Gift ideas for a younger teen boy can be a challenge to come up with when shopping. Gone are the days where their wish lists fill up the front and back side of a piece of paper. Young teens are hard to buy gifts for because they have outgrown playing with most toys but they still like to open fun presents. Money or gift cards are exciting to spend at the store but opening an actual gift gives instant fun for them at Christmas or on their birthday. Kids who are new to the teenage years may still play with a few toys like sports equipment but a kid doesn’t need too many multiples of the same equipment.
I’ve come up with ideas for gifts for younger teen boys I’d like to share with you. These are gifts I know my newly teenaged son would enjoy receiving even if he doesn’t put them on his wish list. Last Christmas he just put money or gift cards on his wish list but then he started to notice he had no gifts under the tree so even though he asks for only money, he really wants actual gifts to open too.
Grandma’s and Grandpa’s, these are what the teen kids want!!
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Gift Ideas Younger Teen Boy:
A Hammock:
A hammock is a perfect gift for teen boys. They love to lounge about so a hammock that is easily moved around is perfect. My son ties it to our playset posts and lounges in the hammock with his guinea pig, with a book, or his phone. Kids can watch a movie, listen to music, text friends, or nap. The easy to tie straps and carabiners make it easy to move around. It’s great for the backyard, camping, or a summer afternoon.
There are many color options available. Since I have three sons, each one has a different color so we can remember which hammock belongs to each kid:) These hammocks can even support adults, so parents can take a turn!
A Robe:
A robe to lounge in on cold days is perfect for teen boys. They can get comfy and watch their movies or play their video games. Teens will love getting warm and comfortable in a robe for the activities they love such as texting and connecting with friends. I installed a hook on my son’s wall for easy access to grab the robe and a quick place for him to hang it up.
Football and Tee:
My son is obsessed with the sport of football. He plays football on a team and just for fun with friends. He watches hours of NFL and college football. When hanging out with friends he grabs his football and tee for some football out in the yard.
Headphones or Earphones:
Oh, the headphones and earphones we go through at our house! They get lost, left at a friend’s house, or fall out of the backpack. Suddenly they stop working and new ones are needed. The guinea pig chews on the cord for a snack and they get ruined. It seems I’m always having to replace them for one reason or another. My son loves to use them even when alone in his room so they are a necessity in his mind. Even if my son has a pair that works right now, I still buy earphones because it’s only a matter of time before he will need a new earphones.
Basketball Hoop for Back of the Door:
My son loves the sport of basketball. He plays on a team and loves to play with friends. He has a mini basketball hoop in his room right now and he uses while relaxing in his room. A big one for the back of the door is even better (guess what one of his gifts is this year!). It will get him off the his phone and active for a bit in his room and this mom is all for that!
Candy or Beef Jerky:
Teen boys get hungry. I’m pretty sure my son has eaten his weight in pretzels since becoming a teen. That scares me for the upcoming grocery bill when our three boys are all teens because even now they eat an extreme amount of food! Candy or beef jerky as a gift would make my son’s eyes light up. He has his favorite types of candy that would be perfect to add to a gift card or as a stocking stuffer. Beef jerky too would be great additions to money or gift card gifts so they can have a gift to open that they can use right away.
Video Games:
Oh, of course, I would add video games to the list! There are so many video games out there and enough variety out to meet all types of interests.
Sports games are a huge hit. The NBA2K16 basketball game is one of my son’s favorites. However, my teens all time favorite love is the football Madden series for the Xbox 360 because it uses real players and the actual NFL teams. He plays this game almost on a daily basis. It is a surefire winner for a football loving teen. A new one seems to come out each year which he waits eagerly for. There are several versions of the Madden game, older ones may be cheaper.
Back Pillow:
My teen son now spends a fair amount of time in his room. He uses his back pillow on his bed daily. It provides him support and comfort while lounging on his bed after sports practices. He really needs the unwinding time after sports practices and after a stressful day at school. This is a gift he can keep and take to college in the future. There aren’t too many gifts where this can occur, but this back pillow gift would be something to be used for many years into the future.
Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow Game:
This Werewolves is a card game the kids enjoy. I can’t say much more about it other than that my son and his friends love it and play it frequently. It is another easy gift to pair with a gift card or money or as a stocking stuffer.
Favorite Team’s or Player’s Jersey, Hat, Wallet/money clip, or Blanket:
A specific sports team or player’s jersey is a perfect gift for a young teen boy who is interested in sports. The kids all have their favorite teams or players and they can wear the jersey while they watch the game. Jersey’s can be quite expensive, but they are a sure favorite for sports loving kids. I like to buy gifts I know my son will actually use rather then clutter up his room or just take up space in the dresser. I want the gift to be used and wanted rather than tossed in the corner of his room and never touched again.
Any clothing, jersey, sweatshirt, or hat displaying a kids’ favorite professional team will be a winner in the kids’ eyes. A blanket with a specific team on it is also a great idea and something the teen will actually use.
Tickets to Favorite Professional Sports Game:
Once they have the jersey, they could wear it to an actual game! Kids who love sports will be ecstatic to see game tickets inside the box they open on Christmas or on their birthday. Better yet get an extra ticket so they can choose a friend to come along. Parents who do this will get a giant smile from their kids which is what we all want as parents.
Season Pass for an Amusement Park:
Give the gift of an experience!
If there is a local amusement park that sells season passes, this gift will light up every teen boys’ eyes. We are buying our kids a season pass to a local amusement park for Christmas for the second year in a row because they loved going to the amusement park so much. We were able to go multiple times and with several different groups of friends with our season passes. This is an activity they actually want to do and really enjoy. Plus it does not add any more stuff to the house which I love as a parent.
My husband and I also get to enjoy this gift by creating awesome memories of going to the amusement park with our kids. Memories that will last us all a lifetime. I highly recommend this type of gift.
Bean Bag or Gaming Chair:
Once they have the video game, they need something comfy to sit in to play it. I have bought bean bag chairs for our house so this is something I know teen boys would love to lounge on while playing video games, watching a movie, or while on their phones. We have this chair shown above. It has lost its shape and is flat now, but my son still uses it for a pillow. I believe they can be recharged by purchasing a refill of beads.
We purchased this bean bag chair for our home that is shown below and it gets used every single day. It’s great too because it has a bed inside of it. It is simply pulled out and used as a bed (great for sleepovers) and then stuffed back inside to be used as a bean bag again! It’s genius! And very comfortable, even for adults. Best purchase ever and we even found one to match our couch so it looks nice in the living room.
CordaRoy’s – Khaki Corduroy Convertible Bean Bag Chair – Full
Portable Phone Recharger:
For teens who have a phone, it is their lifeline. They are protective of their phone and it’s level of being charged up so a portable phone recharger for charging away from home is perfect. It’s a backup for them to charge when away from an outlet. We have one for our family but we have found it beneficial for him to have one of his own also.
Swim Goggles or Scuba Set:
Our kids like to swim so new goggles or a scuba set are always a welcome gift at our house. Having an extra pair is good in case one gets lost or just as a backup in case the other pair breaks. We have a pool so goggles get used a lot at our house every summer. They do wear out after multiple uses so having an extra pair is something even the kids will want.
Magazines or Books:
The type of book or magazine can be tailored to the kids’ tastes. There are so many options out in the stores and online the possibilities are endless.
Under Armor Sweatshirt:
Under Armor sweatshirts are all the rage for the teen boys I know. It’s the brand they want and ask for so it’s a perfect gift. Buying the next size up as a gift is a great way to buy a gift because they grow out of clothing so quickly that the next size will fit them in now time.
School Spiritwear Clothing or Sports Association Clothing:
All the teens I know love to wear school spiritwear clothing. Many of them have multiple sweatshirts, t-shirts, and pants or shorts in their wardrobes. Multiples of this type of gift will get used and appreciated. Most schools sell spiritwear or local clothing shops as well.
Sports associations also sell clothing, apparel, hats, jackets, gloves, etc. Usually, these are sold by the sports association online for a limited time. Teens love to wear apparel from the sport they are playing. This is a winning gift for teens for sure.
Cooling Towel or Water Bottle for Athletes:
A personal cooling towel would be perfect for teen athletes. These kids work hard and get hot at practice and in games so a cooling towel would help them out.
My boys love the water bottles with a straw for football so they can get water through the football helmet. The one below is always a favorite water bottle too.
Water bottles are always necessary for sports practices or games. The kids break them or lose them so extras are a great idea. They would love one with their favorite team.
Gift Card or Money:
A gift card to a store or a generic gift card that can be used anywhere is perfect for young teen boys. Of course, money is always perfect for teens too because they often want to buy items that cost higher amounts of money like a phone, iPod, or laptop. If they get money and gift cards they can pool their money to buy the more expensive items they really want.
Buying a movie theater gift card is also a desired gift to teen boys as they start to enjoy going to movies with groups of friends. This gift makes the teen social life activity of movie going easier on the parent’s pocket book and allows the kid to spend his own money a movie he wants to see with friends. Plus they can learn budgeting when choosing movie snacks. I just love this idea!!
Another gift young teen boys will like is an iTunes gift card because this allows them to buy apps for their phones or iPads. This is something they want and will thoroughly enjoy receiving as a gift.
Gift cards to restaurants are also an idea for young boys.
My Advice:
As a mom of a new teen, I suggest combining money or a gift card with any of my suggestions above so the teen can open an actual gift and still receive money for a larger buck item. This will please them in giving them money towards something expensive AND give them instant gratification of getting an immediate use gift.
Happy Shopping and I hope you find the perfect gift for the young teen boy in your life!
Don’t forget gifts for doggies! Affiliate link below to Pupjoy! Treats I love to buy these for my dogs!
Looking for more idea for gifts for boys? Check out my post with Over 75 Christmas Gift Ideas for Tween Boys
More posts for teens and tweens: 10 Ideas for Tweens and Teens To Do on Halloween
The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List for Teens: How to Survive Family Travel
Young Teen and Tween Boy Conversation Starters for Modern Moms
Happy shopping! I hope my ideas have inspired the perfect gift for your son:)
Gift Ideas Younger Teen Boy. Copyright ©2016 Julie Hoag. All Rights Reserved.
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