Best Gifts for 12 Year Old Boys

Discover cool gifts for 12-year-old boys: books, games, and technology! I don’t know about you but I think this is the hardest age to shop for. They’re not playing with toys anymore (too much) but they’re not adults yet either. I hope this list gives you lots of fun gift ideas!

I find that this age is tough — it’s that in between a kid and a teenager time when 12-year-olds are a mixture of both worlds. I hope these gift ideas help you shop!

Gifts for 12 Year Old Boys

Snap Circuits Mechanical Coding Robot
Learn to code a robot that can lift, throw, kick, draw, and more by snapping the coding buttons onto the coding wheel!

Apple AirPods
Anyone who has a 12 year old knows that their music is EVERYTHING. These are a very popular tween gift that kids and their parents like. (For different reasons.)

Go Pro Hero
Record all your action with a GoPro HERO8 camera. Includes a head strap, 32GB SD card, and 2 rechargeable batteries.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
Fantastic fantasy world-building, excellent writing, a strong female heroine of color, and a surprise plot twist ending are just a few of the reasons you’ll love this book. Amari is an exciting action-packed, suspenseful story about Amari whose beloved older brother has vanished. But, she gets a virtual message from him revealing that she’s a magician like him and at his bequest, gets to attend a secret school. There, she discovers she’s actually a dark magic magician (which is outlawed) but she’s determined to prove she isn’t evil, stay in the school, and find her brother.

Audio Gaming Chair
We first saw these at the neighbor’s house– they are pretty cool, right? Listen to music, watch TV, read, play video games, or just relax. It’s got 4 speakers plus wireless receivers and transmitters and is compatible with most gaming devices.

Gone to the Woods by Gary Paulsen
This is a compelling, disturbing, and hopeful childhood story of hardship and survival with moments of kindness and time in nature that sustain the neglected, determined young boy. If you love Gary Paulsen’s stories or just enjoy survival and growing up stories, DON’T MISS this powerful book! Also, Paulsen writes his memoir in the third person which is an interesting choice and one that works extremely well…

PlayStation 5
Tons of games are available on this popular gaming system! Some of the more popular games on this platform include: Elden Ring, NBA 2k25, Ratchet & Clank, and more!

Magic The Gathering Foundations
Learn to play this popular strategy game with this beginner box with everything you need!

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Because this is written in verse, this is a fast read but packs a big punch. Basketball player and twin Josh narrates his life in quarters, just like the game he plays. He writes about missing his twin when his twin, Jordan, gets a girlfriend; about getting in trouble when he hits Jordan in the face with a basketball; and about watching his father as his heart fails. This is a coming-of-age, gripping story about a boy who is just trying to figure out life like most boys at age 12.

NFL Jersey

Nintendo Switch Lite

Now you can hold a Nintendo Switch in your hands enjoy even more on-the-go games and fun.

Akropolis
If you’re looking for games gifts for 12 year old boys, try this game! Build your Arkopolis city with houses, temples, markets, and more. Use the titles to build up and increase the value of your districts and win the game.

Echo Dot
The Alexa Dot was our successful compromise with our daughter who still wanted to listen to her music in her room but wasn’t allowed to have screen time in her bedroom. Now it’s become a favorite way to play music for both our girls. It’s voice-controlled and you can use it as an alarm, speaker, timer, and more.

Timberland Men’s Glove with Touchscreen Technology

DALIX Cuff Beanie Cap 12″ — 14 colors

Kindle Fire
Reading and writing take practice. Good writers are avid readers. Keep your growing writer reading with a Kindle loaded with books.

Swiss Army Knife
15 functions for your everyday adventures: blade, Phillips screwdriver, scissors, and more.

One by Wacom Digital Drawing Tablet
The original Wacom tablets cost $500+ so this is a more affordable option at $60 for kids who want to get started with digital art. Plug into your computer and start drawing!

Wireless Headphones
These aren’t just highly-rated, they’re really a good price, too! We also love that they have good sound, LED lights, and volume control.