A Toy Reviewer’s Guide to the Best Holiday Gifts for 10-Year-Olds
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By the time kids reach their first double-digit birthday, they may be asking forskin careandfancy headphonesas much as clamoring for Squishmallows andPokémoncards. They are still kids who benefit from play, just equipped with more cognitive maturity that lets them take on complex games, crafts, and puzzles and reach new levels of expertise with whatever they are into, from sports and cooking to drawing and starting a band.
Often, 10-year-olds who are growing out of playing with toys still enjoy collecting them. Stuffed animals like Squishmallows and building toys like LEGOs are still beloved by this age group. It all depends on the kid. So to find the best holiday gifts for all different kinds of 10-year-olds, I asked educators, highly discerning parents, and a couple ofactualtweensfor their recommendations. The list below is organized by price and includes a wide range of age-appropriateSTEMand craft kits that will spark their creativity, word and math games that’ll let them flex their problem-solving skills, and a whole lot of squishy, funny, display-worthy collectibles, too.
Meanwhile, if you’re shopping for kids in other age groups, we have gift guides for1-year-olds,2-year-olds,3-year-olds,4-year-olds,5-year-olds,6-year-olds,7-year-olds,8-year-olds,9-year-olds,11-year-olds, and12-year-olds— plus the meticulously curatedStrategist Toy Store, which is filled with all our greatest hits.
Under $25
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This is an easy craft to do around the holidays. Just be sure to monitor the actual lighting of the candles once they’re finished.
New Yorkfeatures writer Kathryn VanArendonk says two of her tween daughter’s favorite things are boba and things that squish. Although retailers like Amazon, Target, and Claire’s sell a huge variety of squishies, VanArendonk specifically called out the stress balls and fidget toys from NeeDoh, which her daughter likes best and tend to be higher quality.
I’ve heard over and over — from kids, parents, teachers, even camp counselors — that Squishmallows are still among the most popular plush toys for kids of all ages, from preschool to college. They come in a wide range of sizes, from one to 24 inches tall, and a variety of styles includingkey chains you can attach to a backpack. But many older kids prefer the larger sizes because they’re cute as room décor and double as an extra pillow. Any of these 16-inch Squishmallows —Akilah the Stingray,Trenton the praying mantis, orFuzzAMallow the banana— would make asnuggly friend or throw pillow to lean against while reading or doing homework.
Lots of 10-year-olds are more interested inbeauty and skin care, especially anything mini with cute packaging. If you’re not sure whichlip tintor cleanser to get, nail stickers scratch a similar itch. Plus, they’re temporary and therefore younger-sibling and parent friendly.
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‘Write and Draw Your Own Comics’
With so many incredible graphic novels written for elementary-school kids, there is a lot of interest among 10-year-olds in drawing and making their own comics. This book is full of individual boxes, prompts, and activities to help kids start without getting overwhelmed.
My husband, Jacob, is a fourth-grade teacher in Brooklyn, which means he’s clued in to the current toy, book, and crafting obsessions of 10-year-olds whether he likes it or not. I asked him to poll his students on what they’re wishing for these days. Among the more obvious answers, like slime, were mentions of charcoal pencils and glossy white gel pens. I like Mondo Llama’s charcoal drawing set because it contains a variety of tools for making sketches as well as paper and a tin everything fits inside. For white gel pens, I recommend the Gelly Roll line from Japanese brand Sakura, which is known for its quality. Both of those are in line with what I heard fromNew Yorkfeatures editor Julia Edelstein about her tween niece, who “loves art supplies that are a little more sophisticated” and is currently obsessed with a set of water-soluble colored pencils that have watercolor brushes on one end.
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For crafty 10-year-olds who want more of a challenge than stringing beads, this kit comes with everything they’ll need to make embroidery-floss bracelets they can trade with their friends. It also provides a flat surface to anchor their in-progress work.
Interesting school supplies often make great functionalstocking stuffersor add-ons for hard-to-wrap presents likegift cards. I love atrompe l’oeil fruit notepad, especially in the dead of winter.These stacking highlighterswill help make homework more tolerable. Andmini composition notebooksare a fun take on a classic that’s probably new to most 10-year-olds.
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Both Jacob and his students recommend this middle-grade book series that also made our list of thebest books to give to big kids. It follows four middle-school athletes — Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu — who are chosen to compete on an elite track team. Each one gets their own book that dives into their different backstories and motivations for being on the team.
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TweenMinecraftfansalways appreciate Minecoins currency cards to purchase new skins, texture packs, maps, and more.
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Here’s a sneaky way to help 10-year-old gamers rest their eyes, at least for a few minutes. This book from DK comes with a year’s worth of ideas for things they can build in the game.
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IfRobloxis their game platform of choice, a Robux gift card will let them purchase in-game customizations, upgrades, VIP access, and more.
Under $50
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Kelly Harris Smith, founder of children’s art space Minni and mom to an 11-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, told us her family loves spreading out a big puzzle to work on together over a long weekend. This cat-wearing-a-cowboy-hat 500-piece puzzle from Le Puzz is challenging enough to entertain both kids and adults, with a cute and silly payoff at the end.
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Edelstein told me Lululemon’s Everywhere Belt Bag, specifically in the 1L size, is enduringly popular in her niece’s class at school. It comes in 16 different colors and can fit keys, a wallet, lip balm, a couple of pens or pencils, and a phone (if they have one). It also has a hidden exterior zipper pocket in the back for valuables or top-secret notes. (The brand’sdual-pouch wristlet walletis also popular,especially among even older kids, but it’s a bit more expensive.)
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This Rube Goldberg–esque chain-reaction set from KiwiCo is challenging but promises exciting payoffs. It comes with three step-by-step projects that teach kids everything they need to know to invent their own working machines. In the box: an array of components like Ping-Pong balls, tippy cups, an 18-piece motorized elevator set, poles, rails, Slinky-like coils, clips, a cymbal ringer, and an arm that lifts — plus a book of instructions and ideas.
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While it may look a little basic — just hitting a ball on a stick between paddles — VolleyShot can get pretty addictive. Players have to keep the ball in motion, and each time one person misses, the other gets a point. The first to ten points wins.
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Prime Climb
Leaning on the math skills 10-year-olds are learning in school,Prime Clubgives young players meaningful practice with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division as they move around the board making decisions about which operation will advance them or bump opponents back. The game is designed for two to four players, is fun for adults to play too, and helps kids develop deeper mathematical thinking and the ability to predict several moves ahead.
Learning to knit or crochet is a wonderful (screen-free) way for kids to make stuff, and there are dozens of kits that make it fun and easy. Thisbeginners’ knitting kitcomes with color-coded needles, chunky yarn, and instructions to make a scarf with pockets. I also love theWoobles crochet kitsthat let kids create their very own stuffies. There are décor kits, too, like this one that shows you how to makerainbow crochet flowers.
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Building sets like the ones from K’Nex let kids flex both their construction skills and creativity. This Adventure Wheels set comes with 480 pieces — including wheels, rods, and rotors, plus an instruction booklet that kids can use to build 35 models.
Under $100
Many of Jacob’s students mentioned LEGOs, a perennial favorite with kids of all ages. There are dozens of sets that appeal to 10-year-olds, including an809-piece LEGO x Nike setthat comes with extra pieces so kids can customize the player’s sneakers, jersey, and hairstyle. For true LEGO obsessives, a few sets let them build 10-inch-tall Minifigures; thisupscaled modelis posable and comes with its own mini-me they can hide inside a command center under the big one’s hat. And for animal lovers,this three-in-one setlets them build a striking horse, a deer, or a bear.
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Since many 10-year-olds are starting to further establish their musical tastes — from Chappell Roan and Olivia Rodrigo to Billie Eilish and Beyoncé — I asked the Strategist’s tech writer, Jordan McMahon, about the best Bluetooth speakers for tweens and teens. He recommended JBL’s Clip 4 because “it’s a fun speaker they can carry with them to a friend’s house for a sleepover or take to the park on a nice day.” It comes in more than 15 colors, or if you’re not in a rush, you can order acustom versionthrough JBL and add your own images and text.
A magazine subscription is a fantastic gift for a 10-year-old, and there are lots of good ones to choose from — including newsyThe Week, Junior;Anyway, which publishes three issues a year for kids ages 9 to 15; andKazoo, an award-winning Brooklyn-based quarterly geared toward girls ages 5 to 12.
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VanArendonk says that, after a family trip to Japan, both her kids have become even more obsessed with anything Japanese orkawaii. So she got them each one of Sugoi Mart’s Lucky Bags. There are over a dozen themes to choose from, including Pokémon, Sanrio, Studio Ghibli, Sailor Moon, and more generalkawaiibags, all of which include a mix of snacks, capsule toys, stationery, beauty products, and plushies.
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Edelstein told me her son received this pair of Pit Viper sunglasses — the same pair that Mets left fielder Juan Soto wears — when he was 10 years old as a gift from his grandfather. “He couldn’t wait to text all of his friends a photo of himself wearing them,” she says. As long as your giftee is responsible with their belongings, these are a great big-ticket gift.
$100 and up
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This buildable Minifigure vending machine made my list ofthe hottest toysof 2025. Once built, the 1,343-piece kit uses special coin bricks to release surprise balls with yet-to-be-assembled Minifigures inside. You can also fill them with notes, candy, or any other small trinkets you want.
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A rebounder is an excellent gift for kids who play soccer, baseball, or volleyball. This one has three angles they can adjust depending on their sport of choice.
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Colorful neon LED lights are a popular room decoration, and this dartboard adds an activity they can do with siblings or friends.
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You may not live close to any mountain-biking trails, but this beginner ramp turns any driveway (or parking lot) into an instant obstacle course.
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When we talked to parents and experts about thebest scooters for kids, Micro Kickboard was the most mentioned by a long shot. This two-wheel model — which most kids are ready for by age 10 — also features light-up LED wheels.
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Story Glacier Quad Roller Skates
Story’s Quad Roller Skates were recommended by Ada, an avid skater, in ourtween-girls gift guide. She says they are comfortable, good for both rink and sidewalk skating, and come in a bunch of colors.
Additional reporting by Latifah Miles,Trupti Rami,Dominique Pariso, andLauren Ro
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