8 of the best spy kits and gadgets for kids

If you’re looking for other non-screen based toys, we’ve found the best robot toys and best soft toys for indoor play as well as the best outdoor and garden toys to get them out in the fresh air.

Here's our pick of the best spy kits for kits...

1. Melissa & Doug On the Go Secret Decoder Deluxe Activity Set, £10.37

Age: 7 to 12

This spy kit for kids from Melissa and Doug includes more than 50 activities so little ones can learn to crack codes and find secret messages. There are multiple books and activity pads with different games as well as “magic reveal” sticker sheets.

The activity pack went down well with previous buyers and scored an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon, from over 300 reviews. It’s also recommended by the retailer and parents were impressed with the range of activities.

“Fantastic kit for any budding spy! 7 year old was thrilled with it and was engrossed all afternoon,” said one parent, while another said that their daughter liked the books that reveal hidden clues when you draw over them with the different pens. They said, "She's now using the decoder to make up her own secret codes and messages.”

Available from: Amazon and John Lewis

2. Spy X Bundle Pack, £25

Age: 6+

For a full set of spy gadgets for kids, this bundle pack by Spy X incorporates everything your little one needs to become a super sleuth. The set includes night mission goggles, an invisible ink pen, voice disguise machine and micro motion alarm that detects movement.

The kit comes with a 1 year guarantee and parents were particularly impressed with the value of the set.

“The bundle is value for money. My son enjoys every item,” said one parent of a 9 year old. “It’s been dropped a few times and plastic hasn’t cracked, so it’s pretty robust.”

“It does take a lot of batteries but at least it got him off of his tablet. Worth the money,” added another customer.

Available from: Argos

3. Laser Trap Alarm, £18

Age: 6+

Little ones can set their own trap for the "bad guys" with this laser barrier set. They can choose a sounding alarm or a sneaky flashing light to alert them of intruders and multiple sets can be combined to create a larger protected area. Just make sure they warn you before setting them up!

There’s a 1 year guarantee included and previous reviewers said the kit went down well with their kids.

“Easy to use and does what it should do well,” said one parent, although they added, “it can be a bit tricky to line up the laser with the target so user needs a delicate touch.”

Another described the set for her son as, “perfect for protecting his room from invaders-mainly his younger brothers! It was easy to set up and use and my son uses it alone.”

Available from: Argos and Smyths Toys

4. John Lewis & Partners Spy Mission Kit, £18

Age: 8+

Another handy set of spy gadgets for kids, this John Lewis set promises to help little ones develop coordination and fine motor skills as well as storytelling skills.

Send kids on their very own undercover mission with this secret agent kit including a secret listening device, magnifier, torch and telescope. There’s also some great extra touches, like a concealed compartment to hide away top secret mirco SD cards and mission documents.

Available from: John Lewis

5. UTTORA Outdoor Explorer Kit, £14.99

This wilderness exploration kit is perfect for kids on an adventurous spy mission. They can look out for bad guys with the telescope, hunt for clues with the magnifying glass and plot their mission through the wilderness with their very own compass.

The kit is all enclosed in a handy bag so kids can keep all their gadgets together, although a couple of reviews did mention the straps were quite long for smaller children.

Overall, however, buyers seemed pleased as the kit scored 4.5 out of stars with of 700 ratings on Amazon.“Bought this for my 4 year old grandson - both he and his (almost) 3 year old sister loved it,” said one customer who described it as, “sturdy, ideal for small hands.”

“All of the items are of good quality and the compass is particularly good,” agreed another reviewer.

Available from: Amazon

6. KidzLabs Spy Science, £12

Age: 8+

This spy kit for kids is designed for children to communicate secret messages to their fellow agents. They can send messages in Morse code, write with invisible ink and even read notes through a special decoder lens.

The full kit covers plenty of forms of spy communication and it seemed to go down well with previous customers.

One parent of an 8 year old said that her son, “loved putting together the spy notebook and learning about ways to pass on secret messages.” Another did mention that the kit can be “a bit hard to put together” but that it was still, “fun to play”, so it's one that's probably better suited to older kids.

Available from: Hobby Craft, Hamleys, Amazon

7. Project Mc2 Ultimate Spy Bag, £39.99

Age: 6+

Nobody would ever know this stylish handbag was really a secret spy kit filled with special spy gadgets for kids. Children can be just like Adrienne Attoms from the popular Netflix series and investigate just like a top NOV8 agent.

The ultimate spy bag means they can complete their missions under the radar. The 15 piece kit includes a finger printing set, secret message launcher, magnifying glass and spy guide book and is classed as a S.T.E.A.M (science, tech, engineering, art and maths) science set for kids.

Available from: JD Williams

8. Spy Book Kit, £5

This double spy book kit available at The Works shows kids the skills they need to become an international spy and include activities to put them into practice, all for just £5.

As well as the two books, children can interpret messages with the code breaking wheel and write secret notes with the invisible ink pen. A decoder lens and spy glasses are also included, so your little one can feel just like a real secret agent.

Available from: The Works

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