Christmas gifts for a 7 year old: 60 picks from a paediatric OT
Christmas gifts for a 7 year old: 60 picks from a paediatric OT
Here are my Christmas gift picks for seven-year-olds, grouped by type of play. Board and card games the whole family can play, crafts, LEGO projects and ways to get them moving.
Prices checked October 2026, and they change often. Some links are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. More at the bottom.
Board and strategy games
7 giftsGames with a bit more thinking in them: planning ahead, strategy and problem solving.
A great strategy game, with chances for strategic thinking, problem solving and turn taking. Being two-player, it's a good level while they're still getting used to games with rules.
A great strategy board game for kids who are showing more of an interest in board games, or dragons.
While the Amazon title says board game for adults, it's actually suitable for seven- and eight-year-olds. A strategy and challenge-based game.
It's got some strategy to it, and you can work on it together. 40 challenge cards, from beginner to expert.
You may have heard of Ticket to Ride, a popular strategy board game. First Journey is the kids' version: claim train routes across the map to connect your cities. Planning ahead, strategy and turn taking.
You may have heard of Catan, a popular strategy board game. This is the junior version, if your child likes board games. Collecting resources, trading with the other players and planning ahead.
A cooperative one I bought recently, and it's been so loved by all the kids I've played with. Particularly successful for happy sibling sessions, with no arguing and everyone working together.
Quick games and card games
9 giftsFast, easy-to-learn games that get everyone laughing.
A fast, silly card game. Say the words in order as you flip, and slap the pile when the card matches the word. Quick reactions, attention and lots of laughs.
The step-up version for school age animal lovers. Question asking, deduction and animal facts in one quick game.
Asking yes/no questions and narrowing it down. Great for thinking skills and communication.
This is always the type of game that gets people laughing and having fun together.
Quite a practical game. Easy to follow, easy to learn, and you don't have to wait long for your turn.
The same yes/no questions game, with Pokémon characters.
A new twist on Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. Same quick reactions and attention, and plenty of chaos.
The classic buzzing tweezers game, and great for fine-tuning tool skills. In my OT brain, it links directly to using tweezers with more precision, and it's good practice for hand-eye coordination and the small hand movements used for writing and drawing.
Drawing, art and crafts
17 giftsFor kids who love making things. I find the more fun, different ways you have to draw and write, the better engagement you'll get than with just regular pencil and paper. And you can't go wrong with charm or friendship bracelets at this age.
Glowing reviews, and a great one to buy as an inexpensive gift or for travel.
Draw dry, then go over it with a wet brush and watch it change. Two techniques in one pencil.
Inexpensive and great for travel. It can be quite a mindful activity, but I'd only gift this to a child who will sit for a while and work on one crafty project, which probably isn't every kid.
Draw courses, trace bodies, play hopscotch, write letters. Chalk is one of those things that buys hours of outdoor creative play.
Great for kids who are into craft, and a good one to take out and about.
A bit of a niche gift, but for kids who are really into drawing and would enjoy drawing patterns, it's a considered, inexpensive gift. A good addition to a drawing kit if you're not sure what to get them.
Bigger pieces make 200 pieces doable.
A kit for making clay bead charm and friendship bracelets.
A great one for kids who are showing an interest in craft. Great for learning to follow instructions and practicing precision and folding.
A great make-your-own charm set. Also cute for making key rings or decorations.
A great comprehensive kit with pencils, textas, crayons and some paper. Pull it out, then pack it all away into the case when they're finished.
A fun one for making different designs, for kids who are really into their craft creations.
Loom band bracelets, where kids use their creativity to express their style.
For craft lovers. They put tiny beads together to make a creation, then you iron it and the heat sticks the beads together.
Really cute, and it turns into a usable eraser they can take to school.
For kids who are really enjoying their drawing and like tracing from examples, this is a great way for them to build their skills.
Draw in the air and it sets solid. It uses a low-heat eco-plastic rather than standard filament, and 3Doodler rate it 6 to 13.
LEGO and building
4 giftsWhen they're ready for more structured kits, you can choose LEGO based on their interests. It's a great chance to work on a project from start to finish: problem solving, persistence, construction and fine motor skills.
Three builds in one box for $10. A great small LEGO project.
For Minecraft fans. Build it, then play it out.
Build it, then role play with it. Great for kids who love story play.
Cardboard construction for little engineers. Creativity, teamwork and sustainable play.
Science and how things work
7 giftsFor science-minded kids, and the ones with a "how does that work?" brain.
Chip away until the fossil or gem appears. Slow going, which is the appeal. One for dino fans.
Build a small terrarium, plant the seeds and watch it grow. It glows in the dark, too.
Chipping and brushing to find real gemstones. Patience and fine motor skills.
Snap-together circuits, and an easier start than Snap Circuits Jr.
Build real circuits that light up and spin. Great for kids who are super interested in science and putting things together.
An upgraded marble run. Build upwards, using height and momentum to move the marble along.
A good step up for kids who are getting into robots, coding and STEM.
Active and outdoor play
9 gifts
Throwing and catching a frisbee is harder than it looks. Expect a lot of chasing at first.
The best-selling string-trick yo-yo. The wide gap and steel axle make it much easier for beginners. Great for hand-eye coordination and persistence.
A deck of things to find outside, at the park, the beach or the backyard. Great for getting them looking closely and moving.
One of the most versatile cheap toys going. Lightsaber battles, tug of war, tow a scooter board, build forts, balance beams. Endless.
Lay them out and step through the rungs, then change the pattern. Works inside on a rainy day.
A fun one that not many people think of, because they're not really in the toy category. They can be used for so many games, and they're great for practicing clear communication.
A great way to get them moving while building skills: hand-eye coordination, aiming and the motor skills that go with it.
Backyard cricket for the summer holidays. Throwing, catching and hitting, and a great way to get everyone outside.
An Aussie summer backyard classic. Great for hand-eye coordination and getting them outside.
Sensory and calm-down
4 giftsFor kids who need something to squeeze, stretch, fidget with or flop on to stay calm and focused.
Quiet, portable and really satisfying to flip. Good for kids who need something to do with their hands during homework or focused tasks.
Stretch them, wrap them, link them together. Great for kids who need tactile input and something to do with their hands.
This one is just the egg, but click through and look at related products: Crazy Aaron's has lots of different putties. I like the search and find ones, with little pieces hidden inside to look for. Quite mindful, as well as being a fidget. Great for kids who are into slime or benefit from having something to do with their hands.
A weighted plush that sits across the lap or shoulders. Heavy, soft, and it looks like an ordinary toy.
Books, stories and photos
3 gifts
Roll the dice, see what you get, make up the rest. Great for kids who love a story, and for building one out loud together.
Prints the photo straight away, no phone needed. For kids who are always asking to take photos.
Next: Christmas gifts for an 8 year old →
Some links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, and Kidera earns a small commission if you buy through one. It costs you nothing extra and it doesn't change what makes the list. Nobody has paid to be here. Prices were read off Australian retailer pages in September and October 2026.
Brittany has been registered with AHPRA for nearly nine years and has run her own practice for five, working with kids and their families across homes, schools and her clinic. Clinical days are Monday to Wednesday. Thursdays and Fridays she builds Kidera, the child development brand she founded in Perth.
What she doesn't do here: diagnose anything, or tell you what your particular child needs. If something about your child's development is nagging at you, the person to talk to is someone who can actually watch them play, your GP, your child health nurse, or an OT who can do a proper assessment.
Kidera is at kidera.com.au.
Brittany is a paediatric occupational therapist who has been registered with AHPRA for nearly nine years, working with kids and their families across homes, schools and her own clinic in Perth.
Through Kidera she shares her toy picks alongside OT tips for supporting children through play, skill development and goals, drawing on her professional experience and her own opinion. The aim is a community where parents feel supported and confident navigating raising kids, and where other professionals can pick up something useful too.
These are general, evidence-informed strategies. They're not a diagnosis and not a substitute for assessment by a registered health practitioner.
