Best toys for 7-year-olds as recommended by parents

Board games are a great way to bond with your seven-year-old. They can also teach children important life skills such as logic and problem-solving as well as behaviours such as persistence and resilience when things don’t go the way they planned.

Labyrinth is a fun puzzle game for two to four players, with a unique experience every time you play. With simple, easy-to-follow instructions and a quick set-up, players must find the shortest route through the labyrinth maze. But be warned: every time your opponents place a card, the walls will move and your course will change.

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If you’re looking for a small and budget-friendly toy for a 7-year-old, these cute and colourful stress balls from Nee Doh make an affordable sensory choice. 

Available in a choice of engaging designs and colours, we love how each Nee Doh comes in its very own box, making it ideal for a small gift, treat or stocking filler. 

Super soft and filled with squishy, non-toxic dough, they make a fun fidget toy and alternative stress ball for children (and adults) alike.

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Similar to Scrabble, Bananagrams is a fun word game that helps to develop your child’s literacy skills.

Players shout ‘split’ and then race to create their own word grid using the letter tiles. It’s suitable for two to six players, but children could play it alone too to help them practice their spelling. The first player to use all their tiles is crowned ‘Top Banana.’

As it comes in a banana-shaped pouch, it’s a great game for travelling. Though similar to Scrabble, it’s much faster, which some seven-year-olds may find a bit too challenging.

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A robot toy with a difference, this small robotic bug scuttles about at high speed, just like the real thing. Combining science with mechanics, the HEXBUG Fire Ant moves around at high speed on six custom wheels, lighting up as it whizzes round and manoeuvre past obstacles.

Children will love setting up challenges and battling it out against friends, racing against other Fire Ants or HEXBUG creatures, such as the spider and scarab.

HEXBUGS have been designed to help children think about science and engineering whilst having fun, improving their fine motor skills and learning about cause and effect.

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7-year-olds tend to be curious about the world around them and as such, toys that help them explore their surroundings tend to be well received. Ideal for mini scientists, this smart little microscope is small and portable, making it easy to pop in their rucksack and bring along with them on their exciting discovery missions.

While reviewers found it does take a little while to master the instructions, we love how children can switch between an impressive 20x and 40x magnification, even triggering an illuminating light to get enhance their view in low light.

From heading outside to take a closer look at leaves, soil and flowers, to exploring all the details on food items and human hair, the opportunities for investigation are endless.

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Children can make glow-in-the-dark constellation models, build a telescope and launch their own rocket with the Galt Space Lab.

Galt science kits are compatible with the National Curriculum and are well-loved by Mumsnet parents for encouraging STEM learning, with consistent mentions on our forums. With the Space Lab, children can also experiment with shadows, mix up galaxy slime and create a solar system following the instructions in the 24-page full-colour lab book.

The kit also includes tools and accessories to aid scientific discoveries, including glow stars, telescope lenses, a constellation guide and fun glow planet stickers. There’s also a lab notepad for recording results, just like a real scientist!

Sets like this not only encourage scientific thinking but also promote creative problem-solving and help to inspire young imaginations.

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Fans of Super Mario Brothers can play with their favourite characters in this fun, interactive Super Mario Adventures Starter Course Set. Just like the video game, your child can create their own course for Mario to run and jump over, collecting coins and touching action bricks as he goes.

Connect the Mario figure to the app via Bluetooth and he uses colour sensors and LCD screens in his eyes, mouth and belly to respond to movement with over 100 different reactions. There’s also a speaker that plays sounds and music that children will recognise from the video game.

The set can be combined with other expansion sets and power-up packs for even more construction play. LEGO is great for building concentration, inspiring creative thinking and encouraging hand-eye coordination and, if your child loves playing the Super Mario Brothers video game, this set will offer a great alternative to screen time.

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At seven, your child will enjoy a variety of craft activities. With this set from Galt, they can make a string of flower lights to show off in their bedroom.

The set comes with instructions and accessories for making 10 LED lights, with pre-cut paper flowers, leaves and pens so your child can add their own colours and design. Some reviewers say that the flowers don’t stay together well and sometimes fall off, so you may need to use your own tape or glue to secure them.

This set is part of Galt’s huge range of Creative Cases that have been designed for children aged five to eight, including painting, pottery and sewing to encourage them to learn a number of new skills.

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Tested by Mumsnet editor Laura Cooke: The Original Den Kit review: all-weather outdoor fun

A great alternative to screen time, this khaki haversack satchel includes everything your child needs to make a den or hide out in the garden, woods or local park. With a large camouflage tarpaulin and groundsheet, a handmade wooden mallet, rope and tent pegs, plus an enamel mug and face paint to add to the excitement, there's a lot of open-ended play to be had with this affordable set.

It doesn’t come with many instructions, but this leaves children free to use their imaginations and problem-solving skills to bring their den creations to life. We like that this kit comes from a small UK business and the parts are ethically sourced, where possible, from the UK.

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Available in a choice of pink and blue, the VTech Secret Safe Notebook is the ideal first journal. Featuring an A6 notepad and pen housed inside a plastic lockable casing, your child can use it in accessible ‘normal’ mode or set a four-digit passcode to keep their secrets safe.

With the option to listen to a variety of melodies while they write, your seven-year-old can also record up to 10 voice recordings, with a choice of disguising and altering their voice with a range of fun effects.

While the notepad is likely to fill up quickly, we like the built-in ‘guess my number’ maths game that can test their counting and numerical skills. They can even personalise the front of their diary with a photograph of their choice.

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A virtual pet with a difference, Bitzee’s became incredibly popular last Christmas due to their unique 3D design. Using a clever motor that projects moving characters, Bitzee’s respond to your child’s touch and are easy to look after using a combination of swipes, tilts and shakes. 

In their newest Disney-themed release, children can now nurture their pets by playing a selection of fun mini-games, featuring 30 different Disney characters including classic Minnie and Mickey as well as characters from Toy Story, Frozen and The Lion King. 

While the motor sound can become a little jarring for parents, we love that these ‘pets' don’t demand attention when the lid is closed - making them far more low maintenance than our childhood interactive pets.

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If your 7-year-old loves to get creative, they’ll love bringing these adorable Eugy 3D models to life. Made from biodegradable cardboard that is printed using natural inks, children simply fix the pieces together in number order using the glue provided, resulting in a self standing model of their favourite animals - from pandas and gorillas to hedgehogs, sharks and chameleons. 

With excellent attention to detail and a wide range of characters to collect, these models are surprisingly robust once complete, making cute companions to proudly display in their bedroom.

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Does your child fancy themselves as a private investigator, spy or super sleuth? The Melissa and Doug Secret Decoder Detective kit  comes with over 50 activities inside, requiring your child’s imagination, problem solving and code-cracking skills in order to complete their mission and find the solutions.

While the overall quality is fairly basic (and mostly paper based), there’s plenty to keep your 7-year-old occupied for hours, albeit some missions are easier than others. Packing away into a convenient carry case, it also makes a great gift to occupy kids during travel.

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You may find that your child has their sights on a Nintendo Switch OLED, the child-friendly games console that can be played anytime, anywhere.

The latest model comes with a seven-inch OLED screen and an adjustable stand for playing on the go. When your child is at home, they can play games through the TV with the removable Joy-Con controllers.

With the choice to connect up to eight controllers, the Nintendo Switch OLED is great for bringing the family together and encouraging social interaction. You can choose from a huge variety of games, including the popular Super Mario Brothers, Pokémon and Minecraft and, with motion sensors on the controls, games like Just Dance will get the whole family showing off their moves.

It has 64GB of internal storage and the Switch’s parental controls will give you peace of mind when it comes to your child’s online safety. With so many fun games to play, the only problem you may have is getting them off it!

Related: Discover the best Nintendo Switch games for kids

Your child can channel their inner magician with the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Magic Set. From a disappearing ball and magic coin box to the great escape and magic number prediction, this kit comes with tools for performing 10 classic tricks.

The box opens up to be used as a prop for the performance and then stores everything away when the show is over. As we’ve come to expect from any Melissa & Doug toy – which are well-loved by Mumsnetters and their children - the box and most of the accessories are made of wood which makes this set stand out from many others on the market.

Children will have hours of fun putting on a show and wowing you with their new magic skills, which not only helps inspire their imaginations and creativity but can help build up their self-confidence and critical thinking skills too.

Read next: For more ideas for toys your children will love, check out our guides to the best toy cars and best dinosaur toys.