Their first double-digit birthday is a big milestone. Turning 10 means kids are older and nearing the final stretch of elementary school; they may be trying new hobbies and gaining more independence. They also might be looking up to what’s “cool” with the tweens and teens they see. But they’re still kids—at least for a little bit longer. So if you’re looking for the best gifts for 10-year-olds, you can still lean into toys and board games, but you can also shop for gift ideas they can grow into.
The preteen years—between 9 and 12—are a time of rapid growth, both physically and emotionally. So there’s no one-size-fits-all gift for kids turning 10. The best gifts for 10-year-olds in 2026 span a variety of kids’ interests and hobbies. This gift guide also features personalized picks to highlight their burgeoning personalities. Keep scrolling for 50+ of our top gift picks for 10-year-olds.
You May Also Like:
- The Best Gifts for 9-Year-Olds, From a Mom Living With One
- The Best Gifts to Give a Sephora Tween on Your List
- Wondering What’s on Their List? Here Are the Best Gifts for Big Kids Ages 7-10
How We Chose the Best Gifts for 10-Year-Olds
Our editors did the online research, went to Toy Fair, recommended the best of what we own, and consulted actual 10-year-olds in our lives. As a mom of a 10-year-old and cool aunt to a few more preteen nieces and nephews, I got their blessing on the gifts in this guide—so you can be sure they’re all preteen-approved.
Additionally, you’ll find gifts for 10-year-olds at a variety of budgets, whether you’re buying a big-ticket gift to celebrate their double-digit milestone or grabbing an under-$25 gift for a birthday party.
What To Look For in a Preteen Gift
Gifts That Stoke Their Imagination: Turning 10 doesn’t mean childhood is over. Gifts that encourage play and creativity are still winners for this age group, like craft sets, STEM projects, and art supplies.
Items They Can Actually Use: Kids will start getting excited about practical gifts at this age, especially if they’re from “cool” brands. Think the trending Nike slides, a cozy hoodie they’ll live in, or actual luggage they can use for years to come.
Gifts That Encourage Independence: Beyond the expected gifts like bikes, scooters, and beginner smartwatches, look for other ways to encourage independence. Maybe a baking set they can make 100 percent by themselves or a magazine subscription addressed just to them.
Picks Their Friends Will Like: Peer approval is so important at this age, so get to know what the other kids are into, with bonus points for gifts they can share with them, like glowing sports gear or friendship bracelet kits.
Trending Gifts for 10-Year-Olds
The best preteen gifts reflect the unique kid you’re shopping for, so of course you’ll want to start with their wish list (my kids have been making Google Slides presentations for the past few years). But it’s always fun to have a surprise gift waiting to be opened that you know a new 10-year-old will love. Here are some of the trending gifts for 10-year-olds in 2026.
The surging Capybara love may have started as internet memes, but the fuzzy creature’s cuteness is undeniable. This weighted stuffy can be microwaved for a cozy moment.
Remember magazines? I couldn’t wait to get my American Girl and Highlights mags in the mail as a 10-year-old. With more parents wanting to lean into analog joy for their kids, Honest History brings back the magic of magazines with learning kids will love.
My kids love to be cozy, and this Shark Tank wearable blanket is perfect for after showers, couch time, slow mornings, and more.
If your family was feeling the Moon Joy this year with Artemis II, your 10-year-old would love sporting a NASA hoodie.
Most 10-year-olds do some kind of online gaming, and this fun lighted keyboard takes their favorite games up a notch.
With school phone bans and parents wanting to delay smartphone use as long as possible, MP3 players are coming back. Grab this highly-rated player that’s giving iPod Nano vibes—with some colors under $40!
Squishy hunting was a real pastime for 10-year-olds in 2026. And this soft bedroom light looks like the squishies they love.
My kid’s go-to gift for her friend’s birthdays: pair these funny fries with a gift certificate to Chick-fil-A—or their favorite restaurant—for a perfect themed gift.
Gifts for a 10-Year-Old Girl
This list of gifts is essentially a collection of my 10-year-old daughter’s bedroom, where her interests in beauty, fashion, creativity, and cute little things all collide. Of course, every 10-year-old girl is unique, so if you’re not seeing her interests represented here, be sure to check out the rest of the guide for gender-neutral gift picks for 10-year-olds.
While I’m usually anti-slime, GUI GUI slime is the exception. My girls love this high-quality slime, and I like that it doubles as an activity set and feels less messy than others we’ve tried.
The latest instax mini polaroid camera comes in five pastel colors so she can capture her memories without a phone. Don’t forget the film!
Make this pretty gift extra special by printing out a meaningful photo to store in her locket.
I’m always looking for new screen-free activities for my 10-year-old, and this air-dry dough lets kids create with low mess. Also, a great under-$20 gift for kids’ birthday parties.
YouTube sensation teen Salish Matter’s skincare line is safe for young skin, and it’s already part of my 10-year-old’s routine. Plus, it’s at Sephora, her favorite store.
If your kid has entered the Harry Potter world, she’ll love this Hedwig-inspired jewelry holder to keep all her trinkets in one spot.
My 10-year-old collects a lot of little things—friendship bracelets, lip glosses, and even Kinder Joy toys—and these preppy bags hold whatever she needs.
Comfy is *it* when it comes to tween wardrobes, and my 10-year-old daughter lives in cute sweats like this set.
Friendship bracelets are still exchanged among 10-year-olds like they were when we were little. This set makes it easier to create.
My 10-year-old daughter has bedazzled so many items—skincare bottles, hairbrushes, designs around her vanity mirror—all using this kit.
The tweens already love the hydrating Touchland hand sanitizers, so for a gift, grab this fun new birthday-themed scent with actual sparkles inside.
If the 10-year-old you’re shopping for already has a self-care routine, she’ll love elevating it with this cozy sherpa robe.
Turning 10 is a big milestone you can celebrate with a more grown-up piece of luggage they can take on sleepovers, class trips, or family travel.
If your daughter always wants to update her room like mine does, a custom name sign adds a special touch.
Gifts for a 10-Year-Old Boy
With so many boy moms on our editorial team, we curated the best gifts for 10-year-old boys with the hot items on their wish lists. From sports-themed gear to LEGO and building sets, there’s a gift idea for whatever they’re into.
Another go-to kids’ birthday party gift for 10-year-olds, this edition of the popular Nerf Vortex foam football also glows.
From Amazon Basics, this under-$25 gift adds instant fun to their bedroom.
If you love a learning gift, editor-favorite brand KiwiCo has tons of cool STEM sets for kids, like this Robot Snake that he can build with minimal help from you.
This new bucket hat from the cool, colorful Baseball Lifestyle 101 brand will be a hit.
Every kid needs a duffle, whether they’re carting around sports gear or sleepover stuff. This colorful, high-quality duffle comes in multiple patterns.
The new *it* slides all the 10-year-old boys are wearing instead of their CROCS.
A gift that you know they’ll use—grab an NFL jacket with throwback vibes from your kid’s favorite team so they can represent with pride.
Lessen the chance of a lost water bottle with a custom Gatorade squeeze bottle with their name on the side.
Seeing Crossfire at this year’s Toy Fair brought back all the memories of playing with my brothers when we were kids. The two-person game is fun for siblings, friends, or parents to play (with a side of nostalgia).
Your 10-year-old may be growing out of his Spider-Man phase (or not!), but he’ll still love to assemble this LEGO set inspired by the popular movies.
Fortnite is one of *the* games 10-year-old boys love to play—and talk about with their friends. This LEGO set gets them away from the screens, but is still inspired by their favorite game.
Cool or creepy? I can’t decide. But what I do know—10-year-old boys would think this is awesome. Already adding this under-$30 gift to my cart for some upcoming birthday parties.
If your kid was glued to the 2026 men’s World Cup, commemorate the year with an official USMNT jersey they’ll wear with pride.
Add a cool personalization to his room with a custom wooden name sign, available with or without rear lighting.
Creative and STEM Gifts For 10-Year-Olds
My 10-year-old can finally tackle baking projects with minimal help from me. This cute subscription box (or one-off gift) includes a baking kits with ingredients and kid-friendly directions.
The kids with 3D printers always have the coolest fidgets, or so says my 10-year-old. Creative kids will love seeing things from their imagination come to life with this highly-rated 3D printer.
Red pandas might rival the viral Capybara’s cuteness. And kids will love putting this new 2026 LEGO creator set together—and putting it on display.
My 10-year-old was introduced to Posca Pens by creative YouTubers, and now she uses these high-quality paint pens for her own projects.
Creative 10-year-olds who have a superhero story to tell can sketch and draw their idea, then send it off to be professionally bound into a real comic book.
By the time kids turn 10, STEM and building kits get that much better for parents because kids can do projects all on their own. Kids can create eight kinetic creatures using LEGO Technic bricks and papercrafts with this set.
Gifts For Active 10-Year-Olds
An updated glow-in-the-dark version of the award-winning string lasso toy that even impressed the Sharks on Shark Tank.
For sporty baseball (and softball) players, these light-up Spark Catch balls mean tweens can keep working on their skills after sundown.
A bigger-ticket gift for 10-year-olds that the whole family can enjoy anytime, this highly-rated portable basketball hoop lights up for fun, nighttime play. Grab a glow basketball for the ultimate gift for a sporty 10-year-old.
If you’re still unsure about e-scooter safety, I highly recommend Micro Kickboards, which can carry them through middle school, high school, and beyond. Plus, the Micro Rocket is foldable for easy storage.
Best Book Series for 10-Year-Olds
From the author who brought The Baby-Sitters Club to a new generation, Raina Telgemeier’s graphic memoirs are oh-so-relatable for 10-year-olds today.
Greek mythology is having a moment in 2026—if it ever really went away—so it could be the perfect time to introduce your kid to the beloved book series, now a popular Disney+ book-to-screen adaptation, too.
Age 10 is a great time to dive into the iconic Harry Potter series, especially because Harry himself starts as a 10-year-old in the first book: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Described as “Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets The Walking Dead,” the series follows a group of teens who chug Mountain Dew, play video games, and battle zombies after a monster apocalypse. It is highly recommended by my kids’ school librarian as a series to get reluctant readers excited to pick up a book.
Best Board Games for 10-Year-Olds
My kids are ready to get into the Mahjong craze with this family-friendly beginner set.
Family game night with 10-year-olds is so much fun—and this party game will even work on their articulation (you can’t say “um,” “err,” or other verbal fillers.)
There are no turns in this quick-paced card game, where players work to make their own matching set. It only takes about 10 minutes per game and can be played 1:1 or with a big group.
My 10-year-old loves this extreme version of their favorite card game. Instead of a draw pile, players have to press the button on UNO Attack to see if/how many cards will shoot out.
FAQs About 10-Year-Old Gifts
What’s a good birthday party gift for a 10-year-old?
Birthday party gifts for a 10-year-old usually fall within a budget range of $20-40. So fun board games like Uno Attack, light-up sports equipment like NERF footballs or Smart Catch baseballs, or gifts that will get a laugh, like emotional support stuffies, are great birthday party gifts for a kid turning 10.
What are good screen-free gift ideas for a 10-year-old?
Board games, craft kits, books, sports gear, and hands-on sets like LEGOs, STEM kits, or baking subscriptions are good gift options. Experience gifts, like a concert, sporting event, or a day trip, also work well.
Should I get something gender-neutral?
A 10-year-old’s interests matter far more than gender at this age. Instead of guessing, think about what the child actually does in their free time. If you don’t know, ask a parent or sibling, or go with broadly loved options like LEGO sets, art supplies, or games.
What should I get for a kid who loves reading?
Popular book series for 10-year-olds include Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, while graphic novels like The Baby-Sitters Club, Guts, and Wings of Fire count as real reading and are a big hit. A book light, a bookstore gift card, or a subscription box is a good add-on
Why You Can Count On Us
The Everygirl Media Group has brought valuable content to our readers for 12+ years. In 2018, The Everymom set out to ensure that all moms know they’re not alone. If you find yourself seeking advice on how to style the latest fashion trend or searching for the best kid-friendly coffee table, we have the answers. And if you’re wondering what’s actually worth it from a sale or looking for a review of the hottest new kids’ product, we’ve got that covered too. From our annual Registry Awards and beloved holiday gift guides to the shopping round-ups you find on our site every day, The Everymom commerce team is well-versed in sifting through thousands of products to curate a digestible list for you. We combine our own experience with in-depth research to bring you a selection that meets our high standards for both fashion and function.
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
Kathy Sisson has been a key contributor in the editorial parenting space for nearly a decade, not only as a full-time editor at The Everymom but previously as a freelance writer for top parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, Parent Co., and more. As an editor at The Everymom, she has produced hundreds of articles on a range of parenting topics, reviewed dozens of family-focused products, interviewed leading experts in the children and parenting world, and created viral parenting social media content. A mom of two, she is committed to sharing the honest, helpful, and often humorous stories of motherhood.
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