The Best Gifts for 10-Year-Olds

Fast-paced, slightly silly, and hunger-inducing (if you love sushi like we do), Sushi Go is a drafting-style card game that can be played in under 20 minutes, but the charming illustrations and multitude of possible permutations keep this game engaging for hours. Meant for 2-5 players, 8 and up.

Kirby meets Katamari in this fun-for-the-whole-family Switch game where gobbling up yummy food is the whole point. Loaded with action-packed races, cute mini-games, and challenging head-to-head battles, Kirby’s Dream Buffet offers nearly endless enjoyment, whether it’s with a handheld Switch or on the big screen for game night.

Chances are you’ve seen someone wearing Crocs that have been bedazzled by Jibbitz, the shoe charm that lets people personalize their footwear. They’re a great choice for kids because there are hundreds of different options, from beloved movie characters to sports teams. Pretty much any hobby or interest you can imagine has been Jibbitized, and, starting around $4.99 each, they’re a neat, inexpensive way to add flair to your pair.

Whenever I’m stumped for a child’s gift, I always go with markers and a sketchbook. It feels ageless—as practical for a ten-year-old as it is for a four-year-old (and I should know, since I have one of each at my house). It’s the kind of gift that invites the recipient to tap into their own creativity, something most of the ten-year-olds I know are happy to do.

With two 24-page comic books of empty cells just begging to be filled, this kit is ideal for the future Bill Wattersons of the world. The kit includes stencils, stamps, and markers to help kids put their visions on paper.

A ten-year-old might be transitioning away from stuffed animals, but that’s fine because this is more than a stuffed animal. It’s a veritable sleep aid. Meant to be warmed in the microwave, this lavender-scented, super soft cuddly buddy is a one-way ticket to the land of nod for whomever happens to hold it, big kid or no.

Not just great for avowed readers, The Secret Series books are playful and riveting even for kids who claim they hate reading. These fantasy-adventure novels conjure Trenton Lee Stewart (Mysterious Benedict Society) with a dash of Megan McDonald (Judy Moody), and they’re filled with secrets and twists to keep those pages turning.

Whether they’re headed for a slumber party or a camping trip, every kid needs a good sleeping bag, and this one from outdoor brand Coleman has a nice design and quality construction at a reasonable price. I love turning gifts like this into an experience, so I’d pack this one up with a voucher for a “Night Under the Stars.”

Now that Kiwi Co. offers kits outside of their subscription model, I find myself giving them often as birthday party and holiday gifts because, not only are they a blast to do, there’s also a sneaky learning component that I appreciate. In this one, kids learn about resistance dying techniques and a little chemistry while making their own unique ice-dyed socks and bucket hats.

What’s more joy-inducing than sledding down a snowy hill? Flying down that hill on a snow tube! Like an inner tube for the winter (Wintertube? Still workshopping…), the snow tube is big enough for big kids (and adults!) and durable enough to make it through an active snowy season.

This customizable LED light box is the perfect choice for a kid who has big things to say. The 12” by 9” light box comes with 100 letters, numbers, and symbols (which stow neatly in the sliding compartment on the back of the box) to let kids express themselves in lights. Just right for a tween bedroom or game room, the lightbox can be either battery- or USB-powered.

Nail polish may come in every color in the rainbow, but there’s nothing better than creating a color of your very own. Match it to your cat’s fur or your bookbag, or just get crazy with it! This set comes with everything you need to make four water-based nail polish colors, including the ever-important component—glitter!

For the budding Hayao Miyazaki in your family, LEGO makes a MYO movie kit that includes LEGO props and a step-by-step guide to recording animated movies on your phone. This set pushes kids to develop skills with lighting, sound, and camera work, perfect for kids who love YouTube animation and want to make their own.

Kites soaring through the sky are a sight to behold, fascinating for kids of all ages. This charming fox kite is easy to operate and ready to go right out of the box. Perfect for a breezy spring day or summers at the beach.

Ideal for kids who love the Questioneers book series, this kit includes everything you need to immerse your ten-year-old in the world of iterative design. Normalize mistakes and breakthroughs with this super cool domino machine, and then watch as kids design their own domino patterns with curves, splits, and stacks aplenty.

Jigsaw puzzles can be a tough sell for my ten-year-old, but this is more than your average tabletop puzzle. Here, kids can learn all about their favorite cities of the world—geography, culture, history. It’s all right there in a multi-dimensional puzzle that appeals to LEGO-lovers and their moms.

This generation of kids are used to instant gratification, but they’re not used to instant photo prints, and that makes the Fujifilm Instax Camera very special. They’ll be able to snap and share photos with friends in a way that smart phones just can’t do. Batteries are included, but film is extra, so make sure to throw in a pack so they can start capturing the world around them immediately!

If you’ve got a gamer or YouTube lover in your house, they’ll appreciate these incredible noise-canceling headphones, and so will you. The headphones, which come in four colors, are designed for kids, with a 85 dB sound limit to protect kids’ hearing. Thanks to the noise-canceling feature, they’ll still be able to hear every last note. Be sure to snag the carrying case and the warranty for extra protection.

Whenever I write a gift guide, I make sure to add a present from my own children’s wish list, and this is at the top of my ten-year-old LEGO maniac’s most wanted list. Both of my kids adore the LEGO Friends line, and they assure me that this build is full of the funnest people, animals, food and real working components (gotta love the bucket on a pulley!) that will keep them busy for literal hours.

Designed specifically for kids, this Echo Dot includes parental controls to help monitor your kids’ activities on the device. When purchasing from Amazon, the Echo Dot Kids includes a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, with access to age-appropriate books, games, and educational tools (like help with their homework!).

What’s better than the next big video game? The video game you make yourself! Wonderful for creative kids and the coding-curious, this set lets users build 8-bit games on a super cute handheld device reminiscent of the Game Boys of yore (nostalgia high score!). The web-based editor helps kids navigate programming languages like JavaScript and Python, which, should they become fluent, will put them on the path to infinite employability.

Harness the chillest vibes as only a hammock can with the Eno Singlenest Hammock, which sets up easily and breaks down to the size of a mango in a handy dandy carrying bag. Oh, and because life’s more chill with a beverage, the hammock also has a built-in drink holder. Just add a magazine and a breeze, and you’re all set. (This hammock includes carabiners, but you’ll still need straps and a suspension system.)