34 Best Gifts for 10-Year-Olds of 2025
Turning 10 — double digits! — marks a milestone. It’s a precipice of childhood: Suddenly the teen years are just around the corner. And they will never be little kids again (weep).
Children in this age group are continuing to learn about themselves and to refine their interests. When you give a 10-year-old a gift, it can be an opportunity to deepen those passions while also encouraging exploration. Friendships also mean more to most 10-year-olds, so look for gifts they can enjoy with their peers — such as an instant camera for taking fun photos or friendship bracelets, for instance.
The game Telestrations — a recommendation in this guide — continues to be a crowd-pleaser for my daughter and her friends. Now that they’re learning abstract thinking and reasoning skills, kids this age are also ready for games that are more sophisticated in tone and subject matter, as well as in style (games that involve longer playing sessions and strategic decision-making). But there’s also still plenty of room for independent projects and imaginative play. Toys, games, and kits that encourage daydreaming, creativity, role-playing, and fantasy allow space for imagination to thrive.
I relied on advice from experts — as well as on the experience and recommendations of eight other Wirecutter moms, to identify gifts that are likely to challenge, engage, and spark the imagination of 10-year-olds. For more games, check out our guides to beginner board games for adults, many of which can be played with 10-year-olds, as well as our guide to family board games. We also offer gift ideas for 9-year-olds and tweens. And we collect all of our gift ideas for kids here.
