2016 holiday gift guide for big kids (ages 6 to 12).

Welcome to PART TWO of our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide series. We've looked into what the "big-box" retailers and experts have on the top of their lists for the older kids (age 6 to 12), and put together our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Big Kids. Check it out, and stay tuned for our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Moms, Dads, and our NEW guide featuring "Experience Gifts". Plus, don't forget to check out our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Littles (ages 1 to 5)!

Ages 6 to 8

Experts are calling Hatchimals one of the "must have toys" of  this holiday season, but they are going to be difficult to get your hands on. Hatchimals are tiny creatures that live inside eggs, and each egg contains one of two interactive animals. Kids can watch their Hatchimal hatch from its egg, then love and care for it like a real pet.
Hatchimals: $59.99, Toys R Us

Dash and Dot are real robots that teach kids to code as they play. Using free apps that are compatible with smartphones or tablets, your child can make Dash sing, dance, and navigate all around the house. These robots react to the environment around them, including your kids. Dash will play hide-and-seek with your child, and can even learn to play instruments.
Dash and Dot: $49.95+, Online

The Zoomer Chimp is one of Amazon's hot holiday toys this year. This toy moves like a real chimp, doing flips, rolls, crawling on all fours, and even stands on his own. You can train Zoomer with voice commands, and he has color-changing  eyes so you know exactly how he's feeling.
Zoomer Chimp: $119, Amazon

Little Passports is an adventure subscription-plan for kids ages 3 to 12.. Every month (you can pick a plan that runs as long or as short as you'd like), the recipient receives a package in the mail filled with fun and educational activities, games, and projects. We ordered a 3-month subscription for our daughter when she was 3.5 years old, and she loved opening her special package that came in the mail each month! Over a year later, the colorful map of the world that she got in one of her packages is still being utilized... By BOTH of our kids!
Little Passports: Subscriptions start at $11.95/month 
(save 60% on the first month of any subscription using the code SAVE60, November 21st-27th, 2016)

Kids can build their own light show, arcade game, doorbell, alarm, etc., using Snap Circuit electricity from Elenco. The Discovery Kits and Project Kits contain dozens of parts, so your curious kiddo can build over a hundred projects. The kits are designed for kids age 8+, and they're a fun project for the family to work on together!
Elenco Snap Circuits: $17.50+,  Amazon

Kids can capture their own footage anywhere, with this wearable, on-the-go camera. The Spy Go Action Camera is a portable camera that you can clip on just about anything (head, bike, etc.). Once your creative kiddo has finished recording, he or she can upload the video onto their tablet.
Spy Go Action Camera: $24.99, Target

Ages 9 to 12:

The 3Doodler is the world's first 3D pen, and the 3Doodler Start kit allows kids to create drawings in 3D. It's a heated, wireless pen, that extrudes melted plastic that cools almost instantly. The possibilities with this are endless!
3Doodler Start: $49.99, Target

There's the original RipStik, and now there's an electric version. When I asked a couple pre-teen boys what was on the top of their holiday lists this year, this was on both of their lists.
RipStik Electric by Razor: Walmart, $149

The BoseBuild Speaker Cube is on many experts' lists of "Top Holiday Toys" this year. It's recommended for kids, age 8+, but this techy gift is also on Papa Saigh's Christmas list. You can now build and customize your own, durable, high-performance, bluetooth speaker!
BoseBuild Speaker Cube: $149, Online

Each car in the Anki Overdrive System is a self-aware robot, that is able to learn any track you build. Drivers can battle opponents, on hundreds of custom race tracks. Players can also modify their cars with weapons and build-outs.
Anki Overdrive Starter Kit: $149, Target