Top 41+ Best Toys and Gifts for 7-Year-Old Boys (Including Their Favorite: Minecraft!)

Each year, the Good Housekeeping Institute tests toys with real kids in the hopes of finding winners for our Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards—and ferreting out the best gifts for kids of all ages. So, which ones resonated the mosts with 7-year-olds this year? Remote-controlled and other vehicles are still a hit, be they monster trucks or skateboarders. Kids still like playing games with their friends and families—quick, casual card games are often tops—along with working with sophisticated art or STEM sets. And, of course, they love their video-game tie-ins, especially Minecraft.

With all that in mind, these are the best toys and gifts for 7-year-old boys in 2025. Whether they love mining with mobs or tinkering with circuits, there's something for ever elementary schooler on the list.

Stunt 2-Pack Playset

He can send race cars flying through different obstacles as he builds them—imagine a ring of fire, under a tunnel, or over a ramp. Kid testers loved setting up different courses, while parents complimented it for being travel-friendly. Ages 5+

$24.99 Shop Now amazon.com

Wallcrawler Gecko

Here's a different kind of RC: A gecko who can climb the walls—or run across the ceiling—thanks to vacuum-suction power on its tummy. Because there are no sticky or scratchy parts it doesn't even leave a mark on the walls. It's fast, and noisy, and became a whole-household game for our tester families. “We are freaking out!” one mom told us, “We loooove it.” The gecko charges with a USB cord but two AAA batteries are needed for the remote controller. Ages 4+

$38.00 Shop Now walmart.com

Remote-Control Dinosaur

Kid testers were eager to try out this Dilophosaurus, which stomps, lets out a fierce roar, gnashes its teeth, and shakes its frills. The remote even features “action mode,” allowing the dino to venture around on its own. “I love dinosaurs, and I’ve never seen something like this before,” shared one kid tester. Ages 5+

$45.99 Shop Now walmart.com

Taco vs Burrito Card Game

Not only is this game great for 7-year-olds, it was created by a 7-year-old, who launched it on Kickstarter. The goal is to build a meal with the most valuable ingredients, points-wise, but action cards do things like block players or let players steal cards, so players have to be strategic. (Just be sure you have chips on hand when you play, because you're going to get hungry.) Ages 7+

$15.49 Shop Now Taco vs Burrito

'Discover Dinosaurs' Alexa Interactive Book

For those with Amazon Echo devices, this book delivers a multi-sensory experience. Alexa can read the book, provide jungle noises as a backdrop for a kid who wants to read on their own, or answer questions about the different dinosaurs and pictures. "Kids who took the book home were still interacting with it months later," said one GH book editor. Ages 8+

$19.99 Shop Now amazon.com

Crazy Forts

Kids can spend the day planning, building and constructing next-level blanket forts with these rods and connectors—all you have to do is add your own sheets. They can follow the instructions to make igloos and rockets or build whatever their creativity lets them imagine. Ages 5+

$33.49 Shop Now Crazy Forts

Smash & Bash Grave Digger RC

Go ahead—let them crash this remote-controlled monster truck all over the place. That's the point: When it crashes, the vehicle dents and crumples, but it all snaps back into place again with a push of a button. During Good Housekeeping's in-person toy testing, kids couldn't get enough of this one, sending it flying down our hallways and into walls. Ages 4+; two AAA batteries required

$39.00 Shop Now Spin Master

Minecraft The Nether Lava Battle

After A Minecraft Movie this year, kids can't get enough of their mobs. This set comes with everything they like most about the game, including blocky weapons, accessories, and a skeleton, plus figures of Blaze, Strider, and Alex. (And in case they ask, yes, there is a LEGO Minecraft Chicken Jockey, but it's in a different set for kids ages 10 and up.) Ages 6+

$7.99 Shop Now LEGO

Start+ 3D Printing Pen

Kids can get a feel for 3D printing technology with this gadget, which melts a plastic filament that can be used to make 3D art projects and sculptures. We named it the best 3D pen for children, noting that it works best if you keep the nozzle clean. A booklet will give them some ideas of what to make, or they can go off on their own and build whatever their imagination can come up with! You might also want to buy extra filament. Ages 6+; one lithium battery included

$39.99 Shop Now 3Doodler

Marker Airbrush Spray Art Kit

Pop any Crayola marker into the back of this machine, and it cab be used to make retro, airbrushed designs. It comes with stencils, but kids can also free-hand their own creations. This was a huge hit at in-person toy testing, with kids asking for turn after turn. "I liked experimenting with it!" one kid tester shared. Ages 6+

$22.49 Shop Now Crayola

Roll-Up Portable Drum Set

Kids can play along with this drum pad set to learn about staying on beat and keeping a rhythm. Then, when they're done, they can roll it up and put it away (or take it along to Grandma's house). In addition to different rhythms, there are also sound effects and loops for kids to experiment with—and a volume control for the adults. It uses two AAA batteries (not included), or it could be powered by USB. Ages 5+

$79.00 Shop Now MUKIKIM

Shred N' Blast Motorized Skateboard Toy

Pick this skater up, and it seems light as a feather. Send him speeding off from his launcher, and it's easy to see why: The engine revs up to 8,000 RPM, it zooms off at a clip, and then, if it hits the included ramp, it flies up to six feet high. Another hit at in-person toy testing, kids loved seeing this one soaring. "My son liked how high he could make the skateboarder go off the ramp," one at-home testing parent said. Ages 6+

$18.49 Shop Now Spin Master

Flying Orb

The coolest fidget around, this is actually a small drone that works entirely with hand controls. It lights up in different colors, and coordinated kids can practice different tricks, like hovering, bouncing and getting it to come back like a boomerang. Ages 6+; one lithium battery included

$24.32 Shop Now Amerfist

Nintendo Switch 2 Camera

Any kid who gets a Nintendo Switch 2 this year is certainly a lucky one. But they'll need a camera if they want to be able to use some of the best functions—the ones where they get to play with family and friends online. This camera automatically adjusts brightness and detects faces, and it can be charged with USB-C. No age recommendation given

$54.00 Shop Now Nintendo

UNO Minecraft Card Game

If all they want to do is play Minecraft, maybe they'll be amenable to playing a Minecraft/card game combo. This version of Uno has their favorite mobs and characters on the cards, and an exclusive-to-this-game Creeper card makes players draw three. Ages 7+

$12.00 Shop Now Mattel

Minions Ultimate Fart Blaster

The name of the gift sells itself. Every 7-year-old boy will have too much fun firing off this fart blaster (which really just means rings of scented smoke). Lucky for the adults, the blasts smell like bananas or burnt popcorn. It also makes 20 silly sounds, including the Minion laugh. Ages 4+; six AA batteries required

$34.99 Shop Now Minions Despicable Me 4

Kirby Car Mouth Plush

Fans of Nintendo's Kirby and the Forgotten Land were certainly charmed by Kirby's transformation into a car. Now, kids can have "Karby" in real life with this 8-inch plush—one of many Kirby plushes to collect. No age recommendation given

$17.64 Shop Now Little Buddy

Spy Kit

Kids can get brush up on their STEM skills while feeling like a super-cool spy with this electronics kit. They can build working electronic motion detectors, voice changers, vibration sensors, light- or sound-activated alarms—25 projects in all! And, like with all Snap Circuits sets, the pieces just snap onto the board without the need for a soldering iron. Ages 7+; batteries required

$56.95 Shop Now Elenco

Roller Coaster Challenge

This game incorporates logic skills with roller coaster building for a super fun take on a STEM toy. It comes with 39 tracks, 40 challenge cards (with solutions too) and a roller coaster car to bring all the loops and drops to life. It's the perfect gift for budding engineers to learn essential reasoning skills that they can use throughout their lives. Ages 6+

$39.99 Shop Now amazon.com

Stomp Racers

Kids can stomp these cards, launch them and watch them go! The pack comes with two kid-powered cars, which can race to see which one will go farthest. There's also a ramp included, and kids can launch the vehicles into the air! A Good Housekeeping Institute parent tester said she loved that her kids were able to set this up by themselves in about five minutes, so it's easy to use too. Ages 5+

$29.95 Shop Now Stomp Rocket

Electronic Bank

Teach the 7-year-old in your life about spending, saving and investing—especially the "saving" part—with this bank. It acts similar to an ATM, since kids have to pick a PIN and, more importantly, input the PIN correctly if they want to get their money back out again. It also comes in a range of colors. This is an Amazon user's favorite, earning more than 11,500 five-star ratings. Ages 3+; three AA batteries required

$18.91 Shop Now Refasy

Super Mario Piranha Plant Escape Game

Now he can enjoy some Super Mario fun without being glued to a screen. In this game, players land on numbered spaces, which tell them how many times they have to push the trigger button. But they have to stay on guard because sometimes the button causes the piranha plant to attack! The last player standing, not knocked over by the nefarious plant, is the winner. Even when the game isn't being played, the figures can be used for imaginative play—or the plant just looks cool as a desk accessory. Ages 4+

$14.97 Shop Now walmart.com

Indoor Basketball Hoop

He can channel his inner LeBron with this basketball hoop, which actually keeps track of how many baskets he's scored with an electronic scoreboard. But the real fun comes when you turn the sound on: It makes cheering noises, too, so he can showboat for his adoring "fans." Ages 3+; batteries required

$22.94 Shop Now Eaglestone

My Comic Book Kit

Kids will be able to see a real, live version of their comic-book creations with this kit. It comes with pre-formatted pages for them to fill in with their drawings. When they're done, you mail it in with a pre-paid envelope and receive a finished copy in return. Ages 6+

$29.95 Shop Now Lulu Jr.

Treasure X Minecraft Sand & Sea Overworld

He can bring his love of Minecraft out of the digital realm and into the physical one with these toys, which will have him crafting his own Minecraft character. Inside is a compound—either sand or stretchy seaweed—that he'll have to dig through to find the pieces of his character and accessories. There are 12 surprises in all. Ages 5+

$49.99 Shop Now amazon.com

Super Blocks Pattern Matching Puzzle Games

Kid testers loved the challenges this gave them, which involved matching the shape pieces to the game board “My 7-year-old immediately said it reminded him of Tetris,” a parent tester raved. “He loved that it lit up and had so many puzzle options." Ages 6+

$56.99 Shop Now GiiKER

'Where’s Waldo?: The Great Speed Search'

This Waldo book can be done solo or, preferably, as a head-to-head: The pages are designed to lay flat between two people so more than one person can get in on the fun. Start the timer, and see who can spot him (or any of the other challenges on the checklist) first! Ages 5+

$8.87 Shop Now Candlewick

Pokémon TCG Battle Academy

If your kids have been curious about learning how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the board game takes players step-by-step through gameplay and makes it easy to figure out. It also comes with three decks, so you have everything you need to get started right away. For two players, ages 6+

$24.99 Shop Now The Pokémon Company

Orbito Board Game

Round and round the marbles go, and the goal is to get four of your color in a row. Kids will find it really exercises their brains, because each turn shifts the positions of all of the marbles. "As an adult, I can usually figure out a game," one parent tester said. "I haven’t cracked the algorithm with Orbito yet, which levels the playing field with my children." Ages 7+

$24.99 Shop Now FlexiQ

'Between Mom and Me' Journal

This journal is made specifically for moms and sons to be able to bond and stay connected to each other. It offers different questions, drawing suggestions, writing prompts, lists, and memories so neither party will ever be at a loss for words. Ages 7+

$13.94 Shop Now Sourcebooks Explore

Pokémon Color-in 3D Stickers Craft Kit

They can decorate their school books, lockers, and bedrooms with puffy stickers they've made themselves featuring their favorite Pokémon! It comes with a sticker press that kids can use to stack layers and give their stickers more dimension. There's also a guidebook with Pokémon, in case they want to use it as a color reference, and also a project guide. Ages 6+

$19.54 Shop Now KLUTZ

Heroic Optimus Prime Action Figure

Whether he's a fan of Transformers One or Rise of the Beasts or Earthspark, he'll marvel at this Optimus Prime figure, which stands at 11 inches tall. It transforms into a semi truck in just six steps, which is just the right amount of complication for an elementary schooler. And, of course, there's also a Bumblebee who turns into a Camaro. Ages 6+

$20.99 Shop Now Hasbro

Linked Math Game

This game attempts to put some fun in STEM and make it so doing mental math isn't so much of a chore. Numbered cards are dealt out in a grid, and then players roll a numbered die. The challenge is to figure out how to link the cards using addition, subtraction, multiplication or division—and going vertically, horizontally or diagonally to make an equation that equals the number on the die. Ages 7+

$18.99 Shop Now Elevate Prep

Rimable Complete 22-Inch Skateboard

If he's getting into skating, this is the "just right" board to learn on. Users say it's sturdy, yet isn't as big or heavy to lug around as other boards out there for trick riding. It also comes in a ton of fun colors and patterns. No age recommendation given

$34.99 Shop Now RIMABLE

Glow in the Dark Rock Painting Kit

He'll have a blast painting the 10 included rocks with the groovy, fluorescent paint, then turning the lights off (or stashing them outside at night) to watch them shine! Bonus: When he's done with the rocks included in the kit, you can always send him outside to find more supplies. Ages 6+

$8.53 Shop Now Creativity for Kids

Gnomes at Night

If you're tired of sibling rivalry, get your kids this game, which challenges players to work together. Players need to cooperate to help their gnomes exit the maze before the clock runs out. For two to four players, ages 6+

$19.96 Shop Now amazon.com

Classic Creative Vehicles

This GH Seal-holding LEGO set is destined to entertain the kiddos thanks to 900 colorful pieces that can build their favorite vehicle, including an ATV, a station wagon, an ice cream trunk, and more. Our toy experts like that once their dream car is built, they can zoom it around at home or during a road trip. Ages 5+

$54.99 Shop Now LEGO

No Cap! Card Game

Kids have to think strategically and communicate in unique ways in this devious family card game. Teams have to use secret signals to get each other to collect sets of five cards and yell "no cap!"—but the other team can challenge if they suspect a false set. Ages 7+

$8.79 Shop Now Capital Punishment the Party Argument Game Company

Kanoodle Gravity

If he enjoys games, then he'll love this puzzle board, which is like the regular Kanoodle except played vertically. Kids start off with a certain number of pieces already on the board, and they have to see if they can get the rest to fit in. It contains 40 different challenges that work on skills like problem-solving and strategic thinking. The game can be played with two players if he's up for some friendly competition. Ages 7+

$13.59 Shop Now amazon.com

Marble Roller Coaster

Concepts around physics, engineering and potential and kinetic energy come together with this build-it-yourself kit. The Ferris wheel brings the marble to the top of the track, where it rolls down the ramps and through the loop, after which it's picked up by the Ferris wheel again for an endless loop. Ages 7+

$49.95 Shop Now KiwiCo

Ninebot eKickScooter C2 Lite

The kids who tested this e-scooter really loved it, with parents reporting they charged it and used it every day. “My son loves being able to speed down paths on an electric scooter—the freedom, the acceleration, the breeze," one parent said. Parents were also pleased that the top speed was less than 10 miles an hour. Ages 6+

$149.99 Shop Now Segway

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has provided expert reviews and advice on everything parents and children love, including STEM toys, sensory toys and more.

This article was written by Marisa LaScala, Good Housekeeping's senior parenting and relationships editor. Marisa has covered all aspects of the world of parenting, from the postpartum years through the empty nests, since 2015, and she's pitched in with Good Housekeeping's toy coverage since 2018. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter, who are both avid toy collectors and Star Wars fans.