By the age of 8 most kids are beginning to enjoy both being active and board games that are competitive in nature, tend to like to collect things such as matchbox cars, rocks, shells or numerous other things. Spending time with other children their age is also extremely important to children this age as is having a sense of independence.
When choosing toys for children this age you want to choose something that will meet the child’s growing interests and need to stay active.
Below we have reviewed a list of some of the best 8 year old toys!
Our List of the Very Best Toys for 8 Year Olds
Rock Painting Kit
Summary
A great gift for encouraging a child who is aged 8 creativity this rock painting kit is fun and allows a child to express themselves while making some cute objects to collect or for their room décor.
Pros
- Great transfers that makes painting easier
- These man made rocks are smooth
Cons
- Comes with less designs than expected
What Makes This Stand Out?
Instead of using river or natural rocks this kit uses man made rocks that are smoother and have less flaws than natural rocks do. The transfers for these rocks only add to the ability to create really interesting rock paintings.
Skateboard
Summary
This skateboard is only 22 inches long and makes a great toy for any 8 year olds who enjoy cruising down the sidewalk or in the park.
Pros
- Sturdy and durable
- Helps young children improve their balance while getting some good exercise
Cons
- May feel too small for some children
Gravitrax Starter Set
Summary
Gravitrax is the perfect gift for any child who enjoys marble runs and science. This 122 piece building set allows children to build their own tracks while learning some basic engineering, science and spatial reasoning.
Pros
- Lots of possible building combinations will keep children occupied building and testing their marble run
- Comes with some suggestive builds to get kids started
Cons
- Some of the tracks are missing from some of the units
What Makes This Stand Out?
This marble run is great because it not only offers children hours of building fun, but it also teaches them about gravity and basic engineering and problem solving skills.
Slackline for Kids
Summary
A slackline makes a great toy for kids because it keeps them active while helping improve balance and help build core body strength. This slackline comes with an overhead guide rope to make traveling across the slackline easier while helping to build self confidences
Pros
- Slackline is strong
- Reasonably easy to set up and take down
Cons
- Some sets were missing the training line
Wooden Puzzle Animal Set
Product Currently Out Of Stock!
Summary
This wild bird set makes a great educational toy for an 8 year old. Each puzzle comes on a wood sheet ready to punch out complete with directions for assembly, which will encourage the child to both read and follow written directions. Best of all each puzzle can be displayed in natural wood or painted.
Pros
- Fun to assemble and makes a great décor for child’s room
- Several puzzle kits to choose from
Cons
- Some kits came with missing puzzles
What Makes This Stand Out?
Getting 6 individual animal puzzles will challenge a child’s puzzle building skills, encourage their interest in the animals they put together and provide them with unique displays for their room.
Bow and Arrow Set
Summary
Archery is a great hobby for people of all ages so giving a young child a safe bow and arrow set as a gift to begin learning the fundamentals of archery and to have fun while perfecting their skills just may be a perfect gift.
Pros
- Great for shooting at targets like cans
- Shoots a nice distance
Cons
- The drawstring tends to break
What Makes This Stand Out?
The arrows have foam tips instead of the standard suction cup tips. The arrows also fit right on the bow to keep everything together.
Labyrinth Board Game
Summary
With Kids spending so much more time at home these days a board game makes a great toy for an 8 year old and encourages him to spend time with parents and siblings. Labyrinth is a board game that is easy enough for an a child who is 8, but challenging enough that older siblings and parents won’t become easily bored.
Pros
- Every game is new
- The game board changes as you play requiring you to use strategy and luck
Cons
- Like any game some people don’t like this game
What Makes This Stand Out
This game will help children think ahead, employee strategy and learn good sportsmanship both when winning and losing.
The Borrows Book Set
Summary
Books always make a great gift for kids as they encourage children and learn about the world or use their imagination. This Borrows book set is a combination of a little bit fantasy and a little bit adventure that will capture your child’s attention and imagination.
Pros
- Characters in these books grab children’s attention
- The Stories are engaging
Cons
- Some of the book sets come damaged
What Makes This Stand Out?
Set of 5 books that are easy to read and keeps children interested in finding out what happens next
Weighted Blanket
Summary
If you are looking for a useful gift for an 8 year old then what could be better than a weighted blanket? One of these blankets will help a child sleep better and will allow them to feel like they are wrapped in a hug.
Pros
- Helps children fall asleep faster
- Not overly hot to sleep under
Cons
- The weight beads tend to fall out over time
What Makes This Stand Out?
Having a weighted blanket can help children feel less anxious and fall asleep easily and sleep better throughout the night.
ArmoGear Infrared Laser Tag Set
Summary
This set provides an authentic laser tag game for children who are 8. Unlike other similar models, this particular model includes target vests, invisibility mode, night vision flashlight, voice-guided directions, a variety of shooting modes, and as much as 150 feet of shooting range. They also utilize child-safety infrared signal emission.
Pros
- Up to 4 players can participate at the same time with each kit
- Long shoot range means the playing field is much larger
Cons
- Each vest uses 3 AAA batteries
- Each blaster uses 3 AAA batteries
What Makes This Stand Out?
This is a great option since it allows for your child to engage in group play and be active burning off access energy.
[td_smart_list_end]
Buyer’s Guide for Choosing Gifts & Toys for 8 Year Olds
Let the Child Be Your Guide
When buying gifts for a child, why not let the child be your guide? Talk with them and find out what things they enjoy doing and what new things they would like to explore and gear your gifts to those interests.
Don’t Push A Child Into Gender Specific Toys
Despite our best efforts we all have our idea of what are a girl’s toys and what are boy’s toys and all too often we push our beliefs onto a child sending them a silence message that some toys are appropriate for them and some are not. This is a bad message to send our kids and may keep them from exploring toys that really interest them. Children will when left to their own devices and encouraged to do so let you know where their true interests lie.
Choose Open Ended Toys
Toys that can be used in more than one way not only allows children to have more fun with that specific toy, but also allows them to explore and engage in self learning.
Conclusion to Wonderful 8 Year Old Toys
Buying toys for an 8 year old doesn’t have to be stressful and it is our hope that this buying guide will help make your gift shopping easier and more fun.
