These Bean Bag Chairs Have More than 8,500 Five-Star Reviews on Amazon (2024)

When it comes to finding gifts for 9-year-olds, it might seem like it takes a lot to "wow" them. But what would they think about a car that can drive up the walls? Or a STEM set that lets them see experiments in virtual and augmented reality? While finding gifts for kids in this age group can feel daunting, there actually are a lot of options, from educational toys to board games to more fun, trendy items.

Still, you want to buy something that's of a high quality, that's safe to play with and that kids like and will come back to again and again. That's where the Good Housekeeping Institute comes in. It evaluates toys all year long, first with experts who look at the safety and construction, then with actual kids who assess the fun factor. (The best of the best become Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners.) The kids tell the Good Housekeeping Institute what's hot, what they liked and what they gave up on after five minutes. To their picks, we added in some best-sellers and editor's selects to come up with the best toys and gifts for 9-year-old boys in 2024. (We have suggestions for gifts for 9-year-old girls, too.)

This year, they love toys and gifts that let them put things together and take them apart again. Fidget toys are still big, as are games or anything Nintendo-related. But, no matter what they're into, there's sure to be something on this list for them.

Launch the ball out one side of the tube. Catch it on the other. So simple, and yet so satisfying. Kids might get so into it, they won't even notice that they're working on their motor coordination. Ages 9+

Traditional piggy banks aren't an option at this age because they just aren't "cool." But an electronic version, that can hold all of their money and keep it safe with a special code, will do the trick to help teach them about the importance of money.

GraviTrax sets are famous for building mind-bending marble runs with lots of tricks and features. Kids use their STEM skills to engineer the courses and account for the effects of gravity. Once you get then rolling, you can also get expansion sets and accessories that let them add in things like marble bridges and zip lines. Ages 8+

How good is their memory? How fast are their fingers? This game tests both recall and reflexes in one, fun package. The game lights up a series of colored lights, and players have to try to repeat the sequence. One Good Housekeeping Institute parent tester loved how it encouraged her kids to do independent play. Ages 7+

There's no soldering needed for this electronics kit, which has pieces that just snap together to make anything from a musical doorbell to a voice-controlled lamp. There are enough parts and pieces to make 100 projects, but the UFO was a clear favorite of the Good Housekeeping Institute testers. Ages 8+

With this robot the size of a ping pong ball, kids can play games, learn to code and drive around your house. He can also use the Sphero app and the included cones and bowling pins to build an obstacle course for his robot. There's also the option to purchase the Sphero Mini Activity Kit, which comes with a 28-piece construction set in addition to the robot. They come in a variety of different colors, but the shells are all interchangeable, so you can purchase new shell colors separately. Ages 8+

Any remote-controlled car can tear down the sidewalk, but this one can actually drive up walls and even onto the ceiling! Point the laser anywhere and the car will follow, even if it seems to defy gravity. Ages 8+

At this age, walkie-talkies offer kids a little independence while still allowing you to know where they are. There are two in a set here, so you can hold onto one while they have the other. Ages 4+

Regular paper airplanes might be fun to make, but kids can take it to the next level with this kit, which makes paper planes fly by using an app-controlled device. It's easy for kids to build and connect via Bluetooth. It'll help promote STEM learning by teaching your 9-year-old the basics of flight, lift and aerodynamics. Ages 8+

We've come a long way since bean bag chairs were just blobs that just sat there on the floor. He'll love lounging in this one, which comes with a back and arms, plus a handle so he can drag it around his room. Best yet: It even has a drink holder and a pocket where he can stash his books or devices! It also comes in a few different colors. No age recommendation given

He'll be able to practice his touchdown passes long after sundown with this football, which uses two LED lights to stay illuminated. Just tap the football to watch it glow, and the lights shut off automatically when not in use. You can also get him a soccer ball, volleyball, tetherball or basketball, among others. Ages 3+

If he likes to draw, this is just what he'll need to make pictures with more depth. First, he can layer and arrange the included images on top of each other and trace them, then he can color in his design. It comes with more than 100 tracing sheets, plus a graphite pencil for tracing, colored pencils for filling in the image and a board that lights up so he can see what he's tracing better. Ages 6+

True, it's a game of skill — but the real talent is trying to stifle your laughter as you fling your fowl toward the target. Be warned: The chickens bounce and roll, making hitting the bullseye more of a challenge than you may think! Ages 6+

The classic science kit moves to the 21st century with this STEM set, which has augmented reality capabilities. Step-by-step instructional videos, narrated by science celeb Bill Nye, and on-page pictures come to life when you use it in conjunction with a phone or tablet; the kit comes with enough material to make 30 projects (though some household items are required). Ages 8+

This is the ultimate fidget toy in one small package. Its six sides have buttons to push, gears to spin, a joystick to swirl and surfaces to knead, plus you can turn on or off the clicking sound. It's a great one to keep at his desk while he's trying to concentrate! No age recommendation given

Honestly, this is a gift for the whole family. He can play his music, games or tablet as loud as he likes with these headphones. They also connect to devices wirelessly, and fold up into a small carrying case. No age recommendation given

This autonomous crawling scorpion is small enough to fit right in your child's hand. Its see-through body allows kids to see the inner workings of a robot to help promote STEM skills and interest. During past toy testing, kids definitely preferred playing with multiple Hexbugs at the same time — the more the merrier. And in case this wasn't creepy-crawly enougn, it can also shoot its claws! Ages 8+