smart christmas toys for your kids

So it’s time to start planning for this year’s best smart Christmas toys for kids this year. But what to buy them?

2023 is shaping up to be the year of smart robotic toys. Companies such as Anki and Lego have been taking the world by storm. They have new robotic products, that are children-friendly and promote learning while they play.

So let’s take a look at some of the best smart Xmas tech toys to put under the Christmas tree this year for your children or partner. Yes even us big kids need fun smart gifts. The future of Artificial Intelligent toy games has finally arrived.

Anki Overdrive Starter Kit – Smart non-slot car racing.

The Anki Overdrive is a new smart racing car kit, that is very popular in the slot car racing world. Each Supercar is a self-aware robot, driven by powerful artificial intelligence (A.I.)

Designed and manufactured by Anki these high-tech slot cars are for the new generation. Gone are the slots for guidance and power. Instead, each car is smart enough to stay on track. Unless hunted down by your enemy.

  • Use your mobile device like tablets to take command of real robotic supercars and trucks in Anki Overdrive.
  • Build up to eight battlefield tracks in seconds, with the starter kit.
  • Battle and race against friends or A.I controlled vehicles.
  • An Anki overdrive starter kit and a compatible mobile phone or tablet are required to play with full features.
  • Expand the battle with expansion tracks, supercars, and the all-new super-trucks. 
  • Unlock upgrades with regular track time and win.

The kit comes with 2 artificial intelligent super-cars and 10 pieces of clever magnetic locking tracks. With the option of purchasing extra expansion smart tracks and cars, this is one smart slot car track that will keep the kids and you entertained for hours.

Anki Cosmo/Vector smart robot for kids. The robot with personality.

The Anki Vector smart robot friend is designed from the ground up to be fully interactive with you and your children.

  • Robot Companion – Powered by AI and advanced robotics, he’s alive with personality and engaged by sight, sound and touch.
  • Voice Recognition – Vector is voice-activated and will answer questions, take photos for you, time dinner, show you the weather, and more. He even comes with Alexa built-in!
  • Smart & Getting Smarter – Vector is an updating platform, cloud connected via WiFi so he’s always learning and updating with new skills and features.

He’s an advanced supercomputer and a loyal friend all at once. Thanks to artificial intelligence (A.I), Cozmo can express hundreds of emotions. From happy to tired, persistent to angry, he has a personality only a mother could love.

He knows your name, face, and quirks. And best of all, he continues to evolve and learn the more you hang out and play. It’s the perfect smart Christmas toy for children.

Cosmo is fully aware of its environment and will map out his territory so you can interact with him more. With 50 internal gears, his range of motion is amazing.

Powered by an emotional engine your child can really set off a range of personalities. Making this once clever robot.

Vector CAN SEE. Vector uses an HD camera to see the world. Using computer vision, he can identify people, see and remember faces, and navigate his space without bumping into things.
Cector CAN THINK. Vector’s smartphone-level processor and cloud connectivity create one powerful brain.
Vector CAN HEAR. Vector has a powerful four-microphone array for directional hearing. When you sit down next to him, he’s ready to take direction. And if there is a loud noise, he’ll be just as startled as you.
Vector CAN COMMUNICATE. Vector has a unique voice made of hundreds of synthesized sounds to create a language all his own. When you ask Vector a question, he utilizes a custom text-to-speech voice to speak directly to you.
Vector CAN FEEL. Vector has touch sensors and an accelerometer so he knows when he’s being touched and moved. You can pet him and he’ll relax but try not to shake him.

DJI Spark smart drone quadcopter

best smart quad-copter christmas gift

The DJI Spark is an amazing piece of technology placed into a small drone body. With features like face recognition, auto follows and collision avoidance this quad-copter is crazy smart.

Control it with your phone, hand signals, or the optional wireless controller you can pick the option that works for you.

With hand signals, you don’t even have to learn to fly the DJI spark. This drone will do more just by looking at your specific hand movements.

  • 2-Axis Stabilized Gimbal Camera; 12MP Still Photos / 1080p/30 frames – Video
  • Gesture and TapFly Control; Fly Autonomy with obstacle detection sensors.
  • Subject Tracking from Various Angles; GPS- & Vision position-based navigation
  • Top Speed of 31 mph in Sports Mode; Up to 16 Minutes of flying time
  • Up to 1.2 Mile Control Range; control, edit, share with DJI GO App
  • Auto returned home with the loss of the radio signal. Self-landing.
  • Up-gradable firmware on both the DJI Spark and the hand controller for extra features.

Tech gifts for kids – Quad-copters

The DJI Spark has a huge following, not surprised considering that there is so much advanced technology squeezed into such a tiny body. Now your children can take videos of all those amazing activities that they do. All hands-free with just a touch of a button.

Flying a quad-copter drone has never been so easy and fun. It’s one of the most advanced smart Christmas toys here for your kids or yourself.

If you are after just a cheaper hand-sized pocket drone, then check out our review of the mini drone FQ777-124. It’s cheaper by more than 10x and is well built with great flying time. But it’s not as smart. We used them as training drones before we gave our kids a full-sized DJI Spark drone. It’s the perfect tech gift for younger kids.

What I really like about the DJI Spark is how stable the 2 axes mechanical gimbal camera is. The picture quality is fantastic with up to 1080p quality due to the large pixels 12 MP sensor. Value for money it’s the best smart drone out there hands down.

DJI Spark is well suited for the more older children but my 7-year-old boy fly’s it well, after only a few guided sessions. Great excuse to spend quality time with your kids.

LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox 17101 (Huge 847 Piece kit set)

lego boost robot toys for children christmas gift

Gone are the days when your child finishes building their Lego set, only to leave it sitting in their cupboard never to be played with again. Lego Boost solves this by making their kit fully interactive with a tablet.

Smart Christmas Toys for Kids lego boost
Image Lego.com
  • Includes over 846 LEGO pieces, able to build 5 model robots, plus the kit includes a LEGO Move Hub, Interactive Motor, and a Color & Distance Sensor, poster, and play-mat.
  • Move Hub features Bluetooth low energy (BLE) connectivity, two encoded motors with tachometers, an activation button, an internal tilt sensor, and a bright light.
  • Color & Distance Sensor detects distance, motion, and color, and can also function as a light source.
  • Building instructions for all 5 models are included with the free LEGO Boost app. The kit requires 6 AAA batteries (not included). We use rechargeable Eneloops which work fine.
  • Vernie the robot stands over 10in (27cm) tall, Guitar4000 measures over 1in (5cm) high, 16in (42cm) long and 5in (15cm) wide. Then there is Frankie the Cat, M.T.R.4 rover, and Auto Builder which is an automated production line factory.
  • Please Note: A tablet is required to build and play with LEGO BOOST.

The great thing about Lego Boost is the number of interactive activities you can do with each robot model. Once your child gets bored with the current model just dismantle it and build another.

They soon will find a favorite, and the learning never stops. Software and Lego hardware all rolled into one.

Updated Sphero SPRK: The App-Controlled Robot Ball

If you haven’t seen Sphero in action before it’s best to have a look at the video shown below. Sphero is a fully waterproof go-anywhere robotic ball, that can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet.

The Sphero SPRK+ is an upgrade so it is a programmable robot ball designed to inspire creativity and curiosity through coding and play.

With wireless charging and motion sensing, the Sphero smart ball has so many options to interact with it your kids. They will have hours of fun playing and learning and racing against their friends or even the pet dog.

With around 1 hour of run time and a 3-hour wireless recharge through the induction charger, it’s got great battery life.

Sphero 2 Features

  • App-controlled robot ball traveling up to 2 meters per sec (4.5 mph) with a high-impact polycarbonate shell.
  • SMART Bluetooth connection with a range of 100 ft
  • Includes inductive charging base providing over an hour of full-throttle programable fun.
  • STEAM Educational programming SPRK+ is used by over 4,500 teachers and schools worldwide use Sphero to teach coding with the free code apps.
  • Over 30 free apps can be downloaded to upgrade your play from iTunes App Store or Google Play. Item can only be used with Apple or Android products
  • Pet-friendly with loads of additional silicon soft outer shell covers to choose from.

The new Sphero 2.0 is an amazing product. Now with added features and app support this little robot ball has traveled far. It’s like magic that this round smooth ball can move by itself and virtually go anywhere.

If you wrap it in the silicon outer tread you now have a 4×4 beast that can go all terrain. It’s a whole lot more fun in the yard going over jumps and racing with your friends on the dirt.

But if you have 3 kids then prepare to have to buy 4 of them. One for yourself, they are that much fun. Just don’t expect them to stay under the Christmas tree for long. They will be cruising around the whole house in no time.

Suited for any age 3 and up as long as they can hold a mobile phone. Controlling it is so easy and virtually indestructible.

Sphero BOLT

Sphero BOLT is a programmable robot ball that you can drive and code, providing endless opportunities to be creative and have fun while learning. Advanced yet approachable, you can learn programming, complete hands-on activities, and share your creations with the community. With BOLT, STEAM learning can be easily facilitated at home and guided by parents. Download the BOLT At-Home Learning Guide under product guides and documents.

Ozobot 2.0 Bit Starter Pack, the Smart Robot Toy that Teaches Coding and Inspires Creativity for Children

ozbot bic smart robot toys for kids

Control your Ozbot with colors. It’s easy to draw OzoCode color codes on paper or via the free app on a tablet. The little smart robot called Bit then uses its optical sensors to respond by—spinning, speeding up, slowing down, turning, and more as it detects the change in color responding to your command.

The Starter Pack comes with an Osbot Bit robot, OzoCode learning chart, 4 special pen markers, charging cable, and over 20 games and activities.

Color coding masters can move on to more advanced programming with free Ozobot apps and the OzoBlockly editor. This will introduce your child to block-based programming. OzBot Bit is teacher-recommended and is used in coding and STEM curricula in 2,000 schools nationwide.

  • One of the world’s smallest smart robots, measuring in at just 1 cubic inch. (25cm square)
  • Responds to color change codes on both paper and digital screens like tablets and computer monitors.
  • Includes 20+ games and brain teasers for a fun introduction to stem, coding, and computer science. More with optional Android and Apple apps.
  • Packed with Do it yourself stickers and skins for creative customization.

Our Kids have had so much fun playing with the Ozobot. They were the Winner of the best mini robot in 2015 and now with upgrades, they are famous.

Able to follow color commands on paper, and now flashing commands on a tablet these little smart robots are really cool. Perfect for teaching your children about instruction code with drag and drop functions.

We actually bought these smart robot toys for our kids last Christmas. With a stack of free printable smart maps and games for the Ozbot Bit, you will never run out of tasks for the little monster.

SmartLab – Smart Circuits Games & Gadgets Electronics Lab

smart circuits electronic lab

The Smart Circuits Lab is for those children that have an interest in making electrical gadgets. Complete the many safe electrical circuits to make a quiz show game, an electronic drum kit, a motion-sensing room alarm, and much more.

There are 10 smart modules and an included powerful microprocessor module. Your kids will learn about electrical engineering, as they play with the easy multi-dimensional baseboard and fun electronic components.

The included 48-page lab book includes step-by-step instructions for building up to 50 intricate circuit boards. This will teach your kids about electronics, light, and sound, plus endless options to build custom creations.

Smart lab features

  • Build unlimited electronic games, interactive tasks, and cool gadgets.
  • Learn about electronic engineering using the modular plugin system and a smart microprocessor.
  • Includes 6 baseboards, battery module, variable resistor module, microprocessor module, tricolor LED module, speaker module, photodiode module, tilt switch module 6-LED array module, 2 push button modules, 31 jumper wires, and a 48-page project book.
  • Approved STEM Focus in Electronics
  • The perfect gift for your smart kids, or budding baby engineer.
  • For ages 8 and up

Our children loved making all the interesting electrical projects. We found after completing a few they were curious to make an experiment with their own interesting electrical circuits.

DIY Piper Raspberry Pi Computer for Kids


If you are after a DIY wooden computer to build then check out this Raspberry Pi 3 PC kit. It’s been designed to teach your child all about building a computer and then teach them all about electronics through upgrades throughout the Minecraft game.

All the extra electronics and cables are included for each level of Minecraft. It’s one of the most interactive games around which all my children love.

Check out our full review of the Piper Minecraft mini computer build.

Our favorite smart Christmas toys for kids in 2023

Hopefully, you have found a great gift for your children for Christmas. All these smart robot toys have an element of learning, so your children’s IQ will grow while they play. Hey, even I have learned a lot while playing with each of these little smart circuits and robots.

My favorite smart game is Anki Overdrive, as it’s like playing a video game with all the upgrades and weapon options. But I guess it’s the old slot car racer in me. The Anki Vector is also a cool interactive robot. Although our dog is still not sure about it.

The great thing is, you can upgrade a lot of these educational toys. As your child grows and develops a better understanding of the operation and technical aspects of these tech toys they will gain more fun of each game. There may be some coding involved but that’s part of the fun. They have all been developed for children, so you know they are developing their brains and learning as they play.

Once you have your children sorted, don’t forget about your partner. We have done a review on some great gift ideas on what to get your Husband for Christmas. There are some amazing new products that I’m sure you or your partner will love.

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