Gifts for a 10 year old: 8 picks that outlast the wrapping paper
Past Paw Patrol, not yet a teenager. The awkward gift age. Here's what works, $20 to $130, all on Amazon.
Find the right pick in 30 secondsQuick answer
If you have 30 seconds: MAGNA-TILES 100-piece ($115) for the builder, Sony WH-CH520 headphones ($50) for the kid who already hijacked the car aux cord, or Exploding Kittens ($22) if you have no idea what they like and want a guaranteed sleepover hit.
The 8 picks
Tested by actual 10 year olds. Survived more than one weekend.
What to skip at 10
Anything character-licensed. The branding ages out in eight months and the toy goes with it. Same for fad merch tied to a specific YouTuber, game, or movie that's currently hot. By the next birthday it's embarrassing.
Skip the cheap drone, the Rubik's-cube-with-RGB, the "build your own" robot kit that needs an iPad app to do anything. The pattern: anything that needs charging, paired with software, and is older than 12 months on Amazon. The reviews start great, the firmware breaks, the kid loses interest.
Also skip cash unless you've talked to the parents. Cash to a 10 year old turns into Roblox in an afternoon and nobody feels great about it.
How to actually pick at this age
10 is the year kids start trying on identities. They're "the chess one" or "the soccer one" or "the kid who builds." Pick a gift that feeds the identity they're picking, not the one their parents wish they'd pick. If they've been into LEGO for two years, they want more LEGO. They don't want a science kit because a relative thinks they should be more scientific.
Ask the parent two questions if you can. "What's the last thing they got obsessed with?" and "What's broken or missing?" That's the whole gift-finding model at this age.
Or use the Send with Magic gift finder. Three taps, three picks. Faster than texting the parent.
Common questions
What is the best gift for a 10 year old boy?
The LEGO Technic Lamborghini if he's into cars or building. The Sony headphones if he's into music or video games. The Wise Owl hammock if he's outdoorsy. None of these are gendered, despite how they sometimes get categorized.
What is the best gift for a 10 year old girl?
Same answer. MAGNA-TILES, the LEGO Technic set, the headphones, and Exploding Kittens are all just as good. The "girl gift" categories on Amazon are mostly about marketing, not what 10 year olds actually want.
Is a phone a good gift for a 10 year old?
Not from anyone except a parent, and not without a long conversation. If the family has decided to do it, the right gift is a case, a portable charger, and a screen-time talk. None of which are this article.
What's a good last-minute gift for a 10 year old?
Exploding Kittens. Prime ships overnight, the box is fun to wrap, and it's the rare kid gift that's better when other kids are around. Add a $10 bookstore gift card if you want to feel less last-minute.