previously a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. She is also the author of the (ADJECTIVE) Lunar New Year Mad Libs book. (We’re hoping you filled in the blank with “hilarious.”)

Wirecutter Staff

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31 Best Educational Toys for Toddlers, Preschoolers and Big Kids

Parents, kids and Good Housekeeping Institute pros agree these learning toys are the most fun!

To find toys that strike the right balance, the Good Housekeeping Institute Little Lab tests toys throughout the year. For parents, they look for quality of construction, ease of use and frustration level. For kids, they make sure that the toys are fun (the most important factor), and something kids return to and are engaged with for long periods of time. They're mostly geared for little ones but there are a few selections for older kids to keep in mind for the future (or for older siblings). If these aren't enough, you can also check the Good Housekeeping Institute's age-by-age guide to toys and gifts for more recommendations, including STEM toys , sensory toys , family board games , and gifts for 1-year-olds and 2-year-olds (including gifts for toddlers and even stocking stuffers for toddlers !) all the way up to gifts for teens .

These are the the best educational toys for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary school students in 2022:

Learning Resources Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog

This cute hedgehog helps with fine motor coordination, since kids have to put the colorful spikes in the holes at different angles. It's also great for counting and color recognition. Parents loved that the quills easily store inside the back so you won't lose pieces! And if the kids become Spike fans, there's now a whole line of Spike toys, including a fidget toy , a sensory playset , a rainbow stacker and a puzzle . Ages 18 months+

RELATED: The Best Sensory Toys for Exploring Different Textures, Sights, and Sounds

Peaceable Kingdom Button, Button, Belly Button Game

Kids learn same vs. different, matching, colors and turn-taking when they play this board game, which challenges players to match their cards to the buttons or bears on the board. Good Housekeeping's testers requested this one over and over again. Ages 2+

RELATED: The Best Board Games for Kids, According to Parents and Experts

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Piggy Bank

Kids open the piggy bank to remove the colorful, numbered coins. The toy can play more than 40 fun songs, tunes and phrases to interact with your child. In the baby stages, kids use it to practice their fine motor coordination skills while putting the coins into the bank. As they get older, they can use it to learn counting and adding. Ages 6 months+

RELATED: The Best STEM Toys for Kids, According to the GH Institute

LEGO Education SPIKE™ Prime Set

Let your imagination run wild with this open-ended playset. After constructing with colorful Lego building elements (bricks, sensors, motors, etc.), kids can layer on drag and drop coding based on the popular Scratch platform to create endless unique configurations, or use one of the 40+ guided lessons to learn more about the basics. As they develop their coding knowledge, they can explore text-based Python coding. While testing, we saw first-hand how early exposure to engineering and physics can help kids get excited about STEM. These products are a fun way for kids to learn through play, and help reinforce skills like experimentation and problem-solving. Ages 10+

Mega Mega Bloks Big Building Bag

This classic 80-piece building set includes blocks of different shapes and colors for kids to construct whatever their minds' dream up. Testers whipped up everything from towers and trains to castles and animals. This set is great for helping to develop gross motor skills and promotes open-ended creativity . Plus, you can easily store pieces in the travel-friendly bag when playtime is over. Ages 1+

Educational Insights Design & Drill Creative Workshop

This construction kit helps foster STEM learning as budding builders learn about different drill bits (Phillips, socket and flathead) for their motorized drill to use on their colorful bolts. The toy also includes a screwdriver and combination wrench to help complete the activity cards or create their own designs. For younger ones, the Design & Drill Bolt Buddies adds in colorful characters and playsets. Ages 3+

The Learning Journey Count and Learn Cookie Jar

Kids learn to recognize numbers and count to ten with this electronic cookie jar. They practice fine motor skills to insert the cookie and when they do, the jar says the number that's on the cookie, so the number-learning is reinforced. Ages 2+

Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope

Kids can insert the slides to see beautiful, up-close images of wildlife. Then the voice of Bindi Irwin explains what they're looking at , so kids can learn science even if they don't know how to read yet. Ages 4+

Magna-Tiles Magna-Tiles 32-Piece Clear Colors Set

Offering endless hours of fun, Magna-Tiles are a creative way to introduce educational topics like shapes, colors, engineering, principles of magnets, symmetry and more. They're also great for helping develop fine motor skills. Various sets are available with different piece counts and color options (think clear or glow-in-the-dark ). Ages 3+

Melissa & Doug Wooden Peg Puzzles

This set includes three wooden peg puzzles designed for tiny fingers and helps develop fine motor and hand-eye skills . The 10-piece number set has illustrations of each numeral, the 26-piece alphabet set has illustrations of words starting with the letter it corresponds to, and the fish puzzle has the name of the color for each. Ages 2+

Shifu Orboot Augmented Reality Interactive Globe

The best-selling globe on Amazon, this interactive world map pairs with an app that will let kids focus in on any region that interests them and learn more. There are more than 1,000 world facts loaded up in the app for them to explore. Ages 4+

Step2 Great Creations Art Center

This art center has it all: an art desk station with built-in storage, as well as a double-sided easel that has one side chalkboard, and the other a large whiteboard . Ample storage areas allow for crayons, markers, Play-doh, paint and more to be readily accessible and organized. Bonus: Three kids can easily create at once! Ages 3+

HABA Symphony Croc Music Band Set

This cute croc includes a drum with two mallets, a xylophone, a guiro wooden block (played by rubbing stick along notches on snout) and a bell. Multiple kids can play at once to help foster a sense of rhythm while developing motor skills . Ages 2+

LeapFrog LeapFrog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set

Compatible with any magnetic surface, this set features interactive alphabet tiles. Placing a letter on the bus window enables your kids to hear the letter and related words . Plus, it includes fun, kid-friendly songs like the "Alphabet Song" and "Wheels on the Bus." Ages 2+

Melissa & Doug Learn-to-Play Piano

Have a budding Mozart? With 25 keys spanning two octaves, kids can experiment with high and low notes as well as loud and soft sounds. It includes a color-coded songbook that's great for older kids to use to play real songs. It comes in blue, pink and multi-colors. Ages 3+

Learning Resources Learning Resources Coding Critters

Kids can get into the basics of coding without using a screen. The 22-piece set comes with coding challenges that do things like help the bunny find its carrot or pull the cart. A storybook walks kids through the challenges. In addition, there's a "play mode" where kids can use the pieces for imaginative free play. Different animals are available, including a dog, cat and dinosaur. This year, they've added MagiCoders, which come in the form of a unicorn or a dragon . Ages 4+

ThinkFun Roller Coaster Challenge

This is both a building toy and a board game all rolled up into one. Players pick a challenge card that asks kids to use certain pieces to build their roller coaster track. If they can use them to build one, and then have the car ride from start to finish with no disasters, they win! It helps them develop engineering and logic skills at the same time. Ages 6+

Good Housekeeping Good Housekeeping Amazing Science

Kids get to play the role of at-home scientist, going from room to room and looking into the science behind phenomena like why bathroom mirrors get foggy or how to de-stink shoes. There are more than 80 hands-on experiments for them to try, using items that are commonly found around the house. Ages 7+

hand2mind Numberblocks MathLink Cubes

If you know little fans of Numberblocks on Netflix, they'll love this counting set, a 2021 Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winner. Kids can build their favorite characters from the show with the linking cubes, practicing counting in the process and also play with the math-based, wipe-clean activity cards included in the set. Ages 3+

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards

VTech Get Ready for School Learning Desk

This desk is basically a command center, loaded with parts that let them practice time-telling, track the weather and the days of the week or learn about the alphabet, numbers, counting, music, shapes, colors, the human body. But the true stand-out feature is the light-up projector, which lets kids trace numbers and letters with a stylus on a built-in interactive writing pad. Flip it over and there's also a chalkboard and easel. Ages 2+

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years , overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. 

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