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17 of the best gifts for 12-year-old boys, from a cooking kit to challenging board games
LEGO Imperial Star Destroyer, available at LEGO
Lego Brick sets are great for the awkward tween years when "toys" are starting to feel less cool. Part puzzle, project, and — yes — toy, there are plenty of sets that offer a complex building challenge for preteens, featuring favorite franchises like Star Wars, Fortnite, and Marvel. Plus, once built, it makes a great piece of room decor.
Leatherology Bifold Wallet, available at Leatherology and Amazon
A wallet is a preteen right of passage. Treat yours to a leather one custom engraved with their initials.
Fender Squier Debut Series Stratocaster Electric Guitar, available at Amazon
Preteen years are a great time to start an instrument they can play for life. Fender's Debut Collection is relatively inexpensive, lightweight, and shaped with beginners in mind. It also comes with a free subscription to Fender Play, which will teach them guitar basics. While your 12-year-old will need an amp to get the full effect of the guitar, electric guitars can also be configured to work with headphones so you can minimize the noise impact in your home.
Nike Blazer Mid '77 Vintage Sneakers, available at Nike
Last year it was Adidas Gazelles, this year it's Nike Blazers. They're a popular pick with both boys of all ages.
Govee LED Strip Lights, available at Amazon
They'll be able to change the atmosphere of their room in an instant with these LED lights they can control with an app, Alexa, or Google Home. They can change the colors manually or even sync them to music.
Spikeball, available at Amazon
Spikeball is an active outdoor game the whole family will love. It's a cross between volleyball and foursquare, and the gameplay is easy to learn. The game comes in a convenient carrying case, so the family can bring it along to parties or on family vacations.
Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit, available at Uncommon Goods
This kit allows future chefs or tweens who simply love hot sauce to make six bottles of their own. Other than some kitchen utensils and a blender or food processor, it includes everything they'll need to make sauce. They'll also get to name their sauces and design labels for them.
Marvel Villainous Board Game, available at Amazon
Marvel remains hot, and this strategy game is just right for 12-year-olds. Breaking away from the usual hero archetype, players will get to take on the role of their favorite Marvel villain. According to Buckley, games are a great gift for tweens, particularly those with more complex rules.
Frigidaire 6-Can Mini Retro Beverage Fridge, available at Amazon
We all know that tween who likes to spend more time in their room than anywhere else. Give them a gift to make their room even more enjoyable: a mini beverage fridge. It can hold up to six soda cans.
Steel Series Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headset, available at Amazon
If you can't get them away from their video games, you might as well get them a gift that will make their games even more enjoyable. These high-quality gaming headphones include a microphone so they can talk to their friends while playing.
Kanoodle, available at Amazon and Fat Brain Toys
This game challenges tweens to solve 200 2D and 3D puzzles. If you're looking for an educational gift, this one recruits their spatial reasoning and critical thinking skills. They can play by themselves or set up a timer and challenge others to beat their solve time.
Beat That!, available at Amazon
Another game the whole family can enjoy together, Beat That challenges players to complete wacky challenges. Can you guess what song your partner is trying to sing while gargling? How about stacking four dice on top of each other using chopsticks? Find out when you play this game!
Pixicade Mobile Game Maker, available at Walmart
Pixicade is one of the coolest gifts for tweens who love video games. It allows them to turn their drawings into games they can play on a phone or tablet. The best part is that they can create over and over again, making up to 1,600 games.
K'nex Thrill Rides, available at Amazon
Building kits can still be fun for 12-year-olds. This K'nex kit includes pieces to build three classic amusement park rides. It includes a battery-powered motor to set the rides in motion.
Raddish Global Kit, available at Raddish
Raddish global cooking kits teach kids valuable cooking skills while introducing them to dishes from around the world. Each kit includes three illustrated recipe guides, three culinary skill cards, a creative kitchen project, a culinary tool, and a patch to add to an apron.
Creativity for Kids Hat Not Hate Quick Knit Loom Kit, available at Amazon and Michaels
"Craft kits are a great gift for creative tweens because they can make some really awesome (and often usable) stuff," Buckley said. In this kit, they'll have everything they need to make two knit hats. Hat Not Hate is an anti-bullying campaign that encourages people to wear blue hats to raise awareness of bullying.
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