Best Gifts for a 12 Year Old Boy
Looking for the best gifts for a 12 year old boy? These top picks for tween boys will make you a gift giving celeb! If you want more ideas, check out these gift ideas for an 11 year old. This post contains affiliate links and gifted product.
As kids get older, getting them gifts really changes. There’s this soft mix at the tween age where very specific types of toys still appeal to them, but they need a bit more hype attached.
On the flip side, they also begin to really appreciate some non-toy gifts. My 12 year old, M, helped me curate this list of 14 best gifts for a 12 year old boy. Some were pitched by brands or discovered at toy shows, some were taken direclty from his wishlist, and all are things he’d love to (or loved to) receive as gifts.
First, I’ll share some general tips for finding the best gifts for a 12 year old boy. And of course, these are great for girls too, I’m just testing them with a boy.
How to find the best gifts for a 12 year old boy
It’s important to really know the kid at this stage -or choose something very safe. Your biggest risk is getting them something that they feel is too childish.
Here are some general directions you can take:
- Gadgets – a safe option. Smaller or larger electronic toys that are age-appropriate have very universal appeal at this stage. More advanced gadgets (such as devices or accessories) are even cooler.
- Games – If you are on a tighter budget and can’t spring for a cool electronic, choose a game over a toy. If you know which gaming device (if any) they own, you can get a new game for it too.
- Hobbies – If you know the child well, choose something that works with their hobby. If they’re into art, opt for more grown-up art supplies than they may have been using. Think STEM, sporting or active hobbies, etc.
- Fanware – These things are rarely featured in my gift guides just because my kids aren’t major fans of anything but if you have a kid who has a favorite team, video game, etc go and get some licensed goods.
- Non-toy gifts – Something so cool that I’m observing as my kids grow up is that some of the things that make nice gifts for adults are starting to be cool for them too!
The ideas below are sorted a bit differently but I think you’ll find the directions above as well as the ideas below super helpful!
14 of the Best Gifts for a 12 year old boy
Gadget Gifts for a 12 year old boy
Gadgets are really a safe zone. At this age it can include toys – specifically standout toys with unique features.
Silverlit Robo Rapidfire
Silverlit makes some super cool remote controls, and while for a 12 year old, remote controls are “been there, done that” THIS one isn’t! It’s part robot target for a dart blaster and part remotely controlled shooter. M was so excited to play with it in both of its modes.
In target blasting mode, the robot serves as the target, moving around on its own. You need to hit the target with the dart blaster.
In RC blasting mode, the robot itself is the dart blaster, and the player controls it. It’s REALLY fun for chasing adorable toddler brothers who are good sports.
It holds ten darts at a time and is overall a high quality RC, something that’s important in this toy category.
Otamatone Deluxe Batman & Kirby
My boys have loved Otamatone for years but these styles are just epic – and did you know they make cases too? Otamatone is a social media viral electronic music player with loads of humor. Music is played with one hand sliding up and down the stem of the musical-note shaped device for pitch variation, and one hand opening and closing the mouth to make a vibrato “wawawa” sound – as if it’s singing.
The deluxe version is a bit more of a legit instrument, with a pitch dial on the back, a 3.5 mm stereo jack to connect it to speakers or headphones, and a longer stem for more pitch variation. For the Batman fan, the Batman model just gives it more bonus points.
The Kirby Otamatone is so fun for kids who are fans of the video game. It’s the original model – a really fun, compact, and silly musical instrument that kids CAN actually play. This is the type of thing that “Kidults” love to, making it a fabulous gift for a 12 year old boy.
You can upgrade the gift with a case (make sure to get the right size for the Otamatone you’re getting).
Carrera Revell Hybrid Highway Challenge
What if you can combine kids’ favorite toys with a gaming-style experience? For kids who are fans of racing – try some incredible, high tech real racing simulation! The Carrera Hybrid line connects to the phone and allows kids to do their video game racing online – and IRL! The minimum age recommendation is 12 years on this, so it really is a next level “play” experience.
For M, the thing that REALLY did it was the AI integration. Kids (and parents when they leave it around) can choose to use AI-guided racing to keep the car on the track.
There are loads of tuning options – set the speed, tire wear, and more. It then simulates it on the model car. As you play you can score earn more features. Up to 16 players can race together.
The Highway Challenge is a fabulous all-in-one set for getting started with Carrera Hybrid racing experiences, which can then be added on to. It comes with 1:50 scale Porsche 911 GT3 “Red Devil” and “Black Devil” racecars with incredible detail. These can be raced on or off track – and the Highway Challenge comes with just about 20 feet of it. Set the parts you have in the app, connect to the cars and go ahead and race!
For kids that enjoy more traditional gaming controllers, you can get the Carrera Hybrid bluetooth controller add-on that includes an optional phone holder.
Electric Hand Warmers
I don’t know what it is about these – but M loves these! You know those packets that you need to activate and then they keep you warm all winter? Well, there’s a gadget version of them! These plug in and have different warmth settings.
I got these for M with a strict warning to proceed with caution and use them carefully – at twelve, I believe he’s responsible enough. The brand that I linked is UL certified and high quality. It comes in fun colors and prints too, and charges via USB. They connect magnetically when not in use
Top Games for a 12 year old boy
Games are another pretty cool safe bet when looking for the best gifts for a 12 year old boy. They mostly skew affordable, and adults play them too, so there really is no true age cap on it.
Smart Games Cats & Boxes Game
For the kid who loves to play solo, doesn’t always have a playmate, or just loves a good puzzle, Smart Games is always a top choice for us.
M loves these challenges – they work well with his mathematical brain, and allow him to have solid screen-free fun on the go. Cat’s & Boxes is a super cool and unique spin on these puzzle games.
The game comes with 60 challenges, which are starting points for all the pieces on the game board. The challenge is to move the box pieces so that all the cats are in boxes. The cats must stay in place, and you can only move one piece at a time.
It’s a fun, humorous, more tangible take on the classic puzzle-solution game that totally appeals to M’s sense of humor.
LEGO Voyagers
What about when you want your kids SPECIFICALLY NOT to play solo? That’s where LEGO Voyagers comes in! This new and unique LEGO video game requires kids to play together! They can play virtually or IRL – and can even send friends who DIDN’T purchase the game a code to play with them.
LEGO Voyagers is a very laid back adventure-style game. The LEGO brick characters need to move LEGO pieces on the landscape to get around.
In a world of violent, aggressive video games, this one is so refreshing. It’s creative, and uses one of my kids’ favorite toys to build initial interest. It took them a few minutes to really learn it, but once they did, it became an instant favorite.
And I just love the social aspect of it!
Giiker Super Decoder
Giiker takes classic games and geekifies them – or rather turns them into gadgets! I love this approach for gifting a picky tween, especially one who loves to play solo.
The Super Decoder has game play similar to good old Mastermind. You have seven tries to break the four-color code, and it keeps getting harder.
The entire design of this game is so cool – it’s robotic! The two pronged antennae is functional and powers it on, sets single or duo mode, and provides game play cues as well. There’s an easier and more advanced mode, and a mind-boggling 600 levels of play!
Play solo or against a friend, and put it in your pocket when you’re done. It’s a screen free gadget – operated by lights – making it friendly for screen-free environments, like some schools. It’s one of those things that feels like a gadget, but actually builds some critical brain skills.
Best non-toy and activity gifts for a 12 Year Old Boy
At an age where kids think they want toys and gadgets that do something, it’s a huge win to find that gift that encourages THEM to do something! These are my best gifts for a 12 year old boy that’ll get them creating, writing, thinking, and building.
Diamond Art Club Sparkle Pals™ – R2-D2™
When my kids first saw me doing diamond painting, they wanted in on the action. And Diamond Art Club apparently knows that this hobby goes beyond the default demographic because they create kits for everyone! For 12 year old boys, especially the Star Wars fan, the Sparkle Pals R2-D2 is a super cool pick!
This beginner friendly kit comes in a theme that crosses demographics and is perfect for tweens who want to create a little. It comes with everything needed to get started – including the tools. M loves this set, as a Star Wars fan, and it’s a go to pick for me for when I’m looking for a smaller gift for a tween boy or girl. M enjoys displaying finished creations, and R2-D2 comes with a stand, perfect for propping on a desk. We might even glue magnets on the back and put it on his locker.
You can save 20% off your first purchase with Diamond Art Club®. Use the discount code MOMS20!”
Yes & Know Books
When I found out that Yes & Know books are coming back at Toy Fair this past winter, I literally did a happy dance. These invisible ink activity books are a childhood favorite of mine, a pivotal item that was a real treat. In fact, it was a tradition in our family to have these as “sick day” treats – but they make fabulous small gifts too!
Yes & Know books are invisible ink books that are full of puzzles, trivia, and more – appropriate for school age kids through adults (or ages 7-77!) We played tic-tac-toe on these pages as kids, learned new things about life, decoded, and maybe cheated a tiny bit by revealing a teensy drop to peek at the answer before filling it in fully.
The license to remake these was acquired by a small business called Tree Town Toys, and they have only gotten better. They retained their retro feel, but modernized it just the right amount – adding color ink to the mix. Gift these individually as a small gift, or bundle them for a larger gift.
Smartivity Mechanical Hand
If you have a kid who is engineering-obsessed (M is!) the Smartivity Mechanical Hand is a super fun exercise in engineering. Kids build a huge robotic hand that they can then use to pick up various thing, high five or fist bump siblings and friends, and in general have fun with.
This is the kind of kit where the assembly is intensive and the main point and a fun thing to play with is the byproduct. M thrives on this type of thing and was able to assemble it fully independently.
The instructions are clear, visual, and easy to follow and the precision laser cut pieces are easy to pop out of the frame for assembly.
Ohuhu Direct-ink Acrylic Markers – Nahuku
As kids get older, they are ready for grown-up art supplies, and for the kid who loves to draw, Nahuku Direct-ink Acrylic Markers are a win! These super cool opaque brush tip paint markers can be used to draw on paper, color things in, do brush calligraphy, decorate school supplies, and more. Since they are opaque, they work beautifully on both dark and light surfaces
They are fabulous for an aspiring artist (bonus points if you gift it with a sketchbook!) And the Direct Ink technology means that no pumping and priming is required. The 48 color pack that is featured here has three each of white and black – a really helpful feature based on real-life use patterns. It comes in an easy storage case.
Ohuhu’s art supplies are a win for this age group and one that I personally purchase as gifts for young and hobby artists. They are a mid-range art supply brand that leans more affordable than pro-grade brands but delivers consistent quality.
Owala FreeSip Water Bottle
While this isn’t an activity that “does”, it’s a fabulous, practical gift that the kids just love (especially if you’re reading this in 2025). It has a straw but also a siwg spout, so they can drink however they’d like. And it’s leak-proof so it won’t destroy that homework!
We got the Kids version because its 16 oz size is practical for bringing to school, but for 12 year olds you can get the real version too. And it’s insulated, keeping drinks cold for up to 24 hours, which encourages drinking.
Best Books for a 12 Year Old Boy
Books are an absolute win for gifting 12-year-olds – they can never have enough! Find out what type of reading they love and go with that!
Did you Hear what Happened in Salem?
This book is a nonfiction but totally not boring take on the Salem witch trials. It’s written in an engaging and snarky way, from the perspective of a third party observer. And it teaches some valuable lessons about groupthink, assumptions, and the value of a good justice system.
The book features vivid illustrations that bring the story to life, a character guide, and a very strong lesson written explicitly at the end. While it’s graded for ages 8+, as a mother of a 9 and 12 year old, I do prefer it for the 8+ demographic because of the subject matter.
Parent Warnings: It does contain one use of the “b-word” but as a negative reference not conversational, as well as a quick reference to suicide. I personally think this is age appropriate for a 12 year old.
Harry Potter boxed set
M received this set as an aunt and has read it at least twice since! At this age, he is ready to read the full set of the classic series – and it’s definitely an “own-it” type of series.
Which other gifts would you choose as the best gifts for a 12 year old boy? Have you tried any of those on this list? Comment below!
