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The best gifts for 10-year-old boys include a starter guitar and a kid-safe cellphone.
Amazon; Gabb/Business Insider
Age 10 can be tricky for gift-givers. Ten-year-old boys may begin focusing more on hobbies than toys, but play is still essential. "You want the toy to be 90% child and 10% toy," says child psychologist Roberta Golinkoff, PhD, author of "Becoming Brilliant." "Avoid toys that ask kids to fill in the blanks. Toys should release creativity, not determine it."
The best gifts for a 10-year-old boy will encourage age-appropriate development and meet the interests of that individual child. Because interests extend beyond outdated masculine stereotypes, great gifts include everything from sports to arts. And while the newest trending toys are great, some classic toys and games shouldn't be overlooked. Below, we've rounded up our top picks for the best gifts for 10-year-old boys, including STEM toys, games, and outdoor toys.
A beginner, kid-friendly cellphone
Gabb
Gabb Phone 4
Once your kid hits double digits, the requests for a cellphone get louder and louder. This kid-friendly smartphone is a great beginner phone that lets them stay connected and practice good phone etiquette in a safe and parent-supervised environment. The phone has no social media or internet access, but features smart message filtration, GPS tracking, and a handful of parent-approved apps.
A beginner skateboard
Amazon
Magneto Complete Skateboard
If your 10-year-old is incredibly active and looking to take on new physical challenges, it might be time to get them a skateboard. This beginner board is a "complete," meaning it has everything he needs to get rolling right out of the box.
A monthly subscription box
KiwiCo
KiwiCo Labs Club
Kids tend to love subscription boxes because they love getting mail — I've gifted KiwiCo Clubs before and they were a big hit. Labs Club is geared toward 6-to-16 year olds, and sends monthly age-tailored engineering projects. There are other options that may better suit a 10-year-old with different interests, like Studio Club for crafting and World Club for budding globetrotters.
A starter guitar
Amazon
Fender Squier Debut Series Stratocaster Electric Guitar
Preteen years are a great time to start an instrument they can play for life. Fender's Debut Collection is relatively inexpensive, lightweight, and shaped with beginners in mind. It also comes with a free subscription to Fender Play, which will teach them guitar basics. While your 10-year-old will need an amp to get the full effect of the guitar, electric guitars can also be configured to work with headphones so you can minimize the noise impact in your home.
A backyard ropes obstacle course
Amazon
Slackers Ninjaline 36' Intro Kit with Obstacles
Inspired by the TV show, this Ninjaline is a suspended obstacle course for kids. The set includes several different types of rings to grab and a slackline to hang it all on. Gifters beware, though, the backyard will need two sturdy trees that are no farther than 36 feet apart.
A building kit with multiple possibilities
LEGO
LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Fire Dragon
LEGO Creator 3-in-1 kits allow kits to choose the design to build — and, of course, they can still create their own designs. These smaller kits are also easier to put together in a few hours and reasonably priced. LEGO has several options from lions to sharks, but we're partial to this fire-breathing dragon.
An active video game
Amazon
Nintendo Switch Sports
Nintendo Switch Sports is a video game that gets kids moving. This Nintendo Switch game turns Joy Con controllers into motion sensors similar to the Nintendo Wii for playing soccer, volleyball, bowling and more. This game requires a Nintendo Switch and additional Joy Con controllers for multiplayer play.
A new take on Foursquare
Amazon
Spikeball Game Set
Spikeball is a popular game that mixes the recess- favorite Foursquare with volleyball. Players try to hit the ball into the net in a way that the opposing team can't bounce back. Spikeball makes a great gift because it's fun for both kids and adults, making it a great active family game.
A kid-safe electric scooter
Amazon
Razor Power Core E90 Electric Scooter
The Razor Power Core E90 Electric Scooter is one of the company's more beginner-friendly electric scooters, with safety features designed for kids. Razer's Power Core models have newer engines for longer ride times. While this model is ideal for kids, it's made for sidewalks and bike trails rather than gravel or off-road.
A game that's different every time
Amazon
Outset Media Family Scavenger Hunt
Family Scavenger Hunt uses two decks of cards — one for adults and one for kids. That gets families searching in a way that's still challenging for grown-ups. There's a set of cards for an outdoor hunt too.
A challenge for Pokemon fans
Target
Buffalo Games Pokémon Eevee Evolutions Jigsaw Puzzle (500 pieces)
Puzzles are both fun and skill building for this age group. This Pokémon Eevee Evolutions Puzzle is a budget-friendly gift idea for a 10-year-old boy. It features a popular Pokémon character and a rainbow of colors that will offer clues on which piece goes where.
A creative comic book kit
Target
Mondo Llama Create-Your-Own Superhero Comic Books Kit
A great way to encourage creativity, this comic book kit has everything kids need to make three books. The set includes three blank books as well as stickers and markers. There are instructions with tips for creating comics as well.
A card game with action
Mattel
Mattel Uno Attack
Ten years old is a good age for card games. Uno Attack takes a classic game and kicks it up a notch, spitting out any number of cards at random. Kids will love pushing the button and the added suspense of waiting to see how many cards fly out. Classic games are a great gift — and 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of Uno.
A gift that gives back
World Wildlife Foundation
World Wildlife Foundation Symbolic Species Adoption
Stuffed animals have long been a great gift idea, but the World Wildlife Foundation's Symbolic Species Adoption is more than just a plush — this program helps fund the WWF's work to preserve endangered species and their habitats. In return for a $60 donation, you'll be able to gift a plush and a few extras. The program includes popular animals like sloths, lions, and elephants, as well as lesser known animals like a blue-footed bobby and a capybara.
Turn toys into movie characters
Amazon
Klutz LEGO Make Your Own Movie Kit
This Klutz LEGO kit encourages kids not to just build and play with mini figures, but to create a story and share that story too. The kit includes mini figures, backgrounds, and scenery, but kids will need a tablet or smartphone to record the stop motion videos. Golinkhoff says that screen time gifts are okay if there's a social and nonscreen aspect, like creating these videos and sharing them with friends. "There are some apps that can be enjoyed if there are social interactions around the app and it's not a shooting game," she said.
A book that combines science and cooking
Amazon
"Science Experiments You Can Eat" by Vicki Cobb
Ten can be a good age to start developing lifelong hobbies, like cooking. This cookbook brings science into the kitchen, making it a perfect gift option both for boys who like science and boys interested in cooking. Reviewers have a lot of good things to say about this gift for older kids, which is an updated version of a book that's been around for more than 40 years.
A Monopoly city to build and play together
Amazon
Hasbro Monopoly Builder
"There's a reason Monopoly has been around as long as it has," Golinkhoff said. In the latest rendition of the classic Monopoly game, players build skyscrapers as they make their way around the board. The game adds construction tokens and building levels to the basic real estate spaces of the original.
A Mandalorian set for advanced builders
Amazon
LEGO Star Wars The Mandalorian The Razer Crest
This large LEGO set allows kids to build and play with "The Mandalorian" characters including The Child — better known as "Baby Yoda" — and The Razer Crest starship. Rated for ages 10 years and up, this is a kit for more advanced builders or for kids and a grownup to work on together. While there are a lot of great LEGO sets, this one earned the TOYA award for building kits this year.
Snap Circuits allows kids to build their own electric creations — this kit includes the pieces for a few different arcade games. STEM toys like this one are an excellent alternative to a video game. The 30 different circuits just snap together, making it appropriate for this age group. The set includes a mini LED screen and a controller.
A classic game made modern
Hasbro
Hasbro Electronic Battleship
The electronic version of Battleship takes a classic board game and levels up the excitement a notch. Kids can play solo or with a friend to try to sink the opponent's ships and even an airplane. Rated for ages 8 and up, it makes a fun but affordable gift for this age group.
A motorized building toy
Amazon
K'nex Imagine Power and Play Motorized Building Set
Adding a motor adds another level of play to a classic building toy. The K'nex Imagine Power and Play allows kids to motorize their creations, from helicopters to a robot. It comes with a reusable case — a big plus when purchasing anything with lots of little pieces.
A box full of science experiments
Amazon
National Geographic Earth Science Kit
Many science kits are one-and-done, but this one from National Geographic has 15 experiments. That's a lot of rainy days it could fill with a volcano, digs, tornadoes, and crystals. The experiments can be conducted with one child or with friends.
A set of adjustable beginner-friendly rollerblades
Amazon
K2 Youth Raider Inline Skates
Rollerblading can be a great hobby for older kids. These beginner skates from K2 aren't flimsy plastic, yet they still offer kid-friendly features like adjustable sizes. Be sure to gift these with safety gear, like a helmet and knee pads.
A hard-to-put-down graphic novel
Amazon
"New Kid" by Jerry Craft
Funny graphic novels turned my son from a reluctant reader to an avid reader. "New Kid" by Jerry Craft is a humorous illustrated middle grade novel, yet it tackles some important topics for 10-year-olds. The book follows a seventh-grader in a new prestigious private school, as one of the only students of color. The book received the Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Author Award, and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature.
Jixels are mini puzzle pieces that can be used to create an image one pixel at a time. This 700-piece set includes instructions to make two robots. Jixels is also an open-ended toy and the pieces can fit together to create whatever the child imagines.
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