FEATURES
THE HOTTEST TECH
TOYS FOR KIDS
From a build-it-yourself space station to a portable storyteller
to Harry Potter’s Hedwig, here are the 2021 tech toys that’ll
bring the kids in your life a ton of fun
BY CAROL MANGIS
Toys don’t need technology to be fun—and tech shouldn’t be the whole point of
a toy. But when it’s done right, technology can elevate a toy from fun to
amazing. We look for that magic extra element in the toys we recommend. This
year, we found more toys for younger kids than we usually do. But our list will
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EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS CIRCUIT EXPLORER DELUXE BASE STATION
$59.99. AGES 6 TO 12; USES 9 AA BATTERIES.
With the Educational Insights
Circuit Explorer Deluxe Base
Station, kids can build their own
interplanetary headquarters while
learning the fundamentals of
electrical circuits: This kit gives you
everything you need to build a base
station featuring lights, sounds,
motion, and even little astronaut
and robot explorers to inhabit the
station. It comes with a pictorial
guide that shows how to build the
circuits and the rest of the station.
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as well—Rover ($44.99) and Rocket
($34.99)—and they can all combine
to create a space empire.