Looking for the perfect gift for the 7-, 8-, or 9-year-old in your life? Here, a mix of travel-inspired gadgets, educational toys, fitness trackers (which seem to be on the wish list of just about every kid in this age group), books, and more.
1. Push Pin Travel Map
What could encourage future travelers more than a push pin travel map that showcases where they’ve been (and gets them excited about where they want to go)? These personalized travel maps (you can have them include the name of your kids—”The Adventures of Sarah and Patrick,” for example) will peak your kids’ interest in both travel and geography. These framed travel maps are not only a great gift, but are a really nice room decoration and also something your kids will use as they grow. (One family we know is still using their map after 10 years!) This is also a great gift if you have multiple kids (it can say the “Nolan Children” or the “Walter Family”) and it gets used throughout the year.
Approximate Price: $140
2. Garmin Star Wars Kids Fitness/Activity Tracker
This swim- and shower-friendly kids’ activity tracker with a Star Wars theme has a strong, adjustable band (great for active kids), a customizable color screen and a one-year battery life. The Garmin Star Wars Kids Fitness/Activity Tracker syncs with a free mobile app, which includes chore management and schedule alert tools for parents. It also tracks sleep, steps, and encourages 60 minutes of daily activity. Best part for kids? The bb-8’s adventure: A Star Wars story app where the Resistance encourages kids to meet activity goals. There are other designs, too, including Avengers, Minnie Mouse, and Spider-Man.
Approximate Price: $80
3. Wesoo K1 Fitness Watch
Kids love to compete, and tracking steps is one way to keep them active while still having fun. This activity tracker will entice your child to get exercise daily and watch the numbers go up on steps, distance and activity time. Parents will love that the tracker also monitors sleep quality metrics (to make sure your child is getting enough Zs). Best part? The built-in USB simplifies the way you charge the Wesoo K1 Fitness Watch; simply connect to any universal power adapter, PC or power bank.
Approximate Price: $28
4. i-Touch Air Smart Watch
This fitness tracker has alarms, a calculator, stopwatch, weather forecasts, and a calendar, plus a calorie counter, distance tracker and pedometer. The newest release (not yet on Amazon) is the iTOUCH PlayZoom by iTOUCH Wearable. This smartwatch lets your child take pictures and videos (which they can upload to a computer), play fun learning games, tell time, and more. The best part is there is no phone connectivity needed to use this device. Kids can customize their watch by changing the clock-face display background or swapping out colorful and patterned straps.
Approximate Price: $60
5. Magformers Sky Track Play Set
If you’re looking for a great educational toy, the Magformers Sky Track Play Set is it. It has 44 pieces, and the intelligent magnetic construction set gets the brain muscles going by creating lots of different options including the lift track, spin track and the sky car. Each magnet clicks into place, so kids won’t feel like there’s a right or wrong way of doing things—just their way! Parents will love that once playtime is over, it’s easy to stack and store the pieces.
Approximate Price: $130
6. Thames and Kosmos Pepper Mint in The Great Treehouse Engineering Adventure Science Experiment Kit
We love this gift for boys or girls, but especially love that it features a girl on the cover. This science experiment kit is a really nice option for budding engineers and scientists. Pepper Mint is an adventurous engineer trekking through the jungles of Borneo on a fascinating science project. Your kids can build the most amazing tree house—plus they can create experiments and other building projects. The STEM kit outlines lessons in physics, engineering, and electrical science.
Approximate Price: $37
7. Microduino Itty Bitty Buggy DIY 5-in-1 Programmable Robot
For kids who love LEGOS, this LEGO compatible STEM toy appeals to both boys and girls who are interested in coding, robotics and electronics. This toy robot is easy to build, but still provides some challenging legwork. The voice control lets kids talk to their buggy and make it do all sorts of creative things. It’s especially good for kids interested in programming.
Approximate Price: $60
8. Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst STEM Kit
For aspiring tinkers, this Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst STEM Kit lets you build robots, power electric model cars, and add motors and other hardware. Plus, there are 10 cards for kids who really like a challenge—all in a single kit. This is a good learning gift (that parents can feel good about giving).
Approximate Price: $60
9. Mac Undercover (Mac B., Kid Spy #1)
This illustrated series is a huge hit with the kids in the 7 to 9 age group. The Mac Undercover (Mac. B., Kid Spy #1) is part James Bond, part “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” In the first book, “Britain’s Crown Jewels” have been stolen, and there’s only one person who can help the Queen of England: her newest secret agent, Mac B.
Approximate Price: $11
10. “101 Small Ways to Change the World”
It’s easy for kids to feel powerless, but it’s just as easy to empower them with this recently-released book. “101 Small Ways to Change the World” offers tons of examples of how kids can do small things to make a big difference to help their community, their family and ultimately, the world at large. Suggested random acts of kindness include talking to a new kid in class; helping those less fortunate by setting up a used book drive; helping the earth by using a reusable water bottle instead of a plastic one; and putting away the iPad to go for a walk with the family.
Approximate Price: $11
11. The Incredible Cabinet of Wonders
Look inside the world’s most famous cabinets—from the cabinets of toy makers and monster hunters, to sailors and archaeologists—and discover their most cherished items in “The Incredible Cabinet of Wonders.” Kids can read the fascinating stories behind each one and then visit them in real life.
Approximate Price: $17
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