Double digits is a big deal. Ten-year-olds have very strong opinions on what they like and what they don’t like – and they don’t tend to hold back about it. That’s why the best gifts for 10-year-olds should always tap into their interests in some way or other.
Buying for tweens can be a bit of a challenge, but even if they like to think they’re grown-up, 10-year-olds still love anything silly, so fun games they can play with their friends will go down well.
Anything that helps them flex their growing independence – while keeping them off screens – is a win/win, so look for more complicated builds, STEM kits or hands-on craft sets that will hold their interest and keep them busy.
Exciting, age-appropriate tech gifts will always be a hit with 10-year-olds, as will anything that helps them get outside and burn off some energy. While these presents tend to be more expensive, they also have the potential to grow with your child so are often worth the investment.
As an experienced parenting writer and a mum to my very own just-turned-10-year-old, I’ve picked out the best gifts for every budget, whether they’re into bikes, tween skincare, books or LEGO.
Read more: Best kids’ headphones, tested
The best gifts for 10-year-olds in 2026 are:
- Best overall – Laser X revolution laser tag double blasters set: £29.99, Smythstoys.com
- Best budget buy – Finn’s Epic Fails by Phil Earle, published by Simon & Schuster: £3.23, Amazon.co.uk
- Best STEM gift – Ambessa Play DIY kinetic flashlight: £45, Ambessaplay.com
- Best for music lovers – Zuru Mini Brands Really Works vinyl playset: £19.99, Amazon.co.uk
Read more: Best paddling pools, tested
Laser X revolution laser tag double blasters set
Best: Gift for 10-year-olds overall
Why we love it
- Easy to use
- Fun for lots of ages
- Can be used inside and outdoors
Take note
- Requires a lot of batteries
Never mind best gift for a 10-year-old, this brilliant at-home laser tag game by Laser X was a hit with everyone who gave it a go. The game comes with two light-up vest packs (which my testers were able to put on easily themselves) and two laser blasters, which are thankfully far more lightweight than they look.
The aim of the game is to shoot the vest pack of your competitor; eight shots and you’re out. At first, I questioned whether my pack was working correctly as I couldn’t get one shot on target before losing, but it turns out my 10-year-old is just very, very good at the game!
We tried the kit inside and outside, but found it worked far better inside – and was a lot more fun when it was a bit dark. A clever touch is that the vest packs let out a beep every few seconds, which our testers used to track down their competitor as they raced around the house.
My 10-year-old absolutely loves this, and I think it’s such a brilliant all-rounder gift, at a great price. It’s been used on repeat here since we first opened the box, which – when you’ve got a house full of toys and gifts to test – really says it all.
Key specifications
Buy now £29.99, Smythstoys.com
‘Finn’s Epic Fails’ by Phil Earle, published by Simon & Schuster
Best: Budget gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Encourages reading
- Very funny
Take note
- Only black and white illustrations
This proper laugh-out-loud chapter book from Phil Earle will have even the most reluctant readers hooked. It’s a brilliantly funny story about a boy called Finn, who is just trying to get through his first year at secondary school without constantly embarrassing himself. My 10-year-old absolutely loved this and I’d often hear him burst out laughing as he made his way through the book, which is the ultimate praise.
The language feels perfectly age-appropriate and the small illustrations throughout help to break up any heavy text. The story is fast-paced, fun and is perfect for kids who are fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, plus it’s now part of a series, with the next book out in July 2026.
Key specifications
Buy now £3.4, Amazon.co.uk
Jellycat Amuseables peach
Best: Soft toy gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Excellent quality
- So soft
- Highly collectable
Take note
- Limited to a maximum of two per customer
If you’re after a crowd-pleaser of a gift for a tween, anything Jellycat will do the job. My tester adored this cute, fluffy peach cuddly toy, which has claimed pride of place in their bedroom. Part of the Amuseables range, it really is ridiculously soft to touch, and the smiley face is adorable. I also liked how it can sit independently, so it’s perfect for displaying on a shelf – if your 10-year-old can bear to be parted.
Arriving in a signature blue Jellycat gift bag, everything about this feels top quality. There’s a huge choice of designs to pick from – even a cuddly pickle – so if peach isn’t up your street, I guarantee there will be another Jellycat that’s perfect for your 10-year-old.
Key specifications
Buy now £23, Jellycat.com
Clementoni Star Wars R2 D2 robot
Best: Star Wars gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Great STEM gift
- Looks realistic
- Can be operated via app
Take note
- Some steps are fiddly
This make-your-own R2 D2 kit is the ultimate rainy-day activity for Star Wars fans – but the best bit is the fun doesn’t stop once the build is complete. The 80+ piece kit includes everything from an electronic board to electric motors, although you’ll need your own Phillips-head screwdriver to build your droid.
My 10-year-old initially wasn’t confident about assembling this himself, but after looking through the illustrated instructions he got stuck in and did an excellent job. The build is longer and more complex than the Ambessa Play torch, although my tester said he found it less fiddly and only needed my help once or twice.
What he absolutely adored was that once R2 D2 was complete, there’s an app you can download to be able to operate it. Using the app, you can make the droid move in different directions, swivel its head, light up and make original R2 D2 beeps. You can also use code to programme the robot to move around, making it a gift with serious long-term appeal. We loved it!
Key specifications
Buy now £32.88, Amazon.co.uk
Yoto mini
Best: Screen-free tech gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Travel-friendly size
- Hundreds of audio books and music compilations available
- Screen-free tech
Take note
- Need to budget for extra cards
There’s a reason Yoto Players feature so often in our IndyBest gifts guides; they’re genuinely an excellent gift for kids of all ages. The Yoto mini – a compact version of the original audio player – is a brilliant choice for this age group, fitting perfectly into any tween’s bedroom as well as offering screen-free entertainment on long journeys.
Despite its size, the Yoto mini has all the same features at the original Yoto, with volume control, track or chapter skipping, and a time display. The choice of Yoto cards is vast, with Harry Potter, Horrible Histories and the music cards (like Bowie and Olivia Dean) all firm favourites with my 10-year-old tester, so you’ll never run out of present ideas in the future, too.
What I love so much about the Yoto mini is that it’s a real ‘keep forever’ gift. It gives children the independence to listen to stories or music, without any screen distractions, and is an absolute lifesaver when travelling. It’s up there as one of my 10-year-olds most used and treasured possessions.
Key specifications
Buy now £59.99, Yotoplay.com
Ambessa Play DIY kinetic flashlight
Best: STEM gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Clear instructions
- All tools included
Take note
- Some steps are tricky
The Ambessa Play DIY kinetic flashlight is a hands-on kit that has everything your 10-year-old needs to make their own kinetic torch, and it instantly caught the attention of my tester. With easy-to-follow picture instructions, he was able to put this together himself, with minimal help from me. There were just a couple of fiddly wire placements I needed to lend a hand with, but apart from that it was all him – and he was so proud of the finished result.
We tested out the transparent torch, which my 10-year-old thought was very cool, particularly as you can see the circuit board and wiring inside. While the torch itself isn’t hugely powerful, it’s perfect for kids and the best bit is it doesn’t need batteries as it’s wind-up.
With every sale, Ambessa Play donate a kit to a displaced child who doesn’t have access to school or electricity, so as well as buying a fun gift, you’ll be doing a good deed.
Key specifications
Buy now £45, Ambessaplay.com
Zuru Mini Brands Really Works vinyl playset
Best: Music gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Easy to set up and use
- Good sound quality
- Lots of records to collect
Take note
- You can’t choose which records you receive
What 10-year-old doesn’t want their own mini record player? This quirky toy was met with a chorus of “let me try it first!” from my testers, who were able to unbox it and get it working without my help.
Despite its tiny size, this is a fully working record player and our tester loved playing the mini vinyl included over and over again. Our set came with a cool, pink vinyl of APT. by Rosé and Bruno Mars, and as well as a little display stand to store your record. I was actually surprised by the sound quality, which is very good despite the player’s diminutive size.
If your budget stretches it may be worth buying some extra records from the Mini Brands vinyl capsules set, just to mix things up a bit – there are 45 to collect in total.
Key specifications
Buy now £19.99, Amazon.co.uk
Karri Messenger 2
Best: Tech gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Great to encourage independence
- Internet-free alternative to a mobile phone
- Fun to use
Take note
- Monthly plan costs extra
If you want to hold out on giving your 10-year-old a phone but would like a way to keep in contact with them, the Karri sits perfectly inbetween. It’s like a walkie talkie/mobile phone hybrid, which kids can use to send voice messages to other Karri devices or to the parent app.
With no internet and no screens, it’s a really safe and reassuring option for younger kids who are just starting to get a little more independent. My tester thought it was the best thing ever and loved being able to send messages to us whenever he fancied (usually “Can you get me a snack please?”). It’s so simple and intuitive to use, and I found the parent app to be amazingly straight forward to use for sending and listening to messages, as well as using the GPS locator. You can even set up ‘safe zones’, so you receive an alert if your child moves out of this area.
Just be aware you will need to subscribe to a monthly plan (though these start as low as £2.99 a month), to be able to access all the features, but compared to the cost of a phone it’s very reasonable. I love that this has all the fun of a toy, while being a really useful addition to family life. My tester is hooked and I’m a convert!
Key specifications
Buy now £69.99, Karri.io
My Stardust pink galaxy swirl lip gloss
Best: Make-up gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Stylish packaging
- Natural ingredients
- Easy to wash off with water
Take note
- Subtle colour
If you have a beauty fan on your hands, this age can be hard to buy for. Too young for proper make-up, but a little too old for play make-up, the My Stardust junior range from The Natural Play MakeUp Company is just right. The packaging feels grown-up enough for tweens and my 10-year-old tester thought the pink galaxy swirl lip gloss was amazing.
Designed specifically for this age group to experiment with make-up, it’s made from natural ingredients (it even uses beetroot for pigmentation!) and is reassuringly free from any toxins or harsh chemicals. We found the formula to be glossy without being sticky and it added a very subtle shine to lips. My tester says she would have liked the colour to be a bit brighter, but I thought it was a perfect natural shade for her age.
Key specifications
Buy now £8.99, Thenaturalplaymakeupcompany.co.uk
Build Your Own Roald Dahl Matilda book nook
Best: Craft gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- No glue required
- Great quality
- Can be displayed once built
Take note
- Some steps are fiddly
Crafty kids and book worms will love this clever ‘book nook’ kit, featuring Roald Dahl’s Matilda. Made entirely from sturdy cardboard pieces, it’s a simple push-out and slot together kit which creates a cool, 3D scene that will fit perfectly on your child’s bookshelf.
There’s no need for glue (hooray), so it’s nicely mess free. Although the instructions were clear, my 10-year-old tester found some parts a little challenging, so I did have to step in occasionally to give her a hand. What we both loved about this set was that it took a decent amount of time to complete – it’s not something you’re going to whizz through – and my tester was excited to watch the scene come together.
Made from sustainable, biodegradable cardboard, it’s a nice eco-friendly gift option that will look amazing on display once completed.
Key specifications
Buy now £24.99, Amazon.co.uk
Exploding Kitten Fast Friends
Best: Card game for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Quick to play
- Great for the whole family
- Unlimited players
Take note
- Requires batteries
This speedy game from Exploding Kittens is so perfect for 10-year-olds. The premise is simple – pitched against the timer, you need to pick a card and shout out the same word as your teammate, at the same time, to finish the phrase. Designed for kids aged seven and up, it’s a multiplayer game with no limit on how many people can join in. Plus, it can be done and dusted in 10 minutes. What’s not to love?
Our testers liked the fact that it had an electronic timer (sometimes, it’s the little things), but you will need two AAA batteries for this, so make sure you’re prepared. We’ll admit the adults weren’t on quite the same wavelength as the kids when trying to finish the phrases together, but when the kids teamed up, they were unstoppable! It’s such a fun game and one that would make a wonderfully silly addition to any family games night.
Key specifications
Buy now £19, Amazon.co.uk
Photo Creator video projector camera
Best: Video camera gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Video camera and projector in one
- Encourages creativity
- Good value
Take note
- Can’t tighten hand strap
Having your own video camera is quite the flex when you’re 10-years-old, and our tester is now rarely seen without the Photo Creator video projector camera in his hands. It’s a very clever concept, where a camera, video recorder and projector are all built into one easy to use devise. Setting it up was so easy and after a quick charge via USB-C (the cable is included), my tester was off making nature documentaries in the garden.
The instructions are clear and our tester had no issues working out how to switch between different modes, as well as how to add some of the filters and frames to his photographic masterpieces. But, by far the highlight of this toy is that with the click of a few buttons it can project whatever you’ve filmed onto a wall. OK, so the quality isn’t perfect, but it’s more than good enough and my 10-year-old loves being able to show off their creations immediately. I can’t see him outgrowing this gift for a long time.
Key specifications
Buy now £52.49, Amazon.co.uk
Lego Education
Best: Lego gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Encourages creativity and problem solving
- A lot of fun
- Excellent quality
Take note
- Some children may prefer standard instructions
Lego is such a failsafe gift at this age, but if you fancy something a little different to the standard build kit, I’d recommend the new Lego Education range. It’s a mix of the usual step-by-step build instructions, solving scientific challenges using the bricks available and getting creative to invent your own solutions to missing sections of the build.
We tested out the moon mission science kit, where our 10-year-old had to build a rocket, come up with his own design for landing legs and create somewhere for the astronauts to live. Usually, he’ll whizz through a Lego build, so it was nice to see this kit took him far longer than usual, and I loved watching him take his time coming up with different creative solutions. While my other tester initially said she preferred the usual step-by-step kits, after a day of playing she really warmed up to the challenge.
Naturally, everything is outstanding quality and designed to last, and with so many different Lego Education sets to choose from, you’re really spoilt for choice.
Key specifications
Buy now £44.99, Lego.com
Bare La Terre bubble bare cleanser
Best: Skincare gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Age-appropriate skincare ingredients
- Cute eco-friendly packaging
- Developed by dermatologists
Take note
- A little pricey
There’s no getting around it, these days a lot of tweens love skincare and it’s often top of their present wishlist. But with adult formulas generally way too harsh for such young children’s skin, it’s very important to treat them to proper kid-friendly products. Bare La Terre is a luxurious range designed specifically for children’s delicate skin, with every ingredient and formula co-created and approved by a dermatologist.
My 10-year-old tester tried out the bubble bare cleanser, and it was love at first wash. She adored the foaming formula, which was easy for her to use and wash off, while making her feel very fancy. She also really rated the packaging, which as well as being 100 per cent recyclable, looked the part.
At £22 it may feel pricey for a child’s face wash, but the bottle is huge and will last a very long time, plus you know that the ingredients have been formulated with your tween in mind. There’s also a moisturiser and lip rescue balm in the range, if you fancy indulging in the whole set.
Key specifications
Buy now £22, Barelaterre.com
Connetix Pro constructor 70 set
Best: Building gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Encourages logical and creative thinking
- Strong magnets
- Excellent longevity of use
Take note
- Expensive
I’ve found that magnets never really lose their appeal, and this Connetix Pro magnetic building kit proved quite addictive with our testers. What makes it stand out from other magnetic building kits – which tend to be aimed at younger children – is that the magnets here can rotate 360 degrees, meaning you’re able to achieve more complex builds.
So far, my 10-year-old has created robots, castles, cars, cranes and people using the Pro constructor set, and their interest hasn’t waned. There are 70 pieces in the kit, plenty to really offer loads of different building possibilities. While the set is pricey, it’s one of those gifts they won’t grow out of quickly, and the open-ended nature means they won’t get bored of it either.
Key specifications
Buy now £119, Amazon.co.uk
Djeco do it yourself tie dye kit
Best: Creative gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Great fun
- Three accessories to tie-dye
- Easy to follow instructions
Take note
- Some adult help required
An at-home tie-dye is a rite of passage for kids, as much today as it was back in the 1990s. This Djeco kit has everything you need to create three different tie-dye accessories, including a tote bag, drawstring bag and zip-up pencil case.
I like the thoughtful touch of including a large plastic sheet to cover your kitchen table – it’s a messy process – but we decided to decamp to the garden for our tie-dye session, just in case of spillages. There is some adult input required – you’ll need to machine wash the accessories before dying them and they’ll need an iron towards the end of the process – but on the whole it’s a ‘leave them to it’ activity.
The instructions are in-depth and easy to follow, with guides on how to add your rubber bands to achieve certain tie-dye effects, but equally your kids can come up with their own creations if they fancy.
Key specifications
Buy now £26.98, Amazon.co.uk
‘The Wonder Of Life On Earth’ by Henry Gee, illustrations by Raxenne Maniquiz, published by Two Hoots
Best: Book gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Beautifully illustrated
- Tells the story of evolution in age-appropriate language
Take note
- Currently only available in hardback
If there’s one thing my 10-year-old loves more than learning a new fact, it’s sharing that nugget of information with me. The Wonder of Life on Earth has transformed him into a walking fact machine and I’ve certainly learnt something new along the way, too. Written by Henry Gee (a previous winner of the Royal Society Science Book Prize), the book covers the story of our planet and evolution in an accessible, kid-friendly way. Perfectly pitched for 10-year-olds, it’s genuinely fascinating and a wonderfully written book that will inspire and educate (the kids as well as you).
My tester loved being able to dip in and out of the individual chapters that, at one or two pages in length, were perfectly bitesize. Complex topics are made easy to understand and the stunning full-colour illustrations make this a proper joy to read.
Key specifications
Buy now £14.48, Amazon.co.uk
RealFX Pokémon Pikachu Puppetronic
Best: Pokémon gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Fully interactive
- Great for grown-up storytelling
- Very cute
Take note
- Expensive
Unboxed to cries of “he’s SO cute!” this Pikachu puppet certainly has the wow factor. Standing at around 40cm tall, this ridiculously adorable interactive puppet is – fun fact – a life-sized replica of Pikachu himself and is as realistic as you could possibly get.
Removing the puppet from the overly complicated box is a bit of a process, and something I’d recommend an adult do, but once Pikachu is out and you’ve added 3 AAA batteries he’s ready to be played with. To operate the puppet you need to put your hand inside the back of Pikachu, where there’s various buttons and levers to pull and press. It took my tester just a short while to work out what did what, but soon he was able to make Pikachu blink, stick his tongue out, wiggle his ears and cheeks light up
There are touch sensors on his tummy, head and nose, which activate very cute sounds and phrases. My 10-year-old loved being in full control of Pikachu and the more he played with it the more sounds and features he was able to unlock. While I do think the price point is pretty high, if you have Pokémon fan on your hands, this is the ultimate gift.
Key specifications
Buy now £79.99, Smythstoys.com
Meffert Molecube
Best: Puzzle gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Looks unique
- Nice sensory feel
Take note
- Tricky to complete
With bright coloured spheres instead of the usual flat sides, this is a really cool take on a traditional Rubik’s Cube. My 10-year-old was immediately intrigued and got stuck in trying to solve the puzzle. The aim is to get one of each of the nine colours on each side and, unsurprisingly, it’s a lot harder than it looks!
While we never did manage to crack the puzzle, my tester still loved playing around with Meffert’s Molecube. It has a smooth twisting mechanism and makes a satisfying click as you move the sides around – so doubles as a nicely tactile fidget toy, as well.
Key specifications
Buy now £17.95, Cruxpuzzles.co.uk
Woom off 6
Best: Bike gift for 10-year-olds
Why we love it
- Exceptional, high-spec mountain bike
- Very lightweight
- Great longevity of use
Take note
- Extremely expensive
I’ve been lucky enough to test and review kids’ bikes for the IndyBest for the past five years and have been singing the praises of woom from the start. The off 6 is its latest mountain bike launch, designed for kids aged 10 and up, and it’s as high-spec and thoughtfully designed as you’d expect from the brand.
For a mountain bike, it’s unbelievably lightweight – just 10kg – but it really impressed us with how well grounded it stayed as my 10-year-old bombed around through woodland and off-road dirt tracks. We both really rated the superbly responsive brakes, which are ergonomically designed for children and teenager’s smaller hands, and the wide handlebar which really helped with control.
My 10-year-old also liked the nine-speed gears, which he was able to flick through easily when riding, and the chunky tyres that gave a smooth ride – and look robust enough to handle whatever my fearless biker throws their way.
Honestly, I cannot fault this mountain bike. It looks incredible – my 10-year-old thinks it’s the coolest bike he’s ever ridden – and is so high-spec, while being designed specifically for this age group. Perfect for 10-year-olds and up, this will last well into their teenage years (at 5ft 4in I could ride it comfortably too!).
The price reflects the premium design; it’s a very, very expensive purchase and probably way over spec for what you need for an occasional cyclist. But if you have the budget and a dedicated mountain biker on your hands, this is probably the best investment you can buy them. An absolute dream of a gift for bike-mad 10-year-olds.
Key specifications
Buy now £760, Woom.com
What are the best gifts for 10-year-olds?
There are so many excellent present ideas in this roundup, but my best gift for 10-year-olds has to be the Laser X revolution laser tag double blasters set, which is so much fun and guaranteed to be used again and again. I also want to give a special mention to the Jellycat Amuseables peach, which is such a cute and high-quality keepsake, as well as the Clemontini Star Wars R2 D2 Robot, which is the perfect interactive STEM gift.
How we tested gifts for 10-year-olds
My two discerning 10-year-old testers took zero persuasion to help me out, playing, reading, riding and building their way through this epic gift list over a month. While they focused on fun and tween appeal, I looked at quality and whether these gifts offered genuine value for money.
When testing and reviewing these gifts, my 10-year-old helpers and I considered the following:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
As The Independent’s dedicated shopping section, IndyBest is committed to providing unbiased reviews and expert advice. Our team of editors and writers have years of experience in testing products aimed at children and parents, trialling them in the same way as your family would use them in real life.
Sarah Dawson is a writer specialising in recommending the best parenting buys and products for kids, having tested everything from walkie talkies to kids headphones. To bring you her verdict on her top picks, Sarah recruits younger testers who put products through their paces during hands-on testing.
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