Mandy here! This age is so important because they really do still want to PLAY! Play is so important at this age so we've rounded up toys that will keep them engaged and creating. You'll be surprised how many of these toys fit your kiddos interests even up to age 10.
1. STEM Coding: My 9 year old is such an engineer-minded kid, and immediately jumped on the opportunity to build his own video game console. I cannot believe that at his age he is already learning how to code, assemble hardware, and use his creativity in such an advanced way.
2. Fanny Pack Patch Kit: If my daughter doesn’t become an accessory designer after using the Bum Bag Patch Kit, I will be shocked. She spent an entire afternoon customizing her bum bag, and then proceeded to wear it every day for a month. It was so easy to use and it makes such a great gift or party activity!
3. Battle Box: When my older two kids start fighting, I tell them to take their fight to the Battle Box. This super simple but competitive game is so easy to set up and figure out. It strengthens their hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and doesn’t make a mess!
4. Foosbots Stadium Battle: The storage needed for this game is basically nothing, it is so small! The kids will spend hours with their Foosbots, spending more of that time trying to hit each other’s bots down than making a goal, but they are having fun so what do I care! This is a great game/toy to take on the go!
5. Hydraulic Plane Launcher: What is better than a dart gun? One you can build yourself, obviously! This wooden Hydraulic Plane and Dart Launcher was a hit with my 9 year old who loves to build his own stuff. The launcher shoots both paper airplanes and darts, and is made out of sturdy wood that will last. I love watching my little engineer become a pro at following step-by-step instructions, anticipating the next step before he even reads it!
6. Find Finley: Hide and seek is a classic game that my kids have always loved, but they soon realized that they have used and reused every hiding place my house has to offer! The Find Finley game is a more advanced version, offering crafty clues that really challenge the kiddos’ deduction and strategy skills. Sometimes my husband and I join in too, and all four of us have a blast trying to out-wit each other. This game requries a lot of focus so make sure your kid loves a challenge.
7. Flower Rings: My 7 year old daughter is at that age where making her own jewelry is like a full-time job, so I have had to find creative ways to fill that need in her life. Creating colorful rings out of self-hardening clay? Sign a girl up! Learning the art of clay-making is so fun for her, and I feel at peace knowing that the clay is safe and non-toxic.
8. Peachybbies Slime: Slime may not be crowding your “For You” page anymore, but it just as popular with the kids now as it was 4 years ago! Peachy Bbies slime is cute, colorful, and makes for a great stocking stuffer. My 7 year old goes crazy for this slime, playing with it while she watches a show, reads a book, or when she just needs to quiet her mind.
9. Needoh Gummy Bear: Gripping one of these things has such a calming effect, and they are just so fun to squeeze. I make sure the kids know exactly where their bear is so they can find it quickly when their emotions escalate. I had to get one in every color for each of us!
10. 3D Printer: This toy is for the special years. It is truly a gift that keeps on giving! My 9 year old’s favorite part is that he can make whatever he wants, whether it's an original design he made in the app or a picture of his favorite TV character he downloaded from the internet. He already has a collection of action figures going, saving me so much money in the long run! Last year he made so many toys and sold them at his class store!
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11. Indoor Basketball: I don’t know about you but telling my kids (and husband) to stop playing ball inside the house gets real old real fast. Eventually I had to take matters into my own hands and get the silent indoor basketball! It is the professional standard size, so it feels real without endangering my home. And it is actually silent, so I don’t have to deal with any aggravating bouncing. If you have sports enthusiasts who insist on playing ball in the home, this is for you!
12. Play Sword: The bar for foam swords has been dramatically raised! Formidable Toys makes one of the most durable and realistic-looking sword for imaginary play. Their mix-and-match system is perfect for future swordsmiths who want to employ their creativity to craft the sword of their dreams. Get a unique sword for each member of the family and battle it out!
13. Diamond Art Jewelry: Have I mentioned enough that my 7 year old loves making jewelry? Snap bracelets are addicting enough to play with, but add some diamonds and you’ve got yourself the perfect combo of style and substance.
14. Giant Sarah's Silks: We have been singing Sarah’s Silks since the founding of Toy Testing Sisters! We haven’t had to worry about our kiddos outgrowing their silks, since the silks have grown with them! The giant silk is large enough to use as a fort covering, a canopy, or a cape. The options are limitless, especially in the eyes of our children. Don’t forget all Sarah’s Silks are made of 100% pure silk! Code: TOYTESTINGSISTERS
15. Crunch Labs: This is a subscription box that teaches kids engineering in a fun and creative way. The instrucions are easy to follow and I love that it gives them ownership over their builds.
16. 3D Pen: No 3D printer? No problem! My kids are obsessed with making their own 3D art with her 3Doodler. They want to create but don't want to have to think about it, so the stencils are great. If they don't want to follow the guide, they can free-style any creation.
17. Kids Claw Vending Machine: Stumbling upon this toy was such a fun surprise for me, especially because I always wanted to try the claw machine whenever I went to the arcade. I was told it was rigged, though, so I rarely got to use it. Not this claw machine! Use it the classic way, taking turns trying to grab something, or make it a competition by getting as many goodies as you can in 60 seconds.
18. Play Couch: Kids love having a couch their size, that they can easily manipulate in any way their imagination carries them! My older kids love to build obstacle courses for their toddler sister to practice climbing around on, or use it as a couch for movie night. Foamnasium stands apart because of their dedication to using the highest quality materials, making products that last years and don’t lose their shape. As your kids get older, they can use this as a couch in their room for reading and chilling.
19. Moon Lamp: Moon lamps went viral a few years ago, for good reason! They are beautiful and bring you closer to the greater universe. But now you can customize your own moon lamp, which is even better! Design it as a celestial body, a nature scene, or even make it a holiday decoration. The ideas are endless, and having your kids make it their own helps them enhance their living space with things they created and can be proud of.
20. Hey Clay: Sometimes guidance is needed to help a child build the perfect clay animal, and so I am obsessed with the Hey Clay animals kit! It comes with an interactive app that walks the builders step by step, helping my kids feel proud of their work. They can either leave the animals to dry and set within a day, or they can remold the clay into whatever they want!
21. Marble Run: We jump on any opportunity to save space in our playroom, and vertically designed toys are the best way to do that! This vertical marble run has special adhesive pads that can stick mess-free to glass, metal, wood, laminate, stone and ceramic. There are no support structures needed, so building is quick and easy! Watching marbles drop in a controlled way along the wall is so satisfying and ridiculously fun!
22. Blinger: Sometimes your hair just needs a little sparkle, especially if you are a 7 year old girl. Whenever we have a special event, my daughter pulls out her Blinger and puts as many diamonds in her hair as she possibly can. The best part for me is how easy they are to brush out at the end of the day. It isn’t just for hair, though- bling shoes, sunglasses, backpacks or clothes!
23. Yoto Mini: We love the Yoto Player in our home, and use it almost every single day. My kids have made it a part of their wind-down routine to listen to stories or guided meditations. This mini version is perfect for road trips, with its small and compact design! It has headphone or bluetooth capabilities and a lanyard so it isn’t easily lost!
24. Yoto Cards: Collecting Yoto Cards is a must when you have a Yoto player. I am so impressed with the variety of cards they offer, from adventure stories to music to meditation. The Magic Tree House collection is a great set for this age group.
25. Smart Sudoku: I’ve done sudoku puzzles since I was younger, and I would’ve killed to have an interactive smart device to play it on! The 3D pieces adds a sensory experience to the toy, which I never had the chance to experience until now. I play my 9 year old at least weekly, and he probably beats me 75% of the time.
26. Crazy Cart Shuffle: Every kid needs this toy! It is loved by everyone in my house! Even my hubby gets on it. Razor did it again with the Crazy Cart Shuffle. It is child-powered so it enhances physical activity while providing exhilarating fun! My kids always start out racing on their carts, but before they can even cross the finish line they start doing spins and can’t get enough of them. I don’t worry about them getting hurt while they do their tricks, because it is so stable, safe, and intuitive.
27. Point and Shoot Camera: If your child has shown any real interest in photography, this camera is for you. The screen-free setup helps keep your kids in the moment, enjoying and capturing the great outdoors, or whatever adventure they are on. I love how many color options they have to choose from, making it the perfect camera for boys and girls.
28. Guess in 10 Countries: At a recent family reunion, my 9 year old learned that his cousin shares his same fixation on learning about the countries of the world. They were so excited talking about it that I caught the bug and found this family card game to help us all learn about the world. It is now a staple in our game night stack! It such a simple and informative game for the whole family.
29. Snap Glam: I never thought I would see the day when my daughter stopped asking me to do her hair, but sure enough, that day came the moment she received her Snap Glam set! She will do anything to get color in her hair, and this kit was a lifesaver for me. It is so easy for her and her friends to use themselves, and it’s just as easy to remove at the end of the day. The beads are all reusable, too, so you don’t have to feel like you are wasting anything!
30. Popcorn Machine: Oh my gosh you guys, your family movie nights just got so much better. I had this popcorn machine growing up and it made me so snobby about my popcorn. There is nothing like freshly popped popcorn, and watching it work its magic is so fun for kids. We use our machine for movie theater popcorn, gooey caramel corn, and kettle corn! It takes minutes, doesn’t need oil, and is easy to store in my pantry.
31. Foil Fun: There are so many ways to make art, and I absolutely love making foil magnets with my kids. The foil makes for professional-looking and beautiful magnets that I am proud to put on the fridge! We also love making stickers to decorate their notebooks and tablets. It is such an easy and affordable way to personalize!
32. Kandoodle: When I need my kids to have quiet fun, during church or on road trips, the Kanoodle puzzle toy is what I grab. It challenges their problem solving skills and trains their spacial awareness in a way that is fun for them and quiet for me! They are always so proud when they figure out each puzzle, making sure to brag about each one they solve.
33. Instant Print Camera: This instant camera has been the talk of the town in my girl’s circle of friends. We got her one recently and they blasted through the camera roll so fast! They think the black and white photos are so “vintage" and “mysterious”. Luckily there is an option to take digital photos, which are in color! The fact that the camera is also a panda is too cute to pass up.
34. Space Station Lego: Have you ever shown your kids the international space station at night? I remember seeing it through binoculars when I was a kid and thinking it was so crazy that a full on space station could just float in space. Now your family can make their own space station, with a spacecraft that can dock and pods for sleeping and living! The details are intricate, and you can even use the LEGO builder app to view models from all angles as they build.
35. Drop Shot: Combine darts and connect four and you get Drop Shot! I could’ve used a toy like this growing up, because my hand-eye coordination is garbage. Drop Shot is the simplest game to improve this skill, and is also so fun and quick. No need to attach anything to the wall, just set it on the ground and it’s good to go!
36. Modern Calligraphy: I absolutely love this book because it teaches kids systematically, with warm-up and practice pages to sharpen their skills. My kids have been learning cursive in school so this beginner book has been really fun for them! You can even have your kids use their newly acquired skill to make personal invites.
37. Pinball DIY: What is even more fun than playing pinball in the arcade, in my son’s experience, is building a pinball machine himself and enjoying the fruits of his labors at home! I have loved watching my 9 year old develop engineering skills and learning about how things work as he builds them. Smartivity will replace any lost parts free of charge, which is such a nice feature with how small a lot of the parts are.
38. Speks Crags Magnetic Putty: Look no further for the most satisfying fidget toy on the market. These tiny magnets are incredibly fun to run between your fingers or stack on the desk. My kids will play with their Speks Fidget Putty while reading a book or watching a show, quieting their mind and helping them focus. With multiple color options, each person in the family got to pick their favorite color!
39. Space Lego: Space is really trending for 2024. Future astronauts or rocket ship engineers will be all over this LEGO Friends Mars Space Base kit. It comes with a research base, rocket, satellite, characters, and so many small details to make your kid’s research base their own! It can connect to other space-themed LEGO sets, so your kiddo can create an entire space empire.
40. Box Balls: We all love watching trick shot videos, and my 9 year old wants to try every one he sees. I found this all-in-one trick shot set and knew it would be a blast for him to practice! My husband will set aside everything to play with our son, switching off setting up various trick shots for the other one to try! They’ve made it a running competition.
41. Sensory Swing: Swings are fun in general, but what makes this swing special is the sensory-deprivation effect it provides. My kids can snuggle up in the soft fabric and forget the world for a time as they subtly swing. I’m not going to lie, I’ve hidden in there a few times myself when I needed some peace and quiet. This is the perfect family toy too because it can be used by so many ages.
42. Loom Bracelet Kit: Making colorful bracelets is a hallmark of being a tween, and the Loom Bracelet set is one of the best I have come across for parties or to give as a gift. There are so many colors to choose from, with all kinds of beads, tassels and charms to add to the bracelet.
43. Lite BriteTouch: Remember the classic light up pegs toy? This is the same vibe but without the pegs, so no worry about messes or stepping on any small parts. You can switch between game mode and creative mode all the time, extending their interest in the toy and giving you more bang for your buck!
44. Sticker Maker: Brand new for 2024 and it's a hit! This sticker maker allows your kids to make and create their own stickers. The app lets you select and print pre-loaded stickers or upload your own photos. My kids took photos of their stuffed anmials and printed a bunch of stickers. This set also comes with markers so you can color the stickers. The sticker maker can be used by younger kids but they will need help reading the app.
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