How to buy tech for other people's kids (without annoying their parents)

Gift gifting for kids has gotten a lot more complicated over the past two decades or so. Gone are the days when you could just buy a doll or toy truck and know that it would be enjoyed by the child and fairly noncontroversial with the parents. A lot of that recent complication comes from how tech-heavy toys have gotten, from robot kits to drones to AR-enabled playsets. And that's before you even consider video games and consoles like Xbox or PlayStation.

When it's your kid it's a little easier: After all, you should know what they like, what they'll take care of and what rules you've set for them. But what about your best friends' kids, your nieces and nephews or young cousins? While there's no silver bullet gift since every kid is different, there are some general guidelines you can follow when purchasing a tech gift for kids, one that won't have the other adults glaring at you or the kids tossing it to the side in favor of something shinier.

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How to buy tech for other people's kids

ENGADGET'S GUIDE TO PARENTING
IN THE DIGITAL AGE

• Welcome to the Engadget Parenting Guide

• The best baby gadgets for new parents

• The best coding kits for kids

• How to manage your child's screen time

• The dos and don'ts of helping your kid to sleep

• A parent's guide to raising a good digital citizen

• STEM kits that will gets your kid's hands dirty

• How to quantify your baby's health in the digital age

• Using tech to keep your kids organized and on task

• The best streaming apps for kids

• The baby tech you need (and the tech you don't)

• How to buy tech gifts for other people's kids