We pay so much attention to the milestones of certain age groups but ignore the others. We know that newborns require a lot of monitoring to make sure they're meeting those goals. We care about the 6-week mark and 18-month phase; 2-year-old kids get a lot of attention, and then we keep track of milestones again when they're entering kindergarten. However, 8-year-olds are in that weird in-between phase where there may not be major milestones that we have to watch for to track how our kids are doing when it comes to health. Although it may seem that way, there are many things that make this age group special, and knowing a few of them can help someone come up with the best toys and gift ideas.
For a child who is 8 years old and typically in the third grade, there really is a lot going on. According to WebMD, language skills in this age range tend to have a big jump, and their focus and attention span starts to increase. This is key information in gift giving because we can choose items that require a little more patience or fine motor movements that may have been too challenging for this group even six months prior.
When deciding to choose a toy or a gift for an 8-year-old, consider things that are more complex — crafts that require a little more precision and anything that takes more time to complete. These are good guidelines to follow when deciding on a gift – and trust us, it's a lot more fun to shop for the items that this age range would enjoy.
To help out, we’ve compiled a list of the best toys and gifts for an 8-year-old. Hopefully, this will help narrow down ideas and make it easier to shop for the next give-giving occasion.
Melissa & Doug Suspend Family Game
$16.99
from
Basic puzzles are too easy for 8-year-olds, but this one requires some more precision and critical thinking while having loads of fun independently or with the family. Players take turns balancing curved, bent, and very thin metal rods on a stand, helping to make a delicate wire sculpture based on what the dice say. The players have to be careful because one wrong move and the game's over.
Lego Make Your Own Movie
At this age, kids still enjoy Legos but they want to take their play to the next level and increase their creativity. This book provides the stage and all the pieces needed. Following some instructions with the package, kids can create their own masterpieces. Kids can make 10 mini movies following the step by-step instructions in the book before venturing off to direct their own stop-motion masterpiece.
GO Glam Nail Stamper
There is so much to look forward to when kids get bigger and sometimes it takes trying out several different things for teens to land on what it is. That's what makes the GO Glam Nail Stamper stand out. The kit helps kids get used to the idea of fancying themselves up with a little self-care. This one creates no worries about damaging kids' growing nail beds.
Motorized Shoot-Out Hockey Kids Tabletop Game
Being able to play tabletop hockey anywhere they want is going to be thrill for game-obsessed kids. This game requires batteries, and parents will want to make sure they always have some extra on hand, but it's an exicitng way for siblings to spend time together or play a game against themselves if they have nothing else to do.
Kinetic Sand
We know that kids love to play with moldable things like clay, and that is exactly why we know Kinetic Sand is going to be a huge hit. This has a texture that's very close to sand that we'd find on the beach, but it's moldable, keeps its shape, and it's surprisingly easy to clean up.
Snap Circuits Classic SC-300
Kids are super curious, and we're sure parents who have an 8-year-old at home have had to field several "how does that work" questions. This STEM toy aims to help kids gain a better understanding of electronics and circuit design. The kit comes with the basics for designing a circuit board and provides step-by-step instructions. If it's assembled correctly, the circuit board will actually work.
Ideal Magic Suitcase
There's a reason magic has always been a fascinating subject, and with this suitcase, the kids can start to develop and perfect their own tricks. The magic suitcase comes complete with everything a young magician will need to get started from a top hat to magic cups that make things disappear.
Snap Ships
Kids at this age are way better at following through with a project than they would have been even a year earlier, and that opens a lot of doors. These Snap Ships are buildable and can be done in a few different designs. Also, they can be played with once the ship is built or deconstructed and made again.
Lascoota Scooters for Kids
We're not sure exactly when the trend changed, but kids are really excited about scooters the way we were when we were of the same age about bicycles. These scooters are really cool, though, and come in a variety of colors to choose the best one for the individual child. These still require a helmet, so make sure that's on the purchase list as well.
NERF N-Strike Elite Series 30-Dart Refill
Little kids love their Nerf toys, and there never seems to be enough darts to go around. That's why this gift of extra dart refills is always going to be appreciated. These fit any of the N-Strike Elite Series toys and will give kids loads of fun as they chase each other trying to hit targets or have a friendly battle together.
An Acoustic Guitar
At 8 years old, children are more than ready to start trying to learn a new instrument. Their hands will allow for the hand-eye coordination, and they'll have more drive to stick to something that may not come easy initially. A guitar is a great first instrument because it doesn't really need any setup or dedicated space.
Glow in the Dark Basketball
This basketball isn't like any other basketball – it has an LED light inside that helps illuminate the ball when the lighting outside is less than ideal. It's perfect for an aspiring basketball star and loves to practice but isn't really to call it a night by the time the sun goes down, which is way too early in the fall.
Reversible Magic Sequin Notebook
There is something about these reversible sequins that young kids just love. It doesn't matter if they already journal or draw; this notebook will encourage them to try one of the two exercies just so they have the opportunity to play with the sequins.
Slime Blendz Kit
Kids are obsessed with slime, and in this age group, they're old enough to not make a mess with it going all over the place while still being able to have fun. This kit contains 12 containers of super stretchy premade slime and a whole lot of add-ins such as foam beads, plastic crunchy beads, and colorful sequins to create the slime they've always wanted.
Creatable World Deluxe Character Kit Customizable Doll
This kit is amazing for kids who love to play with dolls but want to have more variety in the characters. The dolls in the Creatable World are all customizable with more than 100 different combinations. Each kit comes with one doll and several different accessories to create the ultimate doll just for them.
Harry Potter Quidditch Match
The Harry Potter series is huge for kids of this age group, and they're obsessed with all things Potterworld. That's what makes this Lego set so much fun – it's quidditch! The game was invented in Harry's world, and the kids can play a fun in a miniature version.
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