You would think that having a great Gift idea for your tween or teen boy wouldn’t be that challenging. I mean, you get them the latest video game, iPhone, or electronic gadget and call it good, right? Well, even though I will include some pretty sweet electronic gifts for boys, I will focus on gifts that will encourage creativity and independence — toys that will get them OFF their screens and ON to accessing their brains.

What do you give a tween boy? How about a teen boy?

Tween boys are hard to please when it comes to gift-giving. Teen boys, even harder. That’s why I’ve come up with a list of the best gifts out there that are more creative than gift cards for your picky pre-teen or teenage son, including some pretty epic experience gifts – scroll to the end for that!

I am the mom to an 11-year-old son who loves ALL things nature, board games, science, sports, video games, books, and music. He’s kind of a “Jack of All Trades” kinda kid. Some of these gifts have been a huge hit with my son, but I’ve also included some for boys who might enjoy other things.

I know for many of you, the older your son gets, the harder it is to know the best thing to get them. So whatever the age range, I’ve got you covered! I’ve also included some gift ideas that can be enjoyed together with the whole family. After all, this blog is ALL about connecting with your kids on a deeper level, and strengthening the emotional bond, even throughout the teen years.

Receiving a good gift from your parents means a lot to a teenage boy. It shows him that you care and is one of the ways some people most feel loved – giving and receiving gifts. So whatever the special occasion — getting a Christmas gift, a birthday gift, or simply because you want to say “I love you” or “I am proud of you,” a good gift is always a good idea to make someone feel special.

But every child is different, right? Some boys are more bent towards sports, while one might be more interested in music or survival things. I’ve tried to include some popular gifts for all of these categories so that this holiday season or birthday, your gift will be the talk of the house.

*I make a small commission on anything you might purchase from my recommendations. Thanks for your support so we can continue doing what we love to support our family and bring you helpful content!

Most popular gifts for tween and teen boys you can get off Amazon and more!

Bushcraft Survival Book and Camping Hammock for your Adventure Child

We started watching the show Alone with our son, which got him really into survival stuff. That’s when I decided to get him this Bush Craft Survival Book off Amazon. My son LOVES getting out in nature and figuring out how to live off the land and build forts. This book is a field guide to the art of survival and wilderness and is any nature lover’s ideal guidebook. Another great book for wilderness adventurers is called Go Wild- 101 Things to do before you grow up. My son’s Omi from Germany got this for him, and it’s FULL of fun ideas to get your kids excited about the outdoors.

Camping Hammock

Super Sparrow Water Bottle

Our Moments Kids Card Game for the Board and Card Game Lover

Here is a gift idea that includes the whole family.

I’ll never forget when I gifted my son a game that we played together as a family called Our Moments Kids. It sparked conversations that would have NEVER been had without the unique questions and promptings brought on by the game. Go check it out! I recommend it for ALL families who want to connect on a deeper level with their kids.

Here are some other board games and card games we enjoy playing as a family with our boys.

Risk

Settlers of Catan

Throw the Burrito

Phase 10

Pick Your Poison – card game with a bunch of “would you rather’s.”

Mastermind

Not Parent Approved – A Family-Friendly Card Game for Mischief Makers

 Our Moments Kids

For the outdoors, sports, and fitness kid

Both my love to be outside, whether they are playing sports or digging in the mud. For the first time since we started a family, we finally have a backyard that we’ve always wanted to have. So here are outdoor games they can play by themself or with the whole family!

Slack Line

Soccer Goals

Ninja Warrior obstacle course

Waterproof fitness watch

Hydro Flask Water Bottle

Viking Chess

Fort Building Kit

GagaBall

Spike Ball

Canoe

Overnight Duffle Bag

Basketball Hoop

Red Bubble Stickers for their water bottle

Subscription Box Gift Ideas

Fidget Toy Subscription Box for your fidget-loving kid. This gift would be great for boys of all ages. 

Comic Club for the boy who loves comics and graphic novels!

Book Box – Looking for a way to get your son to read more?

Teen gifts for encouraging good hygiene and money-saving habits (great stocking stuffers)

KidSkin Natural Acne Treatment

My very first Razor

Bee Bald HEAL Post-Shave Healing Balm

Organic Kids Deodorant + Tear Free Teen Acne Face Wash Cleanser + Shampoo Body Wash Bar Soap

ATM Bank For Saving Money 

Greenlight Credit Card for Kids – A debit card for kids that parents can put money in via the app!

Alarm Clock 

Gifts for the tech-savvy, gamer, electronic-loving teen guy

Gaming Chair

Headphones – Over the ear, BlueTooth speaker, affordable on Amazon.

Book – Trapped in a Video Game – If your son loves to read AND loves video games like my son, then he will LOVE this book. Full of adventure about a young boy stuck in a video game.

Electronic devices – The Pinwheel Phone (this link automatically applies 10% discount at checkout) – if you feel like your tween boy is ready for a smartphone, be sure to check out my review I wrote on the safest phone for kids, and why it should be the first phone they ever get. You can also check out my Bark review, which is a parental control app for phones that helps parents keep their children safe online. I write a TON about how to help your kids develop a healthy perspective of technology, whether that’s phones, video games, social media, or internet browsing.

If you’re going to be REALLY generous and get your teen sons what they will deem the “best present,” — we just recently bought the Nintendo Switch to play together as a family. All of us like playing video games, so we felt like the Switch was a good option for all of us to play, and you can get games that are the perfect choice for your teenager and younger kids. We got this specific version in the link, and the kids really enjoy playing this game – Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Gift ideas for the LEGO nerd.

LEGO Architecture The Eiffel Tower

My son was always a HUGE LEGO fan. But as he gets older, the more challenge he needs. That’s where the LEGO architecture series comes in handy. Peak his building skills with this sucker.

Custom Lego Subscription Box

For the stylish boy

Teenage boys love shirts, hats, and hoodies. These are cool gifts for boys of any age!

T-shirt

RVCA Boys Hat

Under Armour Boys’ Armour Fleece Hoodie

Gift ideas for the creative type and music lover.

Digital Camera – a good but not extremely expensive option

Fujifilm Instamix Camera – This is seriously the perfect gt if your son enjoys taking photos. There is nothing like giving our children a little taste of what our childhoods were like. The Polaroids are coming back, people!

Record Player

Old musician posters

Gifts for nurturing his faith.

Here are some great options for helping your child live out their faith during the difficult teenage years.

The Action Bible

The Minecraft Bible

How Great is Our God – Tween Devotional

Indescribable – Tween Devotional

For the pet lover.

Unique Fish Aquarium

For the pet lover who doesn’t have pet-lover parents. The easiest pet to take care of in all the world to scratch his pet itch until he moves out of the house.

The Illustrated Compendium of Animal Facts

Dog Backpack

Animal Butt Magnets

Silly Billy Socks

For the bookworm.

A graphic novel

Calvin and Hobbs

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid

The Redwall Books

The Harry Potter Books

The Hunger Games

Wings of Fire Series

Experience gifts that make memories

• Put on a scavenger hunt where for each clue they solve, they get money, and the end reward is an Amazon gift card (An idea from a friend who has FIVE boys!).
• Make a family trip to Legoland or Disney World.
• Get them movie bucks and take them to the movies.
• Take them on a camping/wilderness trip.
• Take them to an escape room.

I know how challenging it can be to think of the perfect gift that will mean a lot to your tween or teenage boy. It’s a confusing age. Be sure to check out all my other articles on parenting boys and what you can do to parent them intentionally and build an incredible relationship with them, even through their difficult teenage years. It’s never too late to connect, even with your teen son.

Related posts:

What a Boy Needs From His Mom

What a Boy Needs From His Dad

The post 75 Best Gifts for Tween and Teen Boys According to Their Personality [2022 Gift Guide] appeared first on Word From The Bird.