Gift Guide: Tween Boys (Ages 10-13)

With dozens of playing options, this classic-looking set of 8 wooden nesting boxes and 8 bouncy balls is awesome at home or away. Set yourself seemingly impossible challenges with the boxes; everything’s more fun with bouncy balls!

From sports practices to field trips to pool days, this popular drawstring bag will get use for years and years.

The Rival is the go-to nerf war weapon around our tween-filled house.

Great foam football for all seasons.

The Rubik’s Cube is back but new versions are even faster. Speedcubing has now become popularized. My oldest son spent a few years learning the speedcubing method and investing a lot of his money and research time into cubes. He quickly learned that not all cubes are made equal. The one I linked to is one of the best affordable 3×3 cubes on the market for your up-and-coming speed cuber or recreational cuber. P.S. This speed timer mat is REALLY fun to go with the cube. Both of my boys have used ours for years.

Such a staple for young boys. They will find so many ways to use this!

The classic bestselling book for every boy from eight to eighty, covering essential boyhood skills such as building tree houses, learning how to fish, finding true north, and even answering the age-old question of what the big deal with girls is. In this digital age, there is still a place for knots, skimming stones, and stories of incredible courage. This book recaptures Sunday afternoons, stimulates curiosity, and makes for great father-son activities. Apparently there is also a Double Dangerous Book for Boys!

All three of my kids, girl included, have a pocket knife like this. They like to whittle wood with it, take it on hikes, and pretend to “survive”. There are so many colors and patterns to choose from.

An exciting role-play game much like Mafia that’s probably best for older tweens. There’s an app that helps guide each round of the game. It’s been a favorite around our neighborhood for the tweens and teens (we can hear the whoops and hollers when they are playing it).

More Tween Boy-Approved Games:

• Throw Throw Burrito
• Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
• Uno
• Code Names

Here’s a unique throwback idea! My kids (ages 11, 13, and 15) checked out every single collection of Peanuts comics and read them through multiple times. Clever, wholesome, engaging, and fun for parents and kids alike.

And yet another unique throwback idea! My kids (ages 11, 13, and 15) also own and have read every single collection of Calvin and Hobbes. While the humor is aimed at adults, tweens will also giggle their way through these stories (and pick up some great vocabulary and cultural references at the same time).

Note: There are a few jokes about “how babies are made” and at least one I remember about “Miller High Life”, but these comics are pretty darn benign.

This responsive yoyo allows your guy to learn all the really cool tricks like walk the dog, cradle, and around the world. My son watched some simple how-to videos on YouTube and he was doing really neat tricks in no time. This set includes everything they need including two yoyo’s (because you’re going to want to try too), extra strings, a glove, and a case.

Kids LOVE these wacky facts and fascinating information. They are basically brain candy, and the best part is they don’t even realize how much they are learning. Shop all the titles here.

My almost 11-year-old son prides himself on his survival skills. He loves the woods and the idea of being able to start his own fire. Now, this gift isn’t for young kids or every kid. But, if you have a fairly responsible one who is an adventurer, he/she will love this flint and steel set. I let my son start all of our fires in our fire pit with it, while all the neighbor friends look on in awe.

This book is a very engaging, well-done graphic version of many Bible stories. My sons really enjoyed it as younger tweens. Find more excellent Bible options on this list of Children’s Bibles or this list of Tween and Teen Bibles.

Kids at our church play this fast-paced activity by themselves or in groups. There are amazing YouTube videos of kids going at lightning speed.

A great gift for fidgeters, and creative minds!

Basically durable, comfy slippers that your tween boy can wear to school…even in the winter. Middle school boys (and girls) like to use Jibbitz shoe charms to personalize their Crocs.

With this over-the-door hoop set, your tween boy can practice all his trick shots that he’s learned from Dude Perfect in his room.

This puppy shoots over 100 feet! “My 10-year-old son loves this bow and now we are thinking of buying a second one for our seven-year-old son who loves it, too. It shoots really far and was simple to put together. We like that it’s safer than a traditional bow & arrow and easier for a child to use. We are happy with our purchase and it was a great price.”

My son loves this mini drone! It is perfect for a beginner with easy to fly features and stability control. It also has some cool more advanced features they can grow into as they learn the controls.

This smooth-ride skateboard comes in a bunch of different patterns. We have this exact one, and it’s great for this age.

I think these look SO fun and they have come highly recommended by trusted sources. The more outdoor games the better in my opinion!

Kids will love the freedom of wireless headphones! One reviewer said: “Right out of the box, it took only seconds to connect to my iPhone. The sound quality wasn’t quite what you would get with an expensive set, but I didn’t expect that. Still, the sound quality was great and they were powerful enough that I was concerned that my very loud lawnmower wasn’t working correctly.”

My 10 year old bought this exact one with his own money. I really appreciate that it doesn’t require a phone app or remote to work. He can adjust the lighting with the control panel that is attached.

This is currently the most popular Lego set on our street for younger tween boys (ages 9-10).

This bestseller comes with endless possibilities to design and build your own racetracks. I love the science component that allows kids to experiment with gravity. This is one is a favorite in our house. You can also add on to create a more complex track. Shop those sets here.

My 12-year-old son got hooked on this indoor or outdoor group game at church camp this summer.

These are amazing! The illustrations and creative touch on every page help keep those busy boys’ attention. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, these are a must. I have found so much joy in reading these with my kids.

Our whole street of boy and girl tweens ride up and down the sidewalks and driveways after school on their Ripsticks. Such great exercise and reason to get outside! The mom in me has to suggest investing in a helmet and pads, too. 😉

A friend of ours had this in his backyard and boys of all ages used and loved it. Set it up and take it down fairly easily. Great for exercise, getting outside, and full family fun.

These decals are easy to install, easily removable (and even reusable), and serve as a great way for your tween to express himself. They have all types of decals: sports, Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, Comics, and more.

This smartwatch is almost identical to the Apple Watch, with a much more moderate price tag. Great for fitness, alarms, music, and controlling smart devices, it’s also waterproof. Your tween will love the cool factor!

I have seen kids zooming around on these in our neighborhood and think this age group is ideal for an electric scooter. This one has great reviews.

Built-in wireless speaker can be easily connected to portable devices, just enjoy your favorite music or books without wearing headphones. Easy to learn for beginners and amateurs.