THE HOTTEST TECH TOYS FOR KIDS

From a build-it-yourself space station to a portable storyteller to Harry Potter’s Hedwig, here are the 2021 tech toys that’ll bring the kids in your life a ton of fun

- CAROL MANGIS

Toys don’t need technology to be fun—and tech shouldn’t be the whole point of a toy. But when it’s done right, technology can elevate a toy from fun to amazing. We look for that magic extra element in the toys we recommend. This year, we found more toys for younger kids than we usually do. But our list will help you find the perfect gifts for all the tiny humans in your life.

EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS CIRCUIT EXPLORER DELUXE BASE STATION

$59.99. AGES 6 TO 12; USES 9 AA BATTERIES.

With the Educational Insights Circuit Explorer Deluxe Base Station, kids can build their own interplanetary headquarters while learning the fundamentals of electrical circuits: This kit gives you everything you need to build a base station featuring lights, sounds, motion, and even little astronaut and robot explorers to inhabit the station. It comes with a pictorial guide that shows how to build the circuits and the rest of the station. The company offers two other kits as well—Rover ($44.99) and Rocket ($34.99)—and they can all combine to create a space empire.

HEYKUBE

$74.95. AGES 8 AND UP; RECHARGEABLE BATTERY.

The Rubik’s Cube has been around since 1974, but it’s still as intriguing—and hard to solve—as ever. The HeyKube adds a smart element to the traditional cube puzzle: Scramble it up, and it remembers the moves you made and guides you to solve via LED lights and audio cues. It also contains 16 preprogrammed patterns it’ll teach you to solve. Even more fun is included for prospective coders: You can create your own light-and-sound patterns and games using a Raspberry Pi (not included).

SPIN MASTER PEEK-A-ROO