10 Best Gift Ideas for Boys Who Love Building, Gadgets & Interactive Toys
The toys and gadgets boys aged 8 to 14 keep coming back to after the wrapping paper is gone: things to build, fly, code, launch and rebuild.
Each pick lists the ages it suits best, so you can skip straight to the right one.
Shopping for boys between 8 and 14 is tricky. They've outgrown most of the kids toys aisle, and plenty of cool gadgets are still a few years off. The best gifts for boys this age give them something to build, test or master, so it still gets used a month later. Here are our 10 favorites, starting with the one we'd buy first.
1. BlockBlaster: The Brick-Built Blaster He Can Rebuild
BlockBlaster combines two classic boy toys in one: a toy blaster and building bricks. Every studded surface on the slide and grip takes standard building bricks, so he can rebuild the grip, stack on a sight or change the colors with bricks from his own bin. A bag of extra blocks comes in the box to start.
The mechanics make it one of the best interactive toys we've found. He loads a spring casing into the 6-round magazine, racks the slide and pulls the trigger, and a soft rubber-tipped dart flies up to about 25 feet. It runs on springs alone, so there are no batteries to replace.
It arrives fully built and fires within a minute of opening. The box is rated 14+, which makes it an easy pick in toys for teen boys and toys for 14 year old boys. For boys 8 to 13, families use it as a play-together toy with a parent nearby.
Best for: ages 8 to 14 (under 14 with a grown-up) · building toy · no batteries
“My 9 year old is obsessed. He set up paper cups across the living room and runs his own little target range. No marks on the walls at all.”
Kayla H. · Verified buyer
2. A Snap-Together Circuit Kit That Lights Up, Buzzes and Spins
Color-coded pieces snap onto a plastic grid to make working circuits: a light he switches on, a buzzer, a little spinning fan. There's no soldering and no loose wire, and the project book takes him from the first circuit to the harder ones.
For a boy who takes the remote apart to see what is inside, this is one of the best STEM toys you can buy, and one of the best toys for 8 year old boys on this list. Bigger sets keep 10 and 11 year olds busy too.
Best for: ages 8 to 12 · STEM toy · screen-free
3. A Remote-Control Stunt Car That Flips and Keeps Driving
Double-sided stunt cars drive the right way up or upside down, so a flip off the curb doesn't end the run. Look for a rechargeable battery and chunky tires that handle grass and gravel as well as the kitchen floor.
Remote-control cars have been cool toys for boys for decades. A stunt car gets him outside, and an 8 or 9 year old can drive one straight out of the box.
Best for: ages 8 to 10 · outdoor play · rechargeable
4. A Coding Robot That Does Exactly What He Tells It
He drags simple command blocks around in a tablet app, and the robot drives, turns, lights up and beeps in that order. When it bumps into the couch, he goes back, finds the mistake and fixes the code.
It's an interactive toy that teaches real logic in small steps, which makes it one of the best toys for 9 year old boys and 10 year old boys. Check which tablets and phones the app supports before you buy.
Best for: ages 9 to 12 · STEM toy · needs a tablet or phone
5. Walkie-Talkies for Backyard Missions and Bike Rides
A pair of kid-size two-way radios turns the neighborhood into a mission. One brother stays at base, the other reports in from three houses down. There's no phone plan and no screen.
They're cheap and tough, and they make great gifts for 10 year old boys who are just starting to ride around the block on their own. Get a pair with belt clips and rechargeable batteries.
Best for: ages 8 to 12 · outdoor play · sold in pairs
6. A Wooden Mechanical Model That Really Moves
Laser-cut wooden parts pop out of flat sheets and fit together into a working model: a ticking clock, a marble run or a little locomotive with turning gears. Most kits need no glue, and the finished model runs on a hand crank or rubber bands.
It's a construction toy for boys who've outgrown simple building toys. A bigger kit takes a few evenings of careful work, which makes it one of the better gifts for 12 year old boys who like a challenge. The finished model goes straight on the shelf.
Best for: ages 12 to 14 · construction toy · a few evenings to build
7. A Beginner Camera Drone for Filming From the Sky
Beginner drones hold their height on their own, take off and land with one button, and film from above. He can plan a shot of the house, the park or his friends on bikes, then edit the clip on his phone.
It's one of the coolest gadgets on this list and one of the best gifts for teen boys who'll take care of it. Choose a lightweight model made for beginners, and check the local rules on where you can fly before the first flight.
Best for: ages 13 and up · gadget · flies outdoors
8. A Speed Cube Set and a Timer
Speed cubes turn faster and smoother than the classic puzzle cube most parents grew up with. A set of cubes in a few sizes plus a timer gives him a goal: solve it once, then solve it faster.
Free video tutorials walk him through his first solve, and then he starts chasing his best time. It's an inexpensive, unique gift for boys who like a challenge, and one of our favorite gifts for 11 year old boys. It fits in a backpack, too.
Best for: ages 10 and up · puzzle · pocket-size
9. A Model Rocket Kit for a Saturday Launch
He builds and paints the rocket, then launches it from an open field and runs to catch it when the parachute opens. Starter kits usually include the rocket, a launch pad and a launch controller. Engines are usually sold separately.
Model rockets are great toys for 11 year old boys and up, with an adult running each launch, and one of the best toys for teens who like science they can see. Pick a big field on a calm day.
Best for: ages 11 to 14 · outdoor science · adult runs the launch
10. A Strategy Board Game He Can Beat You At
Route-building and trading games give a boy real decisions to make, and many play in under an hour, short enough for a school night. Look for one rated 10+ that plays with 2 to 4 people.
It's one of the few toys for kids that the whole family uses, and it's the one that comes back out when the cousins visit.
Best for: ages 10 and up · family game night · 2 to 4 players
1. BlockBlaster: The Brick-Built Blaster He Can Rebuild
BlockBlaster combines two classic boy toys in one: a toy blaster and building bricks. Every studded surface on the slide and grip takes standard building bricks, so he can rebuild the grip, stack on a sight or change the colors with bricks from his own bin. A bag of extra blocks comes in the box to start.
The mechanics make it one of the best interactive toys we've found. He loads a spring casing into the 6-round magazine, racks the slide and pulls the trigger, and a soft rubber-tipped dart flies up to about 25 feet. It runs on springs alone, so there are no batteries to replace.
It arrives fully built and fires within a minute of opening. The box is rated 14+, which makes it an easy pick in toys for teen boys and toys for 14 year old boys. For boys 8 to 13, families use it as a play-together toy with a parent nearby.
Best for: ages 8 to 14 (under 14 with a grown-up) · building toy · no batteries
“My 9 year old is obsessed. He set up paper cups across the living room and runs his own little target range. No marks on the walls at all.”
Kayla H. · Verified buyer
2. A Snap-Together Circuit Kit That Lights Up, Buzzes and Spins
Color-coded pieces snap onto a plastic grid to make working circuits: a light he switches on, a buzzer, a little spinning fan. There's no soldering and no loose wire, and the project book takes him from the first circuit to the harder ones.
For a boy who takes the remote apart to see what is inside, this is one of the best STEM toys you can buy, and one of the best toys for 8 year old boys on this list. Bigger sets keep 10 and 11 year olds busy too.
Best for: ages 8 to 12 · STEM toy · screen-free
3. A Remote-Control Stunt Car That Flips and Keeps Driving
Double-sided stunt cars drive the right way up or upside down, so a flip off the curb doesn't end the run. Look for a rechargeable battery and chunky tires that handle grass and gravel as well as the kitchen floor.
Remote-control cars have been cool toys for boys for decades. A stunt car gets him outside, and an 8 or 9 year old can drive one straight out of the box.
Best for: ages 8 to 10 · outdoor play · rechargeable
4. A Coding Robot That Does Exactly What He Tells It
He drags simple command blocks around in a tablet app, and the robot drives, turns, lights up and beeps in that order. When it bumps into the couch, he goes back, finds the mistake and fixes the code.
It's an interactive toy that teaches real logic in small steps, which makes it one of the best toys for 9 year old boys and 10 year old boys. Check which tablets and phones the app supports before you buy.
Best for: ages 9 to 12 · STEM toy · needs a tablet or phone
5. Walkie-Talkies for Backyard Missions and Bike Rides
A pair of kid-size two-way radios turns the neighborhood into a mission. One brother stays at base, the other reports in from three houses down. There's no phone plan and no screen.
They're cheap and tough, and they make great gifts for 10 year old boys who are just starting to ride around the block on their own. Get a pair with belt clips and rechargeable batteries.
Best for: ages 8 to 12 · outdoor play · sold in pairs
6. A Wooden Mechanical Model That Really Moves
Laser-cut wooden parts pop out of flat sheets and fit together into a working model: a ticking clock, a marble run or a little locomotive with turning gears. Most kits need no glue, and the finished model runs on a hand crank or rubber bands.
It's a construction toy for boys who've outgrown simple building toys. A bigger kit takes a few evenings of careful work, which makes it one of the better gifts for 12 year old boys who like a challenge. The finished model goes straight on the shelf.
Best for: ages 12 to 14 · construction toy · a few evenings to build
7. A Beginner Camera Drone for Filming From the Sky
Beginner drones hold their height on their own, take off and land with one button, and film from above. He can plan a shot of the house, the park or his friends on bikes, then edit the clip on his phone.
It's one of the coolest gadgets on this list and one of the best gifts for teen boys who'll take care of it. Choose a lightweight model made for beginners, and check the local rules on where you can fly before the first flight.
Best for: ages 13 and up · gadget · flies outdoors
8. A Speed Cube Set and a Timer
Speed cubes turn faster and smoother than the classic puzzle cube most parents grew up with. A set of cubes in a few sizes plus a timer gives him a goal: solve it once, then solve it faster.
Free video tutorials walk him through his first solve, and then he starts chasing his best time. It's an inexpensive, unique gift for boys who like a challenge, and one of our favorite gifts for 11 year old boys. It fits in a backpack, too.
Best for: ages 10 and up · puzzle · pocket-size
9. A Model Rocket Kit for a Saturday Launch
He builds and paints the rocket, then launches it from an open field and runs to catch it when the parachute opens. Starter kits usually include the rocket, a launch pad and a launch controller. Engines are usually sold separately.
Model rockets are great toys for 11 year old boys and up, with an adult running each launch, and one of the best toys for teens who like science they can see. Pick a big field on a calm day.
Best for: ages 11 to 14 · outdoor science · adult runs the launch
10. A Strategy Board Game He Can Beat You At
Route-building and trading games give a boy real decisions to make, and many play in under an hour, short enough for a school night. Look for one rated 10+ that plays with 2 to 4 people.
It's one of the few toys for kids that the whole family uses, and it's the one that comes back out when the cousins visit.
Best for: ages 10 and up · family game night · 2 to 4 players
Our #1 Pick · Rated 4.8/5 · 50,000+ Sold
BlockBlaster DIY Ops Handle Set™
Fully Built · Firing Within a Minute of Opening
Spring-Powered · Zero Batteries, Nothing to Charge
Brick-Compatible · Takes Standard Building Bricks
Soft-Tip Darts · Rounded ABS, 6-Round Magazine
Get Your BlockBlaster →
$34.95 Today (Reg. $99.99) | 2 for $69.95 | Free U.S. Shipping
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