The 13 Best Toys for 12-Year-Old Boys They Won't Outgrow

NERF Lazer Tag Phoenix LTX Tagger 2-pack

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Nerf shooters always make a great gift option for tweens that get them outside and keep them active during warm months. This kit designed for two players imitates the high-energy game of laser tag with interactive audio and visual features that bring the arcade right to your home. The two-player design is perfect for twins, siblings, or an excuse for your 12-year-old boy to invite a friend over and get moving.

Unlike other Nerf products, there are no rubber bullets to worry about breaking furniture or getting lost behind couches, making this toy suitable for indoor play as well. Add in even more sets and invite more friends for a larger outdoor game perfect for a birthday party or backyard barbecue.

The sturdy taggers are loaded with cool features, according to users, making them perfect for all ages so even adults can get in on the fun. You can adjust how you play by picking the number of lives allotted to each player. Just note that users reported that some of the buttons can stick over time.

Dimensions: 12.13 x 14.88 x 4.37 inches | Material: Plastic | Age Range: 8 years and up

Alesis CompactKit 4 Electronic Drum Set

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Inspire a new hobby or foster musical skills in your tween with a drum set designed for beginners. Less expensive and much quieter than a traditional kit, the Alesis CompactKit 4 features four electric drum pads with 70 different sounds included for a realistic experience. The drum coach features shows notes and instructions on the LCD screen to learn new beats and skills at any age. Also, parents don't have to worry about noise since your tween can plug in headphones for a quiet drumming practice during late nights or early mornings.

Price at time of publish: $89

Dimensions: ‎18.1 x 10.2 x 5.9 inches | Material: Not Listed | Weight: 3.3 pounds | Age Range: Not Listed

ThinkFun Gravity Maze

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There is no one way to play Gravity Maze; in fact, the game comes with 60 levels that become increasingly difficult as he works his way up. The game includes a marble run, logic game, and STEM toy all in one. It comes with a game grid, 10 towers, three stainless steel marbles, and a target piece to navigate him through the maze.

Though it might seem intimidating at first, this super engaging maze game comes with clear instructions, making it easy to learn. While it helps improve strategic thinking, Gravity Maze also aids in building spatial reasoning and encourages thinking like an engineer.

Price at time of publish: $29

Dimensions: 9.38 x 3 x 10.5 inches | Material: Paper, plastic | Weight: 1.1 pounds | Age Range: 8 years and up

Schwinn High Timber Mountain Bike

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Outdoorsy and adventurous tweens need an appropriate kid's bike fitted for any terrain they encounter. The Schwinn High Timber Bike rides smoothly on concrete for chill neighborhood rides or bumpy trails for mountain biking challenges. Suitable for both kids and adults, this bike can grow with your child and suit him for years to come. It supports up to 250 pounds and includes an adjustable seat, perfect for growth spurts. While expensive, the extensive speeds, gears, and other features make this a good investment for active summer months.

Price at time of publish: $530

Dimensions: ‎53.5 x 27.5 x 8.5 inches | Material: Steel, rubber | Weight: 47 pounds | Age Range: Not Listed

Horizon Group USA Boy Craft Catapult Wars Build & Battles

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This cool craft kit lets kids build their very own catapults to launch to fun new heights. It comes with everything they need to build two catapults, including 20 wooden pieces, glue, rope, stickers, and eight mini bean bags to send soaring through the air. Your tween and his friends can work together to hit targets or wage an all-out war against one another. It’s also a great way to help kids develop engineering and science skills because they can experiment with velocity, distance, and more. Parents say kids of all ages love it, though younger children will likely need help with assembly.

Price at time of publish: $13

Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 13 inches | Material: Wood | Weight: 1.1 pounds | Age Range: 8 years and up

Kan Jam Illuminate Light-Up Game Set

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One of the best lawn games on the market, Kan Jam features two teams of two trying to throw a frisbee and knock it into their corresponding can to earn points. Perfect for outdoor parties, the game suits various ages, is simple to learn, and makes for hours and hours of active fun. Plus, the fun doesn't end when the sun goes down. Kan Jam's Illuminate Light-Up Game Set includes two targets and one disc that glow in the dark, for a fun twist on the game your tween will love.

Price at time of publish: $60

Dimensions: ‎‎20.59 x 11.3 x 9.57 inches | Material: Plastic | Weight: 1.3 pounds | Age Range: 8 years and up

OKK STEM Robot Building Block Toys for Kids

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To his delight, your tween can build his very own robot with everything included in this educational kit. It includes 635 pieces of building blocks—but don't panic. The instructions are detailed and come equipped with impressive visuals to aid you from the beginning of the building process to the end. It's a great way to introduce coding to your 12-year old and inspire him to think creatively.

Once the robot is completely assembled, he can control his new robot with a phone via Bluetooth. The robot's head, shoulders, arms, tracks, and even eyebrows can move thanks to remote or voice control.

Price at time of publish: $80

Dimensions: 11 x 10 x 2 inches | Material: Plastic | Weight: 2 pounds | Age Range: 8 years and up

Ravensburger Marvel Villainous

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In this popular strategy board game, your tween takes on the role of one iconic Marvel villain—Thanos, Hela, Ultron, Taskmaster, or Killmonger—to fulfill their sinister schemes. The strategy element ensures that every game is different with different characters, different goals, and different players. Marvel fans and board game enthusiasts alike love this expansion of Ravensburger's Villainous universe, perfect for 2-12 players. Face off against mighty heroes to see if good or evil prevails.

Price at time of publish: $40

Dimensions: ‎‎10.5 x 2.5 x 10.5 inches | Material: Plastic, cardboard | Weight: 2.72 pounds | Age Range: 12 years and up

Fireside Games Castle Panic

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When it’s time to step away from the screen, the Castle Panic board game makes a good diversion. It can be played by a single player or with up to six players, and the level of difficulty can be adjusted to provide a variety of challenges.

The goal is to defend the castle from monsters. It's a game that promotes teamwork because the players work together to strategize and slay the monsters by rolling dice and choosing cards. Winning takes a mix of strategy and luck, and the one who masters both is crowned the Master Slayer.

Price at time of publish: $35

Dimensions: 10.5 x 10.5 x 2.5 inches | Material: Cardboard | Weight: 2.04 pounds | Age Range: 10 years and up

LEGO Architecture New York City

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All those years of mom and dad stepping on errant LEGO pieces aren’t over just because the kids are growing up. The LEGO Architecture series is designed for older kids. With more intricate building plans, this one lets them construct the Big Apple’s skyline. It includes the Flatiron Building, Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, the Chrysler Building, and Lady Liberty herself.

There are 598 pieces in all and it comes with instructions containing background information about each of the buildings’ architecture and history. Once they build it, it makes a great display piece for their room and the pieces can also be combined with other LEGO sets for huge city scenes.

Price at time of publish: $50

Dimensions: 10 x 9 x 1 inches | Material: Plastic | Weight: 1.28 pounds | Age Range: 12 years and up

Snap Circuits Pro Electronics Exploration Kit

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With the Snaps Circuit Kit, kids grow more comfortable learning about electric switches, fuses, digital circuits, and more with a very hands-on approach. They can create various projects, including an FM radio, a digital voice recorder, and a music alarm.

As your 12-year old progresses through the manual, he'll be able to master experiments that become more and more complex. Note that there are other adaptations of this game, like Snap Circuits Jr. or Snap Circuits Light, in which circuits glow in the dark.

Price at time of publish: $86

Dimensions: 17.7 x 3.3 x 13.8 inches | Material: Plastic | Weight: 9.02 pounds | Age Range: 8 years and up

4M Tin Can Robot

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Recycling has never been so much fun. This kit helps kids turn any old tin can into a super cool little robot who they can send waddling about their room. It comes with almost everything they need to get the robot up and running—taking an Earth Day game to another level of engagement. You will need to supply the can (any soda can will do), one AA battery, and a small Phillips head screwdriver to get the work done.

While most customers say this kit is fun and educational, some caution that it involves quite a few steps and can be complicated for younger children. For 12-year-olds, however, it should be challenging enough without any difficulty.

Price at time of publish: $12

Dimensions: 6.75 x 3.25 x 5.25 inches | Material: Not listed | Weight: 0.45 pounds | Age Range: 8 to 15 years