The Most Highly rated gifts for tween boys. This list was generated from real Moms of boys aged 9-12 and I have a 10 year old boy. Kid tested, Mom approved!
Looking for some gift ideas for Tween Boys? I am really hoping to get my Christmas shopping done early this year. I have a 10-year old boy, and I understand that finding the perfect gifts for boys at this age can be kind of a challenge. They still love to play but the list has grown more sophisticated. Hopefully you can find something perfect for your tween from this gift guide!
The Tween age is between 8-12 years old. Most of the lists I have seen floating around are clearly from people who don’t have actual boys in that range. It’s a tricky age where boys are aging out of the easy, flashy toys that were so easy to pick for them, but are still kids trying to develop their skills and passions in life.
Here are some of our favorites from both my own tween and the Moms around the neighborhood! Tested and true!
Have a Tween Girl? Don’t worry, we have created a fabulous list right here!
Click the titles to read more about these great gift ideas for Tween Boys. Have fun shopping!
Award winning STEM educational toy – and it’s just fun. The directions are easy enough for tweens to understand but parents will have fun working along side. No soldering – no tools – and over 300 plans including a lie detector, alarms, and helicopter fans. You can also upgrade to the Extreme Version or The Pro.
While a little old-fashioned (on purpose), this book explores all the fascinating facts and skills of boyhood before electronics – knot making, American History, and building a treehouse, just to name a few. While we/he did skip the small section about hunting, I love the curiosity this book inspired!
This probably doesn’t need much of an introduction, but video games become increasingly common in this age. What I particularly like about this one is there are 1600 games suitable for the tween age group like Zelda, Mario Bros, and Fortnite. It’s also portable and can hook up with up to 8 devices.
Oh so comfortable, with back support!
An escape room in a box! EXIT: The Game is a series of escape room games for the home. Players must solve riddles and puzzles and crack codes to escape from an imaginary room or environment. No app required, but these are designed as a one time use. The clock is ticking! Can you escape?
Great for playing video games, listening to music, watching TV, reading, or relaxing. Some models have speakers in the sides as well.
Although most kid’s are aging out of night lights at this point, this Jellyfish light is cool enough to spark some imagination and provide a calming night time ambiance.
One reviewer calls it “a great way to learn about science while making things go boom!”: With a strong emphasis on safety (and parental supervision) this book includes clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple match-powered rocket to a tabletop catapult.
This year, we are in search of the perfect kid headphones. Loud enough, but not so loud he gets ear damage or can’t hear Mom screaming for his attention. I’m still trying to decide between wired (less likely to loose) or wireless (works with more devices), so I would love to hear suggestions in the comments below!
STEM toys are great at the tween age because they pair well with skills being taught in school. I like this one with a mobile phone holder (which can hold the phone and PAD), so they can take pictures of their new discoveries.
The laser tag arenas around our home have an age minimum of 12, but laser tag kits get the whole family involved in the back yard for some fun.
I cannot tell you how much I love these sets! With a 5 mile radius without hills, my son can gain some independence in the neighborhood and I don’t have to scream down the street to find him for dinner.
Remote Control Cars can be hit or miss as a gift for tween boys. This is one we purchased and loved! It goes really fast, responds well, and even has rechargeable batteries! Yessssss!
We bought a drone a few years back, our son had trouble mastering the controls – i.e. crashed it often. Now that he is a little older, he loves this model. The lights make it easy to find and it does whirls and flips!
The best racing car track around! Each “smart” car is actually a mini robot that learns the track as it races. The track snaps together and can be customized to suit your imagination! It can take up a decent amount of floor space, and while it’s durable, I wouldn’t let the dog walk on it either.
More Gift Ideas for Tweens
Nerf Guns
I get that nerf guns are controversial, but I don’t know of a boy (and many girls) who don’t love a classic nerf toy. Bonus points for accurate ones that fly good distance. Some of my son’s favorites have been the modulus series where they can customize the toy, and the Nerf Rival. The Nerf Rival is pretty accurate, but the balls can sting a bit (ask me how I know!).
Video Games and Movies
To be perfectly honest, tweenhood is a difficult age to find appropriate video games. It’s a big jump from Mario Kart to Call of Duty. A few of the favorites from around the neighborhood include:
- Everybody’s Golf
- Ratchet and Clank
- Lego Games
- Sports Themed Games (Madden, Soccer FIFA)
- Kingdom Hearts Remastered
***Every family is different on what they do and do NOT allow in terms of violence and other questionable content. I highly recommend searching for a video game parental guides like common sense media or imdb. There are reviews and discussions from parents and kids that give you exact details on content. I use it every time I get a movie or video game.
Joke Items
Going into the “hormone years”, we all need a good sense of humor. Novelty tees and other joke items will keep the mood light and fun.
Puzzles
The puzzles and brain teasers get really fun at this age and make great stocking stuffers. These wooden ones will keep kids occupied for a while!
Book Series Boys Love
Whimpy Kid, Wayside Story, Captain Underpants, Goosebumps, Ranger’s Apprentice (Older tweens), and Harry Potter series. My own son loves interesting fact books and science discovery books as well.
Family Board Games
Our son is all about classic cribbage (bonus: math skills!), but other great ones include:
- Uno Attack (any game that gangs up on Grandma is a good one!)
- Train Dominoes
- Pando – the trivia game about you!
- Rummikub
- Exploding kittens
- Phase 10
Snuggly stuff
Who doesn’t love an ultra soft and plush blanket?! Plush items like soft robes, body pillows, and hoodies are always a hit around here.
Building Toys
Tweens will start to age out of most building toys, but a few like Legos and Erector Sets are still heavily played with at our house. I would stick to building kits to create something they are passionate about.
Balls and Sports Equipment
Balls of all kinds are great gifts for tween boys! And if your tween has a favorite sports team, some fan memorabilia would be perfect.
Activities for Tweens
Activities, especially those to enjoy as a family are great gifts for tweens. As they grow up, I am finding activities and time with family to be the most requested gifts. Here are some ideas:
- Skiing
- Arcade passes
- An Escape Room
- Museums
- Check your local area for classes such as cooking, painting or something they are interested in.
- Tickets to a Sporting Event
- Trampoline Park
- Theme Park Season Passes
I hope you found lots of great ideas to fill their stockings and under the tree!
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