Searching for the perfect toy or gift for a 7 year old boy? Look no further. As parents and nerds we got busy compiling the ultimate list. We focused on his physical ability and expanding social skills. Each toy plays to his strengths and tests him in a way that is challenging but fun.
7 year olds are generally past the ‘transformative’ years of physical development. Now, it’s about slow and steady refinement of motor skills. He will be constantly embracing new challenges and will revel in showing you new tricks on his stunt scooter or fidget spinner.
This ingenious machine is a simple and fun self-build computer for kids. Kano, the company behind it, has done a brilliant job of making computer building and coding easy-to-follow, exciting, and accessible for all kids – no prior experience needed.
The Kano Computer Kit (check price on Amazon) features a beautifully designed book which explains and demonstrates step-by-step how to build the computer from scratch using various real-life components.
The fun and learning don’t stop once the Kano computer has been built. With the computer fully operational, children will then follow along with various interactive projects which teach how to code art, music, and games. This is problem-solving at it’s best and real preparation for the technical career that may lie ahead.
Why He’ll Love It: He will also be able to use his self-made computer to play games, write stories, browse the web, and watch YouTube!
Lots of children dream of being an astronaut and this star projector can be a great tool in making this dream more realistic for your seven-year-old. At night, the Sega Planetarium (check price on Amazon) will transform the entire bedroom into a starry night sky that can feature constellation, shooting stars, and more. There is a timer on the device as well, so if your little one wants to look at the stars as he falls asleep, he can do so.
Why He’ll Love It: There are over 30 discs that your child can use in this star projector, so he can have the entire universe at the tip of his fingers.
The best thing about K’Nex (check price on Amazon) is that your little guy can build things that are moveable. Not to mention, he will be working on his fine motor, creative, problem-solving, and even his engineering skills.
Some of the mini-pieces might be a bit tricky for some younger kids, but it’s certainly a kit that has plenty of building options. Better yet, it comes with a “treasure chest” so that those pieces don’t go missing after playtime.
Why He’ll Love It: The included instructions show your boy how to build 35 models, so there are enough activities to keep him busy for more than one play session.
Cozmo, your child’s first robot, with artificial intelligence. Welcome to the future! This cute and clever robotic toy has gone viral, quickly topping many toy charts. Cozmo (check price on Amazon) has face recognition and gets excited when he recognizes people. He can also laugh, joke, and express hundreds of other emotions.
As he moves about Cozmo maps out his surroundings, meaning he won’t crash nor fall off tables. Add to this the Code Lab smartphone app, and things really get exciting: Kids can use their smartphones to learn code and program Cozmo to do various things with the power cubes, such as building towers or arranging them in custom ways.
Finally, Cozmo has several interactive games which he will challenge your child to. Kid vs Robot… GO!
Why He’ll Love It: Cozmo is super intelligent and feels like a robotic playmate. Plus, he’ll get to learn basic programming.
Another coding robot… but this time it’s the award-winning LEGO Boost (check price on Amazon). Your young man can build himself a robotic friend to play with, then go ahead and use code to programme it.
This Lego kit has 847 pieces that your kid can use to build Vernie the Robot as well as four other fun to build creations including Frankie the purring cat, a rover, and a cool guitar that can even be programmed to make sound effect.
Why He’ll Love It: Once your little boy has built his creations, they can come to life using the LEGO Boost app. Vernie can be programmed to dance, make you laugh with a few jokes, or jam out on his new guitar.
As the name suggests, this game promotes a marriage between dodgeball and tag. Designed for two players, each child wears a mesh vest. Whoever can get the most balls to stick to the other’s vest is the winner. It’s a simple game that promotes strategy thinking, hand-eye coordination, and physical activity.
Dodge Tag (check price on Amazon) a simple game that promotes strategy thinking, hand-eye coordination, and physical activity.
Why He’ll Love It: It’s a great outdoor game and your boy will love throwing and dodging the soft, light balls.
Your boy can work on those spatial awareness skills as he races this boat in a pool, lake, or calm river.
It can move forward, backward, right, and left and has a range of about 300 feet. This Venom RC boat (check price on Amazon) also comes with a self-right feature that can be activated if the ship rolls over, and a low battery warning so that your little guy knows when to start bringing the boat to shore.
Why He’ll Love It: He’ll have a great time with a solo “boat trip” and can also race with other RC boats without having to worry about interference from the other controllers.
Your kiddo can work on his balance with these adjustable stilts (check price on Amazon). The legs have non-slip grips on their feet, and there is an ergonomic “S” design where the shoulders rest to prevent the aluminum frame from digging into your his upper back. They’re lightweight but sturdy and will encourage your son to get active.
Why He’ll Love It: As he masters walking with the foot rests on the lower levels, you can raise them higher to give him yet another challenge so that he won’t get bored.
The TKx400i (check price on Amazon) is a serious microscope but also easy to use for youngsters. Objects are lit by two powerful LEDs and magnified up to 400-times by quality optic lenses. Your child can get creative, placing various objects and substances under the microscope. As they do, they will be transported into the incredible microscopic world.
An accompanying full-color 48-page handbook provides tons of ideas for what to look at and teaches kids all about the science and art of microscopy.
Why He’ll Love It: Although it’s child-friendly, this microscope doesn’t feel “kiddy”. It’s serious and will encourage some true scientific discovery.
Your son can construct his very own firehouse and garages with this kit (check price on Amazon). It has a total of 919 pieces, and six LEGO figures, a pole for the firefighters to “slide” down, and several other accessory pieces come included.
Not only is this set great for promoting direction following and motor skills, it also provides the perfect opportunity to go over important fire safety lessons.
Why He’ll Love It: There’s plenty to build in this kit and, with the included accessories and figures, he can have a blast engaging in free play once the buildings and vehicles are put together.
This is a fun way to work on that hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness (check price on Amazon). Your boy can fire 15 darts up to 85 feet away without having to stop and reload. As he pulls back the string and releases, one dart fires and the next is immediately ready to go. Set up a little target course, and your kiddo will have plenty of fun.
Why He’ll Love It: We think you would be pretty hard-pressed to find a kid who doesn’t want his very own bow.
Why He’ll Love It: It has a voice-activated speaker and a LED flashlight on the top.
A fun and safe alternative to the age-old slingshot. With these LED Foam Finger Rockets (check price on Amazon), your 7-year-old boy can take part in epic battles with his friends, sending these soft, luminous projectiles hurtling across the garden at his friends.
A great outdoor toy, these foam rockets are surprisingly well-made and durable. Unlike some cheaper imitations, the rubber band is sturdy and shouldn’t break easily. The LEDs then take this finger rocket to the next level. Powered by the kinetic energy generated from pulling back the elastic, these electric lights don’t require batteries. The rockets come in three colors and are bright enough that they can be played with during “nighttime battles”.
Why He’ll Love It: Whether he’s on the beach, in the garden, camping, or at a friends party, he’ll soon get a posse of other boys involved in some epic far-flung fun.
Looking for a quality marble run? Well, forget the huge plastic ones, not only are they an eyesore, but they are terrible for the environment! Instead, consider this wooden marble run by HAPE (check price on Amazon). In true HAPE fashion, it is lovingly crafted from wood and is both beautiful to look at and to touch. The quality German engineering is obvious.
The marbles run smoothly without getting stuck and the endless arrangement possibilities will keep any young boy engaged for hours. This is a toy that will withstand continuous use and will still be good to hand down to the next sibling.
Why He’ll Love It: Quality marble runs are great for quality family time.
The Pet Tornado (check price on Amazon) is an attention getter! Out of the box, it is good to go, and all it needs is a quick shake to generate the twister.
A brilliantly addictive STEM toy, the Pet Tornado creates a realistic tornado funnel which lasts for 5-10 seconds. It is a great way to inspire learning about these meteorological monsters. Just be aware, it is so fascinating and mesmerizing that it will have the whole family queueing up to take turns. If he has siblings, then you should probably consider getting them one each!
Why He’ll Love It: It creates a realistic tornado funnel that is small but still feels strangely ominous and epic!
This wild ride-on toy has a top speed of 5mph and can turn on the spot. It’s intuitive to maneuver, so your kiddo will have it mastered in no time. After that, he’ll be racing around the garden like Mad Max.
Make sure he’s supervised if using it on the street – it’s very low which makes it difficult for car drivers to see.
Why He’ll Love It: It’s easy to use and 5mph feels speedier than you imagine.
7 year olds are becoming more self-aware and form stronger opinions. Indeed, they may start to act, walk and talk pretty grown up, but remember, they are still fragile and need your warmth and encouragement. Make the most of the cuddling and hand-holding whilst you can, it won’t last for long!
Quick, make the most of your little sweetheart whilst he is still okay with a kiss and a cuddle. Soon he’ll be embarrassed and feel like he’s too old for it.
Our list of toys has been carefully chosen to suit his physical skills and his appetite for problem-solving. We hope he enjoys them.