Searching for a present for the kid in your life? The best gifts for 8-year-olds help them engage in elaborate fantasy play or bury their noses in good books.
It’s an age when children are developing their physical skills and social identities, and some may start to identify as “athletic” or “artistic,” says Dr. Amanda Gummer, founder of Fundamentally Children, a toy testing and parent consulting company in the United Kingdom.
Marissa Silva, editor-in-chief at Toy Insider, echoes similar sentiments: “When you’re in that 7-10 age range is when you start getting into more crafting kits [and] creativity things that let kids customize whatever they’re making, whether it’s a friendship bracelet or a Hot Wheels track,” she says. “Things that really let them explore and test different outcomes and that let them express who they are.”
At the same time, 8-year-olds are becoming more physically adept, independent and sophisticated in their problem-solving. Imaginative play may now stretch over days or weeks and involve friends.
That means they’re ready for more complicated games and middle-grade novels, along with graphic novels and picture books. And as their writing and drawing skills improve, they’ll want plenty of time with their own notebooks.
With the holidays nearly upon us, now's the time to snag one (or a few!) of these best gifts for the 8-year-old in your life. We found ideas for every interest, from tech to music.
Unique gifts for 8-year-olds
This cup turns almost any drink into a delicious slushie in minutes with no blender, ice or other tools needed. “Kids can do this on their own,” says Silva. “You just freeze the cup in the freezer, then you pour in any drink [and] squeeze it. The cup has this silicone material and does some kind of science to make things turn into slurpee-style drinks.”
With this fun toy (that also lights up!), your kids can play soccer in the house without you worrying about anything get broken or knocked over!
If you have a budding performer to shop for, this karaoke machine is sure to keep them entertained. This portable option comes with portable Bluetooth speaker and is also equipped with cool sound effects for your 8-year-old to toy around with.
Your 8-year-old’s dolls just got an upgrade with this remote control-car that will turn your kiddo into a princess’s chauffeur. Whether they prefer indoor or outdoor play, your child can drive their dolls forward, backward and in circles.
Each year, the new American Girl tops many wish lists. The latest American Girl, Claudie Wells, is growing up in Harlem of the 1920s surrounded by writers, artists and musicians.
Best arts and crafts gifts for 8-year-olds
Pair a special notebook with these scented pencils from Scentco. They’re made from recycled newspaper, and the scent can last for up to two years.
Making cute erasers is an unusual craft activity for young sculptors. Plus it has a useful end product — erasers to use for writing and art projects.
Most kids love anything mini and this mini pottery studio is the perfect opportunity for them to get creative. They can make anything from mini plates to mini vases. It’s the perfect hobby for them to pick up over the summer.
Adorable pom-pom pets are great for keeping and trading with friends. Kids can make their own furry friends using this kit and a fork from the kitchen.
Add water to these markers for a traditional watercolor effect or use them like a regular brush marker without water. This set will be the perfect start to their artistic journey!
Crafty kids can learn to crochet with this fun kit that makes the lifelong skill accessible for beginners. They’ll create their own cuddly penguin, and if they need help, they have access to video tutorials and virtual crochet office hours.
If your style icon-in-the-making landed on the nice list this year, this bead kit is the stuff dreams are made of. It allows them to channel their creativity into crafting their own bag charms, a fashion trend we saw explode on the runways and in the streets over the last year.
Best games for 8-year-olds
Whether they’re into playing pickleball on the court or not, your 8-year-old is sure to have some laughs playing this tabletop game version that takes the sport’s name very literally. In a table tennis-meets-foosball setup, competitive spirits will soar as they prepare to bounce the pickle away from their home court.
The Rubik’s Cube gets a tech update with the “Phantom” model, which responds to touch to temporarily reveal each square’s color — then fades to black again. Can your brainy 8-year-old solve it in time? You can also choose the original or an easier 2-by-2 cube, depending on the child’s tolerance for frustration.
Improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills with this game that features more than 200 brain-teasing challenges. Starting with shapes in place, a child must figure out how to fill in the rest of the puzzle.
If you've been around an 8-year-old at all in 2025, you've probably encountered two things ad nauseum: "six seven" and KPop Demon Hunters. The latter inspires this gift idea, which combines the bestselling Monopoly Deal card game with the movie characters the third-grader in your life has likely been obsessed with all year. It's a golden gift idea if we've ever heard one!
Families compete to make the best meme in this game that provides 65 funny photo prompts and 300 cards with captions that may or may not make sense with the photos. Each player offers a card to “caption” the photo, and a judge decides on the winner. Funniest answer wins.
This educational game will sure be a fun one! With 60 different logic puzzles, any kid would have a bunch of fun building the marble maze.
This dodgeball card game will be fun for the entire family. Try to find matching pairs of cards all while dodging and throwing squishy burritos.=
Abracadabra! 8-year-olds are developing the memory and fine motor skills needed to pull off magic tricks, making this gift perfect for your Houdini wannabe.
Many generations are familiar with the joy of Super Mario Bros. and the new feature in this edition is called 'wonder flowers.' Simply come in contact with one and a whole new wonder world opens up for you to get through, where mysterious things can happen, such as character changes, unsuspecting enemies or newly alive pipes and more.
Most parents probably have their own cherished memories playing Donkey Kong. Now, they can introduce their kids to the same fun with this updated version of the game for Nintendo Switch 2.
"I haven't played Donkey Kong in years, but once I picked up the remote to play this game, I was transported back to my childhood," says associate editor Kamari Stewart. "It's a pretty simple concept but it's so fun, I didn't want to stop!"
Best STEM and educational toys for 8-year-olds
Little inventors can make their own robots with this STEM kit that will appeal to tech lovers and Lego lovers alike. Using bricks and papercraft, they’ll get a kick out of building their own kinetic creatures while learning about engineering along the way.
This DIY mechanical machine will let them unleash their inner superhero! It includes a step-by-step guide that will help them create a mechanical hand all made by sustainable wood.
Whether for family game night or for after school fun, this STEM-inspired board game will deepen their math skills by enhancing their strategy and thinking.
Your little scientist can make soaps and bath bombs, all while learning the basics of chemistry. Afterwards, they can use their own creations.
This rock polishing kit turns rocks into beautiful gemstones that they can proudly display or turn into jewelry. The kit is also meant to last, so they can have endless fun for years to come.
This golf ball-sized robot lights up and can navigate obstacle courses, thanks to a gyroscope and accelerometer that make it easy to drive and code with a free app. Your 8-year-old can learn serious coding and have fun doing it with Sphero, which was a hit on TikTok.
This Gifts We Love award winner proves a captivating gift they won't outgrow in a year. Customers rave that the building kit is a favorite of kids of a range of ages. One Amazon reviewer specifically calls out that their 8-year-old daughter builds everything from animals to robots with the kit, adding that they "love watching her create and solve problems."
A standard science lab gets a virtual twist with VR goggles included to help kids visualize what they’re learning from the included book. They’ll love exploring the universe through the kit’s experiments, activities and more.
Active toys for 8-year-olds
Be prepared for the endless giggles that will come from them bouncing off of each other and across the yard. Now, your dream of keeping them safe in a bubble can finally be a reality!
A tech-forward update on the classic Frisbee, this bestselling rechargeable disc stays lit up to 90 minutes on a single charge and comes in a dozen different colorful options.
Sports equipment lets kids engage in competition, which is important at this age. “Learning to lose and win is an important skill to gain,” Gummer says.
Pickleball is a huge trend for players of all ages right now, so why not start 'em young? This set includes both adult and junior paddles (created specifically for players under 12 years old), so they can grow into them or play with older family members.
Best books for 8-year-olds
Budding witchlings must find their covens and work together to save their magic in this new fantasy that will appeal to fans of “Harry Potter.”
Graphic novels are a great tool for developing readers as they use pictures to boost comprehension. “It engages literacy in a different way. All reading is good reading,” says Nina Lindsay.
The graphic novel adaptations of the beloved “Baby-Sitters Club” series is catnip for young readers. In this 11th book of the series, Stacey is saying good-bye, leaving the club wondering how they can go on without her.
What’s it like to try out for the cheerleading squad in front of the whole school when you’re not exactly popular? Christina Soontornvat shares her true story, full of relatable details the kids might call “cringe.”
This vocabulary-building book introduces wacky words and their meanings — perfect for breaking from the worksheet and making language fun.
The latest book in this Read with Jenna Junior favorite series has the Harlem-based family on a road trip across the country. (Those new to the series can start at the beginning with “The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street.”)
“When kids find a series they like, that’s something they can practice with,” says Nina Lindsay, president of the Association for Library Service to Children.
A child who has trouble talking to humans finds a companion in an abandoned snow leopard in this novel for fans of “Pax” and “The One and Only Ivan.”
This fun graphic novel-style book is a primer on how to spot “fake news” and disinformation, an important lesson for kids consuming YouTube or other sources of strange “facts.”
How we chose
The Shop TODAY team works hard to find the best products and coolest gifts out there. We use our own personal experiences with brands and shopping to find the most unique gifts for 8-year-olds that are sure to be a hit.
Meet the experts
- Dr. Amanda Gummer, MD, is the founder of Fundamentally Children, a toy testing and parent consulting company in the United Kingdom.
- Nina Lindsay is a former president of the Association for Library Service to Children.
- Marissa Silva is the editor-in-chief at Toy Insider.
Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the perfect present for every kid in your life including babies, 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 9-year-olds and 10-year-olds.
