The 30 Best Gifts for 11-Year-Old Boys of 2023

Pandasaurus Games The Mind at Walmart

Spalding Mini Basketball Hoop at Amazon

Snap Circuits Junior at Amazon

Nintendo Switch at Amazon

Schwinn High Timber at Amazon

Klutz LEGO Make Your Own Movie Activity Kit at Amazon

Mattel Games Pictionary Air Star Wars at Amazon

Spin Master Marvel United Super Hero Card Game at Amazon

Hasbro Clue Board Game Treachery at Tudor Mansion at Amazon

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In This Article

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What to Look for
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Why Trust The Spruce

4.8

&lrm; National Geographic Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit

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Rough rocks turn into dazzlingly smooth gems with this classic rock tumbler. The National Geographic kit comes with a guide to learn all about the rocks and gems around you as well as supplies to turn your new gems into stylish jewelry. Tweens get a crash course in rock collecting and geology with this awesome science set.

The science set includes a tumbler, four polishing grits, a sifter, nine types of real rough gemstones, plus a detailed guide for learning all about rocks and geology. The controls are easy-to-use with simple instructions. Control the number of days that your tumbler is at work with a timer and automatic shut-off feature. At the end, you'll have beautiful smooth stones to categorize, collect, and display.

Price at time of publish: $70

Amazon

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With this fun and engaging card game, tweens are challenged to organize their numbered cards in descending order, but with a twist: no talking is allowed. Players must find new ways to communicate to complete the shared goal, fostering teamwork and troubleshooting while providing round after round of thrilling playtime.

Price at time of publish: $23

Spalding NBA Jam Over-The-Door Mini Basketball Hoop

Courtesy of Amazon

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Turn any room into a basketball court with this portable over-the-door basketball hoop. This hoop is easy to install and tons of fun for family time in the living room or to keep tweens occupied and entertained in their own spaces. This toy is perfect for colder months when shooting hoops in the driveway is not an option, but practice never has to end.

Price at time of publish: $30

4.6

Elenco Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Exploration Kit

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Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Exploration Kit Review

The Snap Circuits Exploration Kit is like Legos but with a kid-friendly approach to electricity. Each kit comes with 100 electronic circuit projects and over 30 electronic parts so your kid can make everything from a flashing light to a siren with his own hands. It requires no soldering and is safe for children to do on their own. While the kit includes multiple projects, our tester loved that it took up minimal space. "The main circuit board is only slightly larger than a piece of loose leaf paper, and nearly all of the included components are about the size of a matchbox car," they shared.

Price at time of publish: $29

Snap Circuits Pieces — The Spruce / Sarah Wassner Flynn

4.5

Walmart

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This game console is on many kids' wishlists and for good reason. It can be used either solo in handheld mode or hooked up to a TV in single or multiplayer mode. It features a battery life of approximately five to nine hours (depending on the game) and you can easily set up parental controls to monitor games and purchases.

Price at time of publish: $320

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Your 11-year-old deserves a bike that's just as strong and daring as he is. This pick from Schwinn works on a variety of terrain, whether he wants to ride around the neighborhood or take it to the mountains. The lightweight steel frame has a sleek look that accommodates rides up to 6-feet-tall, so he can grow with his bike.

Price at time of publish: $210

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Encourage your kid’s creative side with the Klutz LEGO Make Your Own Movie Activity Kit. This fun intro to animation allows your child to create his own stop-motion video using a tablet and 36 Lego pieces. A short video takes just an hour to create and can be easily shared across social media with friends and family. This activity kit can be used again and again with any Lego set and is easy to set up and use.

Price at time of publish: $17

The 20 Best LEGO Sets of 2023

Mattel Games

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The classic drawing game Pictionary shoots for the store with a Star Wars version of Pictionary Air. Players take turns drawing images in the air based on the intergalactic universe while other players guess what you're drawing. The R2-D2-inspired pen and nods to iconic characters and places are sure to delight a Star Wars fan of any age.

Price at time of publish: $25

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Learning to collaborate is a skill all youngsters need to learn and that’s the goal behind this game. Each player is a Marvel hero and they have to work together to defeat the evil villain. Even after playing the game several times, the variety of challenge cards always keeps it fresh and new. This is suited for up to four players so kids can enjoy this together or make a family game night of it.

Price at time of publish: $13

Hasbro

While you may have played the iconic mystery board game, Club, before, you've never played it like this. Play together or solo to solve clues and escape the mansion before the police arrive. As you travel around the game board, rooms open and change, revealing different evidence with every turn. The cinematic experience is perfect for family game nights or rainy-day solo play.

Price at time of publish: $11

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Slime Kit & Putty Lab

Amazon

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Ask any kid and they will tell you: Slime is incredibly popular. This National Geographic Mega Slime Kit is one of the best gifts for 11-year-old boys who want to get dirty (without making a mess in your kitchen). This kit comes with four types of slime and putty, including magnetic putty, fluffy slime, and a DIY glow-in-the-dark slime lab. The set comes with an activity guide.

Price at time of publish: $24

Thames & Kosmos

In this interactive STEM-based kit, 11-year-olds build their own wearable robotic blaster glove. As they build, kids unconsciously learn about the physics of air with helpful instructions and supplemental information. After constructing the glove, tweens can play for hours testing their accuracy, measuring their range, and aiming at targets.

Price at time of publish: $40

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If your child is into science and dinosaurs, he’ll love this National Geographic Dino Dig Kit. Your child can dig up three dinosaur fossils, including a mosasaur tooth, bone, and stool. Plus, the kit comes complete with a colorful learning guide to spark your child’s curiosity and teach him everything he wanted to know about fossils.

Price at time of publish: $17

The 30 Best Dinosaur Gifts of 2023

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Endorsed by Russell Wilson, the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, the Aerobie Sonic Fin aerodynamic football travels up to 100 yards for epic backyard games. The customizable calibration ring makes this pick perfect for right-handed and left-handed players of every skill set. The lightweight balanced shape makes it easy to throw spirals, so whether your 11-year-old is just starting out or a football pro, they can still enjoy this ball.

Price at time of publish: $14

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The Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones are a great gift for those who love music or video games. These super trendy Beats headphones are perfect for long road trips or for the budding athlete who wants to listen to music while training. Beats don't come cheap but the quick charging time, long battery life, and crystal clear sound consistently rate high.

Price at time of publish: $171

Little Passports

Travel around the United States without ever leaving the couch with Little Passports. The subscription service delivers exploration boxes every month based on different states featuring activities, educational materials, games, and more. The first box comes with a welcome letter, a field guide, and a map to hang and track your progress.

Price at time of publish: $30

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Remember just how fun building a fort was when you were a kid? Crazy Forts is like that, but better. This kit comes with 69 balls and 44 sticks that easily click together to create the craziest, wildest fort that can be covered with pillows and blankets when your child is done. It is perfect for siblings or sleepovers and is a great STEM gift to inspire an interest in designing and engineering.

Price at time of publish: $44

LEGO

LEGOs are a classic gift that all ages can enjoy, but specifically for 11-year-old boys, we love this innovative fish tank. The tank comes with five buildable fish, some coral and an underwater plant to assemble, arrange, and admire. Learn about the different species of fish as you build, then find the perfect place to display your new masterpiece.

Price at time of publish: $30

University Games

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Perfect for the kid who loves solving puzzles, the Rubik's Race Game is a two-player game based on the classic Rubik’s Cube puzzle. To play, you shake the mini cube to create a new pattern. Then, each player races to recreate the pattern on his or her own Rubik’s cube.

Price at time of publish: $20

Sugarwish

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No matter the occasion, you can't go wrong with a sweet treat. Sugarwish makes it easy to send a present to anyone in the world. Perfect for pickier tweens, Sugarwish sends them a special code to pick a delicious gift themselves. He can choose from candy, cookies, popcorn, and some limited edition goodies as a sweet reminder that you're thinking of him.

Price at time of publish: $23+

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The Educational Insights Kanoodle features 200 logical thinking puzzles to keep your child entertained for hours. Your child will create both 2D and 3D puzzles using 12 different pieces to match a range of challenges. It comes with a carrying case for on-the-go play and a 48-page guide for solving all of the brain teasers.

Price at time of publish: $10

The 21 Best Jigsaw Puzzles of 2023

Adidas

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Upgrade your 11-year-old's style with a pair of iconic shoes from Adidas. The classic superstar style comes in three variations of black and white for a staple sneaker to wear to school r even sports practice. The unisex design comes in tons of sizes, so you could even grab a pair for the whole family.

Price at time of publish: $65

4.6

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Be Amazing! Toys Big Bag of Science Review

Curious teens will spend hours enjoying this science kit. This single bag has the necessary items for more than 65 science experiments. The hands-on experiments teach kids everything from electricity to gravity to fun tasks like launching a soda geyser. Also, the carrying case makes it easy to contain all of the items or take this science show on the road.

Price at time of publish: $34

Be Amazing! Toys Big Bag of Science — The Spruce / Kelly Hodgkins

Marshall

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Music lovers need a powerful Bluetooth speaker to blast your favorite tunes on the beach, in the backyard, or just in his room when doing homework. The Marshall Willen speaker measures just four inches wide and tall, so it fits easily in your pocket or backpack for taking on the go. It also comes with a flexible strap for mounting and listening just about anywhere.

Price at time of publish: $120

Starlux Games Capture the Flag REDUX: The Original Glow-in-The-Dark Outdoor Game

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Capture the Flag REDUX is a great group activity to encourage outdoor play. It’s an updated take on the traditional capture-the-flag game where the goal is to steal the other team’s “orb” without getting tagged by the territory lights. Each game can accommodate between four and 20 players and the lights can be used across 12 different game modes.

Price at time of publish: $50

The 15 Best Science Toys That Perfectly Mix Learning and Play

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The fun doesn't have to end when the sun goes down with this glow-in-the-dark basketball from GlowCity. The LED ball provides up to 30 hours of glow for endless games out in the moonlight. The best part? It turns on with the first bounce and automatically shuts off when not in use. It comes with batteries already installed and just needs a bit of air to get playing.

Price at time of publish: $40

Uncommon Goods

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Artistic tweens will love the chance to create their own comic book with this kit from Uncommon Goods. It comes with formatted blank pages and an informational booklet for instructions and inspiration. When he's done drawing, simply seal it in the pre-paid envelope and put it in the mailbox. In a few day's time, he'll have a professionally bound comic book done entirely by him to read, admire, and share.

Price at time of publish: $30

Source: Kano

Turn your Harry Potter fanatic into a wizard himself with a coding kit from Kano. This set comes with everything you need to build your own wand that responds to your movements on the free Kano app. Your 11-year-old will learn to code on an iPad or tablet with over 70 exciting challenges, engaging spells, and over 200 exclusive sounds to make him feel like magic.

Price at time of publish: $100

Thames & Kosmos Candy Vending Machine STEM Experiment Kit

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