A young boy who is busy with everything and anything, except what he should really be doing, might just be almost 13 years old. School is important, but mainly for his friends. Sports are important, but actually also for his friends. Gaming is fun, but really only with his friends. One way or another, your not-so-little boy is almost having a birthday and therefore you need a gift. Although it might just be that he himself doesn’t care much about his birthday. In any case, find in this blog the best gifts for a 13-year-old boy, including all relevant information.
Go directly to the best gifts? Click here
Developmental Phase of a 13-Year-Old Boy
Most boys start showing signs of puberty. This can manifest as a deeper voice, growth of body hair, and the development of sexual characteristics. It will be a period in which a boy really needs to start using deodorant to get through the day with a reasonable smell. In front of others, they obviously won’t do that. By the way, you will almost immediately notice, because the cheap deodorant has the most generic ‘young boys’ scent you can imagine.
It’s all not bad, it comes with the territory, you were probably in a similar phase once too, but it will undoubtedly cause many awkward situations. Speaking of those awkward situations: a boy might react a bit differently to them than before. He also goes through some cognitive developments. What his parents tell him suddenly becomes a lot less interesting than his friends’ opinions. When you address him as a parent, there’s a good chance you won’t get an agreeable answer. The time of long discussions, why questions, and silence has arrived. On the other hand, some really nice developments are happening too. Your 13-year-old kid understands more and more about the world and you almost have adult conversations with him.
In other areas, there are even more interesting changes that may occur at this age. He likely experiences some academic pressure and planning doesn’t always go as planned, but the 13-year-old boy will also be more capable of self-reflection. His thought processes deepen, resulting in interesting conversations or a difficult period in which the boy can’t get out of those thoughts. All in all, 13 is certainly not a boring age, and we are almost sure that you will enjoy it, while he might prefer to skip this period himself.
Dont’s (types of gifts you don’t want to buy for a 13-year-old boy)
We absolutely want to tell you what is a suitable gift for a 13-year-old boy. At the same time, this also means that there are gifts you want to avoid at this age. Think, for example, of a gift card for his games. A new Fortnite skin is really not necessary. Such a card only gives the wrong idea because the boy won’t become aware of how much money it actually costs. On the other hand, this might prevent him from secretly buying it himself with his own money. Instead, give the boy something he will actually use, like new sports shoes or a laptop for school use.
What is a suitable budget for this age?
Does your 13-year-old think he deserves a gift worth hundreds of pounds, while his favorite aunt thinks that’s a bit much? In other words: a desired budget is not always a realistic budget. We prefer to stick to the following amounts.
- Parents/Guardians: £50.00 to …
Parents are usually the ones who spend the most on their child’s gift. That doesn’t have to be the case, because £50.00 can go a long way. - Immediate family members (uncles, aunts, grandparents): £10.00 to £50.00
Nice amounts that will vary among the addressed family members. An uncle who visits every week will spend more than grandparents who come by once a year. - Neighbors/Acquaintances: £5.00 to £15.00
A nice average amount for which you can definitely find something nice. Check out our top 20 best gifts for a 13-year-old boy. - Friends: £5.00
They might pool their resources to put together a cool package, or they might just make the effort to wrap it in an envelope.
Further Tips
Before we get to the best gifts, we want to give you a few last tips so that you can buy the best gift ever. The first tip: ask his brother or sister for advice. They have a better idea of what phase the boy is in than you probably do. Despite your idea that they fight a lot, you will be surprised at how much they still share with each other. A 13-year-old boy will most likely not come up with a realistic wish list, so this way you can still ensure that you buy something he wants. Furthermore, we still recommend checking out what games he plays a lot, what he does with his friends in his free time, and more of those kinds of things.
1. Gaming Mouse
A gaming mouse is a specially designed computer mouse optimized for gaming. It offers features like higher sensitivity, programmable buttons, ergonomic design, and improved precision, allowing the 13-year-old gamer to respond more accurately and quickly during gameplay. You might think it’s a bit nonsense, but if you ever get good at playing an online game, you’ll understand that it makes a difference. Moreover, such a mouse often looks cool due to the customizable RGB lighting that is usually present. And if you get a good one, you can even customize some things about the mouse via the accompanying software. All in all, it’s a serious matter that can make a 13-year-old very happy!
2. Headset
A headset offers the user, the 13-year-old boy, a hands-free experience, allowing him to ‘privately’ listen to what’s being said on the other end while doing another activity. It’s good to know that a headset is different from headphones. Where with headphones you can only listen, a headset usually also has a microphone attached. This microphone allows you to talk to the person you are, for example, calling. You will mainly see a headset with a 13-year-old during gaming. If the microphone is a bit hidden, he might even take it to school. He can quietly cram the information for a test last minute because he supposedly forgot them the rest of the week.
3. Dartboard
It has probably not escaped your notice that darts have suddenly become a lot more popular among young people than before. If it’s not due to the success of the top players themselves, it’s because of the increased interest of their favorite YouTubers in this sport. There is a good chance that the 13-year-old boy is also interested in throwing some darts. What is still missing for that? Exactly, the dartboard itself. Check with the parents of this boy beforehand if there is even a place in the house/garage where he can throw. You know, a place where it’s not a problem if a few darts end up in the wall instead of the board. If you have their blessing, we would recommend getting a dartboard today for the upcoming birthday.
4. Spikeball
Spikeball is an exciting and interactive outdoor game that is becoming increasingly popular. It is played with a small ball and a net placed low to the ground. Players form teams and try to bounce the ball off the net, with the other team needing to catch the ball before it hits the ground. It requires quick reflexes, agility, and teamwork. Spikeball is perfect for the beach, the park, or the backyard and provides hours of fun for players of all ages. So also for a 13-year-old boy and his friends. It might seem a bit ‘childish’ at first, but once everyone gets the hang of it, there will be laughter, shouting, and fun. In our opinion, a great gift to get the boys outside and performing a physical activity. Scrolling on your phone is not exactly something you really move by.
5. Powerbank
If, for some reason, there is no power outlet near the boy with an almost dead phone, he can always rely on his new power bank from his birthday. A power bank is actually a kind of battery that stores power and can be connected to something like your smartphone. This is usually done via a cord, but the most fancy power banks these days can charge your phone wirelessly. Anyway, such a thing is handier than you think. Imagine, for example, that the night before a school trip to the other side of the country, you don’t plug in your phone charger properly. Going on a trip with an uncharged phone is simply inconvenient these days. So, a charged emergency power supply like this offers a fantastic solution.
6. Amazon Gift Card
Giving a gift card as a gift impersonal? Well, no, because secretly it offers a lot of advantages. First, it allows the recipient, in this case, the 13-year-old boy, to choose something he really loves. Moreover, it makes him more aware of the value of money. He will find out that a pack of Pokémon cards is not free or that a game for his Xbox is more expensive than he thought. With a gift card, you can make him save purposefully, instead of him buying a bag of chips at the supermarket. Perhaps a bit of a dull way to make that clear, but at some point, you want to do something, we think. Furthermore, a gift card allows the giver to stick to their own budget. Where you planned to give a tenner, you do that now, instead of making it sixteen pounds because something can only be bought for that price.
7. Gaming Controller
If you’re not buying a new gaming controller because the previous one broke, then you’re doing it because your son really wants to play with his friends. Although you might not entirely agree with the screen time that comes with it, think about how it keeps them ‘off the streets’. A bit of mischief at that age is normal, but if you hear what the youth of today is up to… Maybe that’s just a bit too much. But okay, an extra/new gaming controller then. Before purchasing, check what device he has. An Xbox controller usually doesn’t work on a PlayStation and vice versa. Furthermore, maybe it’s nice to know: you can also design your own controller. Maybe a fun activity to do with your son. This way, he still chooses his own gift, or something like that…
8. Nintendo Switch
Is the budget for the 13-year-old boy a bit bigger this year? Consider buying a Nintendo Switch. It’s good to know upfront that a Switch is available in different variants. The cheapest is the Switch Lite, where the consoles are attached to the device. Then you get the regular Switch as you probably have in mind with the blue and red switches. The last one is a more ‘fancy’ variant with an OLED screen. Fantastic quality, but reasonably priced. Depending on your own budget and the boy’s preference, you can choose one. Note that Nintendo is the only provider of games that can be played on the device. They ask a high price for them, so maybe it’s nice to ask a family member if they want to invest in that part of the gift.
9. Smartphone
In general, and we are aware that this doesn’t apply to everyone, a phone is more of a status symbol for girls than it is for boys. Boys use their phones only to stay in touch with friends and make some videos. Girls, on the other hand, need the best of the best to take high-quality photos and videos. So, if your boy is indeed one of those who doesn’t care much, invest in a budget smartphone. As long as you don’t buy the cheapest one, the thing will work fine and be good enough. Check out the other smartphones we have selected for you below. Anyway, you will probably do well with this and it won’t be a disaster for once if there’s already a crack in the screen after a year.
10. Wireless Speaker
A wireless speaker is purchased to create the feeling of ultimate freedom in music enjoyment. The wireless connectivity ensures that it easily connects to various devices. From smartphones to tablets and laptops, you can hear crystal-clear sound everywhere without the hassle of cables. The compact shape makes it perfect for the boy to use at home, but also easy to take with him for an evening with friends. Fortunately, technology is so advanced today that the battery life is good for hours of non-stop listening. A wireless speaker is the ideal companion for anyone who wants to enjoy their music always and everywhere.
