We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and itspublishingpartners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
These bots don't stop when it comes to toys that are hands-on, educational, and, most importantly, fun.
1. An Educational Insights "Design & Drill" robot take-apart toyto teach kids all about the "nuts and bolts" of using a screwdriver and building a bot. Just watch those fine motor skills start to grow!
Amazon
For ages 3+
Promising review:"Our child loves robots, and building. So this toy was a dream come true for them. It’s the perfect size to take along on trips, and the pieces stay together pretty well once they are put together. It’s a household favorite now!" —Andy Brylow
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $11.29+(available in two colors).
2. A super durable, easy-to-use set of 26 alphabet robots toysthat, you guessed it, change from individual letters into colorful little bots, which in turn can combine into three bigger robots!
Amazon
For ages 3+
I give this set of alphabet robots (alphabots?) one of my highest recommendations! A+! At a little over a buck a bot, they're kind of a steal! Whoever thought of turning letters into little robots is a genius but what's even more impressive is that the little bots can then combine into three different bigger robots! I introduced these to my 3-year-old son by playing a game where I ask: "Can you tell me three things that start with the letter A?" So every couple of days we'll play this word game and I'll hide one of the alphabots next to something that starts with its particular letter. It's been a hit and he loves lining up his letters on his windowsill before he goes to sleep every night!
Promising review: "Gifted to my 4-year-old, and 10-year-old keeps playing with it too! Ordering again to gift to 5-year-old nephew. Durable, not too loud, can play as independent letters or build into robots. Total hit of a toy!" —bhakta bahadur katuwal
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $26.99.
3. A Transformers "Smash Changer" Rhinox, which converts from truck to robot with a push of a button and two "smashing" movements. Changes back to a truck in 11 steps. Definitely "more than meets the eye" here.
Amazon
For ages 6+
Parents, these are not the Transformers toys of your youth. They don't quite present the same puzzle-solving challenge but they are just as fun. And quite honestly, their pose-ability and playability is far Superion, um, sorry superior. Great intro for kids to the toy line and characters and can taking a bit of a beating (or, more acurately, a smashing).
Promising review: "I like that my kid loves it and that’s what matters. It doesn’t fall apart like others do."—Ol’ Tommy 2 Fingers
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $29.95.
4. A 35-piece magnetic robot blocks setfor building five little planet-named bots or an even bigger super bot all the while helping kids to build their storytelling, design, and motor skills. Plus that magnetic snapping sound is oh-so-satisfying!
Amazon
For ages 3+
Promising review:"I bought these for my little grandson and he carries them everywhere he goes. He loves them and plays with them constantly. He is very active and I bought these to help his very busy mother to keep him occupied so she can finish her work and have a moments peace. They work. He definitely has a huge imagination but it needs to be stimulated almost constantly and this product is wonderful. I wish they would make a rocket ship set! I highly recommend this toy to anyone with an aged 3 to 6 year old. They are larger than you think, and unless they lose them, indestructible." —Jason
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $22.49(clip the coupon on the product page to save 10%; available in three colors).
5. A Learning Resources Botley The Coding Robot 2.0 activity set because it's never too early to get the kids into coding. Botley can be programmed to follow a sequence of up to 150 steps including following plotted courses and avoiding obstacles. The best part, it's all screen-free!
Amazon
For ages 5+
Promising review: "I purchased this toy for my daughter who just turned 5. She absolutely loves playing with Botley and the coding is very straightforward and easy for her to understand. She loves that she is able to program different codes to turn Botley into a frog, train, ghost, and more. I love that she is able to learn how to program things in a sequence and use if/then logic when playing. This is a great toy for children who love to learn about technology, and I love that it's a screen-free activity that encourages children to use their thinking cap and imagination during playtime!" —Southern Made Simple
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $64.63(available in six styles).
6. A super colorful (and original)Educational Insights Robot Face Race matching gamerequiring players to scan the board for the robot head with the correct colored face, nose, eyes, and mouth. Teaches visual discernment, which is an important "key pre-reading skill."
Amazon
For ages 4+
Promising review:"Oh the fun we have had playing this game. Plenty of combination faces to keep this game fresh every time. The key to the game is to beat your opponent by finding the robot face that matches the combination generated by the dice insides shaker. Each shake provides a different combo. I bought this for my 8-year-old, who is autistic, and it can get a little challenging to find the right robot face, but it's a good type and the right mix to encourage him to keep going, and not give up. I love playing it (49), my older son (11) loves playing it. It does make for a fast paced, laugh out loud, fun family game night. If you're on the fence, just buy it! Fast set up, super easy to learn, shake the face generator, and you're off to the robot face race!" —Tamara Dyan
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $22.30.
7. A 12-in-1 solar robot toy kitfor the kids to learn a little bit about renewable energy while building constructing bots that move on land (buggy, turtle, zombie!) and water (rower or surfer). The best part? No batteries necessary. Thanks, sun!
Amazon
For ages 8+
Promising review:"I had to work on this together with my son because some steps are difficult for a kid. But the instructions in the manual are nice and clear, which makes the task easier. We have together joined the pieces and made it into the Wall-E type character so far, and my son has a blast with it. He's already inquisitive about what other things he can make out of this. This is my son's first solar powered toy, so seeing him understand the concepts of solar energy transform into kinetic, robotics, assembling things together is rewarding." —David Boido
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $24.99(clip the coupon on the product page to save $5; available in two styles).
8. A The OffBits "StationBit" setwith over 200 real metal nuts, bolts, springs, connectors (as well as stickers) that emphasizes "the art of spare parts" when it comes to building new and unique little robot buddies.
OffBits
For ages 8+
So I didn't get to test this out with my kids (still too young, too many little parts) but I sure had a good time building these light blue colored bots myself. There's just something about scrappy (scrap part) robots that make it more fun, and, well less robotic by injecting a little more personality. The box also turns into a "play area" for more imaginary missions and then converts back for storage (always a bonus). And, best of all, you can combine different OffBits kits to make bigger and better creations!
Shipping info:All orders processed within 1-2 business days. Delivery time within the U.S. is 3-7 business days for Standard shipping.
Get it from OffBits for $59.95.
9. ALearning Resources "1-2-3 Build It!" robot factoryso toddlers can start on those early STEM skills, especially getting those chubby mitts to develop some fine motor skills while building their first robotic creations.
For ages 2+
Note:From now until Dec. 14, 2022 for every Learning Resources toy that is purchased fromAmazon,Target, orWalmart, in stores and online,the company will donate an educational toy or resource to families that need a helping hand this holiday season.
Promising review:"My 2-year-old nephew loved this gift. The pieces are large but fit securely together. And once together it can take a bit of abuse. He was rolling it all over the floor and into things. And the rearrangement ability of the pieces makes it a new robot when you change them around. Great learning toy and so much better for them than looking at a screen." —BB-O-Matic
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $17.49.
10. A total classic Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robotsfor pitting the Red Rocker against the Blue Bomber as automaton stand-ins for any sibling rivalries that are getting too heated. Didn't Hugh Jackman make an entire moved based on this?
Amazon
For ages 6+
Promising review:"Got these for my grandkids, ages 6 and 7. They love them, as did their daddy. Played for hours without fights like other games lead to. Now they can battle it out and not lay a hand on each other. Definitely better for younger ones. They are really sturdy also, a plus if your kid breaks things easily." —Michael s thrower
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $22.99.
11. A 358-pieceremote control robot building kitthat teaches the basics of engineering so young users canunderstand the function of each moving part and how they all come together to perform different basic tasks.
Amazon
For ages 8+
The app with BlueTooth connection allows user to control their robotic creation if four different ways: as a remote, a gravity sensor (by moving the phone around), voice control, or path mode (where you can draw a path for the robot to follow).
Promising review:"So I bought this awesome little robot for my son's birthday, he's a longtime lego/robot enthusiast. He loved the building process but as a parent I could tell you what I loved. After the build was complete I had the blessing of watching my son apply critical thinking skills and trouble shooting. No fault of the product by any means but the environment he was navigating it in. He actually took off the tracks and began improving it to suit the terrain he was trying to operate it in. We'll definitely be buying more." —Josh McElfresh
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $23.99(click the coupon on the product to save 5%; available in two styles).
12. Or a slightly smaller 110-pieceLearning Resources robots-in-motion building setso imaginative little minds can get in gear with STEM learning (but, you know, while still having fun. You don't have to tell them it's also educational).
For ages 5+
Promising review:"Bought it for my youngest (4-year-old). He loves it and so does my 6-year-old daughter. They both come up with excellent building ideas on top of the ones depicted in the toy's manual creating moving robots with moving heads and everything else. Excellent quality as every is Learning Resources product we have. Totally recommend." —Virginia
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
13. A voice-activatedWonder Workshop Dash robotfor not only introducing kids to coding but growing with them as they become more comfortable and knowledgable in their programming skills.
Amazon
For ages 6+
Includes five different free apps for Apple iOS, Android OS, and Fire OS to program Dash to move, dance, make sounds, avoid obstacles, and more!
Promising review: "This amazing little robot and his associated apps make it extremely versatile and allow my children to be as creative as they want in programming behaviors and building attachments. The beauty of it is that it can grow with the kids. There are other attachments and the possibilities for expansion and creativity are endless and will last years. This is screen time I really don’t mind because it has proven fun and educational for our whole family. I highly recommend this robot for kids who aren’t yet motivated to program or code. The beauty of this experience was as soon as Dash came out of the box, my children were engaged and exploring every one of his features. In less than an hour, they were using one of Dash’s apps to start coding behaviors. I’ve been trying to get my kids engaged in coding for years but this little robot did it in his first hour with them. We didn’t have to read books or go to a Spring Break Camp to learn how to use Dash. The apps were easy to use, encouraged curiosity and experimentation and made coding instantly rewarding and fun." —-DG
Shipping info:Available with freeAmazon Primedelivery and 6–8-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $182.69.
14. A box ofHexbug Junkbotsbecause not all robots need be sleek and stylish (like an iPhone). This set comes with 24 pieces that can be built into four different character or (ideally) a kid's own unique creation.
Amazon
For ages 3+
Promising review:"These are so cute. A little smaller then expected but very fun and my son loves them. They are a bit hard to pop together the first few times so you may need to assist your child. We love them though and my son comes up with some funny looking bots very good for the young robot lover in your life." —Katiesha
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $9.60.
15. An one-touch transformingVTech "Switch and Go" dragon roadhogroaring with fun features like an LCD screen that switches from race car driver to dragon while firing off 50+ sound effects.
Amazon
For ages 4+
I got a chance to play with this "Switch and Go" roadhog and this thing is a beast (and I mean that in the most complimentary of ways). I do qualify it as a robot because of its transforming feature (super easy too) and the fact that it turns from a car into a non-scaley and imaginarily metallic) dragon. Kind of like a Dino-Bot! Classic "evil-character" colors but is maybe just misunderstood. Tons of fun to be had playing with the ro-beast!
Shipping info:Next day delivery available. Get free delivery, shipping, and more with Walmart+.
Get it from Walmartfor $28.75.
16. A talking, singing, dancing, or sort-of-rollerskatingRC robot toythat will respond to hand gestures (move back, forward, left, right) and perform up to 50 different programmable motion commands (via the remote).
For ages 3+
Promising review: "This is a great toy for a kid who loves to play and explore the scientific world. My 5-year-old son loves it! The remote works very well but it needs some time to learn all the hand gestures for a kid. But once someone figured that out, it was lot of fun afterwards. I wish it could move its arms as well, but I can't complain and wasn't expecting it for the price. My only complaint is that, if the surface is not solid it falls frequently. When my son use it on the wooden floor or glass top table it works well, but on carpet or rug it does not work very well. Overall my son is very happy with this robot toy." —Mahipal Biswas
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $35.99 (clip the coupon on the product page to save $10).
17. A Hexbug BattleBots Arena Pro(based on the TV show) to pit two tiny robots (with over 100 different configurations) against each other in an arena of sport. "Two bots enter! One bot leaves!Two bots enter! One bot leaves!"
Amazon
For ages 8+
Promising review: "This thing was an absolute hit with my 6-year-old. It was easy to assemble and the bots are fun to put together. It's short enough to store under the bed which is good because the only bad thing is that this thing is big and takes up some serious floor space." —Aislinn
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $60(available in two styles).
18. A wooden robots stacking balancing block puzzle gamefor kids to develop concentration, patience, and fine motor skills — kind of like a robot, but less metallic.
Amazon
For ages 3+
Promising review: "Sturdy! WOOD! Colorful! Kids love them! I’ve been taking these to a moms’ group where we have kids from two to five. Everyone of them has enjoyed doing something with these. The robots lend themselves to all kinds of creative play — and sometimes they even stack them!" —Cynthia Z
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
19. An Educational Insights Circuit Explorer Roverfor exploring the world of simple circuitry through buildable space-based vehicles and play sets. if your kid shows any interest in engineering or NASA then this is a must-get toy for them.
Amazon
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 3-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $25.99.
20. A robot-building kit so your budding builder can create their own rechargeable robot. It includes 635 pieces and thorough instructions, as well as a remote to control the robot.
Promising review: "My nine year old grandson loved this gift. I have never seen him so focused and interested before. He loved it!"—Dawn cavalin
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $79.99 (clip the coupon on the product page to save 30%).
21. A robotic dog for any little ones who want a furry friend. This is the next best thing! It's rechargeable and will act like a pup.
Promising review: "This was purchased for our 5-year-old grandson's birthday. He wanted a "robot", and this was perfect. The dog seems fairly durable and the remote control and voice control work just fine. Plenty of sounds and tricks. Fun!"—STEVEN LHEUREUX
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $69.99.
22. A 4-in-1 robot with four arm launchers to keep your kid on their toes. Named Robosapien Remix, this little fella will dance, use one of one of its swappable arm launchers, and play 50+ sounds.
Amazon
For ages 5+
Promising review: "My son is autistic and loves this robot. It records him talking and repeats it back. It offers interactive play to engage him. This is his favorite toy now. I love that the toy dances. Perfect gift." —Summer
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $17.60.
23. A wooden robot-building craft kit because it comes with five different models for your child to assemble. Each model has unique features and functions to keep your little one entertained after their hard work is done.
Amazon
Promising review: "Bought this for my great nephew. 9 years old. Loves it and is asking for more. Arrived quickly and in excellent condition. Good price and kept him busy for hours without screen time. Big hit." —BILLIE
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (clip the coupon on the product page to save $5).
24. A robot car because it transforms from a robot into a car (and vice versa) on a moment's notice. Plus, it's got a remote control so your little one can "drive" from up to 98 feet away.
Promising review: "Purchased as a Christmas gift for my nephew and as a little nervous. Pleasantly surprised. It works great and kept a pretty long charge. It transforms well and will steer in both modes. Would definitely purchase again." —JG
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
25. A dinosaur robot that'll teach your child about solar power. Instead of using batteries, this toy is charged by the sun!
Amazon
For ages 8+
Promising review: "Kids love these. After 5 weeks of use they are still in great condition and my preschool class plays with them daily." —Kitten
Shipping info:Available onAmazon Primewith 2-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping informationhere).
Get it from Amazon for $20.99(clip the coupon on the product page to save 30%).
Your child's (hopefully nonautomated) reaction to their new robotic friend...
20th Century television / Via giphy.com
For more toy and gift ideas for different age groups, check out these guides...
Best Toys And Gifts For 1-Year-Olds
Best Toys And Gifts For 2-Year-Olds
Best Toys And Gifts For 3-Year-Olds
Best Toys And Gifts For 4-Year-Olds
Best Toys And Gifts For 5-Year-Olds
Best Toys And Gifts For 6-Year-Olds
Best Toys And Gifts For 7-Year-Olds
Best Toys And Gifts For 8-Year-Olds
Best Toys And Gifts For 10-Year-Olds
Best Toys And Gifts For 12-Year-Olds
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
