31 Gifts for 11-Year-Old Boys That Aren't Lame
Our kid and tween testers approve.
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When a young guy is 11 he's not yet in teenage mode, but he's no longer a little boy, either. The tween years are exactly what they sound like, an in-between stage. He's maybe into science and sports now but doesn't want you to throw out the toy cars he's had since he was 3. As parents, we know how it goes. So when we list gifts for 11-year-olds we include a mix of things, like tech and gamer gear as well as toys, LEGOs and books that help him avoid the dreaded "b" word: boredom.
At the Good Housekeeping Institute, we spend the whole year following trends and testing toys and gifts, making sure they're durable, well-made and safe — then getting feedback from real tweens to see if it's something they'll return to again and again. Between the two of us we have a tween girl and a teen son, plus their friends and classmates and friends' kids, so we feel like we've got a grasp on what is cringe and what is cool. To start, it's cringe to say we know what's cool. But we remain confident that these are sure to impress your tween.
Whether he's gaming or watching a movie, this could be his lounging spot of choice. It rocks back for comfort, and folds in half when not in use so you can store it away. No age recommendation given
RELATED: The Best Gifts for Gamers
Minecraft fans can bring the fun from screens into real life. This set comes with lots of Minecraft features, including a Swamp explorer, zombie, three frogs, a slime, and (duh), a house shaped like a Frog. Ages 8+
ZipString ZipString
We had a blast testing this in our office with kids, tweens and adults — and it landed on our list of this year's Best Toys. It's a moving, undulating string he controls, and it's mesmerizing. The web site has tricks for him to try. He can also use it to captivate a younger sibling, or the cat. Ages 8+
RELATED: ZipString is a Holiday Must-Have
Players are zombies, looking to eat delicious brains. If you roll a brain, you get to eat a human (and you get a point). If you roll a set of footprints, it means your prey got away. The play is 10 to 20 minutes and it just requires two or more people, so it's great whether he has a friend over or needs an activity to do with cousins. It's another pick that wins raves from Amazon reviewers, too. Ages 10+
RELATED: Best Board Games for Kids
Nerf N Series Infinite Blaster
This latest from Nerf comes with 80 foam darts and a belt that holds 40 at a time. Side note: One of our friends threw a birthday party for their 11-year-old boy that was nothing but him and his friends firing Nerf blasters in a yard, and it was her most successful party ever. Ages 8+
Aladdin 'The Sherlock Society'
This is a new series by James Ponti, who wrote for children's television, and our kid testers found it a page-turner. “Most of the chapters end on a mini cliffhanger, so you don’t want to stop reading,” said one 10-year-old reviewer. Ages 8–12
Need a gift under $30? His birthday money, pet-sitting cash and allowance will be safe (a.k.a. out of the hands of siblings) with this password-protected piggy bank. It takes bills or coins and has earned more than 10,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Ages 3+
Snap Circuits Flight Deck
As far as interactive science or STEM toys go, this is a favorite. It teaches a kid about flight and also about electricity. He'll learn to send a little propeller, a ball and a paper airplane flying. When our Lab experts tested it, we relearned some physics lessons, too. Ages 8+
This basketball lights up when dribbled, so he can practice in the driveway even after the sun goes down. It even shuts off on its own when it's no longer in use. The LED lights inside are powered by batteries that can be replaced. If basketball isn't his sport, you can also get an LED football, soccer ball or volleyball. Ages 8+
National Geographic Marble Run with Motorized Elevator
“This set is an adventure in engineering and creativity. During toy testing, kids were excited to assemble their customizable tracks,” said test Engineer Alec Scherma. Marbles are swept up the motorized elevator and then roll down whatever slide your child creates. With 150 pieces, no two builds will be the same.
This speaker is waterproof and dustproof, and once it's fully charged, he can play his music through it for five hours nonstop.
LEGO's Technic line is for kids ready for a challenge but not something that will take them a month to build. This elaborately detailed Lamborghini, made of 804 pieces, is perfect if he loves a toy car and the chance to build. Ages 9+
For an 11-year-old that's always on the go, this watch can withstand water, hiking, climbing, swimming — you name it. And when daylight savings strikes, he can easily adjust the time, date and week himself with simple button functions. Ages 6-13
Thames & Kosmos Bionic Robotic Arm
No batteries or motor needed for this choice from our Best Toys list — it works with a kid-powered system of nylon cords. It will likely require some adult help, but it's cool for grown-ups, too. You'll all learn about how muscles and tendons work while practicing robotic engineering skills. Ages 10+
House of Marley Smile Jamaica Wired Earphones with Microphone
These popular earbuds help shut out outside noise, so he can concentrate on his music (and maybe his school homework, while he listens). House of Marley supports global reforestry through the Project Marley foundation.
RELATED: Best Kids' Headphones
This small, lightweight plastic-deck skateboard is affordable and, according to Amazon reviewers, perfect for a new rider. It comes in several cool colors and patterns, including this galaxy design. No age recommendation given
It's like having a music mixer in the palm of your hand! He can hold this device around his knuckles, then make DJ-style mixes with sound effects by punching, swiping, twisting and flicking his hands. It won one of our previous Best Toy Awards. “My child absolutely loves this,” one parent tester said. “He’s spent hours playing with it. I love how this toy lets kids express their creativity.” Ages 8+
BrainBolt Genius
He'll spend hours of screen-free time building up his memory and motor coordination at the same time with this game. It flashes lights in a sequence, and players have to try and repeat it. (Warning: You may want to steal this from him when he's not looking). Ages 7+
This Book Is a Planetarium
Just when you thought he was too big for pop-up books, this comes along and blows all the others out of the water. The pages fold out and transform in to six different fully functioning inventions, including a planetarium, a decoder ring and a speaker that amplifies sound. The text on each page describes the science. Ages 8+
It's the classic Capture the Flag with a techie twist: Instead of a fabric flag, players are going after a glowing orb, and teams are identified through glowing bracelets. That means the game is more fun the darker it gets outside. There are enough materials for up to eight players (depending on the game variation) but you can also get expansion sets. Ages 8+
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents.
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