34 Best Gifts for 11, 12 and 13 Year Old Boys (2026)

A two-wheel pivoting board that moves with a side-to-side twisting motion, so it feels different from a skateboard or a scooter. Razor lists it for kids 8 and up, with 4.6 stars from 531 ratings at Walmart.

Two teams toss a disc at a goal in a game that works at the beach, the park, a barbecue or the backyard. Easy to learn and built for groups, with 4.5 stars from 92 ratings at Walmart.

A battery-powered hoop that hangs on a door, with an LED backboard that lights up its border. It lets a basketball fan practice in a bedroom, and it has more than 1,500 ratings at 4.4 stars.

Target vests and blasters for a laser tag duel indoors or outside; the listing says several sets can be combined for bigger teams. It has 4.6 stars from 227 ratings at Walmart.

The roundnet game: a small net you hit the ball into, described in the listing as volleyball and foursquare combined. Play it at the beach, the park or the yard; it has 4.6 stars from more than 6,600 ratings on Amazon.

A complete 57 ft slackline set with a main line, a training line, ratchets and an arm trainer, for balance and coordination practice outdoors. It has 4.7 stars from more than 2,300 ratings on Amazon.

Two wooden paddles and two pickleballs for a first game of pickleball with a friend, sold by NERF as a youth set. It has 4.6 stars from 93 ratings at Walmart.

A regulation-size soccer ball that lights up with bright LEDs when it is kicked, for games after dark. The light shuts off after about 60 seconds, and the battery is listed for 25-plus hours. It has 4.52 stars from 78 ratings at Target.

A card game created by a 7-year-old and published by PlayMonster, in which players build the craziest meals to outscore each other. Fast and easy to learn, with 4.9 stars from 56 ratings at Walmart.

A press-your-luck card game where every flip can win or bust a round, with quick rules, according to the listing. At $7.97 it is the cheapest game here, with 4.7 stars from more than 900 ratings at Walmart.

The card game where you try not to draw the exploding kitten: short rounds, a little strategy and a lot of luck. It has 4.6 stars from more than 640 ratings at Target.

A logic puzzle that works like a marble run: build the towers from a challenge card, then work out the path. Target lists levels from beginner up, and it shows 4.75 stars.

The strategy game of settling an island by gathering resources, trading and building, for 3 to 4 players and about an hour, according to Target's listing. A step up from card games, with 4.34 stars from 65 ratings.

A kid-friendly version of the meme caption game, with 300 caption cards and 108 photo cards, best with three or more players according to the listing. It has 4.52 stars from 670 ratings at Target.

A party game where everyone writes an answer to a question like "robot arms or robot legs?" and you win by matching the majority. Target lists it for ages 10 and up, with 4.73 stars from 285 ratings.

A 15.5-inch dartboard that hangs easily and comes with six magnetic darts, so it is a dart game without sharp points. It has 4.6 stars from 297 ratings at Walmart.

A Technic race car with authentic BMW detailing that Target lists for builders aged 11 and up, which matches this age range exactly. It has 4.94 stars from 31 ratings.

A rock tumbler kit for kids and adults, with 4.5 stars from nearly 26,000 ratings on Amazon. Tumbling takes a while, so it is a project rather than an instant gift.

A beginner's whittling set with carving tools and wood to practice on, rated 4.5 stars from 495 ratings on Amazon. It includes carving knives, so check the age rating on the listing and keep an adult nearby at first.

A palm-sized robot ball you drive from a phone and learn to code with, sold as an educational coding toy. It has 4.6 stars from more than 5,500 ratings on Amazon.

A beginner electronics kit with an UNO R3 board, parts and a PDF tutorial, for a kid who wants to build circuits and code them. It has 4.7 stars from more than 16,000 ratings on Amazon.

A LEGO Architecture model of the London skyline with the National Gallery, Nelson's Column, the London Eye, Big Ben and Tower Bridge, listed for builders aged 12 and up. It has 4.77 stars from 495 ratings at Target.

A smart LED strip you control from an app, with 16 million colors plus warm and cool white, to light up a desk or a bedroom. It has 4.4 stars from 389 ratings at Walmart.

A palm-sized Bluetooth speaker with ambient edge lighting, according to Target's listing. It has 4.62 stars from 142 ratings.

An instant camera that prints small photos on the spot, available in five colors. Plan on buying film too. It has 4.4 stars from 948 ratings at Walmart.

A plush bean bag chair for kids and teens, light enough to move from room to room. It has 4.3 stars from more than 7,400 ratings at Walmart.

A neon-style "Game On!" light box, 11.8 by 5.9 inches, with animated RGBIC colors for a gaming corner. It has 4.7 stars from 39 ratings at Walmart.

A desk headphone stand with built-in charging ports, so headphones and a phone live in one spot. It has 4.7 stars from more than 3,800 ratings on Amazon.

The bestseller, listed as having sold more than 1.5 million copies, "for every boy from eight to eighty": building tree houses, fishing, finding true north and other boyhood skills. It has 4.8 stars from 26 ratings at Walmart.

A family-friendly annual packed with world records and extraordinary facts across science, nature, sports and history. A good pick for a kid who loves "did you know" facts.

The "original, all-American classic" beginner yo-yo, according to the listing. At $4.97 it is the cheapest gift on this page, and it has 4.2 stars from 484 ratings at Walmart.

A magic set with 50 tricks, including the floating magic wand, the cup and ball and the disappearing coin. It has 4.1 stars from 47 ratings at Walmart.

A gift card for Topgolf, which its own listing calls golf and not golf: balls, tees, turf and a ball-picker-upper cart. A way to give an outing instead of an object, with 4.6 stars from 90 ratings at Walmart.

An emailed gift card for Dave & Buster's, which the listing pitches as food, drinks and play under one roof. It has 4.1 stars from 35 ratings at Walmart.