Best gadgets for kids: 10 techy toys for all interests

By Rachel Howatson

Published: Thursday, 07 July 2022 at 12:00 am

We make our lives more effortless by filling our homes with cool gadgets, so perhaps it’s time to give the kids a turn. From child-friendly tech including tablets and speakers to keep them occupied on a rainy day, to STEM toys and robotics for the budding engineers, there’s a kids’ gadget for all hobbies and interests. There’s a lot of self-interest involved too as choosing the right kids’ gadget for your child can result in a peaceful afternoon as they’re kept busy and entertained. So treat them, and yourself.

Whether your little one is passionate for the outdoors, a coder in the making or the next Phil Collins, find a kids’ gadget in our list to help fuel their passion.

For more toy box inspiration, check out the best eco-friendly kids’ toys.

Best gadgets for kids 2022

Geosafari Jr. My First Microscope (ages 3-7)

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A kids’ gadget for curious minds and budding scientists, this children’s microscope lets kids investigate whatever they’ve come across, whether it’s a garden flower or a shell from the beach.

Designed for pre-schoolers, the large dual eye piece lets children view their findings with both eyes open, so it’s much easier for children to use. There’s a large dial so kids can adjust the focus, and with eight times magnification they can zoom in on their latest discoveries and have fun exploring their natural surrounding. Don’t forget to pick up three AAA batteries.

Yoto Player (ages 3-8)

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If you don’t look forward to a nightly theatrical performance of the same bedtime story, find a gadget that reads kids’ stories for you. The Yoto Player is a child-friendly audio player that works with story cards, so your children can drift off listening to their favourite tales. You can buy the cards separately – making future Christmas and birthday presents a breeze – and they simply slot into the cute cube.

This particular Yoto Player set comes with The Gruffalo and Friends Pack which includes six of popular author Julia Donaldson’s stories, so you can get the story card collection off to a good start when gifting this gadget.

The screen-free device features a colourful and sweet pixel display, and there’s a night-light mode for evenings. This lovely kids’ gadget is also free of adverts, microphones and cameras, so you can leave it in their room with peace of mind.

Toy DJ mixer (ages 6+)

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Let your little one raise the roof at their next birthday party with this funky DJ mixer set for kids. Featuring a microphone, speaker and music-syncing light effects, this kids’ gadget is sure to get the party started. Kids can record their own sounds and there are 15 different tracks, so there are plenty of sounds to play around with. There’s even a turntable for wannabe DJs to have a go at spinning the decks.

You can play music from a phone through Bluetooth connection too so you don’t necessarily have to listen to your children’s musical creations for the whole party.

Amazon Fire 8 kids tablet (ages 3-7)

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While we attempt to get the right balance when it comes to children’s screen time, it’s of course very appealing to have a movie-playing device to hand for long car journeys and late dinners out. The Amazon Fire 8 kids tablet gives children access to films, audio books, games and apps. You can control the device from your phone which gives you the power to set age limits, control screen times and set educational goals.

The chunky brightly coloured case should be fairly tantrum-proof, and you can plug in headphones. It’s also a way to keep small, sticky swiping fingers away from your precious tablets and devices, so it’s a win win really.

For more children’s toys:

Garmin vivofit Jr. 3 fitness tracker for kids (ages 4-9)

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If you’re in the market for a kids’ smart watch for your active child – particularly if they’re a Marvel fan – this option from Garmin could do the job nicely. The Avenger-themed watch is a bit of a fitness tracker and gaming device mash up, as certain levels of activity can unlock superhero games and adventures for children to follow along.

Fun for parents too, adults can assign chores, give out rewards and monitor activity through an app. With a battery life of a year, you’ll not have to deal with the faff of charging it every night so it’s always ready for sports day and swimming lessons.

Sphero robot ball (ages 8+)

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Sphero specialise in coding toys and programmable robots, so it’s worth checking out if you’re looking for some new STEM toys. Rather than opting for a more traditional coding toy with a robot-like appearance, give this football robot a go. You can control the ball’s movements – dribbling and shooting – through an app on your phone by tilting the device, or swiping the screen. Kids can get a taste of block-based programming by dragging and dropping Scratch blocks on the app too.

The ball is a lot smaller than you may think – just the size of a table tennis ball – so you don’t need loads of space. The kit even comes with tiny cones, so kids can try out their new coding skills by creating drills.

Kearui walkie talkies (ages 3-12)

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Walkie talkies are always a fun choice of kids’ gadget. What kid doesn’t enjoy hiding behind garden trees and pretending to be a spy? Great for play dates and sleepovers, let children entertain themselves with these easy-to-use walkie talkies. This set boasts an impressive three mile range, and features a handy built-in torch, so it’s great for family camping trips.

VTech Kidizoom Studio HD video camera set (ages 5-12)

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One for budding filmmakers, this kids’ video camera is packed with loads of fun features. Thanks to the addition of a green screen, children can unleash their creative sides and make use of the 20 backgrounds. Beach, outer space and TV show are all up for grabs. The HD video recorder comes with a tripod stand and there’s a selfie option too. A top birthday present idea for kids who love to perform.

Tobbie Robot, self-guiding AI robot (ages 8+)

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Kids can build this little six-legged AI robot themselves, so it’s another one for the STEM collection. Pour the individual pieces onto a table, and make an afternoon of it.

Once constructed, you’ve got two options with Tobbie: ‘follow me’ and ‘explore’. The very cute self-guiding robot can follow moving objects – including waving hands – or move around freely (don’t worry he has sensors to prevent him from bumping into things). A solid option for a rainy day – children can take the time to build him, and then have fun watching him scuttle across the room as they wave and gesture to control the movements.

You’ll need four AAA batteries to bring this kids’ gadget to life.

Digital drumsticks (ages 4+)

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If your music loving child has been nagging you for a drum kit for a while, you can always kick off their drumming career with a set of digital drumsticks. No actual drum needed, digital drumsticks feature built-in drum kit sounds so your kids can whack them against any surface and pretend it’s a drum. The drumsticks also come with rhythm tracks, LED lights and built-in speakers. So you can save on space, and perhaps a little on the noise front.

Buy the digital drumsticks now from Selfridges

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