Last Christmas was the first time that I had to cross that bridge between buying gifts for an older child and buying gifts that my soon-to-be teen would actually like. Boys in their early teens can be extremely picky. I learned that the hard way, as I look at the plain gray Hoodie hanging in the closet with the tag still on it from last Christmas. Brands tend to matter to even some boys, I have learned. Now, I ask before buying and that may be the first tip that I offer for those who are buying gifts for boys in their early teens this holiday season. As for a list of their favorite stores, music, books, clothing, and any other specific information that you can gather. Nonetheless, with the help of my own 13 year-old son, I have compiled a list of the top ten gift ideas for boys in their early teens.
Most boys in their early teens are at their prime for video gaming. This is about the age when their reaction time is at its peak and they can beat any 35 year-old man on a PS2 game. Games are not cheap, however, so you may want to get a longer list of possible games to consider. The new releases average $50 and up for most game systems, but you might find a Gameboy Advance SP game for around $30, maybe less. An alternative to brand new games, is to check out online re-sales of used games or a local Game Stop store. I did this last year to get 3 games for the price of what it would have cost for 1 game at Target. Parents and close relatives can usually get away with a like-new game or two. Check the game rating before purchasing to make sure that it is age appropriate.
Online Music Downloads
Music downloads are a popular way to give the gift of music. There are many online sites where teens can download songs to the computer or iPod. Many of the sites offer gift certificates for a certain number of downloads. Check out napster.com or Apple’s iTunes website for specific options.
Movie Passes
Movie passes are a hit with younger teens who like to spend a Friday night at the local theater with friends. The average ticket for a young teen is around $8.50, so any parent will be glad that you passed a few of these vouchers along to their teen this year. Your local movie theater may have gift certificates available or you can purchase online at sites such as www.moviefone.com.
Sports Gear
Assuming that the early teen that you are purchasing for is in any way into sports, there are endless possibilities for buying a sports themed gift. Roller blades, an electronic dart set, a snowboard, basketball equipment, baseball gear, a skateboard from www.ccs.com (better brand skateboard for true skater dudes), hockey gear, or anything related to the teen’s interests in sports are great ideas for gifts.
Electronics
Depending on your spending budget, there are a wide range of electronic gifts for boys in their early teens. IPods, DVD players, portable DVD players, small television sets, CD Players (head sets or “boom boxes”), digital cameras, and cell phones are popular choices for younger teens. My teen received a cell phone last Christmas because I really wanted to be able to reach him at any given time as he practiced his new freedoms like walking home from school and going to friends’ houses. He thought it was the best gift in the world! There are DVD players available at stores like Wal-Mart and Target for about $30 for a basic one.
Books
There are more books avaiable now than ever before to hold the interest of boys in their early teens. Go for the popular titles or ask other parents of teens for a list of popular books for early teen readers. The Harry Potter books are geared toward this age group, especially as the later books in the series have Harry growing older. The Artemis Fowl series is another series for this age group. Many of the wizard and fantasy genre books appeal to boys at this age.
Clothing
In spite of the specifics required to purchase the right clothing gift for a young teen boy, it is a worthwhile effort. Boys in their early teens will probably already have a certain look that they sport everyday. Some kids at this age are into the preppy look, while others go for the skater look, and others are donned in athletic or sporty outfits all the time. Pac Sun is a good store for skater teens and Hilfiger, Gap, and Abercrombie are names that should thrill any teen who looks at the label to decide what is cool to wear. Ask the parent of this mysterious teen about the style or type of clothing that their teen likes to wear before purchasing.
Game Tickets
A ticket to a local sporting event is often a big hit with boys in their early teens. They still need someone to drive them there, so the ticket will be appreciated. If you live in a city where there is a major league team, a ticket should cost anywhere from $30 and up. If professional sporting events are out of your price range, consider getting tickets to a local college game.
Gift Cards to Local Stores
When all else fails and you really want this teen to like the gift, buy a gift card from a local store that offers a wide variety of things to choose from. The local mall might have gift certificates good at several stores, or the chain stores, Target and Wal-Mart offer endless possibilities for teens to spend the gift card on. Avoid specific store gift cards unless you know that the teen shops there all the time.
Grooming Aids
Though this may seem like a strange type of gift to give a boy in his early teens, these type of gifts make great little packages to add to larger gifts. Boys at this age might appreciate a basket of hair styling products such as gel or goop if they use it regularly. The popular Axe Bodysprays are another idea. Men’s cologne may be a good choice for a teen who uses scent on a daily basis.
All in all, choosing gifts for a boy in his early teens really isn’t that difficult if you learn a little bit about his tastes and interests. Best of luck shopping!
