The Best Toys For 10 Year Olds

Buying Guide

If you’ve ever tried to buy a toy for a 10-year-old kid, you know that it’s not easy picking the right one. During this age, children are in an area of transition. They aren’t quite teenagers yet, but they long for that level of independence. However, they are still interested in play and enjoy new toys as well.

Physically, 10-year-old children will be experiencing many changes. Many of them will go through major growth spurts during this year. As a result, they will have improved agility, speed, coordination and balance. They may develop new interests in different kinds of sports and physical activities. Provide them the ability to explore their new physical skills with toys and games that foster physical challenges.

The way 10-year-olds play with their friends begins to change around this age as well. They are learning to sense the emotions of others, and read facial and body language. They are also working on their empathy and compassion skills. When playing with their friends, they may enjoy creating secret codes or passwords. They may enjoy toys that provide a framework for this type of interaction. Secret diaries or secret clubs are activities that they may enjoy. At this age, children will prefer to work in groups and collaborate with one another. As a result, toys that encourage teamwork or group play are preferable to toys for individuals.

Cognitively, 10-year-olds start thinking and sounding quite grown up. They have the language skills and the cognitive ability to process complex ideas and opinions. In school, they learn more complex math, science and literature. As a result, it’s important to provide them with toys that encourage this new level of learning. Reinforcing the learning they do at school through toys and games not only helps them to remember those concepts, but it also offers them new challenges to expand their understanding. Look for toys in STEM areas or those in the arts that provide your 10-year-old with an opportunity to go beyond what they already know.

• When you’re looking for toys for 10-yer-olds, be sure to focus on their interests. 10-year-olds are at an age where they are changing quickly, so it’s important to find toys that match their most recent interests. For example, some kids may enjoy coding on computers while others may prefer to play soccer outside. In a few months, those interests could change again. The Think Fun Gravity Maze Marble Game and STEM Toy is great for 10-year-olds who enjoy challenging games of logic. It’s a marble maze — powered by gravity — and contains 60 different challenges to build. It contains a game grid, nine towers, one target piece and three marbles. The WisToyz Hover Soccer Ball Set is a new-concept indoor soccer toy, great for 10-year-olds who enjoy physical activities. The soccer disk floats on a cushion of air, and kids can kick it around into the nets without damaging anything in the house. A robotic dog is a good choice for 10-year-olds who enjoy playing with animals. Most dogs can be programmed to complete specific actions, and can be controlled by a simple remote control.
• Toys provide more than just entertainment. In many ways, toys help kids to learn new skills and hit new developmental milestones. When you’re looking for toys for your 10-year-old, be sure to find ones that provide stimulating challenges and opportunities for growth and learning. The Think Fun Gravity Maze Marble Game and STEM Toy builds spatial reasoning and planning skills. It also offers kids and opportunity to work on their engineering and building skills. The WisToyz Hover Soccer Ball Set is perfect for children who have a lot of energy to burn. On rainy days or when they aren’t able to go outside, this toy can keep them entertained indoors. Not only can kids work on their gross motor skills, but they can also learn new soccer plays in the process. Robotic dogs foster problem-solving and critical thinking. Kids can learn how to program the dog to complete specific behaviors, and then use the remote control to complete commands. Drones help children learn about gravity, spatial awareness and cause and effect. Your 10-year-old can also improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills by playing with this hand-controlled drone.
• For many shoppers, affordability is a key deciding factor. Many 10-year-old’s interests change frequently, as do their developmental needs. As a result, you may want to consider the cost of the toy before committing. The Think Fun Gravity Maze Marble Game and STEM Toy and The WisToyz Hover Soccer Ball Set are both on the lower end of the price spectrum. Drones tend to fall in the middle of the price range, while the robotic dogs are on the higher end.