Birthday gifts for a nine- to twelve-year-old, under $25.

The whole art cupboard in a latching case — markers, crayons, pencils, paper. The gift the crafty kid actually uses up.

Tiny beads, a peg board, and an iron finish (that's your job). Hours of design, and every creation gets gifted back to you.

Build ten machines that knock, roll, and trip each other off. The rare screen-free thing that holds a whole rainy Saturday.

A guided make-your-own project — soap, lip balm, mini erasers, depending which. Follow-the-steps craft with a keepable result.

A fast, funny, slightly-mean card game that this age adores. The one they'll beg for one more round of.

Crack open ten real geodes with the goggles and hammer included. The most bang-for-buck 'whoa' on this whole list.

The best-made puzzles there are — snug fit, no dust, a real image. A quiet table project the whole family drifts over to.

Fast anagram racing in a little banana pouch. Sneaks spelling practice into something they actually ask to play.

Putty that stretches, snaps, and magically color-shifts. The desk fidget that's genuinely a little bit magic.

The original brain-in-your-pocket. They'll watch one tutorial and not put it down for a week — screen-free, mostly.

The card game every kid should learn. Travels anywhere, teaches colors-and-numbers strategy, and starts real family game night.