Worrying, shy moments, shouting, swearing, being rebellious, being silent, very much to themselves. It’s quite something, having a 14-year-old at home. Although not all fourteen-year-old boys are like this, many of these descriptions will certainly sound familiar. Rest assured, for most boys, it’s ‘just’ a phase. A phase that can last quite a while, but one that will also end. In any case, the boy will have to reach this age first. From 6 to 10 to now almost fourteen years old, the boy is here faster than you ever thought possible. Speaking of this age, what about his birthday? And what do you give a 14-year-old boy for his birthday?
Directly to the best gifts? Click here
Developmental Stage of a 14-Year-Old Boy
A parent really wants nothing more than for their son to be doing well. Unfortunately, 14 years is an age where that can be quite difficult. The boy can be struggling with himself in various areas. Physically, a lot of changes are still happening. And if these changes don’t happen, it also brings a lot of insecurity. They compare themselves to peers, look up to older individuals, and get into arguments with others, you, and themselves.
The most exciting changes may happen cognitively. Learning gets better, they think about complex concepts, and self-reflection improves. Abstract thinking is definitely a thing, although anything school-related is still generally considered boring or dull. This increases the pressure from school. At the same time, the boy learns to handle more responsibilities and a more intensive homework regime. And this is also a time when the first serious romantic feelings and relationships can develop. All these extra layers of complexity and emotion, wow, the boy really has it tough.
The perhaps lanky teenager has suddenly grown a lot taller. Maybe this growth happened very quickly, causing some problems. Problems like growing pains or awkward motor skills as the body adjusts to its new proportions. Funny to see, less funny to experience. Because what’s funny is often unclear rather than obvious to outsiders. Social-emotionally, the search for identity is crucial. The result? Where he was laughing uncontrollably at a video yesterday, he can’t stand it today. This could be due to friends reacting negatively. Friendships and group dynamics become increasingly important, with the opinions and perceptions of peers often weighing more heavily than those of adults.
Don’ts (types of gifts you don’t want to buy for a 14-year-old boy)
If there are things you do want to buy, there are also things you don’t want to buy for a 14-year-old boy. Personalized items with his own name on them are probably not ‘it’ when looking for a suitable gift. Similarly, cheap gadgets won’t meet his expectations anymore. On the other hand, they are old enough to handle things responsibly. He wants that expensive drone? Fine, but if it breaks, he doesn’t get a new one. Money doesn’t grow on trees, as an example.
What is an appropriate budget for this age?
Depending on various factors such as income and the number of other children, the budget will differ between individuals. However, we provide a guideline for a budget for a gift to surprise your 14-year-old boy.
- Parents/caregivers: £50.00 to …
Perhaps it’s time for a new phone, which would make the gift more expensive. On the other hand, you might delight him with something like a new sports set or a school bag (one that is durable). - Immediate family members (uncles, aunts, grandparents): £10.00 to £50.00
One aunt is not the same as another, the same goes for grandparents. Chances are that the budgets for family members differ, hence the large range of forty pounds. - Neighbors/acquaintances: £10.00 to £20.00
Better a good neighbor than a distant friend. The same goes for all the birthdays that are celebrated, though it doesn’t mean a fortune has to be spent on a gift. - Friends: £5.00 to £10.00
Perhaps the contribution for a gift comes out of their own pocket. An amount between five and ten pounds is very reasonable.
Further Tips
We would like to give you a few final tips to give a fourteen-year-old boy the birthday of his life. First of all, it’s good to listen carefully to his wishes without reacting judgmentally. Furthermore, it’s important to set certain boundaries and make clear that there are expectations. Consistency is not his favorite, but it’s necessary to set a safe framework (having half the friend group drunk in a ditch is absolutely not the intention). Lastly, it’s good to show genuine interest so you can buy a gift he really wants. This also helps build a strong bond.
1. Wireless Earbuds
How wonderful to leave the house, put in your earbuds, get on your bike, and do your thing. It’s handy that you recently got a pair of wireless earbuds because all that hassle with wired earbuds is so annoying. How is it that those things always get tangled, no matter how careful you are? It’s like there’s a curse on them that you can’t get rid of. Well, that’s life, we’ll say. If you’re so annoyed by it, you can buy a set of wireless earbuds. And if you’re smart, because as a fourteen-year-old you probably don’t have much money in the bank, ask for this item for your birthday. The technology gets better every day, and there are now countless providers of these earbuds. Don’t wait too long and reward yourself with a nice pair of earbuds.
2. Backpack
A party here, a school day there, a football match over there, and a trip to the other side of the country. These are situations where you need a backpack. The fourteen-year-old boy who does all these activities should have a good backpack. And we don’t mean a big, bulky, ‘ugly’ backpack. No, we mean a backpack like the one you see in the picture below. One he’s not ashamed of and is happy to carry to every place he needs to go. At least, ‘happy to carry’ might be an exaggeration, but at least without him minding it. Buy it today and give him the gift he didn’t know he needed.
3. Gaming Mouse
Do you know that beautiful Apple mouse? Yes? Then you know it looks great, but maybe leaves something to be desired in terms of ergonomics. If you use the mouse for a long time and intensively, you might start having hand pain. Not that this is necessarily the case, but you get the point, right? In any case, if you want to buy a good gaming mouse for a boy who loves gaming, such a mouse often has multiple buttons that can be set as shortcuts and feels good in the hand. Or rather, it rests under it, but that’s beside the point. If you have no idea what to look for, choose from the list below. This will certainly help you.
4. Headset
As interesting as it is to listen to everything the fourteen-year-old boy’s friends have to say, at some point, it gets a bit annoying. Because, do you really care that they got a Victory Royale for the sixteenth time this week? Exactly, we didn’t think so. A headset is a great item to prevent you from hearing four extra voices all afternoon from the living room/bedroom. However, such a headset is not only nice for the bystanders, it’s also a fun gift for the young man himself. It allows him to hear much better where certain sounds in a game come from. He can anticipate better, maybe have a better chance of winning, and everyone is happy. A true win-win situation, as it should be.
5. Bluetooth Speaker
What an invention that ‘Bluetooth’ is. Without too much effort, you can connect countless devices. Think of a phone with wireless earbuds or a laptop with headphones. Another device you can connect with Bluetooth is a speaker. A speaker is a kind of small music box where you can play your favorite music/podcast/other sounds. You used to see such a thing mainly at parties, but nowadays, it’s also used a lot on a daily basis. Think of a speaker at the office and also one for chilling. The latter is more relatable for a fourteen-year-old boy. Anyway, a speaker. A simple device with a great function.
6. Drone
Whoosh, there goes a drone through the air. Now that he’s seen his favorite YouTubers regularly with such a thing, the fourteen-year-old boy wants one himself. Fortunately, drones have been around for a while, and there are several entry-level models on the market. These are relatively easy to control and not too expensive. It allows the boy to get creative with what he films. Moreover, flying with friends will simply be very entertaining. A great purchase or something to ‘play’ with later. You know, like what he used to do. Although he could entertain himself better back then. Anyway, it’s fun and will keep him outside for a while. Note that you can’t fly a drone everywhere nowadays. So, check in advance whether it’s allowed near him. Otherwise, he still won’t get to use it.
7. Gaming Chair
When a boy turns fourteen, he’s probably in puberty. During puberty, a growth spurt will eventually occur. That growth spurt brings the most wonderful moments. The little boy is suddenly not so little anymore and has become quite gangly. But because his body is growing, you want him to maintain an ergonomic posture most of the time. This is to prevent him from becoming hunched or developing a slumped posture. One way to help him while studying/gaming/chilling is to give him a gaming chair. These are designed for him to sit in a correct posture (hopefully). So he sits with a straight back and doesn’t slump. Even if it’s only half the time, it’s still a win. Such a chair might be a bit pricey, but it’s definitely worth buying.
8. Mouse Pad
A family member decided to buy one of the computer mouse from categorie 3 in this list? Great, because then you can join in by buying a mouse pad. ‘Is a mouse pad really that important?’, you might wonder. Well, yes, it is. It ensures the mouse moves smoothly, optimizing gaming… uh… studying. Well, whatever it’s used for, it’s nice to know there are different types of mouse pads on the market. You can choose one that also fits the keyboard or one just for the mouse. There are mouse pads with an LED strip around the edge and mouse pads with the most beautiful designs you can imagine. All these mouse pads have different prices, so check which one fits your budget.
9. Gaming Keyboard
The observant reader at home had already noticed that an essential part of the ‘gaming setup’ was missing from this list. We’re, of course, talking about none other than… a gaming keyboard! Now, you can game with any keyboard, but some will be better than others. It all has to do with the switches in the keyboard. Under each key is a mechanical switch. Depending on that switch, pressing the key gives a certain feel. Some types will make a very loud click sound, while others will feel and sound very ‘soft’. So, first, take the fourteen-year-old boy to a store to test all the different keyboards. Once you know which one he likes, you can order the keyboard. We’ve also selected some nice keyboards for you; see below.
10. Games
Whether it’s an online or an offline game, this item will certainly appeal to your fourteen-year-old boy. It’s a way for him to entertain himself with his friends. Think of a funny game like a card game on a Saturday night on the couch or something like Fortnite for the daily gaming hour. Either way, you can almost never go wrong with a game. With a fourteen-year-old, it sometimes depends on how enthusiastic you are about it. If you’re a parent, too much enthusiasm is not appreciated. If you’re a ‘cool aunt,’ you’ll be able to present it better. Well, you understand the moments and feelings we’re referring to. We hope that you feel you can manage with the tenth gift idea on this list.
