Here’s the thing you have to know about buying gifts for 11-year-old boys: It’s not actually as hard as it seems. Sure, they said they weren’t interested in toys, but the truth is that they only think they’re too old for toys. Secretly, they still really like them. The trick is finding the right kind of toys. In short: Big Kid toys.
The grown men in your life likely enjoy them as well. We’re talking novelty items, gadgets, anything they can build or assemble. They’re fun! They’re entertaining! They’re like toys and yet, strictly speaking, they aren’t toys. (And for goodness sake, avoid calling them “toys” at all cost, or your kid will respond with the dreaded tween eye-roll and groan.)
From games and puzzles to room decor and middle-reader books, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite items that scratch that toy-loving itch while making your 11-year-old boy feel like the big kid they now are.
Your 11-year-old boy will love this kit that will help them animate Lego, modeling clay, action figures, or whatever else they want to bring to life. Includes camera with microphone, a 60-page animation activity book, a mini stage with background and green screen, and stop-motion software with time-lapse features, sound effects, and backdrops.
A must-have for any Mario fan (and who among us isn’t?), this game for the Nintendo Switch is perfect for group or solo play. Challenge friends or beat your personal high score in this collection of five classic boards from N64 Mario Party games.
If your 11-year-old boy is constantly fidgeting, put that instinct to good use with this collection of interlocking puzzles. The set includes 16 different puzzles and a storage bag.
The goal: Separate the pieces. It’s harder than it seems (that’s one reason the set includes a set of solutions)!
Consulting a Magic 8 Ball is a right of passage for a tween, and your child will think it’s as funny and mindlessly entertaining as you did when you were their age. What does the future hold? Only the Magic 8 Ball knows … not really, but it’s fun to pretend.
How can something so simple — throw this beanbag into this hole, taking as much time as you need — be so challenging… or so fun? Yes, this game is a classic for a reason, and it’s high time your 11-year-old boy started honing their skills!
Stanley Yelnats has been sent to a boys’ detention center — Camp Green Lake — where he and his fellow inmates are made to dig holes … but why? Could it be someone is looking for something? Full of social commentary and magical realism, this book has been a favorite for more than 20 years.
The basketball hoop you put in their playroom when they were 5 years old just isn’t cutting it anymore. Time for an upgrade! Its height is adjustable, so it will grow with your 11-year-old. The base can also be filled with sand or water to keep the stand stable, but can still be easily wheeled away when necessary.
Your 11-year-old boy will have fun gliding around the neighborhood on this cool board. Designed with a self-balancing system, they can turn 360 degrees or zip along for up to 3 miles at about 6 miles per hour. And haven’t you always wanted ... I mean … hasn’t your child always wanted a hoverboard?
Hypnotic, fun, retro, and practical — lava lamps have always been cool, and we’re betting your 11-year-old will think so, too, if only for the kitsch factor. They’ll appreciate creating a groovy ambiance for their (probably messy) room with this classic teen decor.
Stubbornly and expressly against your wishes, your 11-year-old boy is growing up. As such, they’ll probably start having more opinions about decorating their personal space. This constellation tapestry can fit their aesthetic without offending yours! Available in five different sizes, it’s a perfect focal point for any boy’s room.
Brace yourselves: Farmageddon is here. But don’t worry, friends, the llamas are on it — that is if the goats, rams, and alpacas (which are not the same as llamas, BTW) don’t beat them to it. Hilarious illustrations and card captions make this game even more fun.
If your 11-year-old boy hasn’t started their hoodie obsession yet, allow us to fill you in on something about tweens: They live in hoodies. Like, for the next 10 years or so, they’re going to be all hoodies all the time, so why not give them one from tried-and-true favorite Champion?
Compete with family and friends to create the funniest memes. Draw a picture card (there are 65) and choose the best caption card (there are 300) to pair it with. Every round a different player will serve as judge, but your 11-year-old boy will be so busy laughing, they won’t care whether they win.
14
Promotes Mental Health Awareness
‘Perfectly Imperfect Stories’ by Leo Potion and Ana Strumpf
Talking about mental health can be hard. But this book lets kids know, “It’s not just you. Sometimes we all struggle, and that’s OK.” It also highlights that mental health struggles don’t have to stand in the way of greatness by celebrating 28 famous folks who overcame their mental health challenges.
The set includes all four books in Veronica Roth's dystopian series of choices, consequences, and what the powers that be mean when they say “perfect society.” A great choice for established fans of the series or the 11-year-old boy you know won’t want to stop at just one!
Sure, radios are cool, but they’re so much cooler when you build them yourself! No, they don’t have to wait until they graduate from MIT, either: Your 11-year-old can put it together in less than an hour with glue and simple instructions. When finished, it will connect to FM stations, have ports for USB/AUX cables, and Bluetooth capability.
Chris just wants to be a normal kid. Unfortunately, he appears to be turning into a vampire. Bummer. Especially since his hometown is performing an ancient ritual to keep the vampires at bay.
Funny, spooky, and full of teen angst, your 11-year-old boy will love this satirical tale from National Book Award winner M.T. Anderson.
By the time your boy is 11 years old, it’s important to have The Talk … and by that, of course, I mean which Hogwarts house do they belong to? Loyal Hufflepuff? Brave Gryffindor? Ambitious Slytherin? Clever Ravenclaw? Now they can show their allegiance with their very own pennant!
Use only single-syllable words to try to get your team to guess the word on your card. If you slip up and use two syllables, a player from the opposite team will whack you on the head with the club-like “No Stick!” It is the caveman way… fortunately, it’s inflatable!
Have them take ownership of their schedule with this decal so prominent, even they won’t miss it! It can be stuck to any smooth, flat surface and comes with a dry-erase marker to note all their lessons, practices, and social engagements. When the month is done, simply wipe down and start again!
We don’t care how old you are, there are two things no one ever outgrows completely: Lego and Star Wars. And, come on, who doesn’t love Baby Yoda? (How can you resist those massive eyes?!) Comes with Mando and Grogu figures, as well as display stands to show off your creations.
Whether they’re reading, playing games on their tablet, or just watching a movie with friends, this Hang-A-Round Chair from Pottery Barn is perfect. Crafted with foldable bronze legs (for easy storage) and in cozy canvas, this chair will be the best seat in the house!
Is your 11-year-old boy a piano prodigy? If so, this is a great gift. If you don’t know, well, how will you know without giving them the opportunity?! A great gift for the kid who wants to try their hand at music, and whether or not they’re amazing at it, it’s still fun!
Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that hold their attention the longest. It was true when they were toddlers (remember when they could spend hours playing with an empty box?), and, sometimes, it’s true now. This balance challenge consists of eight magnetic discs and handheld balancers. Can your 11-year-old boy keep it balanced and in line?
After Emily and Navin’s father dies, they move with their mother to the mysterious home of their great-grandfather. But it isn’t long before the children are thrust into a dangerous but whimsical world of robots, talking animals, and an assortment of new friends — and enemies — that Emily must save.
In this version of the classic game of stacking and balance, Throw 'n Go Jenga leaves some moves to chance. Colored dice — not strategy — determine which blocks you have to remove from the tower. Can be played alone or with friends.
There’s nothing like a game of darts, but, I don’t know about you, I don’t love the idea of an 11-year-old boy throwing around pointy projectiles willy-nilly. Enter magnetic darts! Now you don’t have to worry about your boy (or your walls) getting damaged when they play.
Easy to learn but difficult to master, this gift is perfect for the 11-year-old boy who enjoys board games that rely on strategy and growth. Includes a backgammon game board, two wooden dice cups, four dice, a doubling cube, and 30 wooden playing pieces.
This 126-piece set is perfect for the 11-year-old boy with artistic aspirations. Includes 24 acrylic paints, oil pastels, color pencils, watercolor cakes, paintbrushes, sketch pencils, canvases, a drawing pad, and much more, all in a handsome wooden carry case that means you can make art anywhere you go.
Your 11-year-old puzzle guru will love solving more than 50 pages of multilevel word searches, crosswords, code crackers, Sudoku, and more. The hardcover book is personalized with his name, a message from you, and a quiz based on the year of your choice (his birth year, the past year... you choose!).
Jamie KenneyJamie Kenney is a freelance writer for BestProducts.com; Her other work has appeared on Bustle, Parents, Playboy, McSweeny's Internet Tendency, the Takeout, and Romper, where she covers parenting, news, entertainment, and likes to help readers see the ridiculous (and hilarious) side of motherhood.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
