Top 10 Gifts For Super Smart Kids

Finding toys for smart kids is a challenge because they often get bored with toys that are age-recommended. 

So in this post I’m gonna suggest some toys that your intelligent child or grandchild might like! 

One of the greatest things about children is that they love learning! They thrive on toys and games that teach as well as entertain. 

As parents, we sometimes find a toy or game that we think our child will love. We expect our child to go crazy for it, and while they may be thrilled with it at first, it doesn’t last long. 

Buying toys for gifted kids can be especially tricky, so I came up with this list of 10 ideas of the best gifts for super-smart kids to help make your search for the perfect presents for bright children easier!

HOW TO FIND GREAT TOYS FOR GIFTED CHILDREN 

Games and toys provide a way for all children to explore different paths of thinking, learning, moving, and interacting with their friends and family members and strangers in public.

Unfortunately, games that look exciting from the box, can feel repetitive after one time playing it. 

Also, it can be difficult to find the perfect item for intelligent children, because the manufacturers’ recommended ages are often not correct for gifted kids. 

The challenge, though, is how to find age-appropriate toys for brainy kids that not only are intellectually stimulating, but also super fun at the same time??

If you find yourself wondering “What are some good, nerdy gifts for an 11 year-old girl?” or “Is this appropriate for my child?” Well, look no further!

Here are 4 guidelines to evaluate any toys or games you’re considering for a child. Follow these to help make it more likely to bring home a toy that your child will actually love and play with. 

Any game or toy that you purchase for your child should:

1. Be Challenging – Gifted kids need a challenge or they get bored quickly. Games and toys that allow them to exercise their minds (or solve problems) are terrific choices!
2. Spark Creativity – Intellectual kids need to use their imaginations too! I love toys and games that encourage kids to solve problems or make things to stimulate creativity.
3. Feed Interests – If they aren’t interested in it, odds are it will never leave the packaging. You have a better chance at success with your gift if you pick something related to other interests your child has. For example, if your child loves building, then a LEGO set or a kit for building a robotic arm may be the best thing you can choose.
4. Be Age-Appropriate – This means something a little different than you normally think of for age-appropriate toys. Even if your child is an actual genius on the intelligence charts, his or her emotional, psychological and physical maturity is most likely still on par with their actual number age. Because gifted children are intellectually advanced, they often get bored with toys recommended for their age. Games recommended for older kids are a better fit for their cognitive skills- just make sure that the subject matter is suitable and there isn’t a safety hazard for your child. For example, a gifted 9 year old may be able to read at a high school level, but that doesn’t mean they need to be exposed to the sexual or violent content a young adult book may have. 

BEST GIFTS FOR SUPER SMART KIDS

The toys on this list will help kids learn about electronics, biology, engineering, and more.

STEM (which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) toys are often great choices as presents for above grade-level kids because they provide a challenge.

They are not simply lists of “smart toys” like robots. Rather they are toys that challenge your child’s brain and stimulate them intellectually and sometimes physically. 

1. DRONE

Drones are so much fun! They are an excellent gift idea for gifted children because they have a learning curve when starting to use one. Plus, drones help kids get some exercise and fresh air while learning hands-on skills.

I don’t recommend purchasing a huge, expensive drone for your young child. There are, however, lots of great options for small, beginner drones that even 8 year-olds can operate safely. My son really loved this hand operated drone when he was younger.

This Altair Aerial Beginner drone has a recommended age of 14 years, but for gifted kids, I think starting as early as 9, 8, or even 7 years old is realistic.

2. ZOOB BuilderZ S.T.E.M. CHALLENGE

What makes this building kit different is that is has moving pieces including gears, axles, and joints. This allows your child’s creations to rotate, spin, and extend. It allows brainy kids to design, invent and build their own toys like catapults, a zip line, vehicles, monsters, or even monsters that turn into vehicles. 

Your child can dream up clever solutions to challenges because Zoob BuilderZ STEM Challenge gives you the tools you need to design and build creations to solve tests, such as hitting targets and making balls bounce. 

It has a manufacturer’s recommended age of 6-15 years old, but this would make an excellent present for a talented 5-year-old or advanced 4-year-old as well!

This actually looks like a toy I played with in kindergarten, so I know that’s an appropriate age. I could have played with it for hours upon hours!

3. BIT CODING ROBOT 

The kids often think they want a robot: a dancing robot, a dog robot, a cat robot, but once they get them, they get boring super fast. 

BIT is different. Kids can control this award-winning, pocket-sized basic robot by coding with the marker and stickers on paper to start. Then as kids learn, they can use the visual drag and drop OzoBlocky code editor on a computer or tablet.

What a great way to introduce kids to coding and how it affects the real world! The Bit Coding Robot is recommended for 6 years and up, but I think it’s ideal for 5-12 year-olds.

4. SNAP CIRCUITS 

Talk about learning practical skills! Snap Circuits are brilliant because it lets kids learn about and create working electronic circuits in a hands-on way.

By using over 80 color-coded, real circuit components that snap together to create working electronic circuits and devices. 

It’s recommended for children 8 and older, but my 7 year-old delighted in doing some of the 750 do-it-yourself projects that provide an entertaining, concrete education on how electronics work. 

5. MARBLE RUN 

The GraviTrax Marble Run is an interactive track system that allows your child to design and build their own race tracks and experiment with gravity, magnetism, and kinetics to push their ball to the end.

You can get so many extras for it like this expansion set or this trampoline accessory and assemble a truly unique & incredible gift this way.

Designed for 8 years and up, this product would easily work for children 5 and up who are safe around marbles.

The options don’t end with GraviTrax, either! Here are 50 more marble run options to consider >>

I have to admit, marble mazes like this kept me busy for hours upon hours as a kid. I am torn between getting one of these and a laser tag game like this for my son this year! 

6. ThinkFun LASER MAZE

Show me a child who isn’t fascinated with lasers (have you ever let your child use a laser pointer to tease the cat? Mine won’t put it down!). The cool thing about lasers is that you can bend the light with mirrors.

This Laser Maze from Thinkfun is on my list of the best gifts for intellectual kids because in order to win, your child has to arrange the mirrors on the grid to direct the laser beam to a target. There are 60 different challenges, with varying degrees of difficulty. To a child, it feels like magic!

It’s rated for 8 and up, but super-smart kids as young as 5 or 6 will be enthralled with this challenge.

7. WIND POWER SCIENCE KIT 

With wind power becoming increasingly prevalent in the news and our future, teach your kids about it with this amazing Wind Power Science Kit. 

With this kit, your child can build a realistic wind turbine to harness wind power. They will learn to assemble a wind turbine complete with electric generator and adjustable rotor blades, convert the wind turbine into an electric fan by using the electric generator as a motor, and more.

The manufacturer’s recommended age is 8-15 years old, but for gifted kids, I think 6+ and would enjoy this kit and learn from it.

8. KITCHEN SCIENCE KIT 

Convert your kitchen into a science lab with the Kitchen Science Kit. Create a working volcano, generate electricity with a lemon, launch a vinegar-powered rocket and much more.

Use common kitchen ingredients to perform six classic home science experiments! Rated for 8-15 years, but if you have a gifted child who loves to help you cook, you could do this with them as young as about 5 years old.

9. SOLAR ROVER KIT 

Solar Rover Kit teaches children how to harness the light of the sun to power everyday objects. Transform a recycled soda can into a solar-powered rover.  A creative and fun way to learn about cause and effect!

Recommended for ages 8 years and up, but gifted kids as young as 6 could likely do this independently (younger kids can still enjoy it but will need help).

10. KidzLabs FINGERPRINT KIT 

Kids love solving mysteries! Who left the cup by the sink? Who took the last cookie from the jar? Learn how to detect and collect fingerprints just like a forensics expert with this Fingerprint Kit. 

Even though the recommended age is 8 years and up, I think kids as young as 5 would enjoy this present idea!

There you go! 10 amazing presents for gifted children! Every item on this list with interest and entertain kids from 5 to 12+ years.

Let’s Keep Going! Even More Gift Ideas

This list has been so popular that I’d like to come up with some more options!

11. DIFFICULT RIDDLES FOR SMART KIDS

Riddles are great for any age but they are amazing for kids to do.

I remember loving riddles when I was younger and getting to ask my friends and family to answer them was a lot of fun on long car trips. (It was for me at least. IDK about for them.) 

Even as an adult I have a riddle book I keep in the bathroom for people to enjoy. You’d be amazed how much use it gets and it’s a great way to stimulate thinking. 

12. SHAPE SHIFTING BOX

The Shashibo fidget box features 36 rare earth magnets for an innovative design that transforms into over 70 shapes. It really is neat how the box molds shapes and it just looks so cool. 

It provides hours of mind-challenging fun, and stimulates the senses with unlimited creative possibility!

I know exactly how I would use this box. Instead of having movies playing on a long trip, I would have the kids play with this box instead. There’s no mess like with markers, stickers or crayons. It would also prompt them to become interested in geometric concepts and possibly architecture. 

13. MAGICAL MICROBES MUDWATT STEM KIT

This mud powered STEM kit lets you build your own living fuel cell that feeds on soil!

Can you even imagine using dirt to make a battery? You can even use things from your fridge to try and “power up” your soil.

14. MARBLE RUN PUZZLE

This gift takes the cake for being both a puzzle (my favorite thing on the planet) and a STEM activity. 

A gift like this one could be the beginning of a lifelong love of these types of games. I can see them getting almost addictive because they are so fun and so creative. 

15.RACING DOMINOES

Do your kids watch those Youtube videos of intricately laid out domino tiles being knocked over? They go down steps, over window sills, down the sidewalk, or even make images with their colors. It’s such a awesome skill.

Get your kids their own tiles so they can make their own designs. 

16. WOODEN PUZZLE

Jigsaw puzzles are always a great idea for stimulating thinking and having hours of fun. This wooden mandala puzzle is beautiful and has so many unique shapes hidden in it. 

If you have a kid that likes puzzles, this is one to share with them for sure. 

17. Einstein Box Science Experiment Kit

This chemistry kit is pretty cool. It has over 100 science experiments that kids can do and is perfect for the beginner scientist. 

Little kids 8 and older are the most appropriate for this kit. My nephew received this one as a birthday gift and he had hours of fun doing these activities. 

18. ATM Piggy Bank

I remember wanted one of these soooooo badly when I was younger. It would have been the perfect gift for 12 year old me. 

The ones out then weren’t nearly as a updated though. This ATM piggy bank looks like a legit ATM machine and has a card to work like one. This would be a great Christmas or birthday present to teach kids about money and saving. 

19. Electricity and Magnetism Kit

Do you remember Bill Nye the Science Guy and other tv shows where you could see cool science experiments?

I found this kit to be a fascinating one. It’s like bringing those shows into your home! 

It is educational and fun and easy and safe enough to be done in your kitchen. You’re kids will learn so much from this gift. 

20. More to come soon!

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