Good LEGO sets for 12 year olds feel like a real project, with more pieces, clever moving parts and something worth showing off when it’s done. At 12, a lot of kids skip the playsets and go straight for a supercar, a giant droid or a skyline for the shelf. We matched eight current sets…

The best STEM toys for 8 year olds give a kid something real to figure out: a circuit that lights up, a bridge that holds, a robot that follows the program they wrote. At 8, a lot of kids are ready for kits with real instructions and a result that actually works. We picked eight…

Finding gifts for 12 year olds gets harder every year, especially when the answer to “what do you want?” is “I don’t know.” Twelve year olds still love to build, make and play, as long as it doesn’t feel like it came from the little kid aisle. Every gift here is rated for 12 year…

Good board games for 10 year olds have to hold up when the adults join in. Ten year olds can handle real strategy, longer rules and a little trash talk, so the games that win at this age are often ones grown ups enjoy too. We matched eight games to eight kinds of 10 year…

Shopping for LEGO sets for 9 year olds is fun because many kids this age are ready for bigger builds and more interesting details. They still want something to play with when it’s done, though. We picked eight current sets rated 8+ or 9+, each for a different kind of kid. There are dragons to…

The best LEGO sets for 10 year olds give a confident builder something worth finishing. At this age they read the steps faster than you do, and they want a set that moves, looks cool on the shelf, or ties into the thing they love most. Every pick below is a current LEGO set rated…

The best toys for 3 year old girls let her do what the grown ups do. At three, she wants to sweep the kitchen, carry a baby on her chest and throw a birthday party for her teddy. She’s also big on favorite characters and anything she can build, bounce or knock down. These eight…

The best gifts for 5 year old girls fit the way she already plays. Some five year olds spend all morning in a story they invented. Others want to make something, host something or win something. This list matches eight gifts to eight kinds of girls. Quick answer: For a girl who builds, get the…

Picking toys for 4 year old girls gets a lot easier once you know what she’s into right now. Four is a big year for pretend play, art projects and favorite characters, and the right toy fits straight into all of it. Every pick below is rated for age 4 or younger by its maker,…

Good board games for 3 year olds are over before anyone gets wiggly. At three, kids can take turns and match colors, but long rules and long waits lose them fast. Every game below is rated for age 3 or younger by its maker. None need reading or batteries. A few let everyone win together,…

The best toys for 4 year old boys give a busy kid something real to do. Four year olds can follow simple steps, play a game with rules and spend a long time on one project, so this is when bigger toys start to click. Every pick below is rated for age 4 or younger…

The best toys for 3 year old boys keep up with a kid who never stops moving. Three year olds run, climb, crash cars and make up big stories, and the toys that get played with are the ones that fit right into that. Every pick below is rated for age 3 or younger by…

The best board games for 8 year olds are the same games adults pick for their own game nights. Many 8 year olds are ready for real strategy, keeping score and longer games, so the kids’ shelf and the family shelf finally meet. Every pick below is rated for 8 or younger by its maker….

The best board games for 7 year olds give kids real choices to make, not just a spinner to flick. Seven year olds can plan ahead, read simple cards and play a full game with the grown ups, so this is when family game night gets genuinely fun. Every pick below is rated for 7…

The best board games for 6 year olds finally feel like real games. Six is when kids can plan a move or two ahead, follow a few rules at once and play a full game without wandering off. That opens up games grown ups actually enjoy too. Every pick below is rated for 6 or…

The best board games for 4 year olds are short, need zero reading and don’t fall apart when someone loses. Four is when kids start wanting to play “real” games with the grown ups, but long rules and long waits still end in tears. Every game below is rated for 4 or younger and plays…

The best STEM toys for 7 year olds give a kid something real to show for their work: a robot that follows their code, a hand that grabs a water bottle, a T. rex dug out of a block. Seven is when many kids can read the steps on their own, so bigger projects start…

Good STEM toys for 6 year olds let a kid build something, test it and figure out why it didn’t work. At six, they can follow picture steps and want a real result, like a car that zooms down a track or a bug they caught themselves. A lot of STEM lists for this age…

Picking the best LEGO sets for 8 year olds means keeping up with a kid who isn’t a beginner anymore. Eight year olds read the instructions on their own, and they want a finished set that looks cool and does something. Plenty of lists for this age are full of 9+ and 10+ sets, or…