Gifts for a 12-year-old boy
Twelve is an awkward age: he may still love a good toy, but only if it doesn't look like one. These ideas mix things to build and play with things that feel more grown-up, and they include the gifts that suit any 12-year-old.
25 gift ideas.
These are ideas, not shop-checked picks. Where we have checked a product at a real shop we link to it; otherwise "Search for this" opens a plain Google search for your region.
-
A big building set (Lego Technic or similar)
A weekend project with moving parts, and a model they can display afterwards.
-
A beginner electronics or circuits kit
Snap-together parts let them build a working radio or alarm without soldering.
-
A quick strategy card game
Easy to learn, over in 20 minutes, and good enough that adults will join in.
-
A cooperative board game
Everyone plays on the same side, so there is no sulking when someone loses.
-
An escape-room-in-a-box game
Puzzles for two to four people, with no screen. Good for a rainy afternoon.
-
Pokémon cards and a binder
Collecting, swapping and sorting in one gift. A binder protects the cards.
-
A good sketchbook and drawing markers
Better paper and pens make drawing feel serious. Check the markers are non-toxic.
-
A graphic novel series
A good way into reading for kids who say they don't like books.
-
A bookshop gift card
Lets them choose their own next read, and fits any budget.
-
A scooter or skateboard (with a helmet)
Gets them outside and moving. Buy the helmet at the same time.
-
A proper ball or racquet for their sport
A real size-and-weight ball, not a toy one, says you take their sport seriously.
-
A backyard cricket or tennis set
Works with two people or ten, and it lives in the boot of the car all summer.
-
A tough digital or instant camera
Their own camera, without the risk of dropping your phone.
-
A self-watering jar grow kit
Herbs on the windowsill in a few weeks, and hard to kill.
-
A seed-starting kit for beginners
Their own patch of sunflowers or salad greens to look after.
-
A first proper baking set
A good whisk, tins and a simple cookbook, so they can make something for the family.
-
A backyard hammock
A reading spot of their own. Choose cotton or polyester rope rather than rubber straps if latex is a worry.
-
An indoor climbing or trampoline-park voucher
An experience instead of more stuff, and they can take a friend.
-
A new game for the console they already own
Check the age rating and which console they have before you buy.
-
An insulated drink bottle
Keeps water cold at school and sport. Stainless steel lasts; pick a plain finish if nickel is a worry.
-
A Transformers figure that changes quickly
Simple robot-to-vehicle changes suit hands that are not into fiddly collector figures yet.
-
A snap-together Transformers-style model kit
No glue and no paint, with enough pieces to feel like a proper build.
-
A Transformers backpack
A school bag they will actually want to carry.
-
A pair of football or footy boots
Measure their feet first, since they grow fast at this age.
-
A rechargeable remote-control car
Outdoor fun for months, and the batteries are rechargeable.