Raising Kids Gear and Products The 19 Best Toys for 7-Year-Olds of 2022 From cameras, robots, games, and more, these toys spark interests of all kinds By Maya Polton Maya Polton LinkedIn Maya has more than 15 years of experience in digital media and communications and specializes in writing about family, food, and lifestyles. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 18, 2022 Fact checked Verywell Family content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Emily Swaim Fact checked by Emily Swaim LinkedIn Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell. Learn about our editorial process Print We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Seven-year-old kiddos are in the middle zone; some days they may still love to dress up for imaginative play and other days they may be acting like tweens. By this age, children are marking important developmental milestones, like showing more independence and wanting to play with friends. No matter the stage of your 7-year-old, there’s a toy out there that they will love. Reviewed & Approved The VTech Kidizoom Duo Selfie Camera is a real digital camera that allows kids to take photos, play games, and create photo collages. For a budget-friendly option, we recommend the Kid Made Modern Enchanting Craft Kit. Whether you choose a toy they can play with alone or with a crowd, choose something that is fun, easy to use, and fits the family’s lifestyle. We carefully considered toy safety, design, material, ease of use and assembly, and value when reviewing products. Here are the best toys for the 7-year-old in your life. Our Top Picks VTech Kidizoom Duo Selfie Camera at Amazon Kid Made Modern Enchanting Craft Kit at Amazon Really RAD Robots MiBRO at Amazon TeeTurtle Reversible Octopus Plushie at Amazon Mattel Games UNO at Amazon Doodle Hog Alpaca Squishies Paint Kit at Amazon Blingle DIY Gem Friendship Bracelet at Amazon Chalk of the Town Short Sleeve T-Shirt at Amazon Schleich Sunny Day Farm Stand at Amazon Modi Toys Baby Krishna Plush at Moditoys.com In This Article Expand Our Picks What to Look For Why Trust Verywell Family VTech Kidizoom Duo Selfie Camera Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart The VTech Kidizoom Duo Selfie Camera earned a top spot on our list because this real digital camera allows children to take photos, play games, and create photo collages. The kid-friendly design means that it’s sturdy and durable, so will hold up to the inevitable drops and bumps. It uses four AA batteries and photos download to a computer via a mini USB cord that’s included. Kid Made Modern Enchanting Craft Kit Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Barnesandnoble.com Perfect for a rainy day or quiet crafting moment, this kit is stocked with more than 250 pieces. Kids will have everything they need to craft an entire village of enchanting characters. Your kiddo will unlock their creative side to craft fairies, ghouls, and other magical creatures that they can imagine. 10 Nature Crafts To Do With Your Kids Really RAD Robots MiBRO Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon For silly kids that embrace gross-out humor, this robot sidekick will be much appreciated. The robot toy can mimic kids’ voices, make fart noises, or can be programmed to play ball (and cheer). If potty humor won’t be appreciated, skip this toy. The Best Indoor Toys & Games for Active Play TeeTurtle The Original Reversible Octopus Plushie Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon Basically two plushies in one, this viral TikTok toy will be an instant hit with your kiddo. On one side, the plushie is happy, but with a quick flip, the plushie is a different color and may be featuring a smile, frown, or something in between. Adorable and a fun fidget toy, this plushie will be their favorite thing. Mattel Games UNO Family Card Game Courtesy of Walmart View On Amazon View On Walmart UNO! This fast-paced card game is great for a crowd and is a classic family game for good reason. Portable, with quick gameplay, there’s no reading required so it’s appropriate for younger siblings too. If your kid is familiar with classic UNO, check out some of the themed card decks for a fun spin on the favorite. The Best Family Board Games for Some Friendly Competition Doodle Hog Alpaca Squishies Paint Kit Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Doodlehog.com Combine squishies and an art project and you’ll get this innovative kit. Kids will love painting their very own alpaca, cactus, and smiling sun squishy. Along with the blank squishies, the set includes paint, brushes, and decorating accessories. Blingle DIY Gem Friendship Bracelet Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon Remember making friendship bracelets with your besties? Well, this gem-filled DIY kit is just like those vintage bracelets but way better. Each pod is filled with five different bracelets to get your mini designer started. The best part is that each kit comes with three surprise designs to help your little one create the perfect bracelet. Packaged in a handy kit, the pod can be used as storage for the gemstones as well and is the perfect carrying case to take the set to the next sleepover. The 22 Best Gifts for 7-Year-Old Girls of 2022 Chalk of the Town Speech Bubble Short Sleeve T-Shirt Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Chalk-of-the-town.com Creative kids will love decorating their very own t-shirt with the included chalk markers. Once they've had enough of one look, they can simply erase the design and make something new. You'll appreciate the machine-washable chalk markers that won’t bleed in the laundry. Choose from five sizes for a perfect fit. 10 Nature Crafts To Do With Your Kids Schleich Sunny Day Farm Stand Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Schleich-s.com Inspire imaginative play with this high-quality set of farm stand characters. Built to last, fun alone or with other sets, this farm stand includes 21 realistic pieces including two humans, a horse, and lots of other items. Modi Toys Baby Krishna Plush Courtesy of Modi Toys View On Moditoys.com Part playful, part naughty, this Baby Krishna plush is cute, huggable, and can even be personalized with your child’s name. Battery operated, the plush sings five mantras that’ll inspire kids to sing along. Created by a family-owned business, the goal is to educate kids about Indian culture in a fun and engaging way that they will love. Huggaroo Weighted Plushie Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Huggaroo.com Perfect for chilling at home, traveling, the classroom, or anywhere else, Huggaroos are weighted stuffed animals that relax and soothe your kiddo. The gentle pressure and stimulation come from a machine washable stuffed animal that weighs 3.6 pounds. Fantastic for soothing a sensory kid, these come in two sweet animals. PLUS PLUS Travel Case and Blocks Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon The joy of PLUS PLUS blocks is that they empower kids to freely explore while building fine motor skills, creativity, imagination, and STEM thinking. This set includes 100 pieces, a base plate, and to the joy of parents, a convenient case that holds up to 500 blocks. Kids can create a 3D masterpiece or a flat design all with the same set of pieces. I See Me Courtesy of Maisonette View On Maisonette.com Big little football fans will cheer for this personalized book that puts them at the center of the story. Choose from a number of popular college football teams, skin tone that matches your child, and add your kiddo’s name for a custom book that’s truly one of a kind. The 9 Best Kids Activity Books to Keep Kids Busy ThinkFun Zingo! Sight Words Game Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart Just like bingo, Zingo Sight Words is perfect for early readers, using the game format to reinforce the importance of sight words. Easy, fun, and fast-paced, most 7-year-olds will be able to play without the help of an adult. Stomp Rocket Ultra Rocket Courtesy of Walmart View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Fatbraintoys.com Head outside and start stomping! This kid-powered toy is simple and super fun. The set comes with a stomp launcher and four foam-topped rockets. Great for year-round fun, these rockets will get kids outside. Klee Naturals Play Makeup Courtesy of Klee Naturals View On Maisonette.com Feel good about make-up with this non-toxic set from a mom-made company. Crafted in the USA, the set includes two lip shimmers, blush, and eye shadow. Gentle and safe, this is a perfect set for young kids. Melissa & Doug African Safari 100 Piece Puzzle Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon Just challenging enough for kids to do alone or with a friend, this jumbo floor puzzle has 100 pieces and is over four feet long when it’s built. Sturdy pieces mean it’s long-lasting and kids will love spotting their favorite safari animals once the puzzle is complete. The 8 Best Puzzles for Kids of 2022 Motorola Solutions Motorola Talkabout Radio 3-Pack View On Amazon View On Walmart Easy to use, these kid-sized walkie-talkies will inspire lots of adventures. Three AAA batteries are required, but they’ll last up to 18 hours as kids keep in touch. With 22 different channels to chat on and a maximum radius of 16 miles, your mini squad will love talking on this set. Over and out! Melissa & Doug Chef Dress Up Costume Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon Many 7-year-olds still relish creative play and Melissa & Doug’s well-made costumes are a perfect addition to any dress-up closet or corner. The chef’s costume will inspire great meals but choose from lots of different options that your kiddo will enjoy. The 11 Best Halloween Costumes for Kids of 2022 Final Verdict For a gift that’s great for family game night, UNO (view on Amazon) is a simple card game that can be played by nearly everyone. It’s portable, fast, and fun. For fun alone or with a crew, both the Melissa & Doug African Safari 100 Piece Puzzle (view on Amazon) and Melissa & Doug Chef Dress Up Costume (view on Amazon) can be used over and over again. What to Look for in Toys for 7-Year-Olds Interests By the time a kid is 7 years old, they are likely in a transition period where their interests are becoming more mature. They may be less interested in imaginative play and, instead, drawn to games with strategy and critical thinking or video/online games. This transition can be tricky to navigate, so if you’re in doubt, opt for a toy that may be slightly more advanced for a 7-year-old rather than something that they’ll grow out of quickly (or scoff at as "too babyish"). Just like with clothes, buying a toy that they can grow into extends the life of the product which makes it a better investment. Milestones Part of the reason a 7-year-old’s interests are tough to pin down is because of their developmental stage. Pediatrician David L. Hill, MD, FAAP, explains to Verywell Family that developmental milestones in the first five years of life are very well mapped, but “they tend to cluster from ages 5 and 10,” and outside factors play a big part in that progression, such as where they are academically and their social circle. Kids are still meeting expected and identifiable milestones at this time, but pacing varies more than it did when they were younger. At this age, kids are working on skills like these, and may enjoy toys that support this growth. Strategic thinking: The Plus Plus Travel set (view on Amazon) is a great activity for 7-year-olds as they become more curious and enjoy more complex challenges. Social skills: By 7 years old, friendships and teamwork become increasingly more important to kids and the Motorola Solutions Motorola Talkabout Radio (view on Amazon) offers an excellent opportunity to play with friends and go on “missions” as a group. Math skills: Most 7-year-olds have either mastered basic math or are well on their way to it so games that involve simple math skills, like Uno (view on Amazon), are fun while also offering some addition and subtraction practice. Entertainment Value Much like their interests and general development, there is no one way to be sure a toy will be entertaining for a 7-year-old because of the period of change they are in. However, you can get a clue by looking at where they are academically. “As kids develop reading skills, the books, games, and puzzles they enjoy [will] grow in complexity,” says Dr. Hill, adding that the same is true as math and motor skills strengthen as well. Frequently Asked Questions How many toys should a 7-year-old have? While your 7-year-old may suggest otherwise, there’s no minimum number of toys they need for cognitive development, entertainment, or life satisfaction. In fact, promising research on toddlers suggests that fewer toys actually lead to longer periods of play per toy, greater focus, and more creative play—a perfectly good argument to share with an older child who has a bottomless wish list. How do toys influence a child's development? Toys can provide new opportunities for children to practice skills like problem-solving, imaginative play, and critical thinking, all depending on the toy. That said, it’s often play that fosters all of these skills, not toys themselves. So rest assured that your child’s toy collection won’t make or break their academic, social, or emotional success. How do I choose a toy my child would want? When purchasing a toy for a 7-year-old child, a good place to begin is to ask them what toys they wish they had at home. They may seek inspiration from commercials or playdates where they’ve played with friends' toys. If you’d prefer to surprise them, consider your child’s interests and choose a toy that speaks to them and is age-appropriate. Why Trust Verywell Family? Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She's also the mom of a 10-year-old son, a 7-year-old son, and a 3-year-old daughter. Her kids are super active, so she's always looking for toys that get them outside and playing for as long as possible. She's found that chalk, scooters, and stomp rockets are perfect for one-size-fits-all fun. Additional reporting by Ashley Ziegler Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get expert tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 2 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Middle childhood (6-8 years of age). Dauch C, Imwalle M, Ocasio B, Metz AE. The influence of the number of toys in the environment on toddlers’ play. Infant Beh Dev. 2018;50:78-87. doi:10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.11.005