The 20 Best Gifts for 12-Year-Old Boys That Will Make an Impression

Saiji Gooseneck Bed Phone Holder at Amazon

flybold Slackline Kit at Amazon

KAILUA 4 String Soprano Ukulele at Amazon

Vans Old Skool Core Classics at Amazon

Nike Sportswear Hayward Futura Backpack at Amazon

Gskyer AZ Astronomical Refractor Telescope at Amazon

Meta Quest 2 at Amazon

2K NBA 2K19 at Amazon

Hyodream 3D Moon Lamp at Amazon

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Our Picks
What to Look for in a Gift for a 12-Year-Old Boy
Why Trust The Spruce?

Wayfair

Get your tween outside and moving with this fun frisbee game perfect to play together. Invite their friends over for collaborative play, or challenge the whole family with this fun four-player backyard staple. The goal of this fast-paced game is to get your frisbee in the other person's "kan" through tapping, hitting, or slamming the disc inside.

This kit has everything you need for hours of fun, exciting, and often exhausting play, including the portable can-shaped goals, labels, frisbees, and an instruction guide. Add this backyard staple to entertain your pre-teen on any summer day or bring it to the beach for an added touch of outdoor fun!

Price at time of publish: $40

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For an affordable gift option that your pre-teen is guaranteed to get tons of use out of, look to this phone stand that attaches to their bed. The flexible material makes it easy to adjust where their precious smartphone will lay as they binge their favorite shows. However, it may be difficult to pull them away from the screen at bedtime.

Luckily, this can transfer to any couch or desk for hands-off watching, gaming, or reading. Take this on-the-go for entertaining them on long road trips or plane rides as just another way for your 12-year-old to enjoy their favorite gadgets.

Price at time of publish: $30

4.6

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Flybold Slackline Kit Review

The objective is simple—walk across a suspended rope, one end to the other—but slacklining is a never-ending test of strength, concentration, and balance. It’s popular everywhere from college campuses to corporate team-building retreats, and it also makes a unique and enjoyable outdoor activity for 12-year-old boys. They can string the line up in the backyard and challenge themselves until it’s too dark outside to see their feet, or they can compete with friends and family to see who has ninja-like agility.

This comprehensive kit from flybold is especially great for pre-teens and beginners because it includes two training lines and several arm trainers that help with technique and balance. With this kit, you’ll also get a 49-foot main slackline, tree protectors, ratchet protectors and a convenient carrying case—everything your 12-year-old needs for hours of fun.

Price at time of publish: $84

Courtesy of Amazon

The Best Gifts to Help Tweens Express Themselves

The dulcet tones of a ukulele are beloved from beach campfires to drizzly Sundays at home. The instrument is not just a gift for the music-loving pre-teen in your life, but a gift for whoever hears the strings being plucked and played.

The Kailua 4 String Soprano is one of the most highly reviewed ukuleles online, with the vast majority of customers awarding it five stars. It’s made of gorgeous mahogany wood, and the nylon strings provide a rich sound on every note. The custom etchings and design give it a simple, intimate aesthetic. And the best thing you’ll hear from this instrument might be the price, as Kailua is much more affordable than competitors.

Ukuleles are also one of the easiest string instruments to learn—a great foundation for guitar and the ideal gift for the 12-year-old who is just finding his love of music.

Price at time of publish: $40

Courtesy of Zappos

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An iconic sneaker design that can stick a landing, Vans’ skateboarding shoes are so universally loved that your first purchase likely won’t be your last. The brand’s Old Skool Core Classics are a versatile pair of kicks, perfect for the picky tween—and no wheels required.

Old Skools feature an all-black aesthetic, complimentary white stitching and Vans’ simple but iconic lined logo. Due to their timeless design and extreme comfort, these sneakers have been around for generations, letting your 12-year-old boy really feel old-school cool when he slips them on his feet.

Whether he wears them on or off the ramp, Vans are a safe but stellar pick for someone who wants a simple sneaker style that matches everything while also showcasing his personal style. Plus, they're easy to keep clean!

Price at time of publish: $70

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Your tween has to trek from school to practice to home wearing a backpack crammed with hefty textbooks, but the Hayward’s padded shoulder straps, padded back panel, and ergonomic design will give his back a breather. Measuring 18 x 15 x 7 inches, the interior is spacious enough to fit other essentials like lunch boxes, notebooks, sports jerseys, and laptops. Keep in mind, however, that this backpack does not come with a specific compartment for laptops.

The Hayward Futura also comes in five sleek colorways, guaranteed to match your pre-teen’s style. And while the name brand might tack on a few extra dollars, this stylish backpack is popular enough to find at various retailers, meaning you can go coupon hunting or hold out for a discount, especially around back-to-school season.

Price at time of publish: $87

We Researched the Best Backpacks—Here Are Our Favorites

4.7

$Gskyer AZ Astronomical Refractor Telescope$

Gskyer

The 15 Best Science Toys That Perfectly Mix Learning and Play

Gskyer crafts this telescope specifically for beginners. It’s affordable, easy to set up, easy to use and, even though it doesn’t have the strength and sophistication of a telescope worth thousands of dollars, it can magnify up to an astounding 40x so that you and he can explore the wondrous night sky in stunning detail.

One of this product’s most unique features is its Bluetooth Control: With a smartphone in hand, you can see exactly what the kid-friendly telescope sees and snap Insta-worthy pictures. The AZ70400 also comes with an adjustable tripod and two different eyepieces, a 25 millimeter for 16x magnification and a 10 millimeter for 40x magnification.

Price at time of publish: $130

4.5

Best Buy

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If he has grown tired of losing the Battle Royale in “Fortnite” or completed every campaign in “Call of Duty,” the Meta Quest 2 will give them a gaming experience unlike any other. They can experience the action firsthand with 3D graphics, a wide-view field of vision and unparalleled audio effects.

The Meta Quest 2 is lightweight, comfortable, and comes at a mid-level price for virtual reality headsets. Customers say it’s also one of the easiest Meta products to use, which is an extra bonus for pre-teens.

Once the video games are finished, kids can also watch their favorite movies on the Quest’s 180” screen or choose from over 1,000 VR experiences, like puzzles, board games, and brain teasers.

Price at time of publish: $399

4.2

Amazon

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Available for both PlayStation and Xbox, 2k has butter-smooth gameplay, unparalleled graphics, and a myriad of game options. Your 12-year-old can spend 20 minutes playing head-to-head against his friends or create a player who likes exactly like him—well, maybe slightly taller—and play from the rookie season to the Hall of Fame.

Over the past few years, 2k has also made classic NBA players like Jordan, Magic, and Shaq available, and they have added intricate game options like The Neighborhood, which allows users to connect online in an open universe—i.e. “The Neighborhood.”

Price at time of publish: $29

Amazon

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When your tween was younger, he had glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling and always had a night light. Now, a few years older, he can trade the stars for Hyodream’s moon lamp—a fantastic gift for science lovers, tech lovers, and pre-teens who want their bedroom to be more mature.

With mind-blowing detail, this lamp perfectly resembles the shades and textures of the moon, and the simple touch of a remote control allows users to change the lamp to their desired color, from white to yellow to a reddish blood moon. Your purchase will also include a stylish wooden stand and a handy USB cable to give the lamp 12 hours of glow time.

Price at time of publish: $33

Thames & Kosmos

Bring escape rooms to your own living room with this party game perfect for pre-teens. Players must solve riddles and puzzles to escape the sinister abandoned cabin while time is running out. This thrilling game is perfect for a family game night or for 12-year-old boys to work together to escape.

While this game can only be played once, Thames & Kosmos has multiple different versions of Exit: The Game featuring creepy locations that players will want to race to escape from including a cursed labyrinth, haunted rollercoaster, and more. They vary in difficulty, so tweens can gradually improve their escape skills as they race against the clock.

Price at time of publish: $15

Courtesy by Uncommon goods

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Foster your pre-teen's love of cooking or introduce them to international cuisines with this global adventure cooking kit. Perfect for family fun and spending quality time with a parent or grandparent, this kit takes 12-year-olds on a culinary journey through different continents all without leaving their kitchen.

The included instructions are easy to follow and include shopping lists and cooking directions for various meals to prepare and enjoy together. The kit also includes interesting facts and puzzles about each country represented, providing an educational experience while still having fun.

Price at time of publish: $25

Gemmy Inflatable Internal Fan Movie Screen

Amazon

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Plan the perfect movie night with this inflatable movie screen perfect for the living room or the backyard. Pre-teens can watch movies with the family, play video games with friends, or watch the game on Sundays in a fun and innovative way, sure to spice up any gathering.

Your pre-teen may need help setting up this outdoor movie screen, but easy-to-follow instructions are included along with a storage bang for bringing to friends' houses or on vacation. All you need is a projector, a speaker, and popcorn for the best movie theater experience at home.

Price at time of publish: $88

Courtesy of Amazon

Bring all the fun of laser tag to your own backyard with this set from ArmoGear. Up to four teams can play together, making for the best birthday parties or summer nights when you need an easy way to entertain a gaggle of pre-teen boys.

Twelve-year-old boys will love the various features of this set including target vests, invisibility mode, night vision flashlights, voice-guided directions, and four unique powers of the laser shooters. All you need is batteries for hours of outdoor fun that will guarantee your 12-year-old boy burns off some energy and bonds with his friends or family members.

Price at time of publish: $130

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Spruce up your pre-teen's bedroom or any game room with this magnetic dartboard from Sparky Marky. No need to worry about sharp darts damaging walls, furniture, and even family members because all of the darts included are magnetic.

Twelve-year-olds can hang this dartboard themselves, providing hours of fun as they practice their aim and master their skills to play against siblings or friends. This functional room decor is perfect to keep tweens entertained without screens.

Price at time of publish: $38

LEGO Architecture New York City Skyline Model Kit

Courtesy of Amazon

Lego sets are a perfect gift for any age. You just have to find the right difficulty for your recipient. Twelve-year-old boys will love this challenging architectural set that creates the New York City skyline. With 598 pieces, this kit (like all Lego kits) promote STEM concepts in an exciting way that results in a beautiful build to display or take apart and start again.

Due to the level of difficulty, this might be a great opportunity for tweens to bond with any adults in their life for those particularly challenging pieces. But, the included instructions are clear and easy to follow for the impressive outcome.

Price at time of publish: $55

The Boys' Book Of Survival (How To Survive Anything, Anywhere)

Amazon

For the reader or the adventurer in your life, all pre-teens will love this guide to survival. Boys will learn how to get themselves out of any imaginable inconvenience from sinking into quicksand to confronting a tiger to getting lost in a desert. He will love sharing all the new tips and tricks he has learned with friends and family.

Available as a hardcover or e-book, The Boys' Book of Survival is a great way to get any 12-year-old back into reading or learning, despite how outlandish the scenarios are.

Price at time of publish: $14

Marvin's Magic Fifty Greatest Card Tricks Set

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