Wondering what to get a 7-year-old this holiday season and scratching your brain? The best toys and gifts for this age help them write stories, draw detailed pictures, build and create. Shipping deadlines are passing quickly, though, so be sure to check for estimated delivery dates or other options like in-store pickup or same-day delivery!
Seven-year-olds are noticeably better at fine motor skills that help them write and create than they were at age 6, says Dr. Amanda Gummer, founder of Fundamentally Children in the United Kingdom.
Crafts, sports equipment, building materials and other interactive and educational toys are among the top gifts for 7-year-olds, notes Susan Kambrich, head of the Woodland Hill Montessori School in Rensselaer, New York, and treasurer of the board of directors for the American Montessori Society.
At age 7, kids are also becoming more confident readers, ready to explore the world through graphic novels, nonfiction books and more sophisticated chapter books — though they will still get plenty of satisfaction and education from picture books, too. Here, we’ve found the best gifts to help your favorite 7-year-old hone their developmental skills while also having fun.
Toys | Active toys | Arts and crafts | Games and puzzles | STEM and educational toys | Dolls and stuffed animals | Books | Meet the experts
Best toys for 7-year-olds
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Pizza Van
They may have the Barbie Dream convertible, but do they have a pizza van? Turtles have to get around too, and they can do so thanks to this toy sprinter van decorated appropriately with pieces of pizza.
The set includes all four turtles and Splinter, but it also includes a pizza launcher that makes up to eight pies.
Shape Shifting Box
This is a creative yet fun toy perfect for all ages — a transforming fidget toy. Your 7-year-old will have their eyes locked on this memorizing gift for hours. “I’m always in awe when my daughter figures out another shape,” says Brown. “It really keeps her occupied.”
L.O.L. Surprise Color Change Bubbly Surprise
Collectibles, from trading cards to mini figures like these, can be important for kids who are developing a sense of group belonging, Gummer says. It comes in two colors and the items in the balls add a fun surprise.
Tamagotchi Connection
Do you remember playing with your Tamagotchi as a child? Now your little one can have the same experience! This new version of the virtual pet was just released in July and a newer version was just crowned a 2024 Shop TODAY Gifts We Love Awards winner.
Lego Dream Village
If your 7-year-old enjoys playing Legos after school, this dream village is the gift for them. This 434-piece set includes an adorable bakery, fun magic shop, and a little workshop for hours of fun.
Lego “Despicable Me 4” Minions’ Music Party Bus
Did they love the new “Despicable Me” movie that came out this summer? This set comes with a convertible party bus that has different play areas and four minions so they can create as many scenes as their imaginations can come up with.
Remote Control Excavator and Dump Truck Toy Set
If your 7-year-old is in a vehicle phase, this toy is made for them. The two trucks also come with little road signs and barricades, so a child can completely set the scene.
Yeetftc 2-Pack LED Light Remote Control Boat
Race these colorful, light-up remote control boats with family and friends. There are only two buttons and the boats travel at a speed of 12 km/h, so they are easy for kids to navigate.
Mega Barbie Color Reveal Dream House
This building set combines the magic of color reveal Barbie with the engineering of a building set for a dream house in miniature. This dream house comes with four dolls and all the accessories and furniture a 7-year-old needs to live in Barbie world.
Active toys for 7-year-olds
Franklin Sports Blackhawk Pop-Up Soccer Goal
Sports are becoming more rewarding to 7-year-olds as they gain strength and stamina. Give them a goal net to practice and play with.
Super Mario Hover Shell Strike Game
Whether they’re Super Mario-obsessed or just tapping into their competitive side at this age, we bet they’ll love breaking a sweat while they turn any flat surface into a tabletop hockey game. They can even play on carpet, according to the brand.
Go For It Golf Extendable Kids Putter
This extendable putter is perfect for them to join mom or dad on the green. It’ll grow with them as they get taller and older so they can have it for years to come.
Kidwinz Shock-Proof Binoculars
Gear like these binoculars, backyard tents and walkie-talkies encourage outdoor play and exploration. The magnification of these binoculars is 8x and they are shock proof and easy to focus.
Crazy Forts Glow in the Dark Set
Kids can create their own one-of-a-kind play space with this award-winning kit. It’s durable, allows kids to use their imagination to create what they want, and coolest of all, it glows in the dark!
Best arts and crafts for 7-year-olds
Rainbow Loom Combo Loomi Pals Set
Make your own stretchy bracelets and add cute charms with this set that makes crafting accessible. Friendship bracelets are great for building social networks and fine motor skills.
Klutz Friendship Bracelets Craft Kit
Whether they’re making friendship bracelets to trade with friends at sleepaway camp or for a certain artist’s tour, they can learn to make complex chevron designs or spice up their usual braided bracelets with the instructions in this booklet. It also comes with string and beads to get them started.
Slime Making Kit
This oddly satisfying slime kit is fun for both kids and kids at heart. Strangely fascinating and tactile, it also relieves stress.
Hey Clay Animals
Complete with 18 cans of clay that aren’t sticky or toxic, this gift will allow your 7-year-old to make beautiful 3D creations. Let their imagination run wild!
Klutz Make Your Own Puffy Stickers
This sticker maker includes designs that can be colored in and enough material for 60 homemade stickers. These puffy stickers are a perfect way to bring out your 7-year-old’s creative side.
Grandparent Pen Pal Kit
What better way to get a 7-year-old (and their grandparents) excited about writing? These letters will both help strengthen a connection, and a child’s writing skills. Note, this item is on backorder and is not expected to arrive until the end of January.
Best games and puzzles for 7-year-olds
Uno Party
With over 300 cards, who will be the first to shout out “Uno!” in this multiplayer game? Meant to be played with large groups (up to 16 people), your 7-year-old and their friends will be entertained for hours, especially thanks to the addition of new wild cards in the deck.
Mudpuppy Amazing Insects Glow in the Dark Puzzle
Puzzles help with fine motor skills and problem-solving, and this one includes a geography lesson, too. With a 100 piece that glow in the dark, this will entertain kids for hours.
Educational Insights Kanoodle
This classic game includes plenty of brain teasers a 7-year-old can try alone, and it’s portable for travel. It might even be a hit with the whole family! “When I first brought this around my family, everyone at every age wanted a try,” says associate editor Kamari Stewart.
Twister
Get the whole family in on the fun — and the twisting and turning and bending and snapping with this classic game. “This game never gets old,” says Shop TODAY editor Rebecca Brown. “I especially love watching my niece and nephews all play together; it’s always hilarious.”
Bananagrams
Like an entry-level Scrabble, Bananagrams is fun and helps with spelling. This double version of the game comes with enough pieces for up to 16 players.
Taco vs Burrito Card Game
This was created by a 7-year-old made specifically for 7-year-olds. All right, parents can play, too; it’s actually a great card game for any age, centered around strategy and competition.
Overcooked! + Overcooked! 2 for Nintendo Switch
Is your 7-year-old a video game lover? Gift them this cooking game for Nintendo Switch to play solo or with up to four people.
Best STEM and educational toys for 7-year-olds
National Geographic Crystal Garden Science Kit
This science kit by National Geographic allows kids to tap into creativity and science. According to the brand, kids choose a shade, color in the tree, then with a little growing liquid, the tree will develop into crystals right before their eyes. This kit even includes a book that’s packed with crystal facts.
KiwiCo Basketball Catapult
This STEM toy lets 7-year-olds create an adjustable catapult, then use it to shoot and score, learning about angles and arcs as they go. If your child is interested in physics or basketball, this toy encourages both.
Crayola Color Chemistry Lab
This kit includes 50 different colorful experiments, from an erupting volcano to “rubber goo.” With “hours of enjoyment,” tap into their creative genes with this chemistry set.
National Geographic Geodes Kit
Break open 10 geodes to discover the cool world inside and learn about rocks and the Earth. With over 26,000 five-star Amazon ratings, shoppers can agree that this “age appropriate,” “exciting” and “quick and easy to explain” activity is perfect for 7-year-olds and science enthusiasts alike.
3Doodler Start+ Essentials 3D Pen Set
Kids can make their own 3D art with this kit that provides a “pen” that emits the child-safe plastic building material to make their own shapes. They can follow stencils or create their own sculptures.
Best dolls and stuffed animals for 7-year-olds
Warmies Fox
Pop this furry friend into the microwave for soothing and relaxing snuggle time — the brand says these Warmies are lavender-scented, making them the perfect bedtime companion. Choose from a fox, sloth, dog and other cute animals (bonus: they were one of Oprah’s Favorite Things).
L.O.L. Surprise Magic Flyers
This toy is a spin on the popular L.O.L Surprise doll your child is sure to know and love and takes it to new heights (quite literally!) Dolls come packaged in a sphere and can be unboxed to reveal a high-flying doll. Charge this toy overnight for up to minutes of flying fun.
Furby Interactive Toy
The ’90s called — and Furby is coming back! Whether this toy haunted your toy bin as a child or became your furry confidante, now your child can experience it all for themselves.
They’re chatty. They’re furry. They respond to prompts with phrases, sounds and dances of their own. This stuffed animal also responds to taps on the head, and includes a pizza charm so it never goes hungry.
Best books for 7-year-olds
Audible Premium Plus Membership Subscription
For learning readers, audio books are a welcome way to connect to stories without stress. Audible has classics including “Anne of Green Gables” and “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” alongside original content like “The Weirdies,” by Michael Buckley, narrated by Kate Winslet.
Animals, Animals, Animals! Mad Libs Junior
For long road trips, spark some creativity and encourage silliness with this animal-themed Mad Libs activity book.
With 48 pages to complete, they’ll be secretly learning the difference between adverbs, verbs, adjectives, plural nouns and more tenses through these tall tales.
“Cat Kid Comic Club: Collaborations,” by Dav Pilkey
The newest book in the graphic novel series from the creator of “Dog Man” has the club making mini comics like Chubbs McSpiderbutt to inspire collaboration and storytelling in readers, too.
“The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza,” by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris
This Read With Jenna Junior pick started as live cartoons for kids stuck at home during the pandemic. It’s now a graphic novel featuring a whimsical moon queen, a toenail-clipping robot and an astronaut cat who may or may not eat pizza.
“The Year We Learned to Fly,” by Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López
Children who are stuck inside learn to use their imaginations to fly — a message that will resonate deeply with children who lived through a pandemic, who must adjust to a new place or cope with any life changes or hardships.
“Dork Diaries,” by Rachel Renee Russell
“I remember liking these books at that age,” says associate editor Sierra Hoeger, who calls this a “good gateway book” to get them excited about reading.
“Farmhouse,” by Sophie Blackall
Climb inside the precious world of Sophie Blackall’s old farmhouse, where a family lives and grows as years pass, with intricate illustrations and one long sentence that somehow suspends time.
“Sleuth & Solve: Science,” by Ana Gallo and Victor Escandell
Science-inspired mysteries let kids understand scientific principles while solving thorny riddles. It’s an engaging way to help kids learn the foundational basics of STEM subjects.
“Amah Faraway,” by Margaret Chiu Greanias and Tracy Subisak
When Kylie goes to visit grandma so far away, she is shy and nervous about unfamiliar customs. But she warms to the visit and leaves ready for another in a mirrored storyline that takes the hesitation of the beginning into excitement, using the same words.
“Endlessly Ever After,” by Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat
This choose-your-own-adventure-style fairy tale follows a trail of breadcrumbs from many familiar stories but leaves the reader in charge of the remix. The options aren’t quite endless, but they’ll entertain ever after.
Meet the experts
- Dr. Amanda Gummer is the founder of Fundamentally Children in the United Kingdom.
- Susan Kambrich is the head of the Woodland Hill Montessori School in Rensselaer, New York, and treasurer of the board of directors for the American Montessori Society.
Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the perfect present for every kid on your list including babies, 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds and 10-year-olds.
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