Tweens (9–12)

First solo errand

Independence builds confidence; Let Grow's "Let Grow Project" is built on this.

Build a campfire together

Respect for fire is learned by handling it carefully, not avoiding it.

Rope skills: knots and a simple swing

Real-world skill and a ticket to bigger adventures.

First knife lesson

Kids learn to respect tools by using them with care.

Family volunteer job

Purpose is protective; kids love real help.

Napkin story chain

Kids sit longer when they are in charge of the plot.

OOLY

OOLY Sketch & Show Standing Sketchbook

An easel-style sketchbook that stands up on a table so kids can "display" their drawings. It's a small thing that makes kids draw longer.

Honest drawback: It's just a sketchbook, so bring pencils.

Gamewright

Rat-a-Tat Cat

A card game that sneaks in memory and strategy. A 6-year-old can genuinely beat Grandpa, which is why it gets requested.

Honest drawback: Small card deck: take a zip bag so you don't lose cards under the restaurant booth.

Gamewright

Sleeping Queens

Invented by a 6-year-old girl. It quietly teaches addition through the "math equations" card plays, and the art is charming.

Honest drawback: Rounds can run long with 4+ players.

Gamewright

Outfoxed!

A cooperative whodunit: everyone wins or loses together. It's perfect for siblings who melt down when they lose.

Honest drawback: Requires a table and setup, so it's not a restaurant game.

Gamewright

Sushi Go!

The card-drafting game families play for years, from 8 to adult. Quick rounds, cute art, and it fits in a coat pocket.

What real parents say: Recommended in Wirecutter's guide to kids' and family games. Sources

Honest drawback: Scoring needs a pencil and paper.

Gamewright

Qwixx

A dice game where everyone plays on every roll, so nobody is ever waiting.

Honest drawback: Dice clatter. Roll into a box lid at restaurants.

Gamewright

Forbidden Island

A cooperative adventure that teaches teamwork under pressure. It's a great "graduate" game for kids who loved Outfoxed.

Honest drawback: Takes about 30 minutes plus setup.

KiwiCo

KiwiCo Tinker Crate (ages 9–16)

Engineering projects for big kids, with no screen required to build them. A strong answer to "my 10-year-old only wants a tablet."

What real parents say: Wirecutter tested two Tinker Crates with an editor's 9-year-old. Sources

Honest drawback: Some builds need adult help, and pieces can be fiddly.

Thames & Kosmos

Thames & Kosmos Ooze Labs Chemistry Station

Real chemistry experiments for the kid who keeps "mixing potions" in the bathroom. Give it a legitimate outlet.

Honest drawback: Adult supervision required, and some reagents run out.

Camp Snap

Camp Snap screen-free camera

A digital camera with no screen: you click and you find out later, like film. Kids look at the world instead of the display. A hit with tweens.

What real parents say: Wirecutter found it simple and sturdy. Sources

Honest drawback: Photos need a computer to download, which is a parent job.

Tin Can

Tin Can kids' phone

A real landline-style phone for kids to call approved friends. It brings back the "call your friend to play" independence without a smartphone.

What real parents say: A Wirecutter writer whose kids are 6 and 9 says that after months of use, they learned phone manners and set up their own playdates, and they stopped asking for a smartphone. Sources

Honest drawback: Needs a service plan. Check Tin Can's current terms.

Flybar / Swurfer

Swurfer Original stand-up tree swing

A stand-up surfboard swing for a backyard tree. It's the "big kid" thrill that 8-year-olds beg to do again and again.

Honest drawback: Needs a strong, healthy branch and correct installation. Check the tree before you hang anything.

Gibbon

Gibbon ClassicLine slackline set

A slackline between two trees teaches focus and balance in a way nothing else does. Families end up out there together on summer evenings.

Honest drawback: Needs two sturdy trees and correct ratchet use (adult job). Start low, at knee height.

Opinel

Opinel No.07 My First Opinel folding knife

A rounded-tip, locking-blade first knife from a French maker since 1890. It's the rite-of-passage gift for a kid who's ready to whittle with you.

What real parents say: An outdoor-gear reviewer calls it simple and well made, very sharp out of the box, with a rounded tip that prevents jabbing. Sources

Honest drawback: It's a real knife: start with a whittling lesson, a cut-resistant glove and a "blood circle" rule (arm's length all around).

Opinel

Opinel Le Petit Chef 3-piece set

A real kitchen knife with a rounded tip and a finger ring, plus a finger guard. Kids who cook dinner with you eat dinner with you.

Honest drawback: Splurge for a kid knife, but it's a real Opinel blade and will last.