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The Best Toys and Gifts for 10-Year-Olds
We've curated the perfect gift guide for our decade-making tweens to have fun with friends, bring out their creativity and embrace their personal style.
Double digits! Firmly in between being a little kid and a teenager, 10-year-olds are developing at a superfast pace. They're growing physically and maturing emotionally, which not only means that it's hard to keep them in clothes that fit, but it can also be a struggle to find the perfect gift for them. Though they might like playing with some toys, they're starting to find older pursuits much more attractive.
We've pulled together a list of top gifts for 10-year-olds that feel a little more grown-up but still playful, creative and just plain fun.
Best Gifts for Creativity
All ages need a creative outlet to express themselves. Especially as 10-year-olds are developing their likes and dislikes, building friendships and exploring where they fit into this world and school. Having activities that bring out their originality is key.
Kids this age might not have a phone yet for taking pics (and even if they do, they'll still love this gift). An instant camera is instant fun, and unlike cameras of yore, this one has an up-close selfie mode so that your kids can take sweet pictures of them with their friends, pets and family (if they'll let you in!).
My family can personally attest to our love of these markers. They color with two different hues at once, creating a really cool effect that looks like outlined letters or designs. Plus, they work on both light and dark papers.
A huge box of craft supplies is the perfect open-ended art project. And the great thing about this age is you don't have to watch every little thing they do. In fact, it's important to give them space to create on their own. With more than 1,000 pieces, they'll have the crafting world at their fingertips with this collection.
Lego will forever and always be one of my favorite gifts, and the new DOTS line was made with tweens in mind. The set comes with five adjustable bands and 295 tiles to create custom bracelets with their friends or on their own.
Best Gifts for Making Their Mark
So long, little one's room. It's time for these kids to start adding their own personalities to their space. While they might not get excited over a fresh coat of paint, these gifts give them the just-right chance to bring their tween status to their bedroom.
This beanbag is a big hit in our house (including with our puppy). The faux-fur leopard print is right on trend and a fun addition to our daughter's bedroom, where she can hang out with her sister or friends, read a book or get to the next level on Roblox.
Give your tween more independence in their morning routine with this cool alarm clock. The wireless speaker plays music from Bluetooth, memory cards or flash drives and has an adjustable ringtone for the alarm. Our favorite feature, though, is the lights. Choose a favorite shade out of 48 colors as a nightlight or let it cycle through them all. When playing music, the lights change with the rhythm for a complete party.
Shoot some hoops from the comfort of their own bedroom. This classic gets a minimalist makeover with a crisp acrylic backboard. Hang it over the door or mount it to a wall so your basketball lover can get in their free throws long into the night.
Personalize their room with this light-up dry erase board. They'll be able to write out favorite phrases or reminders for their next homework assignment or soccer practice. And because they need to hear it over and over, you can even sneak in to write an "I love you" note on the puffy cloud.
Best Fidget Gifts
Fidgets have taken over elementary schools and kids can never have enough. Fortunately, they have a ton of benefits: they give your child a mental break and actually help boost focus and productivity, as well as reduce anxiety and stress.
These oh-so-popular fidgets are available in a myriad of shapes and sizes, and my tween girls would love this tie-dye version. The silicone grid of dots is a sensory break by themselves or a challenging last-dot-standing game with others.
Stress balls meet mood rings in these color-changing orbs. The flexible design lets kids knead, squeeze, smush and squish to their heart's desire and then it goes back to its original shape. The heat-reactive material changes color when touched.
A new take on the Rubik's cube, this twisted version will give your kid's hands and brain a spin. No worrying about stickers falling or rubbing off, this cube is made of high-quality ABS material.
Best Gifts for Friendly Competition
Friendship starts to become a huge part of kids' lives at this age. They're really relating to their peers and enjoy doing activities in groups. Amp up some fun with one of these crowd-loving ideas.
The more portable version of the Nintendo Switch, the Lite continues to be a favorite for the young and old alike. Available in five brilliant colors, the lightweight game console easily links up to other Nintendo Switch systems for multiplayer games.
My 10-year-old got this for Christmas last year, and it quickly became one of our favorite board games. The concept is simple enough that anyone can jump in and play, but you can also implement some major strategies to keep your opponents from winning. If Harry Potter isn't your kid's favorite, they also have the original version.
