Once a child reaches the double digits gift buying for them becomes way harder. Are they too old for this? Are they too young for this? At this young age, they are still growing and need sources to keep their mind active in a fun and educational way. I have compiled a list of games, toys and experiments for all of the nieces/nephews, children and/or grandchildren you are buying for this holiday season that are age appropriate but still fun and exciting!
Young Techies
Personal Favorite:
Agent 992 Robot
Control your own robot agent that can switch between 3 classified modes to move and maneuver obstacles as you complete your next mission. With the included 140 pieces you will be challenged to assemble your robot which isn’t as simple as snapping together pieces. Agent 992 will glow blue as you direct it through gestures and purple as it auto navigates through self-made obstacle courses and mazes. For ages 8+.
To me, the coolest factor of Agent 992 is the lack of remote control. Your child will be able to control the robot while also building different paths and mazes for it to travel through, giving them multiple activities to complete. Agent 992 reminds me of devices used in detective and action movies such as Mission Impossible; any child that builds and uses this robot is sure to feel like a tactical special agent in no time.
Runner-up:
MicroBlocks – Slide Viewing Smartphone Microscope
Turn your smartphone into a slide-viewing microscope and wall projector with this innovative magnification kit. Position the metal universal smartphone clip over your phone’s camera and take it on the go. Magnetically add the modular illuminator to the clip along with the special slide holder; flip a specimen slide into your lens to view it on your phone’s camera screen to 60x, 150x or 300x. You can even magnify the specimen onto your wall in any darkened room by removing the illuminator and repositioning the slide over your phone’s flashlight. For ages 8+.
When our photographer took our photos for this product, he described the specimen on the slides as being clearer on his iPhone screen than most of the microscopes he had used throughout his life. With the ease of loading slides onto your phone, it takes away the difficulty of carrying around a microscope (and plus most younger kids have access to devices nowadays). You can even pair this with our prepared slide set that includes 24 slides that can be loaded into the Micro Blocks for additional research, or create your own slides with our slide-making kit to benefit any budding biologists.
MicroBlocks – Slide Viewing Smartphone Microscope #3157487
Young Wood Builders
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DIY Vintage Pinball Kit
Build and customize your own tabletop pinball machine game with a step-by-step illustrated instruction guide. Piece together the pre-cut plywood pieces, hammer in the 100+ nails (into whatever variation you’d like or use the template) and get playing! You will be receiving blank plywood so you can personally customize your pinball machine with stain or paint, give it a retro arcade feel, or something entirely new. Add rubber bands to the nails to create custom bumpers for your marbles to bounce off of… the possibilities are endless! For ages 14+ (or 8+ with supervision).
Growing up on my family computer one of the only games downloaded was pinball. I loved playing it and could be entertained for hours, however, I always wished that I could have it physically in front of me. The custom ability of this pinball machine is what makes it so unique, as someone who loves to paint, I could see customizing the backboard as its own separate project before setting up the rest. This is a game that can be revisited again and again while also being shown off as a full DIY project.
DIY Vintage Pinball Kit #3156964
Runner-up:
Ballista Kit
Travel back to medieval times with this wooden ballista. Strike down your targets as you alter your trajectories for precise blows. This kit includes 17 pre-cut pieces of plywood that may need additional sanding for a comfortable grip. Using a torsion spring and lever arm you will be able to send the ping pong balls more than 30 feet away. Learn about topics such as acceleration, trajectory and force while heading into battle against your friends as you use simple components such as wood, leather and string. For ages 14+.
The head of Scientifics Direct is a big fan of anything medieval but he also only believes in bringing in quality products as well, so rest assured that this functional ballista will wow everyone it’s demonstrated for. Growing up I always wanted a slingshot or anything similar to it to test my skills with aim but they were either made cheaply or priced way too expensive for a younger me to afford., however, the ballista is affordable but does not sacrifice quality while sticking to a classic simple medieval design.
Young Electronic Lovers
Personal Favorite:
Wacky Robots
Build your new wacky robot friends Bob, Capacitron, Mr. Bee, Marc, and Resistron, and join them on an adventure to learn about building electronics with no previous experience required! As you assemble each robot you will be required to use the educational soldering practice kit in order to create 5 zany robots ranging from 8 to 16 pieces. Program each robot to light up, sparkle and buzz as you play with them and teach them individualized skills to integrate into their unique personalities. For ages 9+ (adult supervision required).
This kit would be a great gift for a family that has multiple children interested in learning about electronics due to the variety of robot designs. With no experience required, this is a great gift for any child who is beginning to show interest in the field but does not know where to begin. Personally, my favorite robot is Capacitron and his great catchphrase, “I don’t have the capacity for this”.
Runner-up:
STEM V8 Model Engine Kit
Calling all future mechanics or vehicle buffs! Learn everything about engines and how it provides power for cars while simulating real engine noise and lights. With 270 plastic pieces, this model allows you to see the inner workings of the engine and how it functions in real time. The demonstration operates for approximately 30 seconds and can be demonstrated again and again. For ages 12+.
This engine will not only teach whoever assembles the product engineering and mechanics but also the 4-stroke cycle. I don’t know about you but mechanics and engines are not my realms of expertise but with the V-8 engine, you don’t need any previous knowledge to enjoy the experience of the engine roaring and gears turning! The combination of the sounds and lights sparking will have anyone feeling like they are taking a step right next to a car.
STEM V8 Model Engine Kit #3156485
Trending Items
Personal Favorite:
Water Bomber Drift RC
At Scientifics Direct we carry numerous options for RC cars but the Water Bomber is unique since the bullets are made of water and are safe for the whole family! Take the tank off-road and learn difficult tricks while becoming a drifting master. Fire up to 15 water bullets with enough force to knock over an empty soda can or challenge yourself to new targets! Control the turret with a remote that can control the LED lights below the cannon to continue the fun at night. For ages 5+.
I’ve seen this RC take on stairs in the office and from my experience, it is very versatile and resilient to multiple forms of terrain. The water beads can shoot quickly and at a very far distance (perhaps across an office?) and even while the car moves! This RC is one of the coolest I have seen us as a company carry due to the ability to take it outdoors and not have to worry about anything damaging it as you test out the turret’s abilities.
Water Bomber Drift RC #3157507
Runner-up:
Micro Slot Racing
As the world’s smallest slot car race, you can take racing to a new micro-scale as you race a pair of 1:87 scale Mercedes-AMG GT3 racecars. Assemble your own track and add included side features such as a car garage and a finish line archway. Add unique touches to your track with common building blocks, and even add spectators to watch the race! Grab a friend, give them an adjustable speed controller and race away, kick up turbo speed to leave them in the dust. For ages 5+.
My brother and I used to love building tracks to race our Hot Wheels against each other and to see who could get their car to travel the fastest. With this track, you’ll be able to confidently gift it to any child who hasn’t had those memories yet and know they’ll love spending time building onto the track with figures or building blocks that they already own. That customized experience will have them asking for more race tracks and cars (and maybe our Movie Chase version of Micro Slot Racing!).
Miscellaneous Gifts for Everyone
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Make Your Own Dog Treats
Treat your furry friend to a special treat made by you for any type of occasion! Make your dog 12 treats for their birthday, Christmas or just to reward them for being the best pet ever; these goodies are safe for humans and animals including ingredients such as oatmeal, peanut butter powder and more. The included dog bone cutter will give your treats a finishing touch before you serve them to your favorite puppers. For ages 14+.
Some dogs can be picky in what they choose to eat or leave on the floor and have you clean up later. This treat however will be gobbled up in seconds by your pet! My dog’s favorite thing in the world is peanut butter and as one of the main ingredients in this kit, he is sure to love it. This kit can be a fun family activity while creating the doggy treats and then testing your dog’s sit and stay skills or even give them a handshake to earn it!
Make Your Own Dog Treats #3157800
Runner-up:
Meat Eating Plant Lab
Grow three types of carnivorous plants (Flytrap, Pitcher and Sundew) in their own terrariums anywhere in your home. Watch them sprout, attract and devour their prey as active or passive predators. Cultivate the seeds from three unique plants in their own independent labs as you follow the care instructions, do they need high or low light? Waterlogged soils? Learn about each plant as they grow! For ages 8+.
I have seen flytrap plants represented in all kinds of media throughout time and I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have my own. Some plants that are native to specific states are hard to come by but with this plant lab, it is convenient to bring a carnivorous plant into your house that you may have never had the opportunity to before. This lab can be gifted to plant lovers or those who would like to learn more about how plants that are predators survive while being in a safe environment.
Meat Eating Plant Lab #3157803
SHOP ALL SCIENCE GIFTS FOR 10+
