The Best Birthday Gift for 8 Year Old Boys
I’m thrilled to share with you some of our top picks for the best birthday gift for 8 year old boys. Find our favorite 7 year old boy birthday gifts here. This post contains affiliate links.
Kids sometimes start adopting that tweenage cynicism at age eight, and so that gift giving game needs to step up a few notches! Both M and Y hit the “but it’s not a toy!” stage around then, which is why, despite the fact that I usually try to include some non-toy options, this one is almost all toys.
Of course, all of these are fantastic for girls too, and not just for eight year olds. These picks are based on the things that interest my resident product testers. This post was originally published with M as the tester. He’s a smart boy who loves to tinker, creative but not artistic, and loves to read – especially comics.
I updated it with Y in mind, now that he’s reached 8 years old, and he likes more diverse toys – like vehicles, artsy stuff, and more.
We don’t have a sports gear section here – because both my kids aren’t VERY into sports – (though that might fit for your eight year old) – but we have plenty of creating happening!
Just as an FYI some of the products in this list of best birthday gifts for 8 year old boys were gifted for potential inclusion. All these products were vetted and tested by us.
These are some of our all around top picks for the best birthday gift for an eight year old boy, divided into a few categories based on interest. Keep scrolling to read through them all, or click on the topic that is best for YOUR eight year old.
Our favorite picks for the best birthday gift for 8 year old boys
Best STEM Gift Ideas for 8 Year Old Boys
How incredible is it to make something work?! In my experience, eight year olds tend to be more inclined toward toys that do something, rather than those that require imagination (like I featured in my preschool age guides in the past). Sounds uneducational? Not if they’re the ones making it work! Here are a few cool ideas:
For the budding engineer: Thames & Kosmos Gecko Run
We’ve gone through some ball runs and courses in the past, but the Gecko Run by Thames & Kosmos is like nothing we’ve ever seen – and both boys loved playing with it for hours!
Some marble runs can be overly challenging for kids – to the point where they don’t innovate and just follow the pre-build instructions.
With the Gecko Run, the logic was much easier for them to learn. Gravity speaks for itself because you’re building vertically. And the pieces are very logical, and easy to understand. The main tracks are flexible, making it easier to focus on the transitions. They built a pretty elaborate run.
The pieces have “gecko grip” sticking to any smooth surface. They are NOT adhesive – they simply grip!
I wanted my kids to stick to the basement (we have a baby upstairs so the balls are choking hazards) so they played with building it on a whiteboard and a spare leaf from our table.
But kids can have fun building on smooth appliances or glossy-painted walls.
For the future botanist: Buzzy Seeds Grow Kits
My kids love planting and watching things grow – and Buzzy Seeds make it the perfect hobby for kids to take on! They make easy-to-use grow kits that come in fun and playful planters that will actually look cute in your house.
They have all kinds of offerings, but my favorite picks are the Sensitive Plant and My First Garden.
The sensitive plant grows just that – a sensitive plant with leaves that respond to touch! The flower is like a purple pom pom, making it super fun for kids. And the My First Garden kit grows marigold and tomato, two easy-to-grow plants that are fun for kids.
Each kit comes with a planter, seeds, growing medium that expands with water, and instructions, of course.
We’re waiting for late winter/early spring to plant these, and hope to update with new photos when we do!
Engineer from Scratch: smART STIX
smART STIX are soo so cool! Start with aluminum rods of the same size. Cut them to size using the included workbench – with a safe, protected blade. Then bend them and create cool things! M is obsessed with these and loves to create loads of things. We used them to make DIY night lights but the kits include loads of projects too. You can go really big with this or keep it small!
I actually found that my kids were happiest playing with this open-ended – just cutting and connecting, and not necessarily making anything overly specific.
This truly innovative toy is highly entertaining and a top quality pick. It’s a new hobby that has engaged M for many hours already and he keeps wanting to do more!
Use code MOMSANDCRAFTERS for $5 off!
Science Club at Home: KiwiCo Labs
My kids have loved KiwiCo crates for the longest time, and while they’ve recently reformatted, and I haven’t tried it since, I do need to share it here!
They combined their previous Kiwi and Tinker lines and simply allow you to input the age range. You’ll get more of a linear learning process with your subscriptions and build some real life engineering skills.
You can check out this video of the above kits in action:
You can also purchase individual kits on their website or at Target. My kids’ favorite is the light up wall art one – and of course, I can’t find the photos! But you can check out this video of M from a few years ago showing what he created (the Target kit comes with different templates)
For Real Life Electronics: Snap Circuits My Home
M got a Snap Circuits set for his seventh birthday and he is quite obsessed with it. Snap Circuits is a safe-for-kids circuit building toy. The pieces literally snap together to complete circuits, along with functional switches, speakers, lights, and more.
Snap Circuits then sent these an even cooler application with My Home – a set dedicated to things going on in the house. Between doorbells, security systems (like the one we built), and even electricity meters, kids will really get how much is going on in their homes at any given time. I actually find this kit to be super cool for kids who aren’t as STEM-inclined too, since they can really relate to it.
We built a sensor-activated home security system with lights and sounds. How cool? You don’t have to build the whole frame for designs to work (it’s easier if you don’t) but I think it’s much cooler that way.
For Laugh-out-loud engineering: Hexbug Nano
My boys picked up a Hexbug Nano kit when they had a joint budget to choose an incentive that they earned – and they actually agreed on it – can you believe it?
Hexbug makes these vibrating robotic “bugs” that literally run wild unless something blocks them. Create a course or a fence and watch them run around. You can place obstacles and watch them spin them or go around them. They flip over and right themselves up, and go faster and faster and faster….
This toy definitely produced lots of giggles! The cool thing is that it’s expandible – you can join kits for bigger sets.
Top Rated & Gross: National Geographic Super Gross Science Lab
Here’s another STEM toy that is actually great for the kid who doesn’t necessarily run towards science stuff (but yes, also for the sciency kid). Got a kid that things everything is guts and boogers? Show them just how GROSS science can be!
A little git of humor is the perfect way to reach eight year olds, and this kit also tricks them into doing something a bit more educational than video games! And the best part? It includes everything. Little labeled packages means that M can just pull out what he needs and do it all on his own.
This is so important for me when gifting science sets. M loves doing experiments, but it can be hard to gather all the supplies, he messes up the kitchen, and we just don’t bother half the time. For M, being able to do his thing independently is the difference between doing it or not doing it.
For the Rube Goldberg fan: Geomag Mechanics Gravity
We’re big fans of making things that actually work and Geomag’s Mechanics line has never failed us (you can see another one we tried here.) The loops and turns kit is a new favorite. Just like the others, it features magnetic sticks with metal balls. The balls are not magnetic FYI so while they are still a choking hazard – keep away from babies and toddlers – they don’t have the added danger of magnets.
The other parts interlock and hold the metal balls to complete the system. Once you get the hang of how the basic parts work, you can really do so much with the basic structure of the pieces.
The individual kits build a specific “machine”. This one focuses on defying the gravity of loops using momentum. The kids get such a kick out of seeing the final build in action and play it again and again before deconstructing and making their own thing.
Now that we have a few kits, we’re going to try mixing and matching too!
You can see it in action in this video:
Favorite Books for 8 Year Old Boys
Eight is a perfect age to encourage fluency in reading, which can help with spelling and vocabulary – but which books will actually captivate your eight year old? The answer is: comic books! Okay, every eight year old is different, but as a wise third grade teacher told us “give them to read what they’ll actually read.”
So yes, these are what my son reads. But you choose what interests yours, what he’ll read. Here are some of our book picks for the best birthday gift for an 8 year old boy.
My kids also happen to love picture-heavy fact books. They’ll pick up and learn them most random facts from them, and yes, they’re even reading!
Open Wide!: Jaw-dropping mouths of the animal world
I love seeing the different ways that you can learn animal facts – mainly because my kids can never get enough of them.
Open Wide! features loads of mouth-focused facts, whether it’s how to tell the difference between alligators and crocodiles from the mouth, different bird bekds and their purposes, animal teeth, and more.
Animals are miraculous creatures, in how they live without the accommodations that humans have created for themselves, and even I enjoyed reading through this! And the quality hardcover book means it’ll actually hang around for a bit.
For a wholesome bit of humor: Dog man
This comic series is a quite obnoxious one by the author of Captain Underpants. Cop and dog are in an explosive accident, cop’s body survives, along with dog’s head. So what happens? The brilliant medical team sews them together and you have dog man!
Full of rude humor and everything else a little boy (who thinks he’s big) loves, you might not have chosen this yourself. But like I said, give them to read what they’ll actually read! M has read this over and over and over again. And just like almost every book, we have a talk about what’s okay and what’s not, and how sometimes the author will exaggerate to make the story interesting, even if it’s not okay in real life. (Think: Hardy Boys going into dangerous situations without parents’ knowledge).
So if you want the book that the kids are reading, the ones they’ll read again and again? Dog Man FTW!
M loves it so much, we even made his eighth birthday party Dog Man themed!
We’ve since added new books to the series as they came out, even preordering them as rewards for the kids.
Learn a thing or two: The Secret Life of Bees
This pick is all about bees – and it’s not just fact, it’s fiction too! Complete with gorgeous illustrations, first person bees narrating, loads of science lessons, poems, activities, and even some folklore, this book makes learning about bees interesting.
We found it to be a great way to make those sometimes irritating creatures a bit more sympathetic to my children.
It’s also not a one-and-done book – there are loads of pages to explore, and in doable bite-sized tidbits that the boys keep coming back to!
For a bit of Nostalgia: Calvin & Hobbes books
Here’s a little throwback. Everyone’s favorite troublemaker Calvin, along with his (totally not imaginary friend) Hobbes will crack up your eight year old. Just make sure to remind him that he had better not lock the babysitter outdoors.
We have been adding these to our bookshelf one at a time, but you can also choose a boxed set for a beautiful gift. Just make sure this lucky eight year old boy knows that birthday gifts are made for sharing (even with the grown-ups!)
Top Art & Craft Gifts for 8 Year Old Boys
One challenge with eight year old boys is that you can no longer plop them in front of a bin full of sand and toys and call it a day. And while we absolutely love our STEM kits and toys (and can never have enough of them), there’s sometimes the need for a good old hands-on activity, minus any learning. So for those of you who have a kid who might not be as cool with STEM kits, these are more about being fun than educational.
And another note: while “crafting” has a very girly rep, my boy loves creating! So in a world of overly sparkly crafting supplies, I love pointing out those that are gender neutral and even uniquely appeal to my sons.
For the Builder: LEGO Pens
For a LEGO fan, there’s nothing like a set of fabulous gel pens that click together! But even more than that, these LEGO licensed gel pens are buildable with your existing bricks, so your kids can have fun building on them.
And they’re practical – keep the pens connected for storage.
But they’re not just hype. I am VERY discerning with my pens and how well they write, and these score big time. They are on par with the leading brands of gel pens and writing instruments in ink flow and smoothness, as well as longevity.
Since eight is a transitional age – they’re still playing with and interested in the little kid toys, but they’ll be outgrowing them soon – I like to look for things that are mature enough that they’ll last, and yes, M, age 11, loves these too!
For the Literary Crafter: Dog Man Cubles
Forget handing your 8 year old action figures. Let them build ’em themselves with this origami-3D puzzle hybrid that turns into a fun toy! The assembled cubles actually have moving parts! It’s a “neat” project with no glue or scissors required. And while it’s totally has STEAM elements, it’s really more about the fun than anything else.
Pop out the pieces, fold them, and assemble to make your figure. The joints use an accordion folded key and can then actually move. M thought that was cool – “Ma, it’s literally a key!” You can get these in full color OR color-in. I recommend the color-in for the more creative, and the full color for kids who don’t enjoy coloring and will simply enjoy the assembly and the finished project. M prefers it in full color.
I discovered when making M a “Dog Man” themed birthday party, that there aren’t so many licensed products. However, quality is more important than quantity, and these Dog Man Cubles are a win!
Not a Dog Man person? There are loads of other options. And Cubles now makes a G.I. Joe version too!
For the child of the brave: Marvel Slime
Okay, I am NOT a slime mom. I don’t like that it gets stuck in everything and frankly I don’t have the energy to supervise all day. But at age eight, I discovered that my kids are actually starting to be – wait for it – responsible!!
Can you believe it?
So I at this age, I began to break out the slime (with some rules, okay?)
This Marvel Spiderman set is perfect for superhero fans (note: I can’t find the colors I received in stock, but I linked to the same set in different colors).
Coolest Toys and Games for 8 Year Olds
Eight year olds can finally play many classic games, making it one of the best birthday gifts for 8 year old boys! And not only is it fantastic screen-free entertainment, but they can actually play games that adults enjoy too!
I encourage you to find some unique, fresh picks (besides for the classics.)
They are also still playing with toys, but which toys matter. I like to look for classic toys but with a bit of an upgrade. I included some STEM options above, but frankly, Y still likes playing with some classics. So to help them last longer for him, here are some slightly more grown-up options.
For the Sports Car Fan: Bravomonster Speedster RC Drift Car
Remote control cars are always a win with 8 year old boys, but not all RCs are created equal. Bravomonster Speedser RC drif car has a gorgeous, sleek, modern design – and a scratch resistant UV coating to keep it that way. And it is highly responsive, making it not only drive accurately and smoothly, but also very satisfying to be behind the remote.
The outside isn’t the end of it, though – far from it. It features 5-line intelligent digital servo, Ackerman steering geometry, and more features that make it a next-level RC that can be steered and raced. There is even a racing mode! My boys love combining toys, building courses and tracks out of magnetic tiles and LEGO bricks, and the accuracy and feedback on this RC lends itself to taking those skills to the next level.
The car charges using a USB-C cable, and the remote runs on AAA batteries (included). It’s a next-level muscle car, with a center of gravity that allows for better drifting, and will take RC cars from play to hobby – actually growing with your child.
Okay, I’ll say it: it’s the RC that Daddy likes to borrow after the kids are in bed…
For Big Kid Pirate Play: Playmobil Pirate Ship
Playmobil is one of those toys that are “forever” toys. kids start them at age 3-4, and play with them through about ten or eleven. And then you keep them for the grandkids…
For an eight year old, I found that something with a little extra play feature is perfect! This Pirate ship is actually water-safe! You can play with it in the tub, in a repurposed baby tub (like we did) or even in the swimming pool.
You can even upgrade it with a (separate) motor to make it even cooler for your big kid.
And the details, as expected with Playmobil, are incredible. The compass has holographic directions, the Pirate holds a scroll map, there’s a parrot that perches on the ship, a hinged telescope…
For Smaller Gifts: Monster Jam Marvel Trucks
If you’re looking for smaller gifts, prizes, or stocking stuffers, it can be hard to find things that are good quality but appeal to this age groups – and these Monster Jam mini Marvel trucks are like little grown-up toy cars!
The mini bundle comes with Thor, Black Panther, and Ironman 1:87 scale die-cast monster trucks. You can gift them as-is or separate the pack as incentive prizes.
They are fun to play with from age 3, but also collectible for older kids who are fans of Marvel and/or Monster Jam.
A spin on a bestseller: Exploding Minions
Exploding Kittens is a newer classic, but Exploding Minions is perfect for your eight year old! This spinoff game (it’s NOT an expansion pack and is not compatible with Exploding Kittens). It has new card types and other features not included in the original.
Why the Minions version? Well, besides for the new play features, Minions are just hilarious? It just adds a fun twist. But Exploding Kittens does make a great gift too…
Our kids loved this so much that they played it with their cousin every time he came to visit – and influenced him to buy it too!
To sneak in some math: Bananagrams Countaloupe Game
This card game has a math element, and a risk-taking element, both of which are fantastic for this age group! It’s a “discard all” type card game, with some choices to make and lots of family fun. From the Makers of Bananagrams.
Beat That! The Bonkers Battle of Wacky Challenges
M is quite obsessed with Beat That! and is always looking for people to play with! Marketed for ages 9+, this game is totally family friendly and lots of fun for everyone.
You have different challenges and the things you need to complete them (cups, ping-pong type balls, chopsticks, and more). It’s the kind of game that gets everyone laughing and teasing, making it a great family get-together game. You don’t realize how hard it is to transfer dice with a chopstick until you try!
What is your best birthday gift for eight year old boys? Comment below!
