The Best Gifts for Kids: From a Mandalorian Lego Set to a Nintendo Switch
All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors. However, Variety may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Whether your kid is a novice photographer, a budding musician or chef in training, there are dozens of fun games to gift this year that will immerse them in imaginative play that can also be fun for the whole family.
More from Variety
From high-tech devices like the Nintendo Switch and polaroid cameras, to educational devices like the Kindle Kid’s edition, here are the best gifts for kids that will be sure to entertain them through the new year.
Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera (21% Off)
If you have a novice photographer in the house, who isn’t quite ready for a real point-and-shoot, FujiFilms are the way to go. Not only does do polaroids offer instant gratification, but the Instant Mini comes in a bunch of fun kid-friendly colors (which, in a cute touch, also match colored filters). Plus, a small mirror next to the lens allows for easy selfies and a close-up attachment makes shooting up to 35 cm away possible.
Buy: Fujifilm Instax Instant Camera $89.00
Star Wars Bluetooth Wireless Speaker
Baby Yoda will light up your kid’s room in this Bluetooth compatible speaker. Aside from being wildly adorable, the Mandalorian-inspired device, which includes speech and sound from the hit series, can also stream music up to 30 feet away with an impressive bass and small but powerful subwoofer. Check out our complete “Star Wars” gift guide here.
Funko Marvel Battleworld (14% Off)
Any Marvel fanatic will be obsessed with this expandable and collectible adventure game, which allows players to crack open the mysterious Thanostones to reveal the mystery characters inside. This Mega-Pack is a great jumping off point for years of immersive and cooperative play, including four starting Heroes (such as an exclusive Negative Zone Spiderman Variant) and two more trapped in the Thanostones. Check out dozens of other Marvel-inspired gifts here.
Buy: Funko Marvel Battleworld $22.91
Ravensburger Harry Potter Strike Game (16% Off)
Potterheads rejoice! This addicting board game is kid-friendly but also makes for a fantastical board game that anyone in the family can take part in. Players can immerse themselves in the Wizarding World in sorcerous duels: Each roll of the dice comes with its own sorcerous spell that any Harry Potter fan will recognize, such as Confundus Charms, Revulsion Jinxes, Disarming Charms and dozens of others. Harry Potter fans might also enjoy something from this Wizarding World-inspired gift guide.
Buy: Ravensburger Harry Potter Game $29.99
MasterChef Junior Cooking Essentials
Whether your kid enjoys a vocation as a personal sous-chef in the kitchen, or simply dreams of cooking a meal for the infamous Gordon Ramsay in “Master Chef,” this comprehensive cooking kit makes for the perfect gift for any little chefs in training. The nine-piece set is designed with officially licensed “Master Chef” branding for a realistic reality TV experience, with safe and kid-friendly tools such as a cutting board, mixing bowl, measuring bowls and spoons and spatulas. Of course, if you have more veteran chefs in the household you can always find something in our roundup of “Top-Chef”-inspired Gifts.
Buy: MasterChef Junior Cooking Essentials $39.99
Kindle PaperWhite for Kids (45% Off)
The Kindle Kid’s edition has been a best-selling favorite among parents since it came out earlier this year, and now can make the perfect gift for any kid who dives into their imagination through dense mystery and fantasy novels. The 10th generation tablet, which is currently 45% off for Black Friday, is geared towards reading books only, with no distracting games ads or videos. Plus, it comes with more than a year of Amazon Kids+, a kid-friendy cover and two-year guarantee that would normally be valued at $219.
Concert Ukulele for Kids
Guitar Hero has nothing on this real-life concert ukulele, made specifically for kids and beginners looking for an easy way to learn chords and jam with friends. What makes this ukulele special is its intelligent teaching technology, which connects to APP for free learning and guidance, and is equipped with 72 LED lights on the fret board to indicate chord positions.
Buy: Concert Ukelele for Kids $189.99
Kano The Star Wars The Force Coding Kit (63% Off)
Introduce your kid to the world of coding with this fun “Star Wars”-themed coding toy from the award-winning STEM company Kano. Players can swing lightsabers, force push Stormtroopers and pilot X-wings, all while building a code-created sensor that serves as a portal to the intergalactic world. In addition to playing with force powers, kids can also code beats to music and build out their own storylines as characters such as BB-8, Yoda and the Falcon.
Buy: Star Wars Coding Kit $49.95
Nintendo Switch Lite Holiday Bundle
The Nintendo Switch has been sold out on online retailers for months but is finally more widely available for Black Friday and the Holidays. You don’t want to miss this rare drop, which is likely to sell out fast as the holidays approach. The Holiday Bundle makes for a particularly good deal, including the coveted console, left and right Joy-con controllers and a free copy of Mario Rabbis Kingdom Battle. If they’re already set with a console, though, you can also check out our list of the best gifts for gamers to buy this year, as recommended by professional gamers (in addition to the best video games to come out this year).
Echo Glow (43% Off)
A nightlight, speaker and alarm clock: the Echo Glow does it all, and makes for a fun addition to any kid’s bedroom or playroom. The multicolor smart lamp is designed for kids, with the entire family in mind: it comes with lighting cues that help to count down towards dinner or reading times, and gives kids the freedom to choose their own color landscapes and other Alexa-controlled options.
Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian The Razor Crest
This buildable Razor Crest can have kids role-play as a heroic warrior in scenes inspired by the “Mandalorian.” In addition to the ultra-realistic assault ship, designed after the one used by bounty hunter Din Djarin in the Disney Plus series, the set also comes with four mini figures of The Mandalorian, Greef Karga, Scout Trooper and The Child, for cooperative and imaginative play for any kids 10 and up. Check out more impressive Lego Sets to gift this year here.
Buy: Lego Star Wars The Mandalorian Razor Crest $129.99
Marvel Villainous: Mischief and Malice Expandalone Game ‘
Competitive card games can be a great way for kids to utilize creative and critical thinking skills. In this immersive hour-long card game, kids can dominate the Marvel Universe as Loki or Madame Masque. If you’re playing as the mercurial villain Loki, then you need to gain and spend ten “mischief,” gained via multiverse personalities. M.O.D.O.K, on the other hand, gains points by maintaining A.I.M’s loyalty and activating the Cosmic Cube.
a
Pokemon Battle Academy Board Game
Kids can join Pokémon Trainers at the Battle Academy in this ready-to-play trading game, which includes everything two players need for an easy-to-follow game. Start off by choosing Charizard or Pokemon to lead your team in a battle against another Trainer, before switching up the decks to play as other characters.
Fire HD Kids Tablet (50% Off)
The Fire HD tablet is a great option for younger readers who aren’t quite ready for the denser reading options on the Kindle. Not only is it packed in a kid-proof case with a wide range of vibrant colors, but it also comes with a free year of Amazon Kids+, for access to thousands of apps, games, books and videos that are both entertaining and educational. Helpful parental controls can help parents set educational goals and create time limits, but it also comes with channels such as Nickelodeon and PBS kids, and even Netflix and Minecraft, to serve as an immersive toy for long car rides or plane trips.
Buy: Fire HD Kids Tablet $69.99
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
