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Pre-teen and teen boys can be hard to buy for. This year our rule is no electronics or gaming systems under the Christmas tree. We have enough, there’s no need for multiple gaming systems and how many hand-held devices does one kid need? With that being said, I’ve been on a mission for meaningful and educational gifts. If you have a pre-teen or teen in your life, these gift ideas, hopefully will be helpful.
I have first given 5 combos that you can buy to help make that “all in one” kind of gift for your teen.
At the end of the post, I have also included some other simple gift ideas in case you still want more.
Gift Combo #1 for the Space Enthusiast
The National Geographic Book, Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet (under $15 on Amazon.com), is the perfect gift for the space lover in your home. If he loves star gazing and someday aspires to be an astronaut, he’ll love this book. Pair this with a Stellarscope Start Finder (under $50 from National Geographic) and you’ll be up late admiring the stars in the near future. You could even get a kid’s waterproof watch.
Gift Combo #2 for the Boy Scout or High Adventure Teen in Your Life
How to Survive Anything, a National Geographic Kids book by Rachel Buchholz (under $10 on Amazon.com) What I love about this book is that it’s practical and a little bit on the “prepper” side. I mean, not everyone is going to be attacked by a shark but if so, this book has advice on what to do. My son is a Boy Scout too, so this book is right up his alley. He’s always thinking about how to be prepared. Pair this book with a high accuracy waterproof compass (under $20 on Amazon.com) and you have a great gift set. And to top it all off, you can get your son a nice everyday wallet, to keep his hard-earned money in!
Gift Combo #3 for the Boy Who Loves Reptiles
The National Geographic, Ultimate Reptileopedia (under $20 on Amazon.com) is a book that my 11 year old son is going to LOVE. He loves all things that live in tanks and is always asking me for another frog, fish or reptile. Anything to do with being outdoors and learning about animals and reptiles, that’s his thing. Pair this with a Terra Glass Terrarium ($30 and up on Amazon.com) and gfit card to Pet Smart for a new reptile, of his choice. He’ll be in heaven, I promise
Gift Combo #4 for the Creative Artist
Help your young teen get a jump start with photography, let him learn a new art and who knows what could come of it. The National Geographic Kid’s Guide to Photography (under $12 on Amazon.com) is a great book to help your teen or pre-teen get started with photography. It talks about lighting, software, photography concepts and even different jobs that photographers have, for inspiration. Pair this book with a new Nikon Coolpix Digital Camera (see prices on Amazon). If you want to get really crazy, you can also take a look at some lightweight tripods for cameras.
Gift Combo #5 for the Animal Lover at Heart
If your pre-teen or teen is an animal lover, he’ll love this gift set. The National Geographic Big Cats Book (under $10 on Amazon.com) is a favorite in our home. Everything your teen wants to know about lions, leopards, jaguars and tigers!! Pair this book with a new pair of Toms National Geographic Youth slip-ons (Under $45 from Toms.com) and he’ll be styling! The shoes feature a lion-inspired pattern and paw print and support the National Geographic Big Cats efforts. Plus for every pair of shoes that are bought from Toms.com, a pair is donated to a child in need. Take the gift one step forward, and adopt a lion for your teen, he’ll think that’s pretty neat!
Further Teen Boy Gift Ideas
- Bluetooth Beanie Smart Winter Knit Hat – This beanie is fun for those cold winters and also has wireless musical headphones with two speakers. What teen boy doesn’t want to listen to his favorite tunes while out for a walk or heading to school?
2. GBSELL Pop Rainbow Magic Ball – A plastic cube twist puzzle that relives stress and is a great mind bender for boys that like puzzles. It’s also a way to challenge their brains which is a plus in my book.
3. Inflatable Lounger – Water resistant, self-inflatable and great for outdoors! This is more of a summer gift (depending on where you are in the world, of course) and they are really “in” right now. Also great for a trip down to the lake, beach or out camping.
4. Escape Room The Board Game – Featuring four thrilling escape rooms, this is a gift that will keep on giving. At least until you have them all figured out. If you have not done an escape room in real life either, this is a way to wet your family’s toes in the idea.
5. Magical Microbes STEM Kit – Clean Energy from Mud! What more can I say? A great way to teach your kid about the eco-benefits of microbes, which may well be the fuel of the future?
6. Quilted Insulated Camping Hammock – Great for camping, and it’s also washable and dries quickly. If your family likes camping, or your boy or girl is in the scouts, then this is the perfect gift for the summer next year.
7. Cell Phone Wallet – Handmade in the USA, lifetime warranty that holds 4 cards and 10 US bills, made of Italian Leather. Great for kids that are growing up fast and have pocket money and perhaps some loyalty cards to carry. They also have a phone too, right?
I think my 11 year old would like a couple of those combo ideas! Thx for the suggestions Sommer!