Our Toy Testers Say (Loudly) That These Are the Best Gifts for 7-Year-Old Boys

Kids who aren't afraid of insects can tuck this into a ball, roll it out, and then use a remote to make it slither around. "My son likes monsters, scary animals, and creepy crawlies—he loved the overall look of the Hex Bots Explodapede RC and especially enjoyed its creepy, slithering movement," one parent said. "Not only was he delighted to play with the toy and use it as intended, but he even carried it around for a couple days, almost as another kid might tote around a new plushie." Ages 4+; two AAA batteries required for the remote.

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Kids can stomp these cars, 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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With one World Cup finished and another on the way, everyone's getting football fever! This twist on foosball lets them get in on the game without adding an entirely new piece of furniture to their playrooms. Instead, kids are given handled figures that spin when you press the arms in together, and they have to use them to hit a ball and score goals against their opponents. "They loved setting it up, playing with it, and keeping score," one parent said. The set comes with a fabric field that can be laid out anywhere (plus 10 barriers to keep the ball from falling on the floor), three Foosbots (U.S., Brazil, and Mexico), and two balls, but other Foosbots can be purchased separately, and they can collect their favorite teams. Ages 6+

It's the classic Labyrinth game parents remember, but with a Pokémon twist: Players have to manipulate the board in order to collect different Pokémon. It's a game that involves logic, strategy and planning ahead. (Pro tip: My family plays this a lot, and we use our Battle Figures as the tokens.) Ages 7+

It's a fast-paced game with a fun way to win: When players spot a match, everyone races to squeak one of the rubbery elbow macaroni included in the game. "This was a great family game," one parent said. "We will take this on vacation with us this summer. It's a great game for by the pool or while waiting at a restaurant." 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+

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). There are different rhythms and sounds for kids to experiment with—and a volume control for the adults. It can be powered by a USB. Ages 3+

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+

Pop any Crayola marker into the back of this machine, and it can 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+

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+

It's like they've stumbled upon their own Minecraft loot box in real life! The box comes with two mini figures, a lava desk holder, a mystery plush, a poster, stickers, a mystery squishy, a wristband, and trading cards—that's a lot of Minecraft merch! "My son was so excited to get this because it's from his favorite YouTuber," one parent said. "Since it was a blind box, he had a lot of fun opening it and seeing what he got." Ages 5+

This activity book is all about how to decode ancient hieroglyphics. There are 100 cardboard labels to pop out that let kids write their own messages. "[My son] said, 'It's really cool because it's like writing in a secret code, Mom, like I'm a spy or something,'" one parent tester reported. Ages 7 to 10

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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 who need to have something to do with their hands love the super smooth feel of this stretchy, squishy putty. It's something quiet that they can fidget with. Our testers said they loved the texture, the color, and even the fragrance! Even the adults liked putting their hands on it. Ages 3+

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+

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+

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

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is on streaming, and Yoshi is the breakout star. Kids can watch this egg wobble, bounce, and eventually hatch a Yoshi of their own. Afterward, the egg acts like a little nest, and Yoshi becomes an interactive toy. "I did not know toys like this existed—it's a veryery unique toy that we will continue to love!" one parent tester told the Good Housekeeping Institute. "The hatching just really blew my mind. I was just excited as the kids." Ages 4+; three AA batteries included

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+

Kids are more obsessed with squishies than ever before, and these balls from Crayola squish, smush, stick together, and stick to walls. They're just the thing for when kids need a quiet fidget. Ages 4+

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. Ages 3+; three AA batteries required

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 silly sounds, including the Minion laugh. Ages 4+; six AA batteries required

Kids can experiment with different ways of folding paper airplanes, then see how it affects their flight—a hands-on engineering lesson. The book comes with 40 sheets of paper, plus instructions for folding 10 different styles of planes. Ages 7+

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

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+

Kids can 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+; three AAA batteries required

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+

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+

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+

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 prepaid envelope and receive a finished copy in return. Ages 6+

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 truck, 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+

Kids can learn about fossils as they excavate shark teeth modeled after real ancient species. Then, when they're done digging, they can make a shark-tooth necklace from their findings. Ages 6+

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+

Kids who are into space exploration can get their own version of Rise, the "Zero-Gravity Indicator" that became famous after going on the Artemis II mission. It looks like a moon wearing a baseball cap that looks like the Earth. Best of all, the proceeds go back to NASA (though it does take a while to ship). No age recommendation given.

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 batteries are needed for the controller. Ages 4+; two AAA batteries required