The Viral Penn & Teller VR Magic Lab Kit Is Back in Stock (2024)

They're finally 10 — onto the tween gifts! While 10-year-olds definitely have strong opinions on anything and everything, buying gifts for kids this age is actually a lot of fun. That's because, by now, they've achieved a certain level of mastery over the things that interest them — be it art, board games, STEM experiments or LEGO building — and they can move on from the "intro" kit and gifts and on to the good stuff.

What the "good stuff" is, though, can be up to interpretation when you're shopping for gifts for 10-year-old girls, gifts for 10-year-old boys or any other tween in your life. The Good Housekeeping Institute stays on the hunt for the best toys and gifts every year in the run-up to its Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards. Their favorites are tested for safety and quality, and then real kids submit their feedback and assess the fun factor. Not every non-toy gift item in the list is tested in the Good Housekeeping Institute's labs, but we still looked for brands with trusted reputations, best-sellers and a few editor's picks. When we put it all together, these were the best toys and gifts for 10-year-olds in 2024.

• DoodleJamz JellyPics, $10 at amazon.com
• The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels, $11 at amazon.com
  
• Obtain Custom Neon Sign, $20+ at amazon.com
• Klutz Lego Gear Bots Science/STEM Activity Kit, $21 at amazon.com
  
• Educational Insights Kanoodle Head-to-Head Puzzle, $21 at amazon.com

And there's plenty more suggestions, including science sets, DIY kits and fun items for their rooms.

Everything old is in again, so this LEGO set is right on trend. Not only does it make a cool quad skate, it can be taken apart and the same pieces can be used to make a vintage boom box or a skateboard, so it's like three gifts in one. Ages 8+

In this fast-paced card game, lying in baked into the premise — not that the 10-year-olds in your life would ever take the opportunity to deceive! — and players can try to use cards they don't actually have. But they have to watch it, because if someone calls their bluff, it's curtains. Ages 10+

Kids can actually remove the five, different-colored Boba plush and play with them or display them separately. But, when they're all zipped inside the smiling plush cup, the whole thing can be used as a pillow! It's perfect for tweens who want to max out the cuteness of their rooms. No age recommendation given

The old backyard game gets a 21-century spin with arm bands and game pieces that light up in the dark. It'll keep them outside for longer as they strategize with teammates (who have the same colored bracelets as them) and try to steal the other team's treasure (a glowing orb). Ages 8+

If they're obsessed with their Stanley (or similar), now it'll never have to leave their side. This turns their water bottle into an all-in-one carrier, since it has a pouch that can hold a phone and also has slots for cards. It also comes in seven different colors. No age recommendation given

Any serious Pokémon Trading Card Game players will be thrilled to open this box of goodies. Not only does it come with nine booster packs of cards, it's also loaded with accessories, like card sleeves, energy cards, damage-counter dice, a coin-flip die, condition markers and card dividers — plus a full-art foil promo card featuring Ogerpon, one of the characters in The Teal Mask. Ages 6+

It's the size of a golf ball, but it can do so many things. Using drag-and-drop code or javascript, kids can program it to play games like weaving around or knocking down obstacles. Ages 8+

It's all about their rooms these days, so they'll love this personalized gift that speaks to their personality. You can pick the color, font and emoji that's added to it. No age recommendation given

It's a little art, a little STEM and a whole lot of LEGO fun. This set gives kids the pieces to make eight different kinetic sculptures, made from both build-on bricks and papercraft. Along the way, they'll learn about engineering concepts like axles, cranks, pistons and simple machines. They can make an octopus that DJs, a menacing yeti, a pterodactyl, and more. Ages 8+

It's a fidget toy and an art toy all rolled into one. Beads are suspended in a gel, and kids can push them around either with their fingers or with a stylus to decorate a background photo. It comes with a two-sided background, but kids can also print and use their own. Ages 5+

The basic Kanoodle game, which is a TikTok sensation, is great for solo players. But if you want to up the competition and make players' hearts race, go for the head-to-head version. In it, players sit across from each other and get ready to battle. A challenge card gives them a way to arrange the Kanoodle pieces, and players have to race to see who can complete the pattern first. It'll get their brains working — and fast! Ages 7+

Get them off their phone and practicing their juggling (a.k.a hand-eye coordination) skills with a Pindaloo. The goal is to try and get creative with all the ways they can work the ball into the tube. Ages 9+

Indoors or outdoors, hang this up and they've got an instant cozy nook. It's made of a weather-resistant nylon and comes with a comfy cushion. It also comes in three different colors, and when it's installed it can support up to 175 pounds. There's also the HugglePod Lite ($30), which comes with an inflatable cushion instead of a plush one. No age recommendation given

With this at-home nail stamper, they can have fun, designed nails that they can switch up whenever she wants. Just paint the nails with a base coat, pop a pattern into the stamper and stamp it on! Our lab experts found that it works well on all different nail sizes, so they can decorate Mom's nails, too. Ages 8+

They can decorate almost any space with these cool stickers. They come out of the tube as a liquid, but dry with a jelly consistency. The kit comes with four jelly paints, plus other accessories to bring their designs to life.

They can experiment with electricity, circuitry and other STEM topics in this kit, which has pieces that just snap together — no soldering necessary. It comes with enough pieces to make 100 projects, including a musical doorbell, a voice-controlled lamp and an adjustable-volume alarm, though the UFO was the Good Housekeeping Institute testers' clear favorite. Ages 8+

Although we didn't test this toy, Amazon reviewers say it's a win with their kids. The remote control car can flip, drive on its side and reverse itself when it lands on a tough obstacle, according to the brand. Ages 6+

This board game positions words in a way that's tricky to read, so players compete to see who can figure out where each word starts and ends first. (It's actually more challenging than you'd think.) The game is great for building language development and improving concentration. Ages: 10+