30 Best Toys and Gifts for 12-Year-Old Boys, Tested and Approved by Real Kids
Tweens will love these outdoor gifts and building kits.
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Tween boys are right in that in-between spot, where they're torn between wanting toys and games or asking for tech and more sophisticated clothes and accessories. We're always doing research on the best gifts, and this year, some of the best gifts for older boys include puzzles, games and anything that combine the two, which is great for those growing brains!
Additionally, the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute regularly test toys to ensure safety and ease of use. They then ship the items out to real tweens for tester feedback, and the favorites go on to win Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards. Below, find the top toys and gifts for 12-year-old boys, no matter what his interests are.
Abacus Brands Penn & Teller VR Magic Lab
Kids can learn how to do 28 magic tricks with this immersive kit. It includes VR goggles, step-by-step instructions and 75 pieces. This Good Housekeeping Toy Award winner doesn’t just teach how to do the tricks physically, but also gives tips for performance and self-confidence. “It was very organized, which helped immensely for my son who has ADHD," a parent tester said. Ages 8+
With this kit, they'll be able to design, plan and create their own 3D-printed objects by melting filaments in different colors. The kit comes with a pen (users can adjust the flow of the filament through the pen), a DesignPad to help form neat geometric shapes and a FreePad to help trace different patterns.
Thames & Kosmos Bionic Robotic Arm
Kids can tap their inner engineer and build their very own bionic arm with this STEM experiment kit. It teaches how the muscles and tendons work as the robot arm picks objects up from a table. "It helps develop spatial reasoning and engineering skills," said one of our testers. Ages 10+
The Don't Laugh Challenge: 12 Year Old Edition
This is basically a cross between a game of skill and a joke book: Players take turns reading the jokes to each other, and the opponent has to try not to laugh. They'll get to work on their ability and comic timing, but really, in the end, everyone breaks! Ages 12+
KLUTZ LEGO Gravity Drop Activity Kit
This booklet and LEGO kit provides well-illustrated and easy-to-follow instructions to build 20+ contraptions. Use the convertible pegboard tower to build a marble maze, gravity labyrinth and more. Ages 8-12
When it's time to take notes, this is a pen. But, when it's time to listen to lectures, tweens can take apart, twist and bend and connect the magnetic shaft into different shapes like a fidget toy. Ages 8+
Monopoly GO! Board Game
The whole family can have fun with this fast-paced, 15-minute version of Monopoly. Testers old and young were thrilled with the game, with one saying their daughter wanted to "play it over and over again." The game provides a code to scan so that you can play on the app as well. Ages 8+
Kanoodle Extreme
Tweens can show off their intellectual prowess with Kanoodle Extreme, which offers bigger and better challenges. Cards start players off by making a certain shape, and players have to use their wits to see how the rest of the pieces fit in to complete the puzzle. Ages 8+
TCG Toys Spin Flip Puzzle
In order to solve the puzzle, they'll have to spin, flip, twist and slide it all around. During our tests, families reported using multiple Spin Flips to do head-to-head battles to see who could solve their it first. Ages 8+
Vector Stunt Plane
Most of the drones we tested are only rated for kids 14+, but the Sky Viper Vector Stunt Plane is easy enough for tweens to handle. That's because of its auto-stabilization feature, which even accounts for wind. In the air, it can fly up to 35 mph, do barrel rolls and make 360-degree loops. Ages 12+
One Piece fans and Funko POP! collectors will definitely get a kick out of this officially licensed Crunchyroll exclusive. It features a vinyl Luffy and Kung Fu Jugon figurines. Ages 3+
He'll never miss a text or social-media post, even in colder weather, when he's wearing these touchscreen gloves. They're soft and warm, too — no wonder they've received nearly 37,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. No age recommendation given
If they're attached to their Nintendo Switch, they'll love this gaming headset, which is officially licensed by Nintendo and even comes in the classic JoyCon colors. The set also has noise-cancelling capabilities, comfy ear cups and a mic that minimizes background noise. No age recommendation given
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Slammo is great for athletic kids who are ready to try a demanding sport. Players work in teams of two, and each team has three hits to return the ball to the circular net (which is harder than it sounds). The set comes with a net, a large ball for beginners, two small balls for experienced players and a carrying case. Ages 12+
Tweens can use the included laser to guide this car across the floor, sure, but it gets even cooler than that — it also drives up walls and even onto the ceiling. Good Housekeeping Institute testers said this had a huge "wow" factor. Ages 8+
He'll love folding and unfolding this confounding box, revealing all the groovy patterns inside, and then trying to figure out how to get it back into cube form again. According to Shashibo, it can make 70 different configurations (and there's an app that can help with that), but he might just like the feeling of using it as a fidget toy. Ages 8+
Chronicle Books LOL 101: A Kid's Guide to Writing Jokes
This book not only takes kids through the process of joke-writing, it also gives them pointers on timing and delivery, which is good for their self-confidence. Good Housekeeping Institute testers had a lot of laughs with this one. No age recommendation given
If your tween is looking to get started skating, Amazon reviewers say this is the perfect board for beginners. Plus, it comes in about two dozen color combos and patterns, so you can find one that suits their style. No age recommendation given
This speaker connects either wirelessly with Bluetooth or through a USB-C, plus it can operate for 24 hours on a full charge. It's even waterproof, so he can bring it with him to the pool or shower. No age recommendation given
He can stick this to his phone or other device, and instantly have a few extra pockets for storage. The elastic wallet can hold five cards and cash. There's even a finger strap, which makes taking selfies easier. No age recommendation given
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.
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