Gifts for Kids, Sorted by Age From Preschool to Sixth Grade
By the Giftruly editorsUpdated 19 hand-picked ideas
A five-year-old and an eleven-year-old are both "kids," and they have almost nothing in common as gift recipients. One still wants to be read to and will happily play with the box. The other has opinions about fonts, knows exactly which LEGO set is cool this year, and can smell a toy meant for babies from across the room. Get the age right and most of the job is done.
So this guide is organized by age first: four to six, seven to nine, and ten to twelve. Each section leads with the pick we'd reach for first, then a few alternatives for kids who lean toward art, science, sports or stories. After that come gifts that keep showing up in the mailbox, and a short section on the quiet rules of buying for someone else's child.
For younger children, see our gifts for toddlers. Older kids who are edging into teen territory have their own page: gifts for tweens. Shopping for a date on the calendar? Try Christmas gifts for kids, birthday gifts for kids or stocking stuffers for kids.
Know exactly who it's for?
Tell Truly about them in a sentence. You'll get ideas picked for them, each with a reason why.
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The short list
Four to six: big imaginations, short attention spans
Preschoolers and kindergartners play in bursts. They'll build a tower, knock it down, turn it into a zoo and abandon it for a snack, all in ten minutes. The best gifts at this age are open-ended: things that can become something different every day.
They also love anything that puts them at the center of the story, literally or otherwise. A book with their name in it or a walkie-talkie that makes them the one giving orders lands far better than a toy that does one trick.
- Our favorite1
Magna-Tiles Magnetic Building Set
~$60
Flat, see-through tiles with magnets sealed in the edges, so they click together into walls, towers, rocket ships and garages for toy cars. They're one of the few toys that a four-year-old and a seven-year-old will happily share, and they survive years of being thrown in a bin. The age label is 3 and up; keep them away from crawling younger siblings. Start with a medium set, and future birthdays have an easy add-on.
- 2
Kids Walkie Talkies
~$25
Two handsets, one for each room of the house, or one for the kid and one for the grandparent hiding in the yard. Five-year-olds treat them like serious equipment: spy missions, restaurant orders, "come in, over." Inexpensive and loved, though parents may want a word about volume at bedtime. Check whether they need batteries and include them in the box.
- 3
Art Easel and Supplies Set
~$50
A standing easel with a chalkboard on one side and a whiteboard or paper roll on the other. It gives a young artist a place of their own, which tends to mean less drawing on the walls. Ask the parents first if they have room for it; it's a floor-standing piece, and paint at this age goes everywhere. Washable paints are a must.
- 4
Personalized Kids Storybook
~$35
A hardcover picture book in which the child, by name, is the hero. Four- to six-year-olds are at exactly the age where seeing their own name in print feels like magic, and they'll ask for it at bedtime for months. A sweet choice from a grandparent or godparent. Order at least two weeks ahead, since they're printed to order.
- 5
48-Piece Giant Floor Puzzle
~$15
A big floor puzzle with chunky pieces and a bright picture, big enough for two or three kids to work on together on the rug. It's a good fit for four- and five-year-olds who've outgrown peg puzzles but aren't ready for a hundred small pieces. A thoughtful, low-cost pick if you're unsure what they already own.
Seven to nine: the project years
Somewhere around second grade, kids start wanting to make things that actually work: a run the marble makes it all the way down, a crystal that grows, a picture they took themselves. They can follow instructions now, mostly, and they're proud of anything that ends with a result to show.
Aim for gifts that take an afternoon, not five minutes. A grown-up helping with the first round is part of the gift.
- 6~$30
Kids Science Experiment Kit
A box of dozens of safe experiments with fizzing, color changes and the occasional small eruption. Best for the kid who asks "why" forty times a day.
Science Nerdsfun - 7~$20
Dinosaur Fossil Dig Excavation Kit
A plaster block with a skeleton hidden inside and tools to chip it out. Dusty, slow and deeply satisfying for a dinosaur fan. Do it outside or on newspaper.
Science NerdsHistory Buffsfun - 8~$35
Marble Run Building Set
Tracks, tubes and funnels that snap into a different run every time. It rewards a little trial and error. Marbles are a choking hazard, so skip it in homes with toddlers.
Science Nerdsfun - 9~$35
LEGO Classic Creative Brick Box
Loose bricks with no single right answer, which suits kids who'd rather invent than follow a booklet. Pairs well with any themed set they already have.
Artists & CraftersBoard Game Fansfun - 10~$45
Kids Instant Print Camera
Snaps a photo and prints it in black and white on cheap paper, so they can make comics and photo diaries. Buy an extra roll or two; they'll burn through the first.
PhotographersArtists & Craftersfun - 11~$30
Learn-to-Play Chess Set with Move Guide
Each piece is marked with how it moves, so a seven-year-old can learn without a grown-up correcting every turn. Good for a kid who loves rules and winning.
Chess PlayersBoard Game Fansfun
Ten to twelve: give them something real
Older kids can tell the difference between a toy and the real thing, and they'd much rather have the real thing. A rock tumbler that actually polishes stones, a robot they program, an instrument with proper strings: these say you think they're capable, which is the compliment every ten-year-old is waiting for.
Their interests are also more specific now. If they've talked about one thing nonstop since summer, buy for that, even if it seems like a phase.
- 12
Rock Tumbler Kit
~$65
A small tumbler that turns rough stones into glossy ones over several weeks, moving through grits from coarse to fine. It's a lesson in patience with a sparkly reward, and it suits the kid whose pockets are always full of rocks. It does rumble while it runs, so suggest a garage or laundry room. Expect a month or so before the first batch is done.
- 13
Beginner Coding Robot Kit
~$40
A snap-together robot that kids program with a drag-and-drop app, making it roll, light up and react. It's screen time with a purpose, and the jump from blocks to watching their own instructions move something across the floor is a thrill. Check which tablet or phone it needs before you buy, and make sure the family has one the child is allowed to use.
- 14
Middle Grade Graphic Novel Box Set
~$40
A boxed set of an illustrated series for roughly nine to twelve. Graphic novels are how plenty of reluctant readers fall into reading, and a box means the next volume is already on the shelf when they finish the first. Ask a parent which series they've already read; popular ones get gifted twice.
- 15
Ukulele Starter Kit
~$60
A small, friendly instrument with four nylon strings that are kind to beginner fingers. Kids can strum a recognizable song within a week or two, which keeps motivation up in a way that a full-size guitar often doesn't. Make sure the kit includes a tuner. Parents will probably thank you, at least after the first month.
Gifts that keep arriving after the wrapping paper's gone
Some of the best gifts for kids aren't objects at all: a monthly delivery, an outing, an hour with you. These suit families who are drowning in toys, and relatives who live far away and want to keep showing up.
16.Children's Magazine Subscription ~$35
A print magazine in the mailbox every month, with their name on the label. Choose a title for their age; there are good ones from preschool to twelve.
17.STEM Project Subscription Box for Kids ~$30
A monthly box with everything needed for one build or experiment. Pick the age range carefully, and prepay three months rather than a year to see if it sticks.
18.Parent and Child Baseball Glove Set ~$45
A small glove and an adult glove, really a promise to play catch. Best given by the adult who'll actually be out in the yard throwing.
19.Kids Movie Night Fort Tent Kit ~$40
A pop-up fort with lights for living-room movie nights. Add a favorite DVD or a homemade voucher for a movie night at your house.
Buying for someone else's kid: the unwritten rules
When the child isn't yours, the gift lands in someone else's house, and the parents are quietly part of the audience. A few things make you a welcome giver. Ask before anything big, loud or messy: a drum kit, a bin of slime, a trampoline. Ask what they already own, because three identical LEGO sets is a common problem and an awkward one to return. And respect the family's rules on screens, toy guns, candy and so on, even if you'd do it differently.
If in doubt, books and experiences are always welcome. A trip to the zoo, a pottery-painting afternoon or a ticket to a kids' show creates a memory without adding to the toy pile. And at any age, a card the child can read, or have read to them, saying why you chose this gift, makes even a small present feel like it was meant for them.
Shop this guide by price
Under $25
$25–$50
Getting a kid's gift right
Read the age label on the box and take it seriously, especially if there are younger siblings in the house. Small parts and magnets travel.
Ask what they're into this month, not this year. Kids' obsessions move fast, and a gift that matches the current one feels like you were paying attention.
Include anything needed to use it on the day: batteries, an extra roll of paper, the app downloaded. A gift that can't be opened and played with right away loses a lot of its shine.
A little mess-free option is a kindness to parents. If you're giving paint, slime or glitter, choose the washable version.
For a kid you don't know well, tell our gift finder their age and one thing they love, and you'll get a short list to choose from.
What other gift-givers ask
What is a good gift for a 6-year-old?
Open-ended toys that can be played a dozen ways: magnetic building tiles, a floor puzzle, walkie-talkies, an easel or a picture book with their name in it. Six-year-olds also love being trusted with "real" things, so a simple camera or a science kit with grown-up help works well.
What do you buy a 10-year-old who has everything?
Go for a real hobby rather than another toy: a rock tumbler, a coding robot, a ukulele or a graphic novel series. Or skip objects altogether and give a magazine subscription or an outing together, which won't add to the clutter.
How much should I spend on a gift for a child?
For a friend's child or a classmate, $15 to $30 is normal. Aunts, uncles and godparents often spend $25 to $60, and grandparents sometimes more. Kids rarely notice the price; they notice whether it matches what they love.
Are educational gifts boring for kids?
Only when they feel like homework. A kit that ends with a fossil, a crystal or a robot that moves is educational and fun at the same time. Avoid workbooks and flashcards as gifts unless the child has asked for them.