Gift Ideas for the Tech Kid

Gift Ideas for the Tech Kid

The biggest joke these days is, if you don’t know how that gadget works, ask your kid. The thing is, it’s more reality than comedy these days, as kids are immersed in technology far sooner than any of us were growing up. For better or worse, kids are getting more screen time than ever before and, due to the early and often exposure, they are naturally adept at technology. Not only that but also nearly all kids love technology these days. And, while we do want to encourage our kids to get outdoors and exercise for the sake of health and fitness, there is nothing wrong with encouraging their passion for gadgets, particularly if they’re educational. Looking for gift ideas for the tech kid in your life? Read on for some stellar suggestions.

1. Get Rowdy With Robots

When Wall-E came out in theaters, many likely thought to themselves, “What child is going to be into a movie about a lone and stranded robot collecting garbage in space?” Boy, were we wrong. If you’ve ever observed a child watching this movie, you know there is one way to describe his reaction: captivated. If children get this pumped to watch robots onscreen, imagine how excited they’d be to have one to call their own. There are plenty to choose from, but your wee wooer of all things Star Wars will be over the moon for the BB-8 Droid.

2. Drones FTW

If your child hasn’t already whined with a supersonic high-pitched noise that surely only dogs can hear over wanting a drone, just wait—it’s coming. Drones for kids are the latest rage and for good reason—they’re super cool! There are radio drones and video drones, and the latter offers an incredible panoramic view for the whole family to enjoy while reviewing the footage. The “bells and whistles” increase as price increases, of course, but your child doesn’t have to get the very top-of-the-line drone to enjoy it. Much like with the robots, though, this does often require a bit of adult assistance, though, so just make sure to carve out the time to learn how to effectively use it.

3. littleBits for the Little Bits

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “When we were little, we made up our own designs for Legos,” you’ll likely love littleBits gadgets and gizmos. These days, Legos come with such intricate designs that, if you lose one little piece, you could very well have trouble forming the pieces into their supposed creation. LittleBits kits come with Lego-like pieces but there are also electronic, music, and/or science components to boot. The makers of these innovative, tech-friendly toys make sure to leave room for the child to have a bit of freedom as well, so there isn’t necessarily one specific spot for each piece. It’s the perfect creativity compromise!

4. Totally Tech Tablets

When it comes down to it, tablets are the big winners with most kids. With their touch-friendly screens, endless apps, and the ability to often compete in online games with peers, a simple tablet like an Amazon Fire for Kids or an Apple iPad can provide hours of entertainment. Do a search for educational tablet activities if you’d prefer they use them to expand their minds. Either way, though, it is best to limit screen time each day. In fact, you guessed it—there’s an app for that!

5. Old School Tech Time

Remember walking to school uphill both ways? No? Just go with it. Kids these days love to tease us about our wall phones and clunky TVs but the truth is they also have a natural curiosity about how we grew up. That’s why a lot of retro toys are quite popular these days. From old school Fisher Price toys and Atari video games to old board games like Operation and Polaroid cameras, technology from our day is becoming “hip” again. Polaroid cameras have gotten a cool update with the Polaroid Snap and the Fuji Instax – the former is a digital camera with a built-in printer. And these are perfect gifts for kids, as they provide instant gratification. It’s even better than taking selfies!

Take any one of these gift ideas for the tech kid in your life and you’ll ensure your status as the number one gift-giver in no time.