Our Gift Guide For The Best Toys For 10 Year Old Boys

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Buying the perfect gift for a fifth-grader may be an interesting experience. Your ten-year-old boy isn’t a toddler anymore, and he isn’t a teenager either. He may think and sound almost like an adult, but he is still a little boy to a certain extent. Don’t fret; we’ve listed the best gifts for elementary-aged kids for this Christmas season.

The exciting dilemma in buying the best gift for 10-year-old boys is discerning what type of gifts he may like. He may be ready for the more mature kind of gifts, or he could still gravitate towards toys for little boys. We’ve spent over 33 hours researching, testing, and reviewing gifts for ten-year-old boys. You may find the perfect gift for your tween in our gift guide. If you’re in a hurry, however, check out the top five gifts at the top. Scroll down, and you’ll find the rest of the list of gift toys.

Each child is different, and your boy is no exception. The gift guide contains a variety of toys that may appeal to boys with different interests. To make it easier to find the perfect gift, check out our headings that gives you an idea of what type of boy would enjoy the toy.  

The Rundown: The Top Toy Picks For 10 year old Boys

Forbidden Island Board Game For Two Players

Forbidden Island requires tactical decisions to find the treasures before the island sinks.

Pandemic draws you into the urgency of saving humanity against four spreading viruses. Find the cure. Treat the sick. Stop a pandemic outbreak.

For boys  10 to 99 Years of age

Pros:

  • A strategic problem-solving game with a frantic fun element
  • Easy to learn and highly repayable
  • Cooperating and working as a team is essential because each character’s skill set is necessary

Cons:

  • Experienced players may dominate the game by directing the next move before others get the chance to work it out for themselves.

Hunting for treasure may be exciting, but how much pressure you can handle in finding the treasure before the island sinks in the two-player board game Forbidden Island. Although you are playing with other players, you are competing against time and teamwork becomes essential.

To be a winner requires strategic thinking, the ability to solve problems, and cooperation with others in finding the 4 treasures on time. Game master Matt Leacock created a board game that achieved considerable awards like the 2010 Mensa Favorite Brainy Games Winner and the Top Board Game of 2010.

Each of the six characters has their skills and unique abilities. The game is for two to four players, which creates a twist to the game because you can’t have all six characters.

If you don’t like the idea of a sinking island, then there is the Forbidden Desert or explore a mysterious platform in Forbidden Sky.

Number of players: 2-4

Set up time: 5 minutes

Average Playtime: 30-45 minutes

Complexity Level: Medium

Recommended ages: 10+ years

Reviewed recommended ages: 7+ years

 

Pros:

  • Dramatic colored water and alluring aromas may intrigue any reluctant kid to the bath.
  • The bath bombs are about the size of a tennis ball and make lots of bubbles.
  • Inside each bath bomb is a unicorn toy surprise that is released as the bath bomb fizzes and bubbles.

Cons:

  • The pieces may be a choking hazard for toddlers younger than three years old.

The Two Sisters Spa Bubble Bath Bombs may entice any kid to bath with all the bubbles…and the fun unicorn gift surprise inside the bath bomb. Yes, inside each bubble bath bomb is a treasure, a unicorn toy, or a unicorn jewelry piece. For little boys, there is the Superhero Kit with fun superhero figurines and keepsakes.

The secret is to use water pressure for the ultimate experience. Drop the bath bomb into the water while the bath is filling with water. Before long, you will have fragrant, colorful bath water with lots and lots of bubbles. Each bath bomb is about the size of a tennis ball…can you imagine the fizzing and bubbles!

Another surprise is the unicorn toy or jewelry that is released from within the bath bomb. It could be a unicorn necklace, a ring, squishies, unicorn horn or finger puppets, lip gloss, or a bracelet hidden within, waiting for an excited kid to have a bath.

The toys and products are created by moms who work flexi-hours because family is important to them. Being moms, they know which unicorn gifts and toys to select that will thrill little girls and little boys, who like all things superhero related.

Pros:

  • A challenging game that is easy to learn.
  • Players experience the urgency and drama as if they are part of the Pandemic world.
  • Cooperative play. Teamwork is essential to save humanity.

Cons:

  • Players who prefer playing against other players may find a cooperative concept difficult to grasp
  • Need to play a game before players understand the game

If the idea of saving the world interests you, then join the disease control team in Pandemic and protect the world against deadly diseases. You play against time to find the cures before the virus spreads.

It’s essential to work together as a team to find solutions. Pandemic is a great game to inspire teamwork and strategic play. Players must decide which actions to take next. Do they treat the diseases, find a new cure, build research stations, or fly or drive across the globe?

The game starts with nine infected cities. With each round, the number increases, and epidemic cards may re-infect previous cities that may cause chaos if wrong actions are taken.

Easy to understand the board game allows for all ages to play, requiring tactical and strategic moves to save the world. Players control the difficulty level by deciding how many epidemic cards they place in the deck.

Number of players: 2-4

Set up time: 10-15 minutes

Average Playtime: 25-45 minutes

Complexity Level: Medium to High

Recommended ages: 8+ years

Reviewed recommended ages: 8+ years

Pros:

  • Perfect gift for kids that love to paint, draw, or show other artistic traits.
  • Projects can be completed in a weekend so they don’t have to dominate your house.
  • This crate introduces unique crafting materials and interesting techniques.
  • Non-traditional gift can be perfect for kids that crave their uniqueness.

Cons:

  • Not all kids will be interested in these projects – you’ll know if it’s right for your boy.
  • Crates are given out randomly so there’s no guarantee which project you’ll get next month.  Can be good or bad.

The Doodle Crate makes our best toy and gift list for 10 year olds because it’s different than the average gift.  It’s not for every young adult, but those with an artistic bent will really appreciate your thoughtfulness once they receive it.

Every month, a “crate” is mailed to your child.  Inside are numerous projects based around the theme of the month.  It’s not just painting or drawing – projects require working in different materials including wood, clay, and resins.  Different styles of artistic expression are explored each month.  There are also written and video resources provided to allow inclined kids to explore the subject more thoroughly.

Not every 10 year old boy will love this gift – but it’s the perfect gift for the kid that’s shown an interest in art in the past.  I know in my family, my youngest son had a blast working on his project.  I’m confident your creative kid will enjoy the Doodle Crate as well.

Pros:

  • The versatile art activity book has something for all kids irrespective of their art skills; they can trace and scratch-off, color the drawings, or create their doodles and drawings.
  • The sturdy wire binding and hardcover protects the pages inside and endure kids’ handling.
  • It is perfect for traveling and for keeping kids occupied.

Cons:

  • Not for kids under 5 years that may inhale the scratch coating particles.

The Unicorn Adventure Scratch and Sketch, an art activity book, is one of the best unicorn gifts to give a creative child and budding artist…and a unicorn fan. What is hidden behind the black-coated scratch-off art board pages? Even boys and girls who don’t think they can draw could be inspired to follow the tracing and drawings in the activity book. Tracing with the wooden stylus strengthens hand-eye coordination.

Kids of all ages are invited to join Polly with the unicorn on an adventure to the unicorn’s castle. Scratching the black-coated art board pages reveal rainbow swirls and glittery foil unicorn-related images. The hardcover activity book contains twenty drawings and descriptions of unicorns and friends, twenty pages for doodling, and the twenty black-coated scratch-off pages. Kids may use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to create their unique unicorn artwork and their unicorn adventure stories.

It’s not only a drawing book; it combines the story with the drawings taking kids on an adventure. Boys and girls may build confidence in their art skills and create new experiences for the unicorn combining imagination and creativity.

The hardcover activity book with its wooden styles is convenient for road trips and to keep kids occupied in restaurants and waiting rooms. It gives kids the freedom to sketch on pages at the back or for the less daring to trace and color in the drawings.

Pros:

  • Made in the USA of BPA-free, recycled milk jugs.
  • Easy to clean – it’s dishwasher safe so cleanup is a breeze!
  • Your 10 year old boy will build both fine and gross motor skills playing with this set.
  • Great for tub play as well.
  • Built to last for years of play.

Cons:

  • You pay extra for the Earth-friendly construction.

If your young ::age:: boy is looking for a toy tea set to go along with tea time, the Green Toys Tea Set is a great choice.  he can play while being nice to the environment at the same time.  You see, these tea cups, pots, plates, creamer and sugar bowl are all made of food-grade recycled materials.  This is awesome because it means you can actually drink from the set without worrying about hot water melting plastic or leeching and undesirable chemicals.

This tea set is wonderful. The toy items are sturdy while still being small enough for little hand’s to easily handle. It is safe to eat and drink from, washes easily, and quite resistant to scratches and blemishes.  Some people aren’t aware that toy manufacturers now have to put little holes to prevent suffocation in any toy  a young boy might jam in their mouth.  The sugar bowl is the one in this set with the holes – so if you pour a powder in the bowl, it won’t stay there!

These cups are kid-sized, not doll-sized – so they’ll be able to drink more than a sip when playing make-believe.  It’s one of the best tea sets out there for kids!

Pros:

  • The Dobson style means it is much smaller and portable than refractor telescopes.
  • This is a serious scope – it will last for many years with proper care.
  • Can add additional lenses to see even more universal detail.

Cons:

  • While a younger child could use this, this isn’t meant to be abused. Keep close supervision on younger brothers and sisters.
  • No real instructions provided in the box, but plenty available online.

Ever used a telescope and thought “Big Deal”?  That’s usually because the images you see aren’t coming in very bright.

When your child has outgrown a more toy-like telescope and is ready to step up to an adult-level, quality tool, the Orion 10014 Skyquest XT is a perfect fit. Due to the much larger aperture, this telescope producers images over 260% brighter than your run-of-the-mill starter telescopes. That means they will be able to see hundreds of more objects from the night sky.

The Dobsonian style means it’s more compact, so it’s easier to transport.  Just be careful when moving it.  It’s not a toy – it’s not meant to take too much abuse.   Try this telescope out, and view the moon – or Venus – and see if you still think “Big Whoop”!

Helps To Develop: “Exploration, STEM,Thinking Skills”

Pros:

  • With the design on both sides, it doesn’t matter in which hand your child holds the mug.
  • Add hot water and see the unicorn tail change color.
  • The unicorn mug, with its unique trademarked design, is decorative on its own and earns a position with the other unicorn collectibles.

Cons:

  • You’ll have to wait for your turn because everyone will want to drink out of the mug.

The Color Changing Unicorn Mug is a great unicorn gift for kids and adults who enjoy their coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and other hot drinks that works the magic. There’s a reason the unicorn face looks like it’s smiling as if it has a secret. When you pour hot water into the unicorn mug, the unicorn’s hair changes into beautiful rainbow colors.

The design is on both sides of the mug, so it doesn’t matter whether your child is left-handed or right-handed; they will see the color-changing effect. The manufacturer, Infloatables, guarantees a quality ceramic mug with their trademarked Unicorn Mug Design that won’t scratch off.

With a one-of-a-kind design, the 3D mug is decorative enough to earn a particular spot on your desk, in your bedroom, office, or a special place among the other unicorn collectibles. Display it empty or use it to store your pencils, markers, or pens.

It is one of the best unicorn gifts for kids or adults who adore unicorns. They will be delighted with such an original unicorn gift but wait until you offer them a hot drink in their new unicorn mug. It’s a jaw-dropping experience the first time they see the hair of the unicorn change into rainbow colors.

Pros:

  • The unicorn garden is portable and can be displayed indoors or outdoors.
  • Five unicorn-related figurines decorate the garden. Your child may move them around depending on their imaginative role-playing story at that moment.
  • Kids learn gardening skills while having fun.

Cons:

  • The seeds and soil aren’t included in the package.

Your child may not have a unicorn in the garden, but they can create their unique unicorn garden with Creative Roots Create Your Own Unicorn Garden kit. The 10-inch plastic planter is a nice size for a sustainable garden project for kids indoors or outdoors.

Each child creates a unique garden by planting or decorating with the flowers, herbs, or plants they wish to have in the garden. You don’t even have to buy seeds; they can also use plants from your backyard or flower bed. Some unicorn gardens may well have daisies, pansies, and violets.  Other may have more tropical effect with ferns and ground covers. For some, a quick-growing herb garden could be a great idea.  It’s up to your child!

The five hand-painted figurines create a personal touch and inspire imaginative play. Your kid may move the castle, two unicorn figurines, the toadstool, and a butterfly around depending on how their creative story unfolds.

Gardening is a soothing exercise that provides delayed gratification after you see the plants grow and flower. Start by layering the planter with soil (seeds and soil not included in the package). Place the garden accessories as desired. Add the plants or flowers and display your garden for all to see.

If your kid doesn’t want to create a live garden, they can use fake moss, and toy trees and shrubs to develop their unicorn garden.

Pros:

  • Various win conditions ensure no predictable outcome.
  • A fast-paced, quick but intense game.
  • Fun and competitive game for two players

Cons:

  • Frequent players may need more variety and purchase expansion sets.
  • Some players may prefer larger sized playing cards.

7 Wonders Duel is designed for two players and is as much fun with a similar style of play than the award-winning 7 Wonders. The object is to build a civilization with the best army that will crush your opponent. If you prefer a more peaceful victory than invading your opponent’s capital, you have two other options. Become prestigious by winning the most victory points or achieve a monopoly through scientific advancement.

In the ancient world, the civilizations move through three Ages building wonders that strengthen their game. With only half of the cards revealed and multiple winning options, you are never sure if your strategy is working; your opponent may surprise you at the last move.

If you are a frequent player, don’t fret, there is the Pantheon Expansion pack available.

Number of players: 2

Set up time: 5-10 minutes

Average Playtime: 30 minutes

Complexity Level: Medium

Recommended ages: 10-15 years

Reviewed recommended ages: 10+ years

Pros:

  • A strategic game for two players.
  • Tile pieces are durable with beautiful designs.
  • Portable with a pouch for storage and travel

Cons:

  • Some players don’t like to have to continually concentrate during a game.

Hive is a two-player board game that requires strategic thinking like when playing Chess. The objective of the game is to protect your queen bee that she isn’t locked in by opponent bugs.

The game is quick to grasp but requires strategic thinking. Set up time is fast because you don’t require a board; a flat surface will suffice to place the tiles.

Each tile is decorated with one of the five types of bugs — each bug hast its rules of how it can move.

A portable game that can travel with you wherever you go.

Number of players: 2

Set up time: 5 minutes

Average Playtime: 15-30 minutes

Complexity Level: Medium

Recommended ages: 8-15 years

Reviewed recommended ages: 8+ years

Pros:

  • Included experiments are age-appropriate and fun for the family to work together.
  • Great for bathtub and sandbox play when younger, but grows into science experiments as your child ages.
  • High replay value since equipment can be used to do other experiments available for free on the internet.

Cons:

  • While most are common household items, you need to provide the ingredients for the experiments.

Encourage interest in science and experimental learning with this award-winning lab set. The Learning Resources Primary Science Lab set comes with a ton of kid-friendly science tools. All 12 pieces are correctly sized for 10 year old children to be able to handle.

Younger boys might just use the toy to play make-believe unless you or another adult take them step by step through the instructions. On the other hand, older children can use the included experiment cards to learn more about the physical world around them.  Once you’ve gone through all the included experiments, you are free to use the equipment to tackle other experiments about the world around you.

Helps To Develop: “Logical Thinking, Inquisitive Thinking”

Pros:

  • A card-theme board game for a variety of ages.
  • Easy to learn and fun to play.
  • Teaches kids card game principles.

Cons:

  • Too many players fill up the board too soon.

Sequence is a two-player board game that requires strategic and decision-making skills. The object is to create a row of five pieces while simultaneously blocking your opponent from creating their rows.

The board shows two packs of cards. Each card lies with its image face up. Each player is dealt seven cards. When it’s your turn, you select a card in your hand to play by placing a chip on one of the two options on the board. That’s where the strategy and fun start, choosing the right one that will enhance your play.

There’s always the wild card to benefit a player and have a negative impact on the opponent. The Jack can be played as any card, or you could remove an opponent’s chip from the board.

The player who scores the required number of sequences wins.

Number of players: 2-3 or up to 12 in three teams

Set up time: 5 minutes

Average Playtime: 10-30 minutes

Complexity Level: Easy

Recommended ages: 7+ years

Reviewed recommended ages: 6+ years

Pros:

  • Relaxing yet competitive game for two players
  • Quick but engaging game
  • Ideal for kids, teenagers, and couples

Cons:

  • Not for gamers who want complicated, integrated games and not a relaxing game

Patchwork may look straightforward, but there’s a catch. Uneven pieces of fabric require strategic planning and the ability to solve problems. When you’ve placed your fabric piece on the board, you can’t move it.

Created by game designer Uwe Rosenberg, this classic board game inspires creativity, problem-solving, and healthy competition. The competitive game challenges players to create the highest score with their patchwork quilt design.

A game could take up to 45 minutes, depending on the competitive play. The idea is to complete as much of the quilt as possible with the unique shapes. Kids who like solving puzzles will enjoy that element in the game. Creative kids who want to become textile designers will enjoy the idea of creating a quilt with odd pieces.

The secret lies in the buttons, which is the money currency and gives the quilt that final touch.

If you enjoy Tetris, then you may enjoy this engaging quilting game with its strategic puzzle-solving element.

Number of players: 2

Set up time: 5 minutes

Average Playtime: 15-30 minutes

Complexity Level: Easy

Recommended ages: 8-15 years

Reviewed recommended ages: 8-adults

Pros:

  • Teach kids to save with the piggy bank shaped like a unicorn head.
  • The ceramic material is durable and beautifully designed to display it in your unicorn-crazed child’s bedroom.

Cons:

  • It’s easy to remove the stopper to reveal the savings content.

The Beriwinkle Ceramic Unicorn Piggy Bank is the best unicorn gift to teach kids about finances. After all, if you want to go on adventures or enlarge your unicorn toys collection, you need to start saving.

The glazed ceramic unicorn head is available in six different colors to complement the décor in a child’s room. With more than one unicorn fan in the household, the different colors will avoid mixing up the piggy banks. If you have an avid saver, why not collect all the colors and have a unicorn display in their bedroom?

With dimensions, 7.5 x 9 x 4.5 inches the unicorn piggy bank isn’t too large for the dressing table or a bookshelf. The base is sturdy so that it won’t topple over and break. Then it is within arm’s length when kids want to add money to their piggy bank through the slot at the top.

When the unicorn piggy bank is full, or there’s a new unicorn toy to buy, the stopper at the bottom opens the bank and reveals the content. Note that it’s easy to remove the stopper, which means curious eyes may want to see how much money was saved.

Although it’s a piggy bank, the design is so tasteful, that it could be a great birthday or Christmas gift for any unicorn fan who collects unicorns or for people who enjoy unique décor.

Pros:

  • The soft-tip nature of darts means there is virtually no chance of damaging property or other children while playing with these toys.
  • Gun is lightweight enough that most school-aged children can participate in the fun.
  • Real camaraderie is built up among teammates.

Cons:

  • Darts are easy to lose.  They especially seem to find their way into the vacuum cleaner. You’ll want to buy some extras.
  • There are many Nerf Blaster choices – so your child may prefer a toy for a different playstyle.

Nerf dart blasters are a perennial favorite of boys and girls everywhere. The N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster is no exception to this rule. With this blaster gun, you’ll be able to fire 6 darts in a row up to 90 feet.  Just slam the slide to reload and you are on your way.  That’s right, this blaster doesn’t require batteries.

While fine to shoot at targets by yourself, the real fun comes when a group of boys organize into teams and play tag or other games. Kids learn to implement strategy, cooperate with teammates and burn off a ton of energy running around outside while working to tag opposing team members.

Helps To Develop: “Social Skills, Strategy, Outside Play”

Pros:

  • The flexible structure allows you to follow leads in the order that makes sense to you.
  • Perfect for budding detectives and logical thinkers and people with deduction skills.
  • A highly cooperative and competitive game that keeps you busy for hours.

Cons:

  • No replay value when you solved all 10 cases
  • Case 3 has a publisher error that makes it almost unsolvable in versions earlier than 2016. The corrected version is available to download online.

Solve crime mysteries faster than the famous Mr. Holmes in the two-player board game Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective Thames Murders and Others. Players can cooperate to play against Sherlock Holmes, or they can up the competition level by playing against each other too.

There are ten mysteries to solve by visiting locations on the London map and reading stories and newspapers to find clues. If you enjoy reading and finding clues, then this is one of the best game choices for you. The clues you find leads you to a place on the map.

If you like games that don’t require a specific order structure, then you’ll enjoy being a sleuth in this flexible game. Players may visit any place in any order, read all newspapers to date, an interview any informant available.

As you progress as a consulting detective, the cases become more complicated with more clues. The first couple of cases are solvable within 1-2 hours; latter cases will take longer.

Number of players: 1-8

Set up time: 5 minutes

Average Playtime: 2 hours

Complexity Level: Difficult

Recommended ages: 10+ years

Reviewed recommended ages: 10+ years

Pros:

  • A fun way to learn about history, and the timeline of events
  • Player take part in a challenge at the same time so no extensive waiting for your turn
  • The game is a standalone or integrates with other Timeline series cards.

Cons:

  • Generally, older players may have an advantage over younger players because of life experience and been exposed to more information.

Timeline Challenge is a series of trivia games that may delight history fans and players who like to know facts. The original Timeline game was a card game that included topics like historical events, music, cinema, and science and discoveries.

Time Challenge transformed playing cards into a complete board game for two players. It is a set of mini-games increasing the difficulty level of the game. It is a standalone two-player game or serves as an expansion to Timeline.

Although the board game may remind you of Trivial Pursuit, moving around the board isn’t determined by the dice roll. It’s related to how many points the player earns answering correctly during a Trial (mini-challenge). If there are more than two players, players who are furthest behind have two opportunities to catch up by playing Challenges against each other.

Number of players: 2-10

Set up time: 5 minutes

Average Playtime: 30 minutes – 1 hour

Complexity Level: Easy

Recommended ages: 10-15 years

Reviewed recommended ages: 12+ years

Pros:

  • One of the best worker placement games
  • A competitive game without aggressive actions like battles and destruction
  • Planning is essential, but the outcome isn’t known

Cons:

  • Players may have to wait for other players to decide on their actions.
  •  Some find the game complicated in the beginning

Agricola is a turn-based, worker placement game where the goal is to build and expand your farm. The game starts with the farmer and his spouse, which means you have two actions each turn, one for the farmer and one for the wife.

Each farm chore can only be done by one player at a time, which means strategically, you can block another player’s progress or force them to do other actions. The game is low aggressive because there are no battles or destruction; you can only inconvenience your opponent, not destroy or harm their farm. Parents who want their kids to have competitive fun without aggression, Agricola is a great pick.

Players need to decide which chores are a priority to build the farm, stockpile, and feed the family. Players continuously faced with making difficult choices.

Number of players: 1-5

Set up time: 10 minutes

Average Playtime: 2 hours

Complexity Level: Medium

Recommended ages: 10-15 years

Reviewed recommended ages: 10=15 years

Pros:

  • The game is easy to learn
  • A strategic word deduction game that is fast-paced
  • Improves cooperative skills

Cons:

  • Could be too advanced for younger players in finding the right word clues

Instead of competing against each other, players work together as a team to win in Czech Games Codenames: Duet. The object of the game is to find the 15 agents among a grid of 25 that includes assassins and bystanders. Should you reveal an assassin, you lose the game.

Just like in the spy world, countries may work together, but they don’t reveal all their secrets to the world; they often communicate in code. With numbers and single word clues, players communicate to help each other find the agents and avoid the assassins.

Codenames Duet is a fast-paced strategic word game that could improve kids developing teamwork and cooperating skills by working together. For those who don’t like the challenge of finding the best word clue or trying to decipher the clue, the game may be frustrating.

Number of players: 2-4

Set up time: 5 minutes

Average Playtime: 15-30 minutes

Complexity Level: Easy

Recommended ages: 10+ years

Reviewed recommended ages: 11+

Clipboard Toy List

Our Process For Selecting The Best Toys And Gifts For 10 year old boys

We spend weeks writing all of our toy review and gift guides. We know you rely on our input, and we take that trust seriously.   Our writers and editors have spent approximately 33 hours researching and testing the most popular toys for 10 year old boys that you can find on the market in March 2024. 

All of this time and resources are spent to bring this toy guide to you – we’ve put in the time to make sure our recommendations are ones you can trust.

We also update these lists daily.  That’s because we don’t want to provide you with toys that are no longer in-stock – a gift you can’t buy isn’t worth much to you, no matter how cool it might be.  We have reviewed many more toys than we list in this guide – and many of them are good but not quite as great as the ones that made the cut. 

As toys move in and out of stock, the list will change.  We want this list to help you get the best toys you can for your 10 year old this Holiday season.

How To Choose Appropriate Toys For Ten-Year Old Boys

As a 5th grader, your 10-year old boy is finishing with elementary school. Although not a teenager yet, he feels all grown-up while his parents see him as a child. Your tween is old enough to understand social cues, to be self-aware, and even the onset of puberty. Development is critical at this stage, and age-appropriate toys will help him through this transitional phase.

Although they are becoming more independent daily as their social skills and personalities develop, tweens still need their parents to steer them in the right direction. Toys can help parents accomplish this.   

What Developmental Skills Are Nurtured By Great Toys

Age-appropriate toys can strengthen a tween’s development skills and give him the sense of accomplishment he desires. While toys differ, a good toy will satisfy his development needs.

When we created this list of the Best Toys for 10-Year Old Boys, we first looked at the most pressing skills for this age group. Then we searched for toys that would build these abilities while being fun to play with.

Here’s a list of skills we think are most important to be strengthened by toys and play for a boy still in elementary school.

Play Outside

He enjoys playing outside, especially if the toys let him practice his athletic abilities. If he favors a specific sport, choosing toys for him will be easy. Any toy that he can play outside and simultaneously help him develop skills in his chosen sport will be a winner in this 10-year old’s eyes.

These types of toys will also help him explore his athletic abilities if he’s unsure about what type of sport he’d like to play.

His body is growing fast, and it needs the exercise to keep him fit.  

Social Relationships

Team sports will help build social relationships. Boys tend to establish friendships through mutual interests. Toys that enhance teamwork and group activities will help your tween fit in and feel part of a group.

Sharing secrets and having private conversations with friends is normal at this age.  Various toys will inspire this secretive kind of play with codes, passwords, secret languages, and puzzles.

Deeper Thinking Skills

Pattern recognition, critical thinking, and other problem-solving toys will inspire your son to develop deeper thinking skills. A 10-year old’s mind is ready for these types of challenges. His learning abilities escalate enabling him to tackle mental math problems, to research topics online or in the library, and to work on more complicated assignments.

With the increased attention span, he will appreciate more complex toys.

Communication Development

A 5th grader’s reading skills are good enough for him to want to show off. Toys that inspire him to read stories or instructions to help him play the game will enhance his reading skills even more.

He can communicate using logic, form arguments, discuss viewpoints and have his own opinions. Toys relevant to his hobbies and interests can strengthen these skills.

Consider These 6 Toy Qualities When Out Shopping For Your Gift

Safety

Safety precautions aren’t necessarily for the toy itself but the sport or activity that requires safety gear. Helmets, life jackets, goggles, and pads for knees and elbows will help reduce accidents.

Toys that have electrical parts shouldn’t be used without adult supervision.

Although your tween is developing judgment, he isn’t ready to know when speed is safe and when not.

Durability

Casings and containers need to endure as much handling as the toy itself. Many craft, hobbies, and accessories have casings to keep the parts together. If made of a poor quality material the casing will break, scattering the various pieces. If pieces are lost, some toys can be used anymore.  

The durability of sports equipment, toys for outside play, and other indoor activities depend on how the child uses the toy as well as the material it is made of.  

Challenging

Buying toys to challenge the physical endurance and mental alertness of a 10-year old boy is an adventure. His problem-solving, competitive, and eager to learn abilities are developing at an astounding pace that toys should keep up with.

Simple toys will bore him. He is ready to be challenged but needs the affirmation of succeeding too.

Fun

Playing with friends is fun. Team sports, outdoor and indoor activities teach the children teamwork and communication in crowds while the boys are having fun.

Toys that help develop their deeper thinking skills will delight your tween, especially if it contains secrets like codes and passwords he can share with friends.

Lifespan

The lifespan of sports and safety equipment and toys to experiment with is short-lived. Your 10-year old’s eagerness ensures the toy will be used to its full potential, but it doesn’t guarantee the toy will survive as a hand-me-down.

Other types of toys will survive the tween and will still be fun to play with as a teenager.

Warranty and Warning Labels

Warranty varies on average from 1 to 2 years. Some manufacturers provide a money-back guarantee if unsatisfied with the toy.

Warning labels are there for safety precautions. Before purchasing a toy for a tween, read the age-appropriate labels. Make sure the boy is mature enough for the toy, even if it is for a 10-year old.Ten

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Gifts for Ten-Year-Old Boys

My ten-year-old son doesn’t like sports. How can I interest him in sports?

Some boys aren’t interested in sports; other boys haven’t found the right enticing sports. Perhaps he may enjoy group sports that he hasn’t been exposed to yet.

Going to middle school may help your son with group activities. Until now, it wasn’t a major priority in his life. If he looks interested in sports but doesn’t actively take part, it may be that he is still searching for the right sports. Giving your son sports-related gifts may help him discover the kind of sports he likes. Taking him to sports events may also motivate him to play sports.

If your boy, however, isn’t interested in sports at all, then let it go and buy him gifts that relate to his hobbies and interests. If he isn’t interested in sports doesn’t mean he won’t appreciate gifts that focus on a physical activity like a bike, a go-kart, skateboard, or snowboard.

How do I get my ten-year-old son off the computer and playing outside?

The best way is to unplug your kid. Be strict about limiting his screen time. Perhaps allow him screen time over weekends but not on school nights. Set the boundaries and stick to your decisions.

Entice him to play outside with gifts that combine outdoors and technology gadgets. For example, a smartwatch with games and a timer or a camera with some cool features may lure him outside.

Give him gifts that coincide with the type of video games he likes to play. If he has a superhero, get him a superhero cape. If he enjoys shooting games, get him a nerf gun or bow and arrow set for target practicing outdoors. If racing is his thing, why not introduce him to go-karting, skateboarding, or even a cool bike with accessories.

How do I introduce learning gifts to my son, who isn’t interested in learning toys?

Learning toys may overwhelm your ten-year-old son, and therefore he pretends he isn’t interested. Buy him a more basic type of science experiment kit, building model, or technology toys.

Start with gifts that have a few features that he can easily comprehend and use. When he has mastered the more straightforward gifts, introduce him to more intricate gifts of the same type. You may even give him a LEGO set or science kit that is recommended for a younger age.

Help him overcame the awkwardness of not understanding the gift by playing with him and showing him how the works. When he gets used to the idea of playing with a toy that doesn’t have limited boundaries, he may also discover the fun of expanding his creativity and the lure of successful experiments, and the fun of creating flops.

How do I limit his injuries when riding a bike, a scooter, or skateboarding?

Accidents are going to happen; he is a boy after all, and he is going to push himself and the gift to its limits. A ten-year-old boy on a bike, a scooter, rollerblades, go-karts, or skateboard means a high probability of accidents. When you buy your son that scooter or bike as a birthday gift or for Christmas, give him the safety gear too.

Teach him from a young age that the helmet, kneepads, gloves, and goggles are an intricate part of the bike, scooter, go-kart, or skateboard. Explain to him the importance of wearing safety gear. You may even forbid him to play with his toys if he doesn’t wear the helmet and knee pads.

It’s a habit he should form at a young age. As he grows older, his tricks become riskier, and so does his toys. You will be thankful that you taught him at a young age to always wear the helmet.

Are the gifts only for boys, or can girls play with the toys too?

The most significant difference between the similar type of gifts for ten-year-old boys and girls is the way it looks. Most toys for girls are pink, purple, or softer tones, whereas gifts for boys tend to be brighter and stronger tones. The gift itself is possibly the same. Manufacturers supply gifts in various colors because they know tastes differ.

There are no reasons why a girl can’t play with any of the toys in the gift guide and vice versa. The most celebrated chefs in the world are men. If your son is interested in his sister’s cooking or baking toys, why not? If being a chef isn’t his dream, but he still enjoys playing with kitchen equipment, he is developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and other essential skills and abilities. It doesn’t matter what gifts they play with as long as they have fun and strengthen and develop the necessary skills for their age group. 

It is more important to ensure your son is playing with toys for his recommended age than worrying if it is a boy’s or a girl’s toy. The age-appropriate toys are designed to help enhance the skills for that age group.