40 Best Toys and Gift Ideas for 7-Year-Old Boys (Including Their Favorite: Minecraft!)

Kid testers were wowed seeing this baby dino hatch from its egg. After it emerges, it becomes an interactive toy. “The hatching event was the absolute highlight of the toy,” mentioned one parent tester, while another noted, “Both my son and my daughter loved seeing the T-Rex break out!” Ages 5+; three AA batteries included

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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+

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+

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+

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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+

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

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+

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

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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+

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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+

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+

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. Amazon users like it so much that it's earned more than 9,700 5-star ratings. Ages 6+; one lithium battery included

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

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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+

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

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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

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

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+

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+

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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