Don’t get too excited, because your 15-year-old son probably won’t be jumping for joy to celebrate his birthday. But since it’s a way to bring the family together and he secretly does enjoy it, there’s the organized birthday with cake, snacks, and… presents. Uh, presents? Does anyone care to tell me what to give a fifteen-year-old boy for his birthday?
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Developmental Stage of a 15-Year-Old Boy
Well, we are happy to tell you what you can give such a 15-year-old boy for his birthday. However, it is useful to consider the developmental stage such a boy is in. This way, you understand why he thinks the way he does and why certain gifts are a hit, while you might have had many doubts beforehand. So, read on quickly!
A first job, a first girlfriend (or boyfriend of course), personal interests: a 15-year-old boy goes through a lot. They develop physically, cognitively, and socio-emotionally, gradually stepping into the world of adolescence. This phase is characterized by a mix of growth, a whole lot of hormones, and a quest for identity.
First of all, the physical changes. He’s probably still growing and seems to get taller every day. At the same time, his voice changes from a squeaky door to a deeper bass, sometimes causing hilarious moments when his voice cracks. This, of course, has to do with hormones as well. Speaking of hormones, well, that’s an adventure in itself! One moment he’s happy, and the next moment it seems like the world is ending. He might ignore or simply not realize that the family is suffering because of this. In any case, as a parent, you’re on his emotional rollercoaster, which seems endless. But hey, that’s part of it. In fact, we dare to bet that you have also gone through this phase once. Besides, not everything about this development is negative. For instance, he’s becoming smarter and developing his own personality. You might not understand his interest in memes and games, but it’s a way for him to express himself. He also likes to hang out with friends, causing a bit of mischief and secretly sharing his feelings. Anyway, the development of a 15-year-old is fascinating, and we hope you treat it with respect.
Don’ts (Types of Gifts Not to Buy for a 15-Year-Old Boy)
‘Yes, mom. Maybe I do need new socks, but giving them to me as a birthday present? What the …’
There are some types of gifts you better not give to a 15-year-old. From something uncool like socks to something he’s too young for (alcohol), sometimes it’s better to skip certain gifts. Really, believe us when we say he probably has an idea of what he would like most for his birthday. And if that’s something like an overly expensive and unnecessary fat bike, make sure everyone gives him some money so he can save up for it himself. He might then realize it’s not really necessary and buy something else instead. Listening is more important than you think!
What Is a Suitable Budget for This Age?
We can’t determine how big a budget should be, but we can give an indication of what a reasonable budget might be.
- Parents/Caregivers: £50.00 to …
Probably, you’ll give a bigger gift one year than another. Maybe this year he needs a new phone, and next year you can make him happy with a ticket to his favorite sports match. Quite varied, in other words! - Close family members (uncles, aunts, grandparents): £10.00 to £50.00
Perhaps the hardest category to define, as the relationship between the boy and uncles, aunts, and grandparents can vary greatly. - Neighbors/Acquaintances: £10.00 to £20.00
A nice football, an envelope with money, you name it, and it will likely appear in the pile of presents. Maybe not very original, but good enough to please the 15-year-old boy. - Friends: around £10.00
Although we wonder if your son even wants a party or something like that, it can still be useful for friends to know what budget they can stick to if there’s a party. About ten pounds will be a fine amount.
Further Tips
When choosing a gift for a 15-year-old, it’s important to consider his interests. The fact that you don’t necessarily understand why he wants a gift card for that one store isn’t really relevant. If you really don’t know, you can give money or contribute to his savings account. However, if you haven’t read on yet, here are some cool gift ideas that you can definitely use. The most important thing is to make the gift personal and tailored to his preferences and personality.
1. Gaming Gear
You might as well embrace it, because he won’t be gaming any less anytime soon. Unless you have strict time limits on screen usage (aside from his phone), the boy will want to game as much as possible. And well, if he’s going to do that, you might catch his attention with the following gifts. We’re talking about a headset (so you don’t have to hear the shouting anymore) or a controller (so he can play with friends). Alternatively, you could ask him if he needs a new keyboard or mouse. It’s useful to get his input on this, as choosing between a yellow or brown switch for his keyboard might be beyond your expertise.
2. Dartboard
A dartboard might be the way to get the fifteen-year-old boy and his friends off the screen. A night of darting with friends and some snacks is super fun and ‘cool’! The latter is partly due to the success of national dart players. The National Team is no longer the only one doing well. Plus, the fact that darting is good for his hand-eye coordination is a nice bonus. Even if he only uses the board once every two weeks, it will be a purchase he’ll enjoy for a long time. Wait until he starts drinking beer with friends in the shed. What a difference that will make.
3. Books
Believe it or not, if you get the right book, a 15-year-old boy will still want to read. Think not of a literary book he has to read for school, but rather a biography of his favorite football player. Or, if he’s an ‘aspiring entrepreneur’, something like ‘how to become successful’, you know? Even if it’s just the idea, it would be nice if he read a few pages. Because, reading Instagram posts doesn’t really contribute much to your development, to put it mildly. We have listed a few examples below for you, so take advantage of it. If you think this really won’t work, then choose one of the nine other ideas we give you in this list.
4. Gadgets
No, it’s not ‘nerdy’ to give a gadget for the birthday of a fifteen-year-old boy. In fact, it’s probably something he’s been asking for a long time. We’re not talking about a Raspberry Pi for programming, but about a drone, VR headset, or action cam. A power bank might also mean something to him. That’s probably due to excessive phone use, which results in a chronically dead battery. With a power bank, he will still be reachable by family members. The excuse that he didn’t see a message won’t fly anymore. Well, one of these ideas will surely be a hit.
5. Arduino Kit
An Arduino kit is a more specific yet fantastic gift for a 15-year-old boy interested in technology and programming. With an Arduino kit, he can learn how to build and program electronic circuits, developing his creativity and technical skills. These kits often include various sensors, LEDs, motors, and other components, as well as detailed instructions and project ideas to get him started. It will provide hours of fun and educational experience as he explores the world of electronics and programming. A real bargain for the specific target audience of 15-year-old boys.
6. Perfume
Probably, the boy has started sweating, is past the phase of ignoring it, and has entered the phase where he wants to smell ‘good’. Since you’re probably tired of the regular Axe scent, you might start with a ‘neutral’ deodorant. Because, to compensate for not smelling like anything, he can spray on the perfume you give him. It’s helpful to include the instruction of ‘two sprays are enough’. Otherwise, you’ll end up in another cloud of scent that you’ll quickly get tired of. We recommend keeping the fragrance fresh and, if necessary, choosing one that’s very ‘common’. If you don’t, there’s a good chance he won’t want it.
7. Gaming Chair
During the already long gaming sessions, it’s nice if you let him sit in an ergonomically correct position. A good gaming chair can facilitate that for him. Such a chair, for example, forces you to sit upright, has adjustable back, arm, and lumbar supports, and helps prevent back pain. Generally, they are not the most attractive chairs, but if you tuck it away in his room, which hardly sees any daylight, it will be fine. You’ll be happy, and the 15-year-old boy will be happy, because the chair will undoubtedly (according to him) contribute to his success in the gaming world. Just like that new keyboard, headset, and controller from point 1 on this list. If the whole family comes to his birthday, you might as well buy each of these gadgets and similar items.
8. Smartwatch
Either he thinks it’s ‘cool’ to wear a big watch, or he prefers a smartwatch. In this case, we’re here for the second group of boys. First, a smartwatch is, of course, handy because he can receive all his notifications on it. Additionally, he might use it for sports, where he can monitor his heart rate and calorie burning. However, nowadays, something like a smartwatch is also a form of status. Apparently, if you buy the right one, it exudes wealth and prosperity. Appearance and popularity are two things considered very important at that age. With the right smartwatch, he might fit in better with the group and won’t have to be embarrassed in that regard.
9. Wireless Earbuds
The same goes for this item as we wrote above: it is partly a symbol of status. Because no, we don’t understand why boys that age stand next to each other with those earbuds in their ears. Where we used to think it was a bit impolite, it is now almost normal. Nowadays, people even walk into job interviews with earbuds in. They then respond by saying they forgot to take them out. Well, if that’s the new normal, you might as well make sure the boy can participate, right?
10. LED Lighting
‘Those super cool LED strips to make your teenage smelly room really cool.‘ That’s about what we mean by LED lighting. This way, there’s still some light in the room, where the shutters seem permanently closed. Only when mom comes in to bring the laundry will a window be opened. But, that problem aside, LED lighting is, of course, super cool to put in your room. For example, stick a strip along the edge of the bed or in the corners of the ceiling. Nowadays, such sets are not that expensive, and the energy consumption is very low. If you want to go all out, you can add LEDs that turn on with motion. When he comes back from a night out with friends, at least he won’t trip over the mess on the floor.
