32 Best Gifts for 9 and 10 Year Old Boys (2026)

A first electronics kit with 100+ projects built by snapping parts together, so there's no soldering and no tools. It has 4.8 stars from 29.4K ratings, and it suits a kid who likes to know how things work.

A 526-piece model of Earth and the Moon that turns on a base with a crank, so the build also shows how orbits work. The listing's age is 10 and up, so it's the one to pick for a 10 year old who already builds Technic. It has 4.9 stars from 1.8K ratings.

A small red race car with a driver minifigure, listed for ages 8 and up, so it's a good first step into sets with more bricks. It has 4.8 stars from 3.9K ratings.

A buildable Creeper figure with a small pig, for the Minecraft fan who'd like something to put on a shelf. It's listed for ages 10 and up and has 4.8 stars from 2.1K ratings.

A book-and-bricks kit for building moving machines that trigger one another. The listing's age range is wide, but the chain-reaction builds are a good puzzle for a 9 or 10 year old. It has 4.5 stars from 23.4K ratings.

A wooden pinball machine you build yourself and then play, so the kit ends with a game, not a model. It has 4.6 stars from 3.2K ratings.

Grow six crystals in colors like blue and green, then show them off. A good gift for a kid who likes science experiments; it has 4.6 stars from 7.7K ratings.

A solar-powered kit where the same pieces build 12 different robots and vehicles. It's the cheapest build kit here, with 4.3 stars from 16K ratings.

A logic game where you place towers so a marble runs from start to finish, with challenges that get harder as you go. It has 4.6 stars from 37.9K ratings and works as a solo gift.

A strategy game where you collect gem chips and cards to build a jewel business, for two to four players. It's listed for ages 10 and up, so it suits a 10 year old who likes games with some thinking, and it has 4.9 stars from 15K ratings.

A cooperative survival game where two to five players dig for pieces of a flying machine in a desert storm and win or lose together. It's listed for ages 10 to 15, so it works for a 10 year old who likes a challenge, and it has 4.8 stars from 3.8K ratings.

A big clear sphere with 125 obstacles that you tilt and turn to guide a ball through. It's rated 8 to 10 on its listing, so it sits right at this age, and it has 4.6 stars from 3K ratings.

The classic trading and building game for three to four players, listed for ages 10 and up. It's a real board game for a kid who's outgrown the family-game shelf, with 4.6 stars from 1.5K ratings.

A launch-and-battle set with an arena, built for two players who want to spin their tops against each other. It has 4.8 stars from 1.9K ratings, and it's the priciest game here.

The world-domination classic for two to five players. The listing pitches it at teens, adults and families, so it's a bigger game for a 10 year old who likes strategy, and a game takes a while. It has 4.7 stars from 9.8K ratings.

A tile game with 108 wooden tiles: match colors or shapes and score points. It has simple rules and some real strategy, which makes it a good game to play with the whole family; 4.8 stars from 1.3K ratings.

A roundnet set with a net, three balls and a carry bag for the backyard or the beach. It's one of the more expensive gifts here, but it keeps a group of kids busy, and it has 4.6 stars from 17.4K ratings.

Two laser blasters for a game with a friend or a sibling, in a box that's listed for boys 8 and up. It has 4.4 stars from 672 ratings; a party-friendly gift.

A 6-dart rotating drum blaster that comes with 12 darts. It's the cheapest of the active gifts and has 4.7 stars from 27.6K ratings, so it's a safe small gift.

A folding kick scooter with 8-inch urethane wheels and a handlebar that adjusts as they grow. A big gift for a kid who rides everywhere; it has 4.8 stars from 11.8K ratings.

A mini hoop that hangs on a door, with a small ball and a pump, so he can practice shooting at home. It has 4.6 stars from 6.8K ratings.

A composite-leather football that the listing recommends for 9 to 12 year olds, sized right for this age. It has 4.8 stars from 28.6K ratings.

A rechargeable flying disc with bright LED lights for throwing after dark, and its box carries a TIME Best Inventions 2024 label. It has 4.5 stars from 5.5K ratings.

The classic beginner yo-yo, a cheap gift that turns into a skill to practice. It has 4.2 stars from 8.4K ratings.

Two rechargeable two-way radios for games in the yard, camping or a big house. Check the real-world range before relying on it, since the claimed range is for open ground. It has 4.5 stars from 3.8K ratings.

A kid-sized metal detector for the beach, the backyard or a park, aimed at ages 8 to 12. The hunt is the fun part, and it has 4.5 stars from 1.5K ratings.

Over-ear Bluetooth headphones with a built-in mic and a 60-hour battery claim, for trips and screen time. A budget gift with 4.6 stars from 2.6K ratings; the color varies by listing.

A refractor telescope on a tripod with a phone adapter and a wireless remote, for a kid who loves space. It has 4.3 stars from 21K ratings; the biggest splurge on this list.

A fully illustrated guide to how machines work, from levers to lasers to Wi-Fi. A good book for a kid who takes things apart, with 4.8 stars from 2.8K ratings.

The first Percy Jackson novel, about a boy who finds out he is the son of a Greek god. It's a long chapter book, so it's better for a strong reader, and it has 4.7 stars from 66K ratings.

A robot washed up on a wild island learns to survive among the animals. A short, easy-to-read adventure with 4.8 stars from 17.9K ratings, and the cheapest gift on this page.

A Newbery-winning story of a boy sent to dig holes at a camp in the desert, with a mystery that ties together at the end. It has 4.7 stars from 36.9K ratings.