Best Gift Ideas for Tween Boys (Ages 8–12) – Christmas, Birthdays & More
- kindlittleexplorer
- Sep 15, 2021
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 2
Are you searching for the perfect gift for a tween boy? Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or family friend, finding Christmas gifts for boys ages 8–12 or unique birthday presents for tween boys can feel overwhelming. When they were younger, any new toy was exciting, but as kids grow, they become more selective.
To make things easier, I’ve put together a curated list of the best gift ideas for tween boys. These presents are fun, educational, practical, and even sibling-friendly—so you’ll find something that matches your child’s interests.
Quick tip: This guide is broken into categories like outdoor play, STEM toys, gaming, reading, coding, and Pokémon so you can quickly find the best option for your tween!
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Gifts for Tweens Quick Links:
Outdoor & Active Gifts for Boys
Perfect for active kids who love adventure and can’t sit still. These gifts encourage fresh air, outdoor fun, and family playtime.
Designed by real skateboarders, this kid-friendly board helps beginners learn quickly and safely.
Cool gift alert! A safe and durable bow and arrow set will make an exciting gift for a tween boy.
Compact, real binoculars for hikes, camping, or backyard adventures.
Big kid's play tent! What kid wouldn't want their very own tent? It is waterproof and protects from UV light. Contains a breathable mesh top with a roof cover. Overall, it is a strong and durable tent.
A popular boy's toy perfect for ages 4 to 12. Walkies are a great choice for families with multiple children, as you need more than one person to have fun with the walkies.
Gifts for the Budding Engineer:
Here are some of the most popular gift ideas for boys who like to build things, are creative and innovative, and like to use their problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and analytical abilities.
An educational STEM toy that teaches children about renewable energy and helps them build a strong foundation in science, technology, engineering, and robotics. With this kit, children will be able to create six different working models, such as a Space Station, Explorer, Mars Rover, and more.
A wonderful STEM kit for kids who are really into robots and "how things work". Kids can assemble over 100 different electronic circuit projects with just 30+ electronic parts. They will be able to construct working models of flashing lights, a siren, a photosensor, and much more. It provides a clear and easy-to-understand illustrated instruction manual.
Bring Minecraft players’ creative adventures to life with The Crafting Box 3.0. It includes 564 bricks and pieces, in addition to the popular characters from Minecraft (Steve, Alex, Creeper, pig, and zombie). It even has its own TNT launcher! It is the perfect present for Minecraft players aged 8 and older.
Gravity Maze is a combination logic game, marble run, and STEM toy. It helps develop your child's critical skills through fun. A perfect game for kids who want to be engineers!
Gifts for the Gamers:
In this section, you will find some fantastic ideas for the young gamer in your life. From gaming accessories to gift cards, your tween will love these gifts!
Nowadays, it seems most tweens are into Minecraft and Roblox. Chances are they play Minecraft and/or Roblox, so why not gift them some Roebucks or Minetokens? A gift card makes an excellent gift for kids who have everything or that have too many toys. Gift cards are also easy to send through the mail and make for a great stocking stuffer. You can't go wrong with a gift card!
The smartest watch for kids. It has a 4" color touch screen and a built-in rechargeable battery. Dual camera for taking awesome pictures and selfies. Additionally, your child will be able to apply cool effects, stamps, and frames to the pictures. It has a splashproof design with a motion sensor, pedometer, alarm clock, timer, stopwatch, voice recorder, and more!
The Nintendo Switch is hands down one of the best, if not the best, gaming consoles for kids. Packed with games geared towards kids of all ages, but fun enough for the whole family, it can be a great addition to your game nights!
A headset is a fantastic gift for young gamers! They will freak out when they open their gift. The headset will allow them to shut out extra noise when they are playing or learning online. Plus they will feel like their favorite youtube gamer!
A funny gaming sign for your child to decorate their play or gaming area makes a fantastic inexpensive gift!
Gifts for Boys Who Like Coding:
Coding is a fantastic tool to strengthen mathematics and writing. It can also give them valuable skills that will eventually help them when they join the workforce as a software engineer or computer programmer. Maybe your kid already knows they like coding or maybe they want to try it. Here are some fantastic gift ideas for kids who are into coding:
Learn to code with Dash! Kids will learn how to make Dash move using loops, events, conditions, and sequences. Dash is not just playing, it's real-world problem-solving! dash can be transformed into an animal, delivery truck, and even catapult LEGOs!
Getting your child a subscription box that teaches them coding in fun ways is a great idea for those looking for educational gifts that can enrich their child's learning and future. This Bitsbox Coding Subscription Box is perfect for kids 6 to 12 years old. Each kit comes with helpful grown-up guides and unlimited email support.
Each kit builds from the previous kit, encouraging kids to build more complex and exciting apps! Kids will be able to make video games, greeting cards, simulations, and more!
With Code Lab, kids will learn real hands-on coding with over 100 projects. It includes everything a kid needs to learn to code!
Designed for kids with no coding experience, but who want to learn real electronic circuits. Includes over 20 projects!
Gifts for Boys Who Like to Read:
As Margaret Fuller said "Today's reader, tomorrow's leader". If your tween loves to read, then he will love these gifts. If he doesn't like to read, then these gifts may get him excited to read and help encourage him to become a lifelong reader.
Kids who love to read may have run out of things to read and would love to get new books, or even better, a whole new book series!
Help your child keep track of their daily reading assignment with this one-of-a-kind bookmark!
Your child will be so excited to use his reading light to read before bed. What a fun way to create a healthy reading habit!
Your young reader will be delighted to carry his own library in his hands, wherever he goes! It is a tablet designed just for reading. The kindle Paperwhite is a fantastic choice that helps keep book clutter at bay, and saves money on books!
Gift Ideas for Boys Who Love Pokémon
Almost everyone likes Pokémon, and it's a pretty safe bet that your tween likes Pokémon too. Here is a list of Pokémon gifts your tween will love!
Pokémon trading cards are a fantastic choice! Kids love collecting and trading their Pokémon cards with their friends. If your child already has tons of trading cards, think about getting them a nice binder for their cards.
Gotta catch'em all! Who wouldn't love a Pokemon to cuddle with? Give your child a Pokemon best friend with this adorable Pokemon Plush!
Bring to life the pokemon work with a Pokemon figure set. There are so many to collect, your child will feel like a real Pokémon Trainer!
High-quality vinyl stickers are a fantastic simple gift idea for boys who love Pokémon. They can decorate their lockers, water bottles, and more with their favorite Pokemon!
Finding the best Christmas or birthday gifts for tween boys doesn’t have to be hard. Whether your child loves STEM projects, outdoor play, gaming, reading, or Pokémon, this list has something they’ll truly enjoy.
Pro tip: Mix one practical gift (like a reading light or headset) with one fun gift (like a skateboard or Pokémon plush) to create a balanced surprise!
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