Christmas gifts for tween boys are NOT EASY

Our son is almost exactly nine and a half years old. While he still seems like a kid in many ways, he’s also very much entering TWEEN territory.

And that means, apparently, that it is much, much harder to buy him Christmas gifts. Sigh.

His major Christmas gift this year — which my husband and I are teaming up with my dad and stepmom to give him — is going to be the Nintendo Switch he’s been begging for.

He understands that getting a big-ticket gift like that from all four of us means he’ll get fewer gifts, and he’s fine with that, but it meant I still needed to come up with gift ideas for the rest of our extended family.

*crickets*

You guys, choosing Christmas gifts for a tween boy? IT IS VERY HARD.

While he’s getting a couple of video games from various people to go with his new Switch, like this double-disc Harry Potter LEGO game (currently $39 CAD on Amazon.ca) …

… and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild game (currently $78 CAD on Amazon.ca) which started the whole Switch obsession) …

… I knew I wanted to suggest NON-SCREEN gifts so he’d have things to enjoy when he wasn’t allowed on the new Switch. (We are pretty firm about screen time in this house.)

So I did some research, and — without further ado — here are some Christmas gift ideas for tween boys (tween anyones, actually) that we’re either getting for D, suggesting for someone else in our family, or just that I think he would like …

A Spooner Board

I was hunting for something ACTIVE, something that was neither babyish nor something he’d outgrow too quickly, and I came across this thing called a Spooner Board. (Currently $79 CAD on Amazon.ca)

It’s basically part skateboard (without the wheels) and part surfboard, I think. You can use it indoors or outdoors, do tricks on it, it’s virtually indescructiable, and this one is good for adults, too (so it’s going to last).

My in-laws have ordered this for D for Christmas and I know he’s going to LOVE IT. I can’t wait to see it in action.

Accessories for NERF guns

Our son has a whole arsenal of NERF guns and ammo. He loves those things. He does NOT need another NERF gun but I saw this target practice thingy (Electronic Shooting Target) and it seems like something he’d love. (Currently $39 CAD on Amazon.ca)

Currently, he lines up empty beer cans on the railing of the deck and shoots them off that way. 😉 This is, like, a much classier way to do that — and the targets pop back up automatically. Beer cans do not.

An archery set

Our son’s been interested in learning archery for a while now, but I can’t seem to find a local place that does lessons for kids as young as nine.

There are a LOT of archery sets online but many are either for adults or kids, and he’s at the in-between stage where I wouldn’t want to buy him something designed for ages 4-9 or 5-10 that he’s going to outgrow too soon.

This 45″ Archery Bow and Arrow set is designed for kids 9 and older, so something like this would be a good choice for a tween boy or girl. (Currently $48 CAD on Amazon.ca)

I do worry, though, about him accidentally shooting an arrow into a neighbour or his little sister or the dog or something. 😳 😳 😳

A new book series

Our D absolutely devours books and I’m so thankful he loves to read, just like me. We’ve been absorbed with the Harry Potter series (currently $62 CAD on Amazon.ca for the exact ones we have) for a year and a half, but we’re almost done the final book (!!!) so he’s going to need something new.

I’ve tasked my sister with starting him on a new series for Christmas. I’ve heard great things about the Percy Jackson series (currently $34 CAD on Amazon.ca for all five paperbacks) as well as A Series of Unfortunate Events (currently $41 CAD on Amazon.ca for the first four books in hardcover). I know nothing will be as amazing as Harry Potter, of course.

Since we always have “Something to Read” as one of our family’s Christmas gift categories, I will also be getting him the first book of a series he’s already borrowed from his friend and loved, Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior (currently $72 CAD on Amazon.ca for the six-book set).

STEM building kits

Our son LOVES science — as well as meticulously following instructions to make something — so he’s always done well with STEM building kits where you put together a robot or remote-controlled car or something like that.

This Catapults and Crossbows Science Kit (currently $42 CAD on Amazon.ca) includes the parts and instructions to build 10 working models of catapults, crossbows, and trebuchets.

(Um, anyone else watch Little People Big World and be traumatized by when their homemade pumpkin trebuchet nearly killed two of the people on that show?!)

Harry Potter LEGO

Thankfully, my boy is not yet too old for LEGO. (I will cry when that day comes, for sure.) While he’s not getting much LEGO this year — and our Christmases have always been VERY LEGO-HEAVY — I did suggest this particular Harry Potter Knight Bus LEGO set to my sister-in-law and she ordered it for D. (Currently $39 CAD on Amazon.ca)

He’s going to love this as it’s one of his favourite parts of any of the Harry Potter movies. And I also found that Amazon.ca sells special LED lighting kits designed for many of the Harry Potter LEGO sets!!!

I mean, can you even imagine a beautifully lit-up Knight Bus?! I may have to get one, although they’re almost as expensive as the LEGO itself, so we’ll see.

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If you have more Christmas gift ideas for tweens, please leave them in the comments!