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39 Great Gifts and Toys for 13-Year-Old Boys That He'll Actually Love
For 2022, you're going to want to go with something funny or a cool STEM product.
When he turns 13, you have a full-blown teenager on your hands. Suddenly the blocks, trucks and other toys for kids are giving way to tech, games and cool stuff for their rooms. In one way, that make shopping for the best gifts for 13-year-old boys easier: By now, they might be interested in delving deeper into certain areas, be it STEM sets, art kits, outdoor sports or some other pursuit. But that doesn't mean he doesn't still have the time or desire to play, with more sophisticated games with more online components or more complicated rules.
Let him turn whatever he can imagine into real, 3D sculptures! The pen heats up at different temperatures, which changes the flow of the materials, allowing for more control. It also comes with three colors of ABS plastic filament for him to experiment with.
This super popular air hammock doesn't require a pump to be inflated — all your 13-year-old boy has to do is move it back and forth to fill it up. It folds up into a pouch and weighs about two pounds, so it's also super easy to transport.
Unique Gift for 13-Year-Old Boys
Lightning Reaction Lightning Reaction Reloaded Game
Unique Gift for 13-Year-Old Boys
Lightning Reaction Lightning Reaction Reloaded Game
This game is shocking — literally! To play, each person grabs a handle and waits for the countdown. Once the red light turns green, everyone has to press their handle, and the last player to do so gets an electric shock. You can set the shock to low, medium or high depending on how brave you feel. "It doesn't really hurt that much, it's just nerve wracking to play, and [my kids] want to play ALL the time," one Amazon reviewer noted.
He's got to have a good memory and fast hands to master this game. The colored lights flash in a sequence, and he has to remember and repeat the pattern. It can be played in solo or two-player mode. Ages 7+
He can add some brightly-colored light to his room with this ultra-cool lamp. It has four different brightness levels and the option for a color-changing mode. Plus, it doubles as a Bluetooth speaker so he can play his favorite songs while hanging out in his room.
Not only does this fridge have a cool, old-school vibe, it can keep six of his cans cold at the same time. There'll be no need for him to hog up all the space in the family fridge with sodas and sports drinks.
Testers were impressed with the quality of the images from the 1080P HD camera, which also has a wide-angle lens. The images are sent straight to a smartphone, and the drone also responds to voice commands.
If your teen boy is into electronics and games (and who isn't?), he can build his own arcade using circuits and connectors. The possibilities are basically endless because there are more than 200 different projects (with instructions) for him to build out and experiment with.
This super popular card game has only one rule: no one can talkwhile playing. The whole point is for all players to act as one and play their cards in order from one to 100. Reviewers say that even though it seems simple, everyone will be talking about it for days after playing.
Trying to wear headphones and a hat is usually awkward and uncomfortable. This winter, his ears can stay warm and toasty without sacrificing the ability to listen to his favorite playlists for up to five hours. Plus, it's washable as long as you take out the battery and speaker from the velcro slot.
When you need just-a-little-something, this ultimate fidget toy is the way to go. The box folds and unfolds into different shapes, revealing different patterns along the way. He can contort it back into a cube again when he's done.
When he's finished completing this Baby Groot LEGO build, it'll look perfect on a shelf, because it's meant to be easily positionable and poseable. It even comes with its own (non-playable) cassette tape to inspire its dance moves! The set comes with 476 pieces, so it's not too hard of a challenge. Ages 10+
Whether he's listening to music for FaceTiming with friends, a good pair of headphones will do you all some good. These on-ear headphones are easy to keep track of, and even come with their own case.
If he loves to be active, this Spikeball game set is the perfect game to play outside with a couple of friends. A combo of volleyball and four square, the game is easy to learn, and the set is portable enough to bring to the park or beach, so it's easy to pick up whenever the mood strikes.
This phone holder clamps to a bedside table or headboard, so he can watch videos in his bed hands-free. The adjustable arm makes it so that he doesn't get the dreaded "text neck" from holding his phone down all the time.
Give him a place to charge all of his devices at once. This charging hub lets him plug in his iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, so he never has to worry about leaving the house with a low battery. All he needs to do is insert charging cables through the designated slots.
These hilarious socks make for a perfect just-a-little-something for teen boys since they're so affordable. Just make sure you can get him to put down the video games long enough to open presents during the holidays.
If he's a budding cinephile, get him started on a library of film knowledge. Every time he sees a movie on the list, he can scratch off the tile and fill in more and more of the poster. (Note: Not all the movies on the list are appropriate for 13-year-olds, so think of it as a long-term project.)
This fun team game challenges players to freestyle different rhyming words into a rap — set to a beat provided by an app — and pass the mic to a teammate to score more points. There are different difficulty levels, so you can get the whole family involved!
Space is cold, but this fleece sweatshirt is extra warm, and looks cool in its eye-catching galaxy pattern. It comes in a ton of other colors and patterns, and has two side pockets for him to stuff his hands into.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.