Best Gifts for a 10 Year Old Boy
If you’re looking for the best gifts for a 10 year old boy, you’ll love these ideas that are tried and tested by me and my lovely ten year old! If you want more ideas, you can also check out the top gifts to get a 9 year old boy. This post contains affiliate links.
M has joined me in trying and testing some fabulous gift ideas for Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays – or whatever it is you’re looking for to spoil a 10 year old.
These best gifts for ten year old boys are also great for girls. I like to share which gender tested it because that’s what people tend to search for and, you know, I kind of want them to find my post! So this was tested by a ten year old boy, but the things we’re sharing are gender neutral and super fun for girls too (at least I would have loved them at that age…)
So M and I put our blood sweat and tears into testing these gifts for 10 year olds (okay, who am I kidding – we had a blast). But what made the cut for this guide? What do you look for in the best gifts for a 10 year old boy?
Choosing the best gifts for a 10 year old boy
So what do M and I look for in the best gifts for ten year olds? One pattern I’m noticing is that M is spending less time playing with toys. Obviously, he prefers to use devices all day, and while we seriously limit screen time, we still find that gadgets make fabulous gifts for a 10 year old boy.
As M grows older, he likes to step out less and less. I’ve been encouraging more fresh air, and so things that get kids active and outdoors are also fabulous choices – especially for kids who prefer to read a good book.
Speaking of which, those are also great gifts. I think that simply observing what your child spends most of their day on can give you a lot of insight into what makes a good gift.
Finally, as kids mature, they start appreciating non-toy gifts again. While your three year old will get excited with underwear if it has Elmo on it, or pajamas if it’s cozy, your seven year old will likely say “hey, it’s not a toy!” (Yes, we teach them better, yet somehow…) At ten, I’m finding that new appreciation for non-toy gifts, as long as it has a special spin to it.
On that note, you might want to check out my Best Birthday Gifts for 7 year old boys as well as some Best Birthday Gifts for a 3 Year Old Girl.
Ultimately, if it has a little bit of hype, is good quality, and has an element of appeal, it probably makes a fabulous gift idea for a 10 year old boy.
You’ll see these concerns addressed in my other gift guides too!
16 Coolest Gift Ideas for a 10 year old boy
Here are our personal recommendations, with each product tried and tested. Most of this list came from provided samples that the brand sent, however, it was carefully curated in advance, and then tested for quality and to share my honest experience.
Outdoors & Active Top Gifts for a 10 Year Old Boy
M is a bookworm and it can be hard to get him outdoors, or even to be active indoors. I find that the best way to do it is to appeal to what he likes. He does enjoy sports a bit, but not competitive or team sports, and as a STEM-minded boy, it can be nice to get him outdoors doing the things that he loves.
POWERUP – Paper Airplane Engine
My kids love making paper airplane and this epic paper airplane engine helps up their paper airplane game! It clips on quite easily to a paper airplane (instructions included) and helps it to fly for real. It has the cool factor of a drone but is much more educational, with the benefits of STEM learning and engineering a good plane.
It handles crashes well, reducing frustration (don’t ask M what happened to his toy drone when it crashed – it was sad).
To cut back on weight and keep it flight-friendly, it has an external battery that gives it the charge it needs for a flight in twenty seconds, minimizing the frustration of charging wait times.
My boys are obsessed with this. Not only has it gotten their creative and STEM skills moving along, but it’s also gotten them out the back door and into the fresh air!
Gel Blasters
Gel Blasters have become a hit activity in my family. They are the perfect solution for kids who don’t like getting wet – and no, they don’t make a mess at all!
Gel blasters shoot Gellets (basically mini water beads that also hydrate faster) which explode on impact and basically dissolve. They also don’t hurt – though my kids prefer to play games using the Portal Smart Target instead. The Portal app features loads of different games that you can play and keeps score!
Since the unmade Gellets take up little space, they’re easy to store.
Kids can shoot singles or do continuous shooting. My kids pretty much kept it on continuous shooting. But don’t worry – it’s easy to hydrate additional Gellets! Get the Depot too – an easy hydration bucket so you can have refills handy. The depot has a spout that can be used to let out water and to refill Gel Blasters easily.
Gel Blaster makes loads of varieties, so that there’s something for everyone. I like for my boys to learn on the smaller ones, but if you want a really insanely cool gift -and for kids who are serious about their blasting skills – the XL series are just that much cooler.
The Starfire blasters (both small and large) have an optional UV light to light up the glow in the dark Gellets.
We pulled these out to have family battles when we were stuck at home on a day that should have been an outing and it really saved the day.
Hoverboard
Whether your kid rides their bike or not (or has enough space to ride unsupervised) the hoverboard will DEFINITELY be a hit. It requires less space, less skills, and while it’s less healthy than a bike, it’s so much more fun!
Just make sure to get a proper UL listed one to make sure it’s safe!
Sturdy Over the Door Basketball with Spring
If your kids love basketball, they’ll love an over-the-door basketball hoop. The trick is to get a good one!
Look for one that has a large backboard and a spring-loaded rim. Place it over the door in an area where you don’t mind some action happening.
It’s a perfect way to get them active in colder weather.
Best Games for a 10 Year Old Boy
As kids’ social skills evolve, they enjoy playing more games. Not only can it boost social skills, but even the single player games help them accomplish concrete goals and build cognitive skills. It feels less childish and many of these games don’t have an age cap – they’re forever games! These games are some of the best gifts for a 10 year old boy.
Video Game: Nascar Arcade Rush
A few years ago, my boys got a Nintendo Switch, and now we love gifting them new games to expand its use! Their favorite type – the ones that get the most use hands down – are the racing games.
Nascar Arcade Rush is a single player game that is set in various actual Nascar locations. There are loads of different customization options and a few types of single player modes, making it a game with loads of possibilities for solo players who love racing.
Strategy Board Game: Floats McGoats
There are board game people and there are no-board game people and to be honest, I’m in the second category. Which is why we rarely do game nights. But my kids LOVE board games. And the best way to really teach them how to play is when we play with them.
We LOVE Floats McGoats so much that we’re trying to convert our friends into fans too! It features very simple game play and easy-to-understand rules.
It’s perfect for play dates and family game nights because it’s so easy to learn and get the hang of. Game play is quick too, perfect for kids (and, ahem, me) who have little patience. It’s got that silly appeal that ten year olds will love. Younger kids can play too – they might just need a little guidance in their strategy. Y is 7 and he had lots of fun with it too.
Floats McGoats is a tactile game that is fabulous for non-gamers like me. The game play is simple: each turn you choose to place a goat or spin the 12-sided die. The die has different commands, such as to place a stick, “goat fight”, shark attack, and more.
There are various rules, but at the end of the day, you’re trying to be the first to “float” enough goats to win. Heads up: I won game night. Maybe that’s why I love it so much…
Single Player Puzzle Game: Tower Stacks from SmartGames
One of the downsides to having a brother close in age is that sometimes your brother DOESN’T want to play with you. That’s just one reason we love SmartGames’ single player puzzles. And this castle one is awesome – and perfect for the kid who wants to feel like they’re making something more tangible.
Start by choosing a puzzle (I recommend starting from the beginning) and place the starting blocks. Then, fit the remainder fully on top of the level before. Use as many levels as you’d like – but each one must be fully set on the pieces below!
The easier puzzles use fewer pieces and then you move on to using them all.
M also had fun trying to make his own towers, making this a two-in-one building challenge and puzzle!
Travel-Friendly Single Player Puzzle Game: Criss Cross Cube
Another super fun single-player game from SmartGames, the Criss Cross cube is more compact and self-storing (when fully assembled). My boys love doing this one in the car, during carpools.
Criss Cross Cube comes with different colored screw-in pegs. Each color is a different length. Each puzzle starts with a specific setup of screws. You need to figure out how to place the rest so that they don’t interfere with each other.
Adventure strategy game (Monopoly Alternative): Raccoon Tycoon
Raccoon Tycoon is an adventure board game that centers around commodities markets. It features longer game play and is a fabulous gateway game to other more advanced board game. I recommend this game for real gamers – those for whom a good board game is the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon, for those of you who will take the time to learn the rules well so that you can enjoy long game play.
At ten, M is starting to take interest in real world things, and understand things like inflation and other factors that influence the financial market and price of goods. Much like in the real world, there are different strategies you can take to reach the goal – to win the game.
Racoon Tycoon is focused on that, in a top quality game with gorgeous illustrated graphics featuring ironically realistic animals in full regalia. It features high quality tiles and cards, and coated currency.
Buy and sell resources, increasing and lowering the cost of each commodity, just like supply and demand would affect real life costs.
The game features different assets (railroads, buildings, and towns) you can buy and sell to affect your ability to collect more commodities. The game ends when all railroads and towns are auctioned or purchased, and whoever has the most victory points (based on the assets) wins.
Accessories & Non-Toy Gifts for a 10 Year Old Boy
Another sign of maturity is when the gift doesn’t HAVE to be a toy and can be more practical. And I just love it. For Hanukkah, I try to split the nights’ gifts between toys, smaller activities, and more practical non-toy gifts that feel like gifts. And this age is the perfect age to start with that again for birthdays and other occasions.
Chopper Mill Personalized Mittens
Clothing gifts are SO practical and you can see from M’s smile just how happy he was with these. Chopper Mill Mittens are perfect for the kid who loves the snow but hates soggy fingers. Even if you don’t do much outdoor sports, they’re perfect for winter.
Adding personalization just makes it a cooler gift, and my ten year old is a little TOO obsessed with the carabiner clips. It comes with a large carabiner too, so that kids can hang them on their backpack and allow them to dry (and hopefully actually bring them home.
They are made from top quality materials including leather, Thinsulate, a Hipora waterproof insert and performance material. They have large cuffs that can go over coat sleeves and block any gaps. These are top quality; I imagine M will be passing these on to Y and then to A and Baby Jay when he outgrows them.
Minecraft Medical ID Bracelet from StickyJ
If your kid has medical needs (such as food allergies) an allergy alert bracelet can help identify their medical needs in case of an emergency. But it doesn’t have to look medical.
StickyJ makes adorable designs for kids (yes, you can get yours custom engraved) and M and Y both love their Minecraft designs!
The bracelet is a comfortable silicone band with a slide-on metal ID tag. It’s easy to interchange bands to switch up your kid’s style. And M loves that it’s a watch band!
Dommei Domepak Display Backpack
Cool kids have cool backpacks – or at least that’s what my kids tell me! The Dommei Domepak is like nothing I’ve ever seen before! It has a PVC domed display in the front that kids can customize with inserts and toys!
Kids can choose different themes – M loves the space one. Attach the toys to the panel with pegs and switch them out as you’d like. The Space Domepak kit comes with a galaxy themed background and space themed toys, as well as the backpack and pegs.
The toys are vividly colored and made of high quality non-toxic materials. It’s easy to assemble, as the rubber that holds the pegs expands easily to accommodate them. The 17 inch backpack is the perfect size for M, age 10. It’s well padded, with side pockets for drinks and an inner padded device pocket.
Workman Calendars: Kids Awesome Activity Calendar or Maze-A-Day Calendar
M just started fifth grade, and one of the skills kids learn, ahead of middle school, is how to keep a calendar.
While these calendars aren’t necessarily planners, they’re super fun for kids to have at home to keep track of the date and their lives!
The Kids Awesome Activity Calendar Features an activity or two that kids can complete on every monthly page. What would you want with you if you were stuck on a desert island? What’s on your summer bucket list?
It’s a wall calendar, that M will be mounting on the wall above his desk. A traditional monthly layout with kid-friendly fun and quirky graphics allows him to keep track of things like doctor appointments, school trips, or the other fun stuff in his life. I’m not gonna lie – he’s been begging me for a planner “just like mine” so that he can do this!
And it even comes with stickers for marking sleepovers, vacation and half days, tests, day camp, games, and more! Of course, there are “just for fun” stickers too.”
Want a calendar for kids who won’t really use it for event tracking but will use it for date-tracking? The Maze-A-Day calendar features a fun maze for every day – perfect for your ten year old! Assemble the cardboard stand, prop it on a desk, and start doing mind-bending mazes daily!
The solutions are printed on the back, so that if kids give up, they have the solution at their fingertips.
STEAM, Educational Gifts for 10 Year Old Boys
For the STEMmies out there, there are just so many options. But what about the kid who already has all the building toys? Here are some fun options, including art and craft kids that are totally gender neutral – and books of course.
Crayola HD Coloring Kit
Sometimes the things that kids naturally love get a little tricker when they get older and care more about things not being too childish. M loves art, but he needs it to be on his level and he often doesn’t know where to start with drawing.
Crayola’s HD coloring kit comes with grayscale animal and nature prints as well as thirty colored pencils – and a sharpener too! Kids can practice color blending skills, but the drawing and the shading is already in place. It’s very relaxing and a fabulous mental break for kids after a long, tough day at school.
I’m working on teaching M color theory, and this is a fabulous starting point. Because of the translucent nature of colored pencils, the shading really shows through – but kids can layer on more of their own, and color it according to their skill level.
They’re loose coloring printed on very thick paper, making for a high end result that’s ready to display. And we love seeing a kids art kit that doesn’t feel too girly for a change!
Tinker Crate
M gets super excited every time he gets a new Tinker Crate – and he learns so much from them! This STEM box is an affordable way to teach kids who love to tinker some science, technology, and engineering basics while keeping them entertained.
You can choose the subscription length, making it a perfect gift for ten year olds in any price point!
How to Turn $100 into $1,000,000: Newly Minted 2nd Edition
If your kid is starting to purchase some of their own things, ask about money matters, or show interest in earning their own, a finance book is the perfect gift. I was impressed with “How to Turn $100 into $1,000,000″‘s second edition book because of how beautifully and visually it laid things out, really appealing to my ten year old boy’s realistic style of absorbing information.
At a time when it feels like kids don’t gain some basic life and financial skills, this book is a fabulous gift that’ll appeal to kids’ innate desire to have cool stuff.
It’s full of diagrams, illustrations, kid-friendly language, and everything your kid needs to understand the world of personal finance – from investing, to holding a job, to saving and spending wisely.
PlayMonster Craft-Tastic Nature Lantern
As hard as it is to find art kits that are gender neutral enough to appeal to M, craft kits can be even harder. But for kids who love collecting leaves and other found items, Playmonster’s Craft-Tastic nature lantern is perfect!
The kit includes its own stickers, but it’ll be much cooler if you go and collect some treasures! It features instructions for quickly drying your own leaves and flowers too. It lights up with an LED tea light so it’s safe and kid-friendly (and M feels like it’s gadget-y too!)
Britannica’s Encyclopedia Infographica
M loves facts and he loves science, and Britannica’s Encyclopedia Infographica for kids features loads of facts with pretty illustrated visuals. If your kid (or your) learns best visually and likes details, this book shows it all clearly. While we love novels – and, ahem, graphic novels – my kids actually spend endless hours over the fact books in our collection.
This book is features chapters including space, living planet, animals, the human body, and more.
It’s got lots of hows, whys, and diagrams, and easy-to-digest information in short paragraphs. It’s perfect for fact geeks like M to really build their knowledge while relaxing at the end of a long day.
Animal FACTopia
Another favorite from Britannica Books, Animal FACTopia features facts about animals. It’s bright and vivid with the funniest illsutrations mixed with even funnier facts. It’s got loads of photos too and the kinds of facts that are good to know… as well as those you really didn’t need to know.
M gets a kick out of feeding them back to me.
If you’re looking for a smaller gift, for someone who’s a huge animal fanatic, or for someone who prefers shorter one-sentence facts and more playful pages, go for this one.
Got any favorite gift ideas for a 10 year old boy to add to the list? Comment below!
