For my 2014 list for big boys, click HERE!
For my 2014 list for little boys, click HERE! Are you already thinking about Christmas? I know we are! It is hard in our digital world to find great gifts for boys that don't involve a computer or iSomething screen, but we have discovered some incredible finds over the past few years that I would love to share! If you have something your boys have loved, please leave it in the comments below to help the rest of us this year!
OUTDOORS
This is one of our all time favorite gifts! The bow is great quality and perfect for little and big archers. Works great for kids 5 and older and even adults have a great time with it. Make sure you order the extra arrows as they seem to disappear quickly!
Foam Target $17
If you are going to get a bow and arrow, you must get a target, ups the fun level and helps you keep track of those arrows.
AirSoft or BB Guns: $10 and up
We are not to this stage yet, but for my friends with older boys and a little space to play, they are quite the thing.
Pocket Knife $10 and up
If you have a son interested in scouting there is nothing cooler than his first pocket knife. Sure to be a hit.
Sleds $20 and up
Rock Polisher $50 and up
My friend bought one of these for her son last year and it is still one of his favorite things. Be aware that it can be loud and takes patience but the results are worth it!
Pocket Knife $10 and up
If you have a son interested in scouting there is nothing cooler than his first pocket knife. Sure to be a hit.
Sleds $20 and up
Rock Polisher $50 and up
My friend bought one of these for her son last year and it is still one of his favorite things. Be aware that it can be loud and takes patience but the results are worth it!
RIDING (these are great items to get second hand, try your local Craigslist option!)
Bike Ramps $35 and up
SPORTS
Do not waste your time with other over the door basketball hoops! Buy this one and you won't ever need another. The backboard is strong and shatterproof and the hoop has a breakaway steel rim for slam dunks. Any age kid (or adult:) can play on this and will love it. It can be mounted on the wall or can hang over a door. We have moved it around for the baby to play on or the big boys get a serious game going in the hall. It will be loved forever. If you buy it, definitely grab the extra balls!
Team Gear $10 and up
If your boy is sporty, surely they have a favorite team or player. Take advantage of this with gifts and get get him the jersey of their favorite college or pro player, a football with the inscription of their favorite team, or any article of clothing that advertises who they root for. Any gift becomes instantly cool!
Exercise Gear
If your son is getting older and into being physically fit, a pull up bar or some free weights might be a great option for a gift.
Portable Soccer Goals $50 and up
If your boys love soccer these will get used and re-used. They are easy to carry and store and can be anchored to the ground on windy days or for rougher play. A great investment.
Sports Equipment $5 and up
If your son loves sports, getting a new football, golf club, tennis racket, soccer ball or basketball is always a fun gift...especially if it is the one he has been hoping for.
Portable Soccer Goals $50 and up
If your boys love soccer these will get used and re-used. They are easy to carry and store and can be anchored to the ground on windy days or for rougher play. A great investment.
Sports Equipment $5 and up
If your son loves sports, getting a new football, golf club, tennis racket, soccer ball or basketball is always a fun gift...especially if it is the one he has been hoping for.
GAMES (check "best for ages" since some games are best for older boys)
O thello
Uno
Guess Who
Sorry
Sorry Revenge
Cranium Jr.
Aggravation
Clue Jr.
Rush Hour
Bop It
Stratego
Ticket to Ride
Settlers of Cataan
Boggle
Smartmouth
Mouse Trap
Scrabble
Scattergories
Jenga
Blokus
Rumis
Rummikub
Skip Bo
Phase 10
5 Crowns
Monopoly
Here and Now World Edition
Apples to Apples Jr.
Catch Phrase Jr.
Guesstures
Taboo Jr.
Telestrations
Quelf
Zingo
BOOKS
Kids Sports Illustrated The Top Ten of Everything $15
If you have a boy who loves sports, I promise he will love this book...even if he hates reading! What is cooler than a really well done book full of top ten lists? Nothing! We got this book and I found my boys reading it at breakfast and quizzing their brothers and dad on stats at every turn. My husband even enjoyed looking through it. A great book for boys!
Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Set $22
I have yet to meet a boy who did not LOVE this series! It is definitely worth having in your home (3rd grade and up).
The Michael Vey Series $38
This series is amazing. Best for boys 5th grade an up.
Recommended Books for Boys covering all Ages and Reading Levels
I wrote a post a few months ago detailing all the books my boys have loved from Kindergarten on up. There are lots of great choices (over 60) for great Christmas book gifts here! It has been recently updated with a few of our new favorites. If you have something to add, let me know!
Magazine Subscriptions $15 and up
Ranger Rick, Sports Illustrated for Kids, National Geographic for Kids or Zoobooks are always a great gift!
Kids Sports Illustrated The Top Ten of Everything $15
If you have a boy who loves sports, I promise he will love this book...even if he hates reading! What is cooler than a really well done book full of top ten lists? Nothing! We got this book and I found my boys reading it at breakfast and quizzing their brothers and dad on stats at every turn. My husband even enjoyed looking through it. A great book for boys!
Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Set $22
I have yet to meet a boy who did not LOVE this series! It is definitely worth having in your home (3rd grade and up).
The Michael Vey Series $38
This series is amazing. Best for boys 5th grade an up.
Recommended Books for Boys covering all Ages and Reading Levels
I wrote a post a few months ago detailing all the books my boys have loved from Kindergarten on up. There are lots of great choices (over 60) for great Christmas book gifts here! It has been recently updated with a few of our new favorites. If you have something to add, let me know!
Magazine Subscriptions $15 and up
Ranger Rick, Sports Illustrated for Kids, National Geographic for Kids or Zoobooks are always a great gift!
BUILDING
Legos $10 and up
Probably the most classic toy in many boy homes. They can be pricey and rarely go on sale, but if you have boys who like to build, there is not a better toy. Find out what your boys is really into and surely they have a set to match any interest. One hint if you are just starting...if you can keep the Legos in sets and keep the instructions, you will get a lot more play out of them.
Probably the most classic toy in many boy homes. They can be pricey and rarely go on sale, but if you have boys who like to build, there is not a better toy. Find out what your boys is really into and surely they have a set to match any interest. One hint if you are just starting...if you can keep the Legos in sets and keep the instructions, you will get a lot more play out of them.
A few years ago we got a tool set for each boy, and they have used and loved them. They felt so grown up with their own set of tools, and I must admit that we enjoyed having a few extra hammers and screwdrivers around the house. A great present for a kid who loves building or helping dad around the house. This is a really simple but useful set. If you have a son who is really interested in building or car mechanics, you can get much for intricate tools for him too.
Snap Circuits $130
My friend has boys who are really interested in building and engineering and they love these Snap Circuits that let you do in depth explorations of electronic circuits. A great gift for a scientific mind!
Model Cars or Model Airplanes $15 and up
If you have a builder on your hands, he might love a model car or airplane. There are so many cool options to choose from and makes an awesome father/son or mother/son project!
TOYS
Nerf Guns $10 and up
These are the toys boys take a long time to grow out of. If you have quite a few, it is amazing how quickly a Nerf war can break out. The huge battery powered ones are cool, but the more simple manual ones seem to get the most use. Definitely plan on buying extra darts!
BIG STUFF
Trampoline $250 and up
There may not be a better outdoor toy than a trampoline. The nets make me feel even better about having one.
Air Hockey Table $300 and up
Ping Pong Table $300 and up
Double Shot $100 and up
ART
How To Draw Books $5.
We love these at our house!
Spin Art $13
Such a great go-to gift for any young boy who loves art.
Spirograph $23
I remember these from my childhood! We spend hours creating spiral art!
Rainbow Loom Bracelets $18
These rainbow loom rubber band bracelets are all the rage for elementary school kids. They are easy to make and addictive, so fun to make for all your friends, teachers, grandparents, cousins, etc.
Origami Fun Kit for Beginners $14
My boys can get really into Origami and it was a quiet present that kept their hands busy and minds occupied for quite awhile. Most of the directions were easy enough for my kids to figure out on their own.
Origami Books by Tom Agelberger $14
Air Hockey Table $300 and up
Ping Pong Table $300 and up
Double Shot $100 and up
ART
How To Draw Books $5.
We love these at our house!
Spin Art $13
Such a great go-to gift for any young boy who loves art.
Spirograph $23
I remember these from my childhood! We spend hours creating spiral art!
Rainbow Loom Bracelets $18
These rainbow loom rubber band bracelets are all the rage for elementary school kids. They are easy to make and addictive, so fun to make for all your friends, teachers, grandparents, cousins, etc.
Origami Fun Kit for Beginners $14
My boys can get really into Origami and it was a quiet present that kept their hands busy and minds occupied for quite awhile. Most of the directions were easy enough for my kids to figure out on their own.
Origami Books by Tom Agelberger $14
CLOTHING
Lately I feel like I can't loose by buying my kids athletic type clothing. They love a good track suit or some Under Armor wear.
Hats are also a big hit...especially in their favorite brand or team.
EXPERIENCES
Think about giving an experience to your son:
Tickets to a college or professional sporting event
Tickets to a concert
Tickets to a play
Season pass for skiing or a water park
Season pass to a museum
A gym membership
Lessons in something they really enjoy (art, music, sports, etc.)
A night out together with dinner and movie tickets
An airplane ticket to see grandma and grandpa
Gift Certificates to favorite restaurants or fun zones
STOCKING STUFFERS
Of course new socks and underwear are non-negotiables, but here are a few other items we seem to hit the jackpot with.
Plastic Ninjas $8 for 42
These are always a hit. They are very inexpensive and a fun little pop at the bottom of the stocking
Matchbox Cars $19 for 20 cars
While older boys may not play with cars for long, it always surprises me how much they like getting a few in their stocking, plus it is a fun thing for older and younger boys to play together.
Cash
It seems like no one is too young to enjoy a few crisp dollar bills, $2 bills or silver dollars make things even more exciting. It is fun to give each child a few dollars to spend over the break or a little money roll to begin a savings account.
Lately I feel like I can't loose by buying my kids athletic type clothing. They love a good track suit or some Under Armor wear.
Hats are also a big hit...especially in their favorite brand or team.
EXPERIENCES
Think about giving an experience to your son:
Tickets to a college or professional sporting event
Tickets to a concert
Tickets to a play
Season pass for skiing or a water park
Season pass to a museum
A gym membership
Lessons in something they really enjoy (art, music, sports, etc.)
A night out together with dinner and movie tickets
An airplane ticket to see grandma and grandpa
Gift Certificates to favorite restaurants or fun zones
STOCKING STUFFERS
Of course new socks and underwear are non-negotiables, but here are a few other items we seem to hit the jackpot with.
Plastic Ninjas $8 for 42
These are always a hit. They are very inexpensive and a fun little pop at the bottom of the stocking
Matchbox Cars $19 for 20 cars
While older boys may not play with cars for long, it always surprises me how much they like getting a few in their stocking, plus it is a fun thing for older and younger boys to play together.
Cash
It seems like no one is too young to enjoy a few crisp dollar bills, $2 bills or silver dollars make things even more exciting. It is fun to give each child a few dollars to spend over the break or a little money roll to begin a savings account.
OTHER
I was shocked to discover how cool my boys thought collecting state quarters was! They were given these maps by their grandparents and have had the best time filling them up every time they find a new state quarter. As an added bonus, it has kept them very interested in the geography of the country too. It has also been fun to get birthday cards in the mail from grandparents with a quarter they know the boys need. A great gift!
Snow Cone Machine $72
This might seem like a funny gift, but my son got this for his birthday and he LOVES it. I was shocked at how easy it is to use...you use your own ice from your freezer and because it is basically all water, there is no mess. My 7 and 8 year old can operate it all on their own it is so easy. The cones come out softer and easier to eat than the ones that come from a carnival, though not as soft as the "real" snow cone huts. We love it, and they are looking forward to making a little money this summer by selling them in our neighborhood.
Frog Aquarium $50
We have not tried these yet, but a few friends have had them and loved them! You get an aquarium with 2 frogs and a snail in their own self-cleaning eco-system. You feed the frogs twice a week and clean the aquarium twice a year. Talk about an easy pet!
*I am part of the Amazon Affliliate program. If you like these suggestions, I would love it if you purchased them from my links!
Snow Cone Machine $72
This might seem like a funny gift, but my son got this for his birthday and he LOVES it. I was shocked at how easy it is to use...you use your own ice from your freezer and because it is basically all water, there is no mess. My 7 and 8 year old can operate it all on their own it is so easy. The cones come out softer and easier to eat than the ones that come from a carnival, though not as soft as the "real" snow cone huts. We love it, and they are looking forward to making a little money this summer by selling them in our neighborhood.
Frog Aquarium $50
We have not tried these yet, but a few friends have had them and loved them! You get an aquarium with 2 frogs and a snail in their own self-cleaning eco-system. You feed the frogs twice a week and clean the aquarium twice a year. Talk about an easy pet!
*I am part of the Amazon Affliliate program. If you like these suggestions, I would love it if you purchased them from my links!
This is such great info Brooke! I will book mark it for when I have bigger boys, but I did find some great tips I can also use for my girls. Your such an amazing Mom!
ReplyDeleteThanks Janel! You are the greatest. I cannot wait to see you with another boy. They will definitely love some of these ideas sooner rather than later ;).
Deletewhat amazing gifts these would make!! Thanks so much to create recommendations to, you're so creative! I'll be trying this out at some aspect :-)
ReplyDelete