Elementary Schoolers Told Us These Were the Best Gifts for 8-Year-Old Girls This Year

No one can resist walking past a Clickeez without giving it a click—it's just so satisfying. The Keyboard Mega Pack comes with rounder, softer Bubble Pops figures, plus space for them to add in the rest of their Clickeez fidget collection. "They're fun to fidget and play with—the whole family wanted to click and connect them," said one parent tester. Ages 6+

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ThIs Furby has a long, colorful tail, and has some new tricks to go with it. If kids flip it upside down on its belly, they can play touch-activated games, play songs, and make sounds. "[My daughter] absolutely loves this toy and can't stop talking to her friends about it," one parent tester said. Ages 6+; four AA batteries required

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With this kit, they'll be expressing their style in no time! It makes it easy for them to paint their nails neatly, then stamp a cool design on top. "It was fun and easy to clean if a mistake was made," one tester said. Ages 7+

Give them an outlet for their culinary enthusiasm without having to preheat the oven. With your supervision, they can make 12 cake pops at a time (sticks included) in five minutes, and then get creative frosting and decorating them. No age recommendation given

This kit makes it easy for her to whip up her friendship bracelets. It comes in several color combos, there's a clip at the top and slots at the bottom to hold works in progress in place, and drawers help organize the pre-cut threads. Ages 8+

Lots of 8-year-olds want to personalize their rooms, and a neon name sign is a cool touch that doesn't overdo it. You can choose the size, the font, the color, the power source, and even a symbol to add after the name. No age recommendation given

This ingenious device uses any Crayola marker as ink for an airbrush sprayer. It comes with stencils, but testers also liked making their own designs. It also comes with eight markers, though any from the stash will work. Ages 6+; four AA batteries required

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When it's time for relaxation, this little capybara gives them a sensory experience in a fidget-toy package. It comes with a pail and a water pump that can be used to give a squishy capybara a bath. Then inside, there are beads, and its belly lights up in water. Even dry, they can have fun squishing it. Ages 4+

After seeing KPop Demon Hunters, who wouldn't want a Derpy they could snuggle up to at night? This one is a big, soft, cuddly 18 inches. "I like how it's big so it's impactful, but it's not so ginormous that it's too big to store," one parent said. Ages 6+

To a kid, every zipper is an opportunity to hang a doodad. These feature the same vinyl face/plush body combo as Labubu, only they're Care Bears, and their cozy outfits include a gem-covered belly badge. Ages 8+

Adults may feel a pang of nostalgia when they see kids reading the graphic novel adaptations of the beloved book series. In this sunny entry, Dawn heads out to California and thinks she may want to move there—but what would that mean for the Club? "My 9-year-old niece loves this series!" said the aunt of one of our testers. "It's really ignited her love for reading; she really enjoys the storylines and that she's able to read it completely by herself." Ages 8 to 12

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It's a fast-paced game of skill that will get kids working on their logic and motor coordination at the same time. A challenge card shows a pattern of blocks on the pegs, and players have to move their pieces from peg to peg—using only one hand!—to see who can match it first. "Though it's for a family of four, my 10-year-old spent a lot of time doing some rounds on his own because he liked the mental workout," one parent tester said. Ages 8+

This kit combines kids' love of Minecraft with their never-ending desire to do DIY personalization. It comes with a bracelet that has beads inspired by Minecraft mobs. Some of the beads are actually rolls of stickers that they can put on notebooks, on their devices, or in an included collector's book. "The stickers were really fun to put on the cards," one tester said. Ages 4+

TikTok sensation Kanoodle is celebrating its 20th anniversary in a big way—with more puzzles than ever before. This set comes with more than 200 puzzles and even new pieces inspired by fans. Each puzzle starts with a few pieces fit onto the grid already, then players have to see how the rest of the pieces fit in, so it's a little workout for their brains. Ages 8+

Testers reported they had to double up and play as teams with this game—it was so much fun, people kept wanting to join in. The secret is the challenge cards: Some will ask players to do things like throw their cat-shaped bean bags over their shoulders, or some will only count points from a certain level. Ages 7+

Animal lovers get three LEGO builds in one with this set: First they can build a panda family, then take it apart and use the same pieces to make penguins or orcas. Testers liked how the animals can be posed after they're built: "The panda also has some joints to allow it to make a variety of postures," one parent tester said. Ages 8+

If they're into art, they'll love layering these transparent sheets to make a scene, tracing everything, and coloring it all in. It even lights up to make the tracing easier. The set comes with some colored pencils and tracing paper to get them started, too. Ages 6+; three AA batteries required

With a soft body and a sculpted head, this little Grogu combines the best of a stuffed animal and an interactive toy. Press his head to hear one of 50 sound and action combinations, each more adorable than the last. Ages 4+; three AA batteries included

Barbie really can do anything—including growing crystals! This STEM kit comes with the materials to make three different crystals in three colors (pink, purple, and blue). In addition, there's information about the science of crystallography, along with a real rose quartz sample for them to inspect up close. Ages 8+

Testers loved everything about this not-sticky putty: They adored the silky texture, the cool blue color, and even the fragrance! It's the perfect thing when they need a little pick-me-up or a quiet fidget. Ages 3+

Even the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles Lab approved this one—it teaches kids to use a sewing machine, but uses preloaded cartridges so there's no threading. The machine also automatically senses when the fabric is in place, so there's no pedal, either. Ages 8+; four AA batteries required

This comes with 100 beads for bracelet-making, all in a cute Squishmallows package that clips onto a bag or backpack for on-the-go fun. "She loved the different charms and beads!" one parent tester said. Another noted: "It was cute to bring on vacation on the airplane because it was compact." (Note: Some testers did complain the strings were thick, so be prepared with thinner backups.) There's also a Bubba the Cow and Tatiana the Dragon version, among others, or a bundle with all three. Ages 7+

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Now kids can add some strands of tinsel to their hair without taking a trip to the salon. The kit comes with nine bunches of tinsel hair extensions along with a project guide with ideas for how to style them. It also comes with other hair accessories, like pony beads, clips, and elastics. "She really enjoyed the colors of hair tinsel provided," one parent tester said. "She was also intrigued by the bead option because she hadn't seen that before." Ages 6+

This set introduces kids to the basics of 3D printing, allowing them to build three-dimensional representations of objects by adding layer upon layer of plastic from thin filaments. The pen is great for reinforcing creativity, spatial awareness, and fine motor skills. Ages 6+; lithium battery included

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The Artie 3000, a Good Housekeeping Institute engineer favorite, is a drawing toy that teaches kids how to code. Kids can create a design and then translate it into "drag and drop" code on a computer or tablet and then Artie will draw the design on a piece of paper. It's a great blend of art and science. Ages 7+; four AA batteries required

Bubble-letter necklaces are everywhere—so fun!—and these letters have a substantial weight to them and come in a nice, large size. You can also get them in a silver color, or a charm that's covered in crystals (in gold or silver color). No age recommendation given

Of all the collectible plushes out there, Jellycat is one of the most wished-for—and it's easy to understand why if you get a feel of how ultra-soft they are. This set is a two-for-one, since it comes with a smiling pink marshmallow and a smiling white one. (Want them even gooier? Go for the Jellycat S'Mores!) Ages 0+

Sewing craft kits are a rising trend, and we can see why, since they're creative and let kids work with their hands. With this previous Good Housekeeping Toy Award winner, not only can kids learn the basics of cross-stitch, they can use it to make wearable art. The kit comes with enough supplies to make 12 pendants. Ages 8+

In this make-believe laboratory, kids pretend to be a chemist for a bath and body products company. They get to make and test different cosmetic products (kind of like our Beauty & Personal Care Lab experts). This kit includes a lab station and 10 soapy and bubbly experiments, so your 8-year-old can get hands-on STEM learning. Ages 6+

Whether or not they were lucky enough to see The Super Mario Galaxy Movie this year, any gamer girl would love to keep her devices, money, keys, and more in a Princess Peach crossbody sling bag. It has an adjustable shoulder strap for a good fit. No age recommendation given

She'll be able to practice her penalty kicks long after the sun goes down with this soccer ball, which uses battery-operated LEDs to stay illuminated. If soccer isn't her game, GlowCity also makes footballs, volleyballs, basketballs, and other sports equipment that light up at night. No age recommendation given

Time to give their minds a workout! This game flashes a sequence of lights, and players have to remember and repeat the pattern. It can be played solo or head-to-head. Ages 7+; three AAA batteries required

I may be biased because I wrote the foreword to this one. (Then again, I wouldn't have written the foreword if I didn't like it!) This fill-in-the-blank journal gives kids the tools they need to understand their emotions, including information about what feelings are, how they live in the body, and why they're important. When they're done filling it out, they'll be more prepared to talk about how they're feeling. Ages 8–12

From sleepovers to family gatherings, this game is a hit—and it's easy to learn and play. It's a twist on rummy, only there's an extra suit (stars!) to keep players on their toes. Ages 8+

It's art and science rolled into one! First, budding scientists build the pendulum themselves. Then they swing the platform, release the pen, and see the cool designs that result. They'll learn about cause-and-effect as they try to swing the pendulum different ways. Ages 7+