Gifts for 10-Year-Olds
- 20 gift ideas
- From under $10 to under $100
Good gifts for 10 year olds treat them as capable: a LEGO Technic car model or chemistry set for builders, a strategy game such as Splendor for family night, a boxed fantasy series for readers, a sketching kit for artists and a big-wheel scooter for getting around the neighborhood.
Quick picks
- Best for builders: A LEGO Technic car model Gears and axles that really move, in a build that lasts several sessions. Idea 1
- Best for readers: A complete fantasy book series The whole series in one box, with no waiting between books. Idea 13
- Best under $10: A fast property-trading card game A 15-minute card game that fits in a bag for trips. Idea 8
- Best for active kids: A big-wheel kick scooter Large wheels for getting around the neighborhood. Idea 18
Ten is the age when kids want projects that feel a little grown-up: models with moving parts, games with real strategy and book series they can binge. We sorted these 20 ideas by what a ten-year-old does with free time, so you can jump straight to the section that sounds like the child. Every idea keeps its age label.
Each idea says who it suits and what to check before you order. For a younger or older child, see our Gifts for 8-Year-Olds guide for a younger child or our 12-year-old guide for an older one. Anything with wheels needs a helmet, and a few kits need adult help with ovens or setup.
Ideas 1 to 6
Science, tech and building
1. A LEGO Technic car model
A LEGO Technic car model suits a ten-year-old who loves cars and engineering, because the gears and axles really move, so they get a more grown-up build with working parts instead of a quick toy. The set is graded for ages 9 and up, with a high piece count, so plan for more than one sitting. Clear a table, and keep the finished model on a shelf as a display piece.
Tip: Plan several short build sessions, and use a tray to keep the pieces sorted.
2. A tabletop beginner telescope
A tabletop beginner telescope suits a ten-year-old who loves space, because a small scope is easy to aim at the moon from a backyard table, a first step into astronomy. Look for a simple mount and no complicated setup. The listing does not show an age grade, so a grown-up should help with the first night. Pair it with a moon map for naming the craters.
Tip: Print a moon map and pick a clear night so the first look is easy.
3. A kids' chemistry set
A kids' chemistry set suits a ten-year-old who wants science that actually does something, because fizzing, bubbling experiments give a satisfying result and an illustrated guide keeps them easy to follow. The set is graded for ages 8 and up. Do the experiments on a covered table or outdoors, read the safety notes first and keep a grown-up nearby.
Tip: Cover the table, read the safety notes together and keep a grown-up nearby.
4. A bigger snap-together electronics kit
A bigger snap-together electronics kit suits a ten-year-old who loves gadgets, because hundreds of projects keep them building alarms, lights and sound gadgets long after the first weekend. The kit is graded for ages 8 and up and needs no soldering. Check what batteries it takes, and keep the parts sorted in the tray so nothing goes missing.
Tip: Check what batteries the kit uses and keep the parts sorted in the tray.
5. A build-and-code robot kit
A build-and-code robot kit suits a ten-year-old curious about robots, because building a machine and then telling it what to do with coding buttons gives them a first taste of engineering and programming together. The kit is graded for ages 10 and up and uses AAA batteries. Build it together over a weekend, then let them reprogram it.
Tip: Have AAA batteries ready, and build it together before they reprogram it.
6. A LEGO chain reaction machine kit
A LEGO chain reaction kit suits a ten-year-old who loves contraptions, because building machines that swing, roll and drop to finish a task is the kind of problem-solving they can lose an afternoon to. The kit is a book-and-parts set, and the listing does not show an age grade. Clear a table and let them design their own versions after the first builds.
Tip: Clear a table and let them redesign each machine after the first build.
Ideas 7 to 12
Games and brain teasers
Ten-year-olds can handle real strategy, so these games work for family night, not just for kids.
7. A gem-trading strategy game
A gem-trading strategy game suits a ten-year-old ready for grown-up board games, because the rules are easy to teach but the strategy runs deep, which makes it a family game they can win on their own. The game is graded for ages 10 and up and plays with two to four players. Teach the first turns with the cards face up.
Tip: Teach the first few turns with the cards face up, then play a full game.
8. A fast property-trading card game
A fast property-trading card game suits a ten-year-old who loves to make deals, because a round plays in about 15 minutes, so they can fit one in before dinner. The game is listed for ages 8 and up, for two to five players. It travels easily in a bag, and the winner is whoever collects three full sets first.
Tip: Keep it in a travel bag for car rides and waiting rooms.
9. A 3D maze ball
A 3D maze ball suits a ten-year-old who likes a solo challenge, because guiding a marble through a maze inside a sphere takes patience and steady hands, and they will keep picking it up to beat their best. The listing gives an age of 8 to 10 years. It also works as a screen-free puzzle for car rides.
Tip: Keep it in the car for long drives, and challenge them to beat their best.
10. A fast word tile game
A fast word tile game suits a ten-year-old who loves words, because the banana-shaped pouch is easy to pack and the race to build a grid lets them compete with adults on equal terms. The game is listed for ages 7 to 12. Play a first round together to learn the rules, then challenge the whole family to a rematch.
Tip: Play a first round together, then challenge the family to a rematch.
11. An escape room game in a box
An escape room game in a box suits a ten-year-old who loves mysteries, because a card-based escape game turns family night into a puzzle you solve together. It is graded for ages 10 and up, and the clue cards help when you get stuck. The game is a one-time puzzle, so plan on playing it with the family on a free evening.
Tip: Plan a free evening and play it together, since each box is one adventure.
12. A family party video game
A family party video game suits a ten-year-old with a Nintendo Switch, because short minigames let them play with siblings and parents on the same couch. It requires a Nintendo Switch, which is not included. The ESRB rating was not read on the listing, so check the rating on the box and set the household's screen-time rules before gifting.
Tip: Check the ESRB rating on the box, and confirm they own a Nintendo Switch.
Ideas 13 to 14
Book series to binge
13. A complete fantasy book series
A complete fantasy series in a boxed set suits a ten-year-old who reads in bed with a flashlight, because the full Harry Potter series gives them seven books with no waiting between them. The listing gives a customer reading age of 9 and up. Check whether they already own the early books, and share the first chapter aloud to get them started.
Tip: Check which books they already own, and read the first chapter aloud to start.
14. An illustrated adventure series
An illustrated adventure series suits a ten-year-old who loves animals and robots, because The Wild Robot books are illustrated chapter books with big themes and an easy pace. The listing gives a customer reading age of 8 and up. A hardcover boxed set looks good on a shelf, and it is a good first chapter-book series to read aloud together.
Tip: Read the first chapter aloud together, and then leave the set on their shelf.
Ideas 15 to 17
Art and making
15. A real sketching kit
A real sketching kit suits a ten-year-old who draws all the time, because graphite and charcoal pencils with a proper sketchbook tell them their work is worth taking seriously. The listing does not show a kid age grade, and the pencils are sharp, so a grown-up should help with the first session. Add a pencil case so they can carry it.
Tip: Show them one shading technique, then let them fill the sketchbook.
16. An oven-bake clay sampler
An oven-bake clay sampler suits a ten-year-old who loves making tiny things, because they can sculpt charms and figures that last once baked, with an adult handling the oven step. The listing does not show an age grade, so read the box together. Work on a clean tile or baking sheet, and follow the baking instructions exactly.
Tip: Let a grown-up handle the oven, and follow the baking instructions on the package.
17. A deluxe spiral art set
A deluxe spiral art set suits a ten-year-old who loves patterns and color, because spiral art looks impressive with very little practice, and a set with a built-in drawing surface goes anywhere. The listing mentions ages 9 to 12. Add extra paper and a few new gel pens, and let them try layered designs with several colors.
Tip: Add extra paper and gel pens, and let them layer several colors.
Ideas 18 to 20
Outdoor fun and downtime
18. A big-wheel kick scooter
A big-wheel kick scooter suits a ten-year-old who rides everywhere, because a sturdy scooter with large wheels is a fast way to get to a friend's house. The title lists ages 8 and up, and the T-tube adjusts as they grow. Add a helmet, set clear rules about where to ride, and check the bolts and brakes now and then.
Tip: Add a helmet, agree on where they can ride, and check the bolts now and then.
19. A portable hammock
A portable hammock suits a ten-year-old who loves to hang out outside, because a packable hammock gives them a reading spot in the backyard or at the campground. The listing does not give a child age grade, so an adult should help choose the trees and hang it. Keep it low to the ground, and use the tree straps that come with it.
Tip: Have an adult pick the trees and hang it low to the ground with the straps.
20. Volume-limited kids' headphones
Volume-limited kids' headphones suit a ten-year-old who listens on the go, because wireless headphones with a built-in volume limit let them enjoy music and audiobooks on trips and in the car. Look for a limit that suits your household, comfortable padding and a charging cable you already own. Pair them with a few audiobooks for long drives.
Tip: Pair them with a few audiobooks and a charging cable for long drives.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best toys for 10 year olds?
Look for toys that reward effort: LEGO Technic or a chain reaction kit for builders, a chemistry set or snap-together electronics kit for science fans, and strategy games such as Splendor or a property card game for family night. Add a book series or a sketching kit for downtime.
What is a good gift for a 10 year old?
Match the gift to what they already do. A reader might like a boxed fantasy series, an artist might like the sketching kit or spiral art set, a builder might like the Technic model, and a kid who rides everywhere might like the big-wheel scooter. If you are unsure, a family strategy game is a safe pick when you are unsure.
What are good gifts for a 10 year old boy or girl?
Choose by interest, not by gender. A child who loves space might like the tabletop telescope, one who loves animals and robots might like The Wild Robot books, one who loves making tiny things might like the polymer clay sampler, and one who likes puzzles might like the escape room game.
What is a good Christmas gift for a 10 year old?
A LEGO Technic model, a chemistry set or a boxed book series makes a strong main gift. Add a small extra like a card game, a puzzle cube or spiral art pens. See our Christmas Gifts for Kids guide for more holiday ideas by age.
Are craft and science kits safe for a 10 year old?
Most are meant for ages 8 and up, but the listing for some kits does not show an age grade, so read the box together first. Do oven-bake clay with an adult handling the oven, run chemistry experiments on a covered table with a grown-up nearby, and wear a helmet for scooters.
