The 18 Best Gifts for 10

Jun 15, 2023

We’ve updated our picks in this list to reflect our current advice elsewhere on our site.

At age 10, kids have hit a double-digit milestone, with their teen years just around the corner. Kids in this age group are growing into themselves and refining their interests. So giving a gift to a 10-year-old can be an opportunity to deepen those passions while also encouraging exploration.

Friendships also mean more to 10-year-olds, so look for gifts they can enjoy with their peers, such as collaborative art projects. Now that they’re learning abstract thinking and reasoning skills, they’re also ready for board games that are more sophisticated not only in tone and subject matter but also in style of play (involving strategic decisions and longer playing sessions). Many 10-year-olds can also tackle complicated projects independently and are able to focus, see them through, and figure out any mistakes on their own.

Keep in mind, too, that as kids get older, imagination “is something that gets neglected,” said Lisa Regalla, head of onsite and digital experiences at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, California, at the the time of our interview. “We think that it’s for babies, but it’s not true. It’s your brain’s natural way to step back, process, and re-engage again.” Toys, games, and kits that encourage daydreaming, creativity, role-playing, and fantasy allow space for imagination to thrive.

We relied on advice from Regalla and other experts—as well as on the collective experience of parents and other caregivers on our staff—to identify gifts that are likely to challenge, engage, and spark the imagination of 10-year-olds. Don’t see what you’re looking for? We also have guides to the best gifts for 9-year-olds, tweens, and teens, as well as wonderful stocking stuffers for kids. If you’re looking for ideas for younger kids, 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, and 8-year-olds. (Since kids vary widely in their personalities, interests, and development, we advise that you take these age recommendations with a grain of salt.) And please share your own best ideas in the comments below.

Woolbuddy Needle Felting Animal Kit ($19 at the time of publication)

When my daughter and her friend first tried their hand at needle felting, they complained about accidentally poking themselves a few times. The craft, popularized in Japan, involves gathering and jabbing small tufts of wool (or even cat or dog hair) with a needle to transform it into soft, fluffy objects. The kids were proud of the results of their efforts—a soft, adorable owl—and also a little proud of their sore fingers. Each Woolbuddy Needle Felting Animal Kit comes with materials, needles, and instructions to make a different cutesy animal (you can choose from giraffes, owls, and cows, among others). And now that my daughter knows how to needle felt and has a set of needles, she can buy additional wool and use her imagination to make whatever she wants. (I’m pretty sure some family members are receiving felt animals as holiday gifts this year.) “It’s a nice steppingstone to doing something open-ended,” said the Bay Area Discovery Museum’s Lisa Regalla, who recommended this kit for kids in this age group.

—Ellen Lee

Thames & Kosmos Exit: The Game—The Cursed Labyrinth ($15 at the time of publication)

Thames & Kosmos’s Exit: The Game—The Cursed Labryinth is part of a series of hands-on, escape-room-style games that can be played at home. It’s a fun way for older kids to work together to solve a mystery, said Brian Mayer, a gaming, learning, and library specialist in New York. In this particular one, players are “locked” in a garden labyrinth and must figure out a series of riddles and puzzles so they can “escape.” The Exit series won the 2017 Kennerspiel des Jahres award, which focuses on games intended for more seasoned players. There are more than two dozen games in the series, with varying levels of difficulty (The Cursed Labyrinth falls into novice, which we still found challenging; luckily there are additional clues and assistance to keep the game moving), as well as jigsaw puzzle-based ones.

Mayer also recommends The House of Riddles version as a good pick for most 10-year-olds. Because the games in this series require players to draw on and cut up game pieces, you can play them only once. Taking anywhere from one to two hours to complete, these games can provide an entertaining activity for a sleepover or a stormy afternoon.

—Ellen Lee

New Kid ($9 at the time of publication) Class Act ($11 at the time of publication)They Called Us Enemy ($10 at the time of publication)

Graphic novels have exploded in popularity in recent years, and they’ve proven to be an effective way to win over reluctant readers, since many kids benefit from the additional support that illustrations bring to the text (plus, they’re just plain fun). Among my family’s favorites: Jerry Craft’s New Kid, which tells the story of a 7th-grader who’s one of the few kids of color at his new school. It won the Newbery Medal in 2020—the first graphic novel to do so. Its sequel, Class Act, follows another student at the same school as they move on to the 8th grade. (You can purchase both novels in a boxed set). Several popular existing series have also been transformed into graphic novels, such as The Baby-sitters Club (which inspired my daughter to pick up the rest of the series in book form) and the Warriors cat-themed franchise. And graphic novels can offer a powerful platform for teaching nonfiction stories: They Called Us Enemy, by actor George Takei (aka Star Trek’s Sulu) is about the incarceration of Japanese Americans—including Takei and his family—during World War 2. For more suggestions, The New York Times offers a slew of graphic novel reviews, including these picks and a list of graphic novels for early and middle-grade readers.

—Ellen Lee

Chronicle Books Paint Chip Poetry ($15 at the time of publication)

A colorful twist on magnetic poetry, the Paint Chip Poetry game is fun both for kids and for adults with a love for words, said Hilary Conklin, professor at DePaul University’s College of Education. The set has 400 paint-chip cards featuring a word or a phrase such as “out of the blue,” “first kiss,” and “the golden hour.” Given one of 40 prompts (such as “when I was little” and “worth waiting for”), players string together their paint chips to compose a poem. There’s no way to win—this game simply provides kids the chance to be creative, express themselves, and appreciate the blend of words and colors. If kids have a case of writer’s block, the game can also get their creative juices flowing—and maybe even spark their next masterpiece.

—Ellen Lee

Spirograph Fun Shapes Set (from $17 at the time of publication)

If you grew up playing with a Spirograph (like I did), this Fun Shapes Set will be as nostalgic for you to give your kid as it is creatively soothing for them to use. Inspired by the original Spirograph, which debuted in 1965, this version incorporates new shapes (diamond, heart, ellipse, and more) into the mix and can be used with other Spirograph sets. (If your kid really wants to maximize their technique, this video is a good place to start.) Pro tip: Try pairing the Spirograph with the Pilot FriXion ColorSticks Erasable Gel Ink Stick Pens, the erasable pick from our guide to six fantastic pens.

—Caira Blackwell

The Original Telestrations ($30 at the time of publication)

I can draw basic stick figures and landscapes only, but that’s part of the fun of Telestrations, a board game that combines the childhood game of Telephone with pictures. Each player starts with a dry-erase marker, a small sketchbook, and a card with a list of objects. Draw one of the objects (like a shipwreck, a rhinoceros, or a typewriter), and then pass the sketchbook on to the next player, who must guess the object and draw their interpretation of it. By the end of the round, what started out as, say, “basketball hoop” might turn into “submarine,” as it did during a round with my family. Telestrations is a fun, laugh-out-loud game—especially if you have a big group—and it’s great for many kids ages 10 and up, said New York–based gaming, learning, and library specialist Brian Mayer.

—Ellen Lee

ENO SingleNest Hammock ($55 at the time of publication)

A portable, packable hammock is always a winner for camping trips or vacations, but it can also create a comfy, private spot for a kid to hang out in their own backyard while reading or daydreaming. After testing 10 low-profile hammocks, we liked the ENO SingleNest Hammock best. It packs down compactly and weighs only a pound, yet when it’s strung between two trees (or other supports), it turns into a comfortable, snug sling for rest and relaxation. The ENO holds up to 400 pounds, so it can easily fit two kids at a time, providing a fun hangout spot. (Note that you’ll need to buy suspension straps separately.) For hiding out indoors, we also love this Harkla sensory swing—featured in our guide to toys for kids with disabilities—which feels like being inside a soothing, color-washed cocoon.

—Courtney Schley

Paperage Lined Journal ($10 at the time of publication)Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal ($20 at the time of publication)Pilot FriXion ColorSticks Erasable Gel Ink Stick Pens (about $12 for a set of 10 at the time of publication)

A collection of tools for doodling and jotting down thoughts is a great gift. My daughter treasures her set of rainbow-colored gel pens, which she received as a birthday gift and regularly uses for drawing and writing little notes. Pilot FriXion ColorSticks Erasable Gel Ink Stick Pens come in a set of 10, are priced right, and rank among Wirecutter’s favorite pens. They not only write smoothly but also erase cleanly, behaving nothing like the smeary erasable pens you and your child may be familiar with. FriXion ink disappears like magic when you rub it with the firm plastic nub at the end of the pen; the heat from the friction causes the ink to become transparent. (A fun tip for sending secret messages: The ink reappears when you place the paper in the freezer.) For doodling, journaling, and daydreaming, pair the pens with a blank notebook, such as the Paperage Lined Journal (a pick in our guide to the best notebooks and notepads) or the hardcover Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal (one of Wirecutter’s favorite paper planners); both come in a range of lovely colors.

—Ellen Lee

Lego Architecture London (about $40 at the time of publication)Lego Architecture San Francisco (about $84 at the time of publication)Lego Architecture New York City (about $53 at the time of publication)

Most of the intricate sets in Lego’s Architecture series are recommended for kids ages 12 and up. But my kid—admittedly a Lego fanatic from toddlerhood—was able to complete the New York City set at a younger age, with just a tiny bit of adult help. Yes, there were some moments of intense frustration over the couple days it took him to build the nearly 600-piece project. But those were surpassed by his immense satisfaction with the final result, which we now proudly display on our mantle. What makes the Lego Architecture series (which includes the White House and Trafalgar Square, among other famous sites) so cool is that your child is replicating something from the real world and, in the process, developing a deep knowledge of its features. In the months after my son built this Lego set, we happened to be in New York. Walking down Fifth Avenue for the first time, he identified the Flatiron Building on his own, recognizing it from his hours of concentrated construction. My son has also built the Eiffel Tower set (now retired); hopefully he’s not holding his breath for a trip to Paris.

—Kalee Thompson

Story Seeds’ The Imagination Lab: Experiments in Creativity (about $23 at the time of publication)

For the budding young writer and avid reader, Story Seeds’ The Imagination Lab: Experiments in Creativity is an activity book with writing prompts and other activities to inspire curiosity, inventiveness, and storytelling. It pairs with the Story Seeds Podcast, which features collaborations among kids and children’s book creators including Jason Reynolds, author of Ghost, and Veera Hiranandani, author of The Night Diary. Each chapter in the book corresponds with an episode of the podcast, though both stand alone as well.

—Ellen Lee

Levain Bakery’s Signature Cookie Assortment Gift Boxes (from about $30 at the time of publication)

Levain Bakery’s signature cookies are huge, misshapen, and heavy as all get-out (weighing 6 ounces each, roughly the same as a hockey puck), so they may look less than appetizing to some. But—insert your favorite expression about the perils of judging a book by its cover here—they’re just the opposite. Blindingly rich, buttery, and moist, these are the cookies I used to stand in line and wait for—rain or shine—at the bakery’s original Upper West Side shop in New York. (The company has since expanded, with storefronts popping up throughout the East Coast.) When I moved to the suburbs and began pining for them, I started ordering the cookies by mail, and I’ve been pleasantly shocked at how well they survive the journey. (Levain also sells frozen versions of its cookies at grocery stores in New York and New Jersey, but I’m not a fan.) Typically I get the signature assortment that comes with all four flavors—chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, and oatmeal raisin—and the cookies have always arrived fresh. (Heating them up for five to 10 minutes before eating is key.) They’ll stay good for about a week in an airtight container, but they freeze beautifully, too. As a special dessert for my son, I defrost a cookie, pop it in the oven, and then use it as the base for an absurdly delicious ice-cream sundae.

—Ingela Ratledge Amundson

Personal Planetarium ($50 at the time of publication)

The Personal Planetarium combines a star-gazing app with the fun of augmented reality. After downloading the free app, simply slip your phone inside the handheld viewer and point the contraption at the sky. Different modes reveal a variety of details above. With Deep Sky mode, my teenage son and I take a peek at the galaxies via images from real telescopes. The Personal Planetarium recognizes constellations in the sky and explains them via audio, which has been a fun learning experience for my preschooler (we also like to put the Mythology mode to use at bedtime). To work the Personal Planetarium, you need a phone with a screen that’s at least 3½ inches or larger, including the iPhone 5, 6, 7, 8, SE, and X (running iOS 8.0 and later) and the Samsung Galaxy S5, S6, S7, and S8 (running OS4.2 and later). Planetarium field trips may have been delayed over the past year, but this gadget could be the next best thing, helping to bolster a lifelong passion for the solar system.

—Kelly Glass

Lava the Original 14.5-Inch Classic Lamp (about $62 at the time of publication)

There’s something mesmerizing and calming about gazing at the moving blobs of brightly colored wax in a lava lamp. Sometimes my kids and I stare at ours and try to guess the shapes that the blobs are forming, such as a tree or a cat or … a blobfish. It takes a little time for the lamp to warm up and for the wax to start moving, but once it gets going, the lamp brightens the mood in any room. Choose one in your 10-year-old’s favorite colors to complement their tastes (the lamps from Lava the Original come in an array of colors and styles). These lamps do get hot, so they’re probably not a good choice for very young kids. Remember to turn them off at night and let them cool down between uses to preserve the grooviness of the wax.

—Ellen Lee

Primary Pajamas (top and pants, about $30 total at the time of publication)REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 Sleeping Bag ($139 at the time of publication)State Bags Bensen Toiletry Kit ($65 at the time of publication)L.L.Bean Boat and Tote ($35 at the time of publication)

Whenever possible, my daughter and her friends beg to sleep over at each other’s homes, where they whisper, giggle, and stay up until all hours of the night. If you’re looking to prepare your child for their next (or first) epic slumber party, consider assembling a themed collection of sleepover essentials that could last them for years to come:

—Ellen Lee

Zumiez Cruiser Skateboard (from about $100 at the time of publication)Zumiez Complete Skateboard (from about $80 at the time of publication)

If your kid is interested in giving skateboarding a try, age 10 might be a great time for them to start. Your best bet is to take a budding skateboarder to a local skate shop, where they can build and customize a board on the spot or find a refurbished one at a discount. Barring that, Zumiez is a reliable retailer that carries a range of boards for beginners, said Rob Ferguson, founder of Rob Skate Academy in San Leandro, California, and a trainer for one of the members of the USA Olympic Skateboarding Team. For getting around, a cruiser board from Zumiez is a good choice, Ferguson said. Is your kid interested in learning tricks? Check out a standard skateboard from Zumiez. And don’t forget the safety gear—like a helmet, wrist guards, and knee and elbow pads—for protection during those inevitable wipeouts.

—Ellen Lee

Wacom Intuos S ($70 at the time of publication)

If your kid already loves to draw on paper and is interested in experimenting with digital art, an entry-level drawing tablet may open new doors of art and creativity. A drawing tablet connects to any computer and lets you use a stylus to draw digital images with an impressive degree of precision. For a creative kid who wants to try their hand at digital comics, sketching, animation, photo retouching, or even just doodling or note-taking, a drawing tablet can be a fun and useful tool. After testing nine of them, we chose the Wacom Intuos S as our favorite drawing tablet for beginners. It was one of the most precise and customizable, its pen was comfortable enough to hold for long drawing sessions, and it comes with the most software, including Corel Painter Essentials 7.

—Melanie Pinola

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 (about $80 at the time of publication)Fujifilm Instax Mini Instant Films (2-pack) ($15 for 20 prints at the time of publication)Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1 ($119 at the time of publication)Fujifilm Instax Square Instant Film (2-pack) (about $20 for 20 prints at the time of publication)

A 10-year-old has never known a world without iPhone selfies. But kids can still experience the infectious joy of snapping an instant photo and watching it develop into a real-world object. A top pick in Wirecutter’s guide to the best instant cameras. The Mini 12 is easy to use, thanks to minimal settings (just on, off, and selfy), can take dozens of snaps on a single set of batteries, and it’s ultra-portable thanks to the light and small body. If you prefer a slightly larger, square, picture (and don’t mind caring around a slightly larger camera), the SQ1 prints the same dreamy-styled photos and is similarly easy to use.

—Arriana Vasquez

A donation to a near-and-dear charitable cause (prices vary)

A donation to a worthy organization is a gift to your child as well, teaching them empathy and generosity, and showing them how satisfying it feels to help others. You can search for ways to make an impact locally, such as through a nearby food bank or animal shelter; DonorsChoose also lets you search by zip code for teachers and schools that need support. If you’re not sure which nonprofit to pick, services such as GuideStar, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Charity Navigator can help you choose one wisely. And some even offer a physical thank-you gift in return: When a friend made a donation to the World Wildlife Fund for my kids, we received a delightfully soft, plush stuffed animal in the mail.

—Ellen Lee

—Additional reporting by Julie Kim

This article was edited by Ingela Ratledge Amundson and Kalee Thompson.

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Ellen Lee

Ellen Lee is a Wirecutter contributor, reviewing baby and kid gear. Her writing has also appeared in Real Simple, Working Mother, and Family Circle magazines, and she was previously a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Her three kids earn their keep by helping her test products.

Wirecutter Staff