17 Best Toys & Gifts for 9-Year-Olds

This parent-sourced roundup of gifts for 9 year olds is filled with creative and kid-tested ideas for Christmas, birthdays, and beyond.

It's fun to give kids this age family games to encourage strategic thinking, age-appropriate books to help them branch out from their favorites, and toys and gifts that will nurture interests from STEM to sports.

Add your favorite gifts and toys for 9 year olds to the list, and find more inspiration on our lists for 8 year olds & tweens!

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    LEGO Minecraft The Zombie Cave

    Katie G.:  Need Minecraft gifts for a LEGO and Minecraft lover like my kid? You won't want to miss out on the Minecraft LEGO building sets. This set comes with Steve, zombie, baby zombie, and bat figures. There are plenty of blocks to build your cave along with TNT if you want it to "explode."

    Mermaid Tail Blanket

    Gina I.:  Cozy and cute, this mermaid tail blanket is perfect for cuddling up in front of the tv, curling up with a favorite book, or bringing to her next sleepover. Comes in a variety of colors.

    Bubble Bumper Balls

    Yoli B:  Bubble Bumper Balls are perfect gifts for 9 year olds that will keep your kids busy for hours, and they will even fit parents too! The bubble pods will make the kids happy and you laugh while watching them maneuver inside of the bubble. I have actually heard of parents having their kids settle disputes while donning the pods! No one gets hurt and the kids will forget all about whatever conflict was bothering them. Win, Win!

    Justice Gift Card

    Gina I.:  With a huge selection of clothes, jewelry, bags, PJs, athletic wear, and accessories, she's sure to find something she loves at Justice!

    Spy Alley

    Gina I.:  A fun game of strategy and deception, Spy Alley can be played with 2-6 players. It's a great game for 9 year olds to play themselves and enough fun that grown-ups will want to play too!

    NERF Blaster

    Gina I.:  Whether your 9-year old is on the hunt for zombies or just wants to battle their siblings, you can't go wrong with a Nerf Blaster!

    ALEX Spa DIY Bath Bombs Kit

    Kristy Pepping:  My nine-year-old loves to take baths and likes to receive bath balls for a gift. If your child loves bath balls too, try this kit that lets a child make their own. They can create six balls in either a ball or heart shape. The kit comes with different colors and scents too.

    Zipfy Luge Snow Sled

    Yoli B:  This sled is lightweight and easy to carry. It is easy to maneuver while going downhill and will provide your child with hours of outdoor fun in the snow.

    I Am Pusheen the Cat

    Kristy Pepping:  If your kids have some of the Pusheen toys then it's time to read this book by Claire Belton. It gives you the backstory of this favorite cat. Like birthday, where she lives and favorite foods she likes to eat. It's an easy read with plenty of graphics and text broken out into smaller sentences. This is a nice transition book into more complex chapter books.

    Basher Science Books

    Gina I.:  The Basher Books series brings science to life with fun anime style illustrations. Each book explores a new topic: Engineering, Microbiology, Chemistry, Rocks & Minerals, Weather, Physics, and more.

    Flag Football Set

    Gina I.:  This set's mini football is the perfect size for 9-year old hands to grip and throw. Plus, the ball has plays imprinted right on it for your no-huddle offense! With 5 sets of flags in each color, you can play with up to 10 people.

    Crayola Emoji Maker

    Yoli B:  Your kids can create their own custom emoji stampers with Crayola Emoji Maker. Choose from 16 emojis!

    National Geographic Kids

    Kelly R:  My kids look forward to the arrival of Nat Geo Kids every month, and my 9-year-old will read it multiple times and loves rattling off his favorite facts. Magazine subscriptions like this make a great gift because they're quite affordable and give something to look forward to every month.

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid books

    Kelly R:  My avid reader LOVES the Wimpy Kid series and reads the books over and over again, so they're worth the investment. We've been getting him the newest book each year, and it is always a huge hit. You can go for the box set if your kid has some catching up to do.

    Da Vinci's Battalion Model Kit

    Kelly R:  This kit includes everything needed to make 3 projectile-launching wooden models based on original Da Vinci designs. It's a great activity for any kid who has the patience to work on intricate LEGO sets, and the finished products are fun toys for 9 year olds that will last for a long time! My tween really enjoyed it as a project to work on together with a parent.

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Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.