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If you're looking for the perfect toy for the 8-year-old boy in your life, there are plenty of options to chose from, ranging from active gifts to more educational ones. The best options will encourage physical activity while also teaching them a new skill.
To help you pick out the perfect present, here are the best toys for 8-year-old boys:
If you have a larger budget, the young man in your life would absolutely love the high-tech race cars that come in the Anki Overdrive Starter Kit. This set lets kids control two robotic “supercars” from their phones, driving them around the track and battling each other with high-tech weapons. It includes two supercars and 12 track pieces that can be used to create several race tracks.
The Betheaces Flying Ball is an awesome helicopter-style drone that will provide hours of entertainment both indoors and out. It has an LED light inside that will shine dazzling colors and its two remote-controlled propellers lift it up into the air. There are no batteries in this cool drone—just plug it into a USB port for 20 minutes to charge.
With the My First Mind Blowing Science Kit from Scientific Explorer, young boys can learn STEM skills through exciting hands-on experiments.
This educational toy comes with 20 pieces, including test tubes, plastic cups, measuring scoops, cotton swabs, and more. There are also supplies like citric acid, baking soda, vegetable oil, and red cabbage powder—everything kids need to complete 11 educational activities.
This classic toy will provide ample entertainment for young kids as they compete to see who can launch their rocket the highest! The Stomp Rocket is tons of fun for kids ages 6 and up. It comes with four rockets and a special “dueling” base, which launches two rockets at the same time. Kids just have to stomp on the launch pads to send the rockets soaring into the air—up to 200 feet with the right force.
This is one seriously cool toy for kids who love bugs or building or building bugs. The 3D pen is easy to use and lets kids create colorful wings, legs, and other body parts to add to bug molds. After the creation is complete, the bugs actually vibrate and move around.
Operating tools isn’t exactly a kid-safe activity, but it is thanks to this toy. It includes a kid-friendly drill and 18 bolts that can be used to build a recycling truck. And the drill can even operate the truck’s lift arm. There are even two mini figures that can be placed in the truck.
Get kids to turn off their electronics for a few hours with a fun game like Watch Ya’ Mouth. This hilarious family game is perfect for players ages 8 and up, and young boys will love trying to speak phrases while wearing the game’s signature cheek retractors. Watch Ya’ Mouth can be played with three to 10 players.
Though your 8-year-old wasn’t born when Back to the Future came out, they can learn all about the classic movie through the DeLorean toy. The time traveling car has fun lights and winged doors that open and close. Of course the car also comes with Marty McFly, Dr. Emmett Brown, and their fury friend Einstein.
For a toy that will keep young boys entertained for hours, you can’t go wrong with the Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster. This affordably priced nerf gun is a battery-free toy that 8-year-old boys will happily run around with for hours. The cool auto-advance rotating barrel makes the toy gun seem high-tech, and it flips open for easy loading. It also holds up surprisingly well, and you’ll likely get several years of use out of it.
This Lego set comes with an impressive 499 pieces. It’s actually a 3-in-1 toy as the pieces can make a monster burger truck (complete with massive wheels and foldable stairs), an off-roader, or a tractor. There are also two mini figures and even a dog. The versatility truly allows kids to have fun and be imaginative.
This kit comes with step-by-step instructions so kids can craft their own shark, alligator, and chameleon. After building the molds, they can use the clay to customize their colorful animal. What’s really awesome is that the animals’ tails move back and forth.
Kids age 8 to 12 will flip for this robot kit. The kit comes equipped with almost 200 pieces to build 12 different types of robots. Once the ‘bot is constructed, it operates on solar power so it can move. This is sure to be a fun toy but also one that teaches kids about science and how things work.