Pokémon began with two video games in Japan in 1996, and a new generation of kids is still catching them today.
For fans aged 6 to 12, gifts they can play with, build or display keep the fun going away from a screen. Start the hunt with the ideas just below.
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No booster packs, booster boxes or blind boxes here. What is inside a sealed pack is down to chance, often a card they already have, and new sets tend to sell out and come back from resellers for far more than in the shops. Every gift on this list is one you can see before you buy it. Are booster packs a good gift?
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Games and puzzlesAges 6+
72 pieces (Ravensburger)
Ravensburger turns Pokémon art into a 72-piece puzzle ball, a step up from the flat jigsaws a young fan already knows.
The curved pieces make each match a little puzzle of its own. It fits a quiet hour at the desk.
Building setsAges 6+
198 pieces · set 72157
Charmander squares off against Geodude in this LEGO Pokémon cave set, made for a fan who likes battles.
With 198 pieces, the build is a solid afternoon project. Afterward the figures stay ready for rematch after rematch.
Arts and crafts
Familiar Pokémon faces fill this Crayola coloring book, ready for a young fan to bring to life in their own colors.
They can choose new shades for each character, then compare favorites with a friend.
Dolls and figures
This Eevee figure set hands a Pokémon fan a ready-made team for tabletop battles.
They can stage match-ups on the kitchen table, taking turns as the trainer. The evolved figures give each match-up a new cast of rivals.
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Squirtle and Cubone come together brick by brick in this Mega Brands set, a build-it-yourself pair for any Pokémon fan.
Once done, the pair can join other figures on a dresser or bookcase. Assembling them gives a fan their own versions of familiar characters to pose and show off.
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Ages 7+
Labyrinth Connect brings Pokémon to a travel-size game for 2 to 6 players, so a fan can deal in family and friends.
Everyone hunts for matching characters as the paths shift, so younger siblings can join in. It packs into a bag for a long car ride.
This 4D Build Charmander kit gives an older Pokémon fan a favorite character to build and then display.
The fun is in the making, so it is made for a fan who likes quiet projects more than quick play. Once it is finished, Charmander can stand on a bedroom shelf.
Monopoly Pokémon Edition dresses the family classic in a fan's favorite world, so game night has a theme they care about.
A school-age player can handle the turns and keep track of their own pieces. Grown-ups who know the original can sit down and play along right away.
Buffalo Games puts familiar Pokémon faces into a jigsaw that a newer puzzler can work through without help.
Spotting characters they know gives them an easy way to start each section. Once it is done, it can stay out for a day so everyone gets a look.
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Squirtle carries the supplies in this Crayola art case, so a young Pokémon artist can grab it and start drawing.
Everything stays together between uses, so the kit comes out ready each time. It suits a rainy afternoon at the kitchen table.
Klutz turns favorite Pokémon characters into designs to color by hand, a craft that fits ages 6 to 8.
Each finished piece can go wherever the young artist chooses. A spot at the kitchen table is all the setup it needs.
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A Sylveon plush gives a Pokémon fan a soft version of the character to squeeze and play with.
It joins the pretend battles and adventures they act out on the living room floor. Other characters can join it later to build a whole team.
This Pikachu statue gives a young Pokémon collector a centerpiece for a bedroom shelf.
It stays out on show instead of sinking into a toy box. Their other figures and plush can line up around it.
Below: the rest of the list, at any price.
Any price
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Some fans love opening them, but what is inside is random and often a card they already have. If they collect, a binder for the cards they own or a battle deck with its card list on the box is the surer gift, and they can start playing straight away.
A battle deck is a complete deck, ready to play, with its cards listed on the box. A booster pack is a small sealed pack of random cards.
Mostly, yes. Most tins and collection boxes hold sealed booster packs beside a promo card or a figure, so the cards inside are still down to chance. That is why this list leaves them out.
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Chosen by our team from store data and what readers pick, not hands-on tests. Nothing is paid to be on this list. Recall notices checked . How we pick
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Updated Oct 31
