As a mom of an elementary student, I understand how important it is to find engaging and educational toys for our little ones. Recently, my daughter expressed her fascination with drones, and I couldn’t help but wonder about their suitability as a toy for kids. In this blog post, I’ll share my research on drone toys for kids, their benefits, what to consider when buying one, and some excellent drones for kids available in the market. Let’s take flight into the exciting world of drones!
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What is a Drone Toy and What Can It Do?
A drone toy is a small, remote-controlled aircraft designed specifically for kids. These flying gadgets come with propellers, and some even have built-in cameras to capture aerial photos and videos. They can be flown both indoors and outdoors and are a fun way for kids to explore their surroundings from a bird’s-eye view.
The Benefits of Drones as Toys for Kids
- STEM Learning: Drones introduce kids to basic principles of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as they understand aerodynamics, remote control, and more.
- Enhanced Motor Skills: Operating a drone helps improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills in children.
- Creativity and Imagination: Drones open up a world of creativity as kids use their imagination to explore various flying scenarios.
- Outdoor Play: Encourages kids to get outside and engage in active play, away from screens and gadgets.
- Educational Fun: Many drones come with educational features like customizing a flight path through the APP, making learning enjoyable.
What to Look for When Buying a Drone for Kids:
- Age Appropriateness: Ensure the drone is suitable for your child’s age and skill level. Look for drones made for kids. Some drones have simpler controls for younger kids.
- Safety Features: Look for propeller guards and other safety features to prevent accidents during flight.
- Durability: Kids can be a bit rough with their toys, so a sturdy and robust drone is essential.
- Flight Time and Battery: Check the flight time per battery.
- Easy-to-Use Controls: Opt for a drone with straightforward controls that are easy for kids to understand and operate. Beginner-friendly functions include headless mode, altitude hold, one key take-off/landing.
- Functions: Drones have different functions such as 3D flip, circle fly, trajectory flight, gravity control, LED lights, camera and app control.
Camera Function on Drones For Kids
Many drones designed specifically for young children, especially elementary school students, do not include a camera function. These drones are often simplified in terms of features and controls, with a focus on providing a safe, easy-to-use, and durable flying experience. The main goal is to introduce kids to the fundamentals of drone flight and control in a controlled environment.
For young children, learning the basics of drone piloting and developing hand-eye coordination is a valuable experience. Drones without cameras can be more affordable and are generally considered safer for kids who are just starting to learn about drone technology.
As children grow older and gain more experience, they can move on to more advanced drones with camera functions if they develop an interest in aerial photography or videography. Drones with cameras can provide a creative outlet and a chance to explore photography from new perspectives. The camera functions of these drones are often controlled through a companion app on a smartphone or tablet, allowing users to capture photos and videos from the drone’s perspective.
It’s important for parents and guardians to consider factors such as their child’s age, interests, and skill level when selecting a drone. Drones come in a variety of models, with varying features and complexities, so choosing one that aligns with the child’s capabilities and interests is crucial to providing an enjoyable and educational experience.
STEAM Toy Drones For Kids
I have divided drone options into two categories below: Drones for kids without a camera and Drones for kids with a camera. Some of the drones for kids without a camera are for indoor use only.
First, here are various features in drones for kids.
- Headless Mode: This mode is useful for beginners as it removes the need to consider the drone’s orientation, making it easier to control the drone’s movement relative to the pilot’s position.
- Altitude Hold: The drone can maintain a specific height autonomously, making it easier for kids to focus on other aspects of flying.
- One-Key Takeoff/Landing: Pressing a single button triggers the drone to take off or land, simplifying these often tricky maneuvers and making them accessible for beginners.
- Trajectory Flight: Allowing users to pre-plan flight paths for the drone to follow autonomously.
- Gravity Control: Allowing the drone’s movement to be controlled by tilting the connected smartphone or controller.
- Gesture Control: Allowing the drone to respond to specific hand gestures for simplified control.
- Voice Control: Giving a set of predefined commands that the drone can understand and respond to (such as “take off”, “turn left”).
Drones For Kids Without Camera
TOMZON A24 Mini Drone for Kids with Battle Mode – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids and beginners
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: indoor drone
- Camera: No
- Control Type: Remote Control
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety, emergency stop function
- Durability: It has sturdy drone body that survives most crash or bumping.
- Flight Time and Battery: 3 batteries for 24 min. long flight time
- Easy-to-Use Controls: Throw to go or one-key take off, headless mode, altitude hold
- Functions: 3D flips, circling fly, battle mode, 3 adjustable speeds.
It can not only remote control racing but also achieve air fight. Infrared send from drone head while simulating shooting sound, the attacked one will shake and finally forced to land after 4 hits. (100% safe)
Holy Stone Mini Drone for Kids and Beginners – Drones For Kids
Drones For Kids – Holy Stone Mini Drone for Kids and Beginners
- Made For: Kids
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor drones
- Camera: No
- Control Type: Remote control
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety, emergency stop function
- Durability: It has durable construction.
- Flight Time and Battery: 3 batteries for 20 minutes of flight time
- Easy-to-Use Controls: Toss to launch, one key start/landing, altitude hold function
- Functions: circle fly, 3D flips, high-speed rotation and 3 speed modes (low, middle, high)
UNTEI 2 In 1 Mini Drone for Kids Remote Control Drone – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor and outdoor drone
- Camera: No
- Control Type: Remote Control
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety, one key emergency stop
- Durability: The ABS material can withstand numerous collisions or drops.
- Flight Time and Battery: Total of 17-20 minutes flying time. It has low battery power alarm.
- Easy-to-Use Controls: One Key Taking-off / Landing , auto-hovering, altitude hold function, headless mode
- Functions: 360° circle (3D flips), fly at high speeds, neon-colored LED lights and 3 speed modes.
This drone is 2 in 1 race on land and fly in the sky drone. You can enjoy the fun of racing car and instantly transform into flying drone.
Force1 UFO 4000 Mini Drone for Kids – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids and beginners
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor and outdoor drone
- Camera: No
- Control Type: Remote Control
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety
- Durability: This drone is built to be durable.
- Flight Time and Battery: 2 batteries for 18 min. long flight time
- Easy-to-Use Controls: One key launch, land and do other functions, altitude hold, headless mode
- Function: 2 speed modes, neon-colored LED lights. 360° flips.
Its easy to use remote allows you to fly multiple flying toy drones at once.
Dwi Dowellin 6.3 Inch 10 Minutes Long Flight Time Mini Drone for Kids – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids and beginners
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor drone
- Camera: No
- Control Type: Remote control
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety
- Flight Time and Battery: 2 batteries for 20 minute long flight time
- Easy-to-Use Controls: One key take off button, headless mode, auto-hovering function
- Function: 3 speed modes, 3D flips, one key spin and rotation
TOMZON A31 Drone for Kids – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor and outdoor drone
- Camera: No
- Control Type: Remote Control
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety, emergency stop function
- Flight Time and Battery: 2 batteries for 18 min flight time
- Easy-to-Use Controls: One key landing and takeoff, headless mode, altitude hold
- Functions: 3 speed modes, 7 colored LED lights and 360° flips
Drones For Kids With Camera
GGBOND Mini Drones for Kids with Camera – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids, also suitable for adults
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor and outdoor
- Camera: Yes. The drone with 1080P camera captures sharp, high-resolution, panoramic photos and videos. You can manually adjust the camera by 90° to shoot from other perspectives.
- Control Type: Remote control and smart phone.
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety
- Flight Time and Battery: 2 batteries support up to 16-18 minutes flight time
- Easy-to-Use Controls: Altitude hold, toss to launch, headless mode, one-key take-off/landing
- Function: 3D flip function, gravity control, trajectory flight function, voice control, gesture selfie function and the 3 speed modes.
It is foldable that allows you to put away its four propellers for storage and portability.
Tomzon A23W Drone with Camera – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids, also suitable for adults
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor and outdoor
- Camera: Yes. The drone with 1080P camera captures sharp, high-resolution aerial photos and videos
- Control Type: Remote Control and Smart Phone (Simply connect the drone to your phone and you can see the sky from live feed video through the FlYCAM app.)
- Safety Features: The drone has 4 propeller guards for safety
- Flight Time and Battery: 2 batteries for a total of 15 minutes of flight time
- Easy-to-Use Controls: Throw to go, altitude hold, headless mode, one-key start
- Function: 3D flip function, circle fly, high-speed rotaion function, trajactory flight, 3 speed modes, LED lights (7 colors), 2 LED lighting modes that automatically switch to different colors and lighting effects
DROCON Spacekey 1080P Remote Control Drone for Kids – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids, also suitable for adults
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor and outdoor
- Camera: Yes. The drone with 1080P camera captures sharp, high-resolution, panoramic photos and videos. You can manually adjust the camera by 90° to shoot from other perspectives.
- Control Type: Remote Control and Dragon App on Smart Phone
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety
- Flight Time and Battery: 2 batteries 8-10 min. flying time
- Easy-to-Use Controls: Altitude hold, headless mode, one-key take-off/ landing
- Function: 3D flip function, gravity control, trajectory flight, LED lights and the 3 speeds while shooting shots and recording
4DRC V16 Drone with Camera for Kids – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor and outdoor drone
- Camera: Yes, It has a 1080P HD FPV camera including adjustable angle, which captures high-quality video and clear photos.
- Control Type: Remote Control
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety, eemergency stop function
- Durability: The durability material and protective guard can prevent damage of propeller.
- Flight Time and Battery: 2 batteries support up to 22- 25mins. (11-13mins/per battery)
- Easy-to-Use Controls: One key take off/ landing function, headless mode and altitude hold function
- Functions: It has 3D flip function, circle fly function, auto-rotation function, 3 speed modes from low to high, 7 colors and 4 modes LED lights, trajactory flight
More Info
Holy Stone HS420 Mini Drone with HD FPV Camera for Kids – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids, also suitable for adults.
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor and outdoor
- Camera: Yes. The drone has 720P camera. The camera has an adjustable angle.
- Control Type: Remote Control and Smart Phone
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety, emergency stop
- Flight Time and Battery: 2 drone batteries – 6 minutes per battery
- Easy-to-Use Controls: Altitude hold, headless mode, toss to launch and one key start
- Function: 3D flip function, circle fly, high-speed rotation, trajactory flight, high and low speed modes
Cheerwing U61S Mini Drones with Camera for Kids and Adults – Drones For Kids
- Made For: Kids, also suitable for adults.
- Indoor or Outdoor Use: Indoor and outdoor
- Camera: Yes. The drone with 720P camera. It has 0-90° adjustable angle lens.
- Control Type: Voice control and app
- Safety Features: Propeller guards for safety, emergency stop
- Flight Time and Battery: 2 removable batteries, 14 min flight time
- Easy-to-Use Controls: Altitude hold, headless mode, one-key take-off/landing
- Function: 3D flip function, 3 speeds, voice control and gesture shooting function, trajectory flight
Final Thoughts
Introducing a drone toy to your child’s playtime can be a thrilling and educational experience. Not only do they offer hours of fun and excitement, but they also provide valuable learning opportunities in various fields. When purchasing a drone for kids, remember to consider their age, safety features, and ease of use. With the right drone, your child can soar to new heights and create unforgettable memories in the process. Happy flying!
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