The Best Toys for 8 + year olds: Holiday Gift Guide 2022
Right around this age is when shopping for kids gets a bit challenging. There are the presents you want to give them vs. the gifts they want. Some (kids) say they want something simple, like a book (yay); some say money (excuse me) or some extravagant toy. How and whatever you gift them is something you know best. What we know best is how to share a curated list of the hot toys we hope they (and you) will like. Here are 8 we love for this age category!
CLUE: Squishmallows Board Game
We love it when a favorite game we grew up with switches it up.
In CLUE: Squishmallows, up to six players can take on the roles of Leonard, Cam, Lola, and more to investigate a fabulous mansion to figure out who may be the mac n’ cheese thief. $45, Ages 8&up, amazon.com.
Psst…The Best Gifts for Babies 0-18 months: Toys and Gifts 2023
Yes, yes, we are on the Barbie train, and most likely, so is your kid. This Nintendo Switch game will allow your Barbie fan to create their perfect dream house with décor and funnel your inner fashionista with stylish outfits. $39.99 Ages:E for everyone is the recommended age but we recommend for age 8 and older. Nintendo Switch.
Lila Monetti, American Girl’s 2024 “Girl of the Year
Kids will love bringing Lila Monetti, American Girl’s 2024 “Girl of the Year,” home for the holidays. Ten-year-old Lila Monetti is a confident gymnast and first-time horseback rider from St. Paul, Minnesota who joins American Girl’s lineup of inspirational characters who impart meaningful life lessons to help girls learn and grow with confidence. Lila’s character comes to life in a beautiful, 18-inch doll, adorned in plenty of sparkle and shine from her glittery pink tank to her cool hair accessories. Kids will love her exclusive look with amber eyes and caramel-colored hair styled in two half ponytails. She is splendidly styled and ready for holiday action in a glittery pink tank and track pants with colorful sandals, bracelets, and hairbands that perfectly match her accessories. Ages 8+, $115, americangirl.com.
This game takes classic Mario side-scrolling gameplay to another level with the addition of Wonder Flowers. Kids will love that these game-changing items activate spectacular moments like pipes coming alive, floating through outer space, wreaking havoc as a giant Spike-Ball, and seeing even more unexpected events called Wonder effects. Kids will also love that they can choose from the largest cast of characters in a side-scrolling Mario game, including Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy and Toads. Families will enjoy being able to team up with up to three friends locally and gather around one Nintendo Switch system to experience the game-bending Wonder effects together as you tackle courses as a team and help each other on your way to the Goal Pole, working together or turning a course into a friend race to finish first! Ages 8+, $59.99, amazon.com.
Discovery #MINDBLOWN DIY Prize Pod Robot
Kids will love to construct a unique retro robot vending machine that not only highlights a cool design but also dispenses 12 prize-packed capsules for endless entertainment. Each capsule contains pieces that can be assembled into a separate toy robot, encouraging problem-solving abilities and fine motor skill development. Parents will love that kids immerse themselves in the realm of mechanical engineering with this interactive robot build kit, complete with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions and that this captivating and educational DIY robot vending machine offers hours of engaging, hands-on playtime. Ages 8+, $24.99 , faoschwarz.com.
Explore the future of advanced computing technology with Kai the AI Robot. Kids will be engaged building and programming this intelligent, six-legged, app-enabled robot that uses machine learning to react to the gestures and sounds that they make. Kids will love that mechanically, KAI is a fascinating robot that can walk on six legs and rotate its upper body around 360 degrees, allowing it to turn toward any direction on the spot. Composed of 25 red LEDs, its face display can be programmed via the app to show different expressions and scrolling messages and physical gestures and sounds can be recorded and assigned to KAI’s five functions, including walk forward and backward, turn left and right, and stop. Ages 10+, $49.95
Monopoly Chance
The Monopoly Chance game is the new, high-stakes, card-flipping version of the beloved MONOPOLY game. It is a unique and colorful spin on the classic and busy families will love that it only takes about 20 minutes to play! Kids will love that instead of moving a token around the board, each player receives a token deck with Cash cards, Bankrupt cards, and strategic cards that lend an edge like the “Nope” card. Roll the die and flip over up to that many cards. Play it safe and flip over just enough cards to “cash out” or risk it all for the big bucks. Just beware of the dreaded Bankrupt card! Players compete to buy properties around the board by putting Cash cards on property spaces and sometimes over other players’ Cash but only those with the top card at the end of the round will own that property and get to add one of its buildings to their skyline. At the end of the game, the player with the longest skyline wins. Ages 8+, $14.99, amazon.com.
Faction Skyfire Target Drone
Faction Skyfire Target Drone flies by itself on autopilot, levitating and maneuvering to avoid your attacks, making for an exciting single player experience. Kids will love to rack up the hits before time runs out with Skyfire’s built-in hit detection and it will automatically land in defeat. Track your hits, accuracy and reaction times on your phone with the free Faction Battle App. Use the app to fly manually for a 2-player game of drone vs. blaster…or just have fun flying it around like a regular drone. Ages 8+, $30.99, walmart.com.
