Space toys for kids fall into two camps: the ones you fly and the ones you build. The kid who knows the launch schedule wants both, and usually in that order. Here are the four that hold up past the first weekend.
Fly the shuttle
NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery flew 39 missions before it retired in 2011. The Space Shuttle Discovery on the shelf here flies around the backyard. It lifts straight up, holds position, and moves forward, back, and side to side from the remote, and the orbiter shape is faithful enough that a kid who knows the real one recognizes it on sight. The shuttle has a built-in rechargeable battery; the remote takes three AAA batteries, sold separately. It's for ages 10 and up, and it flies best in an open room or a still evening outside.
Build the rover
The Perseverance Mars Rover is 71 pieces that become a working rover with a motor, a robotic arm that moves and grips, and wheels that climb over books and up a gentle slope. Once it's built, the carpet is Mars. The 60-page booklet covers the real Perseverance mission, what it looked for, and how the arm worked, and kids tend to read it with the rover parked next to them. Ages 8 and up, three AAA batteries sold separately.
Build the arm
The Canadarm Robot Arm works on water pressure, the same idea as the real Canadarm on the International Space Station, so the 108-piece build needs no batteries at all. Four axes of movement, action levers, an astronaut figure and a satellite to retrieve, and a 40-page booklet on the engineering. It's an afternoon's build for an eight-year-old, and a parent building alongside gets something out of it too.
Fly at night
For the kid who wants a launch after dark, the Night Nova drone climbs with six LED light modes shifting and strobing as it goes. Auto-hover holds it steady at altitude, gyro stabilization keeps it level, and three speed settings let a pilot start slow in the yard and work up. Ages 10 and up. The drone's rechargeable battery is in the box; the remote takes three AAA batteries, sold separately.
Which one for which kid
- Age eight, wants to build: the Perseverance Mars Rover first, the Canadarm Robot Arm next.
- Age ten, wants to fly: the Space Shuttle Discovery.
- Age ten, wants a light show: the Night Nova.
The builds live in the NASA collection, and everything that leaves the ground is in space toys.
Space toys for kids: quick questions
What age is the Odyssey Space Shuttle Discovery for?
The Odyssey Space Shuttle Discovery is for ages 10 and up. It is a remote control flyer with a built-in rechargeable battery, and the remote takes three AAA batteries, sold separately.
Is the Space Shuttle Discovery toy based on a real spacecraft?
Yes. The Odyssey Space Shuttle Discovery is modeled on NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery, the orbiter that flew 39 missions before it retired in 2011.
Does the NASA Perseverance Mars Rover kit have a motor?
Yes. The NASA Perseverance Mars Rover is a 71-piece kit with a working DC motor, a robotic arm that moves and grips, and a drive system that climbs gentle slopes. It takes three AAA batteries, sold separately, and is for ages 8 and up.
Does the NASA Canadarm Robot Arm need batteries?
No. The NASA Canadarm Robot Arm is hydraulic and moves on water pressure. The 108-piece kit builds a working arm with four axes of movement and is for ages 8 and up.
What is a good space toy for an 8 year old?
The NASA Perseverance Mars Rover is a good space toy for an 8 year old. It is a 71-piece build with a motor and a moving arm, and it comes with a 60-page booklet about the real Perseverance mission.
