T3's Christmas Gadget Gifts: kids (of all ages)

It’s not the alarm sounds that interest us here, despite cutely borrowing from several of Nintendo’s top Switch titles. It’s actually the smarts: the Alarmo watches you as you wake, soundtracking your stretches and rolls with amusing sound effects, and automatically switching itself off once it senses that you’ve made it out of bed. How cool.
£90/$100, store.nintendo.co.uk

Certain kids, obviously, will appreciate the tiny diorama here; others will drool over the little extras. The sweet walkie-talkie outer, the dual-sided Hawkins and Upside Down scenes, the micro-scale Demogorgon sized perfectly to add a little spice to otherwise demon-free Polly Pocket sets. Bitchin’.
£48/$50, creations.mattel.com

Whether you’re into Star Wars or not, everyone can appreciate hitting the table for a board game that isn’t Monopoly. This co-operative journey of adventure includes eight unique characters, plenty of mission objectives, and a growing game system which adds new elements the more you play – including some that are slightly less friendly.
£50/$50, asmodee.co.uk

Not for the youngest kids, obviously – it’s a blaster, after all – but a riot for those responsible enough to fire tiny gel balls (think Orbees, sort of) at an average of 150FPS. There are 10,000 hydrate-them-yourself pellets included, 800 wet ones ready to fire on Christmas morning, and even a sensible set of safety glasses. Buy two, and go to war.
£40/$60, gelblaster.com

Intricate and clever, this Lego Ideas success is a joy to build, and packed with hidden features that you’d only know about if you were the one to assemble the ABS. We’re impressed with the design, and how well it replicates the angular feel of the classic film – though slightly less impressed with the lack of an Oogie Boogie minifig.
£170/$200, lego.com

Perfect for younger kids and possibly larger than they are, this burly Vaderbot doesn’t mess around. It launches balls using the power of the Force (or so they say), has lights and sounds and an extendable lightsaber, and a pop-out disc launcher that will almost certainly be used to spang Grandma in the head. It’s what Christmas is made of.
£140/$180, mattel.com

Remember Tickle Me Elmo? This is that, sort of, made for today’s Stitch-obsessed youth and elder Disney fanatics alike. You already know the deal, we’re sure. Give the little alien fella a shake, and he’ll absolutely lose his mind, squirming all over the shop and laughing his chops off. And unlike the classic Elmo, this is soft and cuddly. Lovely.
£25/$30, justplayproducts.com

You can think of all the toys and gimmicks you like. Go ahead. Nothing is going to beat the flexibility of an iPad. Whether it’s sitting on the sofa browsing one’s socials, gaming hard, making music, catching up on Netflix – nothing else lasts as long, does as much, or will be appreciated in quite the same way as Apple’s tablet, even in this cheapest tier.
From £329/$350, apple.com