Listen, some of us here at Shop TODAY are parents. We try to give our kids presents that will stimulate their brains and keep them busy for a good chunk of time. Usually, we fail miserably. However, brands are now going all out to deliver tech that are sure to dazzle kids of all ages.
Take a blast from the past with tech toys such as a Tamagotchi or a vinyl dance mat similar to the Dance Dance Revolution on which we all loved to bust a move in our childhood. Or, gift them with more educational-based technology, such as an electronic bookmark or a Kindle designed with children in mind.
Whatever their interests, it’s easy to admit that children love tech, so gift them with the gadget that will keep them occupied for hours on end and earn their smiles.
Tech toys for kids | Smart gadgets for kids
Tech toys for kids
Amazmic Kids Karaoke Microphone Machine
Take sleepovers or family night to the next level with this all-in-one karaoke microphone machine. According to the brand, the microphone can connect via Bluetooth to a phone, tablet or computer, allowing kids to belt out their favorite tunes.
And many reviewers say their kids love the singing options it provides. “My daughter gets a kick out of the different voice-changing effects. One minute she’s a chipmunk, the next she’s a deep-voiced monster. It adds a layer of silliness that keeps her giggling as she sings,” wrote one reviewer.
4M Kidzlabs Anti-Gravity Magnetic Levitation Science Kit
Kids will learn about magnetic forces from this interactive science kit that involves exciting hands-on experiments. Kids will get to float a pencil, levitate a screw and more.
Original Tamagotchi
The ’90s called — they want their toys back! The era is officially back and better than ever, not only with fashion trends, but toys as well. All of the toys from your beloved childhood are making a comeback, and what perfect way to indulge in them again than gifting beloved toys like the original Tamagotchi to the children in your life. Available in 45 different casing designs from solid colors to retro patterns, gift them the one that matches their personality perfectly.
Pixicade Pets VIP
Blending classic artistry with video design, kids can draw their own pixelated pet (or come up with a completely new creature entirely!) and have them come to life on their smartphone or tablet.
One 7-year-old Amazon reviewer raved how “really fun” this toy is. “What I like most about it is you can make pets and play games in the arcade and dress your pet. I don’t think I don’t like anything about it. If my parents let me, I would play it all day. Weeee!”
Winning Fingers Electronic Memory & Brain Game
Designed to enhance your child’s memory, coordination and brain skills, this flashing cube makes for a great gift.
“This is a great toy for children. My grandchild fidgets a lot and this occupied his hands and his mind for 30 minutes. It a nice carry-on for children traveling on flights or in cars. I would recommend this mind blowing game,” wrote an Amazon reviewer.
Bitzee Interactive Digital Pet and Case
The Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer, as well as Walmart, predicted this as one of last season’s hottest holiday toys during the 3rd Hour of TODAY, and it proved to be a bestseller. Your little techie can swipe, shake, tilt and touch their pocket-sized digital pet, all while watching them grow up before their eyes.
Mintid Dog-E Interactive Robot Dog
Also appearing on several hot holiday toy lists last season is this precious little robot dog. Despite its lack in fur, it’s just as charming as a real pup. It even has its own unique personality courtesy of the “minting process” it undergoes as soon as it’s unwrapped.
Obuby Toys Walkie Talkies
Walkie-talkies are always a fun gift idea, and this set is loved and trusted by shoppers all over the globe. It’s also a great way to keep in contact with your children as they play outside.
Snap Circuits Teach Tech Mech-5 Mechanical Robot Coding Kit
This is a great STEM-focused gift idea for budding engineers. Ideal for kids ages 8 to 14, they have to program the robot to move forward, backward, right, left, spin and pause.
3Doodler Start+ Essentials 3D Pen Set
Previously described as “good old-fashioned fun but the 2022 way” by Shop TODAY editorial director Adrianna Brach, this high-tech 3D pen will have them doodling to their heart’s content thanks to thoughtful features like multiple speed controls and enhanced durability.
Tamagotchi Uni
Kids who are already well-versed in the world of Tamagotchi will love this upgraded version, which was named one of the hottest toys of 2023 by The Toy Insider and was one of Shop TODAY’s “Gifts We Love“ last year. If they have a friend with a similar device, they can connect them to play together, exchange items or even have their Tamagotchis get engaged!
KiwiCo Kinetic Light-Up Speaker Kit
Maybe you’ve been a fan of KiwiCo since becoming a parent, but if you’re not familiar, the brand offers toys, building kits and play sets that encourage learning and development for everyone from newborns to those earning their drivers license.
If music is their jam, they can build their own set of speakers, which they can then play music from via Bluetooth.
Dance Mat
For the parents who loved Dance Dance Revolution, pass on the fun with this dance mat, which has three different levels for your kiddos to dance their heart out. “I highly recommend this as a gift for children of multiple ages,” said one reviewer of the easy-to-store vinyl mat.
VTech KidiStar DJ Mixer
Every budding DJ needs a quality turntable to properly spin their tunes. Equip your fave little music lover with this VTech pick with over 2,000 sound combinations, 15 included songs and the option to record a custom vocal tag to drop on their final product. It also has Bluetooth capabilities so they can easily share their sure-to-be viral mash-up.
Educational Insights Artie 3000 The Coding Robot
This educational robot makes for a great STEM gift. Kids simply design and program the code, and Artie takes the coding and draws accordingly. Artie comes with four washable markers, a start guide and activity cards.
PlayShifu Plugo Count
This STEM gaming kit will keep your child playing (and learning, shhh!) for hours. It’s recommended for kids ages 4 to 10 and features various story-based math games.
Abacus Brands Virtual Reality Animals!
Making an appearance on Toy Insider’s STEM 10 list this year, this VR activity set immerses kids in over 40 ferocious interactive experiences in various environments around the globe. Once they’re done roaming with lions, tigers and bears (amongst other wildlife!), they can learn more about the animals they saw in the accompanying book.
Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst
This kit is the perfect introduction to engineering — kids can build and rebuild endless variations of robot creations. The set includes over 50 parts and 10 challenge cards to help with inspiration.
“We got this for our son’s birthday and he loves it. He’s seven so we have given him some oversight and assistance but he’s able to do much of it by himself. Great gift for inspiring creativity and engaging STEM skills,” wrote an Amazon reviewer.
Uncommon Goods Magic Multi-Lingual Reading Wand
With three different languages to choose from (Spanish, French and Mandarin), children ages three and older can learn a new language with the help of this magic wand.
With included booklets that cover basics such as numbers, letters, basic phrases and more, simply tap the wand on a word and it reads aloud both the second language and the English version.
Virtual Pong
Take a trip into the future with this virtual Ping-Pong game. Hit a simulated light back and forth with an opponent or by yourself. The best part is, you can play this right in the living room, since there are no actual balls involved.
Dribbleup Smart Basketball
If they’re looking to sharpen their skills on the court, gift them with this basketball that also connects to any tablet or phone via the app. When practicing drills, the app displays a side-by-side screen so that shows the instruction video as well as a video of themselves, if they’re more of a visual learner.
Intelino Smart Train
Kids of all ages will love this modern take on the classic train set. Built using smart technology, these toy trains are controlled with a mobile app and comes with 40 color snap tiles designed to control its steering and speed.
Tonies Starter Bundle
One of Shop TODAY’s 2023 Gifts We Love because it can provide “bedtime stories with a twist,” this screen-free device allows children to hear stories from their favorite characters, such as Chase from Paw Patrol, Disney Princesses, Pixar favorites and more.
With a number of different attachments to place on top, Tonies can tell up to seven hours worth of stories off of a single charge and can even be taken on-the-go, for road trips and holiday travels.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
Caveat: Skip this if you’re not into your kids taking over your living space. But if you are, this game is a winner. It’s lively, vibrant and totally engaging — plus, it can be played in solo or multiplayer modes on the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo Lite Switch
A lighter, sleeker version of the Nintendo Switch, this handheld gadget is perfect for long car rides, traveling or on-the-go days. With Bluetooth compatibility, your kids will be able to take their favorite games to go without distracting the entire family. “Got this for my son’s birthday and he loves it! He is able to take it anywhere, and it’s not too bulky,” said one reviewer.
Smart gadgets for kids
Mark-My-Time Digital Bookmark
If your child loves to read (and if they have to keep track of their progress for school), gift them this digital bookmark that will help keep tabs on how long they’ve been reading. With different modes to set the bookmark on, it can count up or down, depending on the time span they want to read within. “This is very useful for making sure my child gets in the required amount of daily reading,” said one reviewer, adding that “it’s easy to use, durable and fun.”
LCD Writing Tablet
This LCD drawing and writing tablet is a great gift for the tiny artist. Let their imagination run wild without interruption, as this tablet can be reused up to 100,000 times, according to the brand. “A really fun product for the little ones you like to draw because they can draw or scribble on it and then press a button and it goes away and they can start over again. Our three-year-old loves it,” wrote one Amazon reviewer.
JLab JBuddies Studio Wired Kid Headphones
Whether they scored a new tablet or you’re looking for a comfy pair of headphones for kids to wear during road trips, these on-ear headphones offer cushioning for a comfortable fit and safe volume control. According to the brand, the sound won’t go above 85db, so you won’t have to worry about them listening to music or movies too loud and damaging their hearing.
Holy Stone Drone for Kids
This drone is designed with kids in mind, as it comes with three speed levels, an emergency stop function and protection guards on the propellers, the brand says.
“I ordered this mini-drone for my 6-year-old son over the summer, and by late fall, the drone is still in the air and my son is still elated,” wrote one of the more than 7,500 reviewers who gave it a five-star rating. They added, “my kid could play with this toy for hours and hours and not get bored.”
Kidz Delight Infini First 2-in-1 Tablet
Designed for kids ages 2 and up, little ones will love mimicking the work-from-home lifestyle with their very own computer. It can be used as a standalone tablet or with an attachable keyboard. A great tool for teaching your child about numbers, colors and animals.
Dylanto Kids Instant Print Camera
Kids will love capturing moments with this instant print camera. According to the brand, they can choose from fun borders and stickers to enhance their photos with. And that’s not all, the gadget even features four fun puzzle games to play with.
“The camera is really cute and the color is fantastic for a young child. My 6-year-old niece was able to hold and take pictures and got so excited when they would print out,” wrote one reviewer.
Amazon Kids Echo Pop
A new device from Amazon meant for children, this gadget is a smart speaker designed for children ages three to 12. With a six-month subscription to Amazon Kids+ with your purchase, they’ll unlock access to Audible books, games, a way to schedule morning routines and more.
Plus, kids can ask Alexa questions, request songs and listen to bedtime stories.
Amazon Fire 7 Kids 16GB Tablet
According to the brand, this gadget gives kids the full tablet experience, without the parental stress. It features Parent Dashboard that allows you to set controls, limit screen time and more. Plus the brand says it comes with a six month subscription to Amazon Kids+, which features games, ad-free books and more kid-friendly activities.
Kindle Kids
For your mini library frequenters or your child who’s constantly packing one too many books on vacation, gift them with this Kindle, made specifically with children in mind. With the included parent dashboard, you can keep track of how often they’re reading and for how long, set bedtimes and other time constraints, add books to their library and limit the books they can consume.
Fitbit Ace LTE
Earlier this year, Google debuted a new smartwatch that has plenty of high-tech features that put kids (and their parents) first. With a corresponding data plan, kids can call and message up to 20 people (you can control their contacts), so they can always reach you or other family members when needed. They’ll stay active thanks to the fun games and daily goals that will reward them when they track different kinds of movement. Parents will also appreciate the fact that it has advanced location technology, so when you can’t be with them, you’ll always know where your kid is and that they made it to their destination safely.
Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the perfect present for every kid on your list including babies, 1-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds and 10-year-olds.
