Ah, tween boys — stuck in that super fun awkward stage of not being a grown-up, but 100% thinking they are (until it’s time to take out the trash or clean the kitchen, of course). Tweens — roughly defined as kids between the ages of 9 and the end of middle school — get a bad rap, but the truth is, this can be an exciting time not just for them but for you, the adult in their life. Oh, it’s not all sunshine and roses; we get why it gets a bad rap. But the other side of the surly, salty coin of tweendom is a brain bursting with new ideas and a kid ready for a new range of experiences and adventures.
We’ve put together a list of gifts for tween boys that lean into that possibility… also because we’re willing to bet money that when you ask them what gift they want, they mumble “I dunno,” and we figured you could use some help. We tried to balance things we know are popular with tween boys — gaming, sports, and, yes, potty humor — with games, projects, and other gifts that will expand their horizons and help them develop new interests.
Compatible with any iPhone, the Backbone controller allows your tween to play hundreds of titles on a variety of gaming services, including Apple Arcade, Xbox Game Pass, and more.
Add games to your library and record, edit, and share gameplay directly through the Backbone app. You can even voice chat with friends as you play!
The world is opening up to your tween these days. Why not mark the occasion with this map? On its own, it’s a handsome decoration for any room, but as they travel more, they can scratch off the various states and countries they've visited for an increasingly vibrant, constantly evolving, interactive, conversation-starting piece!
Perfect for the living room or their bedroom, this super-soft bean bag chair is filled with just the right amount of fluffy, lightweight beans for a comfortable gaming, reading, TV, or homework spot.
As beans compress over time (it happens), keep the seat cozy (and reduce waste) by refilling the shell. New beans are sold separately.
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Perfect for Sports Fans
Seth and Maddy Lucas MLB Stadium Illustration Poster
Whether your tween likes the old-time charm of Fenway Park, the modern grandeur of Yankee Stadium, or just baseball in any way they can get it, this frameable piece of art is a perfect tribute to America’s pastime. With all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums artfully rendered, this poster is a great addition to their (probably messy) room.
The hilarious illustration and captions on the cards are half the fun in this Russian Roulette-esque game. Players draw a series of cards to control the action of the game with one goal in mind: Don’t pick up the Exploding Kitten. If you do, don’t worry! There are defuse cards, but use them wisely.
With this monthly subscription box, your tween boy will have a chance to try hands-on projects that promote timeless skills like wood carving, basket weaving, and even scrimshaw. Each crate includes all the materials they’ll need, including reusable tools and easy-to-follow instructions.
From the creators of The Oatmeal and Exploding Kittens, this game is all about building hideous monsters who eat delicious babies! (Don’t worry: The babies are awful.) It sounds scary (and disturbed), but it’s actually family fun for two to five players. Highly strategic and hilarious, each game only takes about 20 minutes.
The budding scientist already eyeing their high school’s honors program will love this subscription box. Every month they’ll receive three different physics experiments, augmented with the MEL Science mobile app and VR technology. From light polarization to bending metal to vacuum chambers, there’s so much to learn.
A cushion of air helps this contraption glide on hardwood, tile, short carpets, and even asphalt. It's perfect for practicing fancy footwork when you can’t make it to the field (and for helping ensure he doesn’t kick a soccer ball in the house and knock over that fragile family heirloom… again).
Doesn’t it feel like we all had that one friend with a foosball table in their basement back when we were growing up? Every time you went, that’s what you wanted to play. Why not give your tween boy the chance to be that friend? This table set has 10 options for friendly competition from foosball to pool to ping pong!
Online gamers are often a tween boy’s favorite celebrities, and what do they all have in common (other than millions of followers on YouTube)? A sick gaming chair.
Optimally designed for comfort as well as style, they’ll take their gaming to the next level — or at least feel pretty cool.
Your tween boy will get to explore from above with this mini drone. Equipped with an HD camera, it captures pictures and live video and can even stream beautiful scenery in real time.
Voice and gesture control make it easy to use, with commands like “take off” and “landing.”
In this energetic, competitive game, players have up to three hits to return or spike the ball on the circular net. No doubt your kid will try to make as dramatic a spike as possible, and that’s part of the fun. Can be played outdoors or in — as long as there’s enough room for a few energetic tweens.
Everyone should know how to play poker, and it’s probably about time your young man learned. This handsome set includes 300 high-quality chips in five different colors, a deck of playing cards, a dealer button, two betting buttons, and five poker dice in a sleek, aluminum carry case.
These noise-canceling, waterproof Bluetooth earbuds can be charged for up to 5 hours of battery life and controlled with a simple touch. Recharge in the carry case, which holds 80 hours of charge time, conveniently display charge levels, and can also be used for phones and other devices.
If you’re of an age where you’re buying gifts for a tween boy, you probably remember Champion sweatshirts. Now the brand beloved by GenX and Elder Millennials is having a moment among the younger set. This sweatshirt is a cozy classic and a nice reminder to tweens that they didn’t discover all these cool “new” trends.
Your tween boy can use the Echo Dot to play music, audiobooks, podcasts, ask Alexa questions, set alarms (they’ll still probably be late to things), check the weather (they still probably won’t wear their coat), and more. Multiple Echos can be used as an intercom — no promises about whether they’ll actually listen, though!
Nothing soothes the mind and encourages concentration while having fun quite like a puzzle. For added relaxation, this puzzle pairs via the Calm app (a 30-day trial subscription is included with purchase), which provides an accompanying soundscape or mediation to listen to while putting it together. Perfect for the tween boy.
Every year in Palmer’s town, 10-year-old boys serve as “wringers” at the Family Fest pigeon shoot — assistants who snap the necks of injured birds. Palmer doesn’t want to hurt pigeons but doesn’t feel as though he can break the tradition. A beautiful exploration of toxic masculinity and compassion, Wringer is a must-read for tween boys.
Archery is a fun, time-honored hobby that requires patience, concentration, and practice. This set from outdoor experts L.L.Bean comes with everything your kid will need to start hitting bullseyes, including a beautifully designed recurve bow, three arrows, a hip quiver, armguard, and even a paper target.
Titus is a teenager who, like everyone else in his world, doesn’t have to read, write, or even think for himself, since his brain has been connected to the “feed” (the internet, basically) his entire life. Well, almost everyone: Violet is plugged into the feed as well, but she also cares about the real world, and she’s making him care, too.
Whether you’re from New England and want to celebrate that proud heritage or just want to get in on New Englanders’ unique brand of coziness and charming colloquialisms, these pajamas are perfect. And since they come in a wide variety of kid and toddler sizes, they’re perfect for cheesy, matching outfit holiday card photos!
Beloved by Australians, Hookey is a classic ring-toss game that can be played solo, in pairs, or on teams. It’s kind of like darts, only we don’t entirely trust tween boys throwing pointy objects, so everyone can enjoy this game in complete comfort! This set includes a carry case for fun anywhere you go.
Release your tween boy’s inner Viking or ninja with this set. Throw (plastic!) axes or throwing stars at the bristled target, solo or against a friend. The set includes three axes, three throwing/ninja stars, and the target board.
How do you sew a button or tie a tie? How do you use power tools? Equip your teen with vital life skills (and some not vital but still fun ones, like how to roll sushi) with this must-have book. (It’s cool if you read it, too — goodness knows we didn’t learn a lot of this either.)
Your tween boy might have a desk, but they also probably never use it (It’s a tween thing.). That’s OK: They can keep doing their homework in bed with this handy lap desk. Well-crafted and equipped with a Bluetooth speaker and USB port, this desk is the perfect on-the-go workstation.
Inside every tween boy, in one way or another, is a mad scientist. Direct that energy in a positive way by turning a recycled soda bottle into a rocket with this kit. Use water pressure to blast the bottle up to 90 feet in the air.
This impossibly soft robe is perfect after a hot shower, a day in the snow, or lounging around on a Saturday for hours on end because you’re a tween boy and have no responsibilities. Complete with a hood and roomy pockets, the sherpa robe is made from recycled materials — the environmental awareness makes it extra cozy!
For the tween boy who grew up wishing their drawings could come to life, this 3D printing pen makes the world their canvas! Extruding heated plastic that hardens almost instantly, the pen allows them to create 3D structures either freehand or from stencils. Easy to use and fun!
Tween boys have a busy calendar of social engagements and extracurricular activities, and it’s high time they keep track of some of it, too. This dry-erase wall calendar can be customized with the logo of their favorite NBA team and will help them keep track of what’s coming up throughout the week and month.
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.
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