60 Best Gifts for Boys of All Ages, Including Cool Ideas for Birthdays and Holidays
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When it comes time to shop for holiday gifts for kids, boys can be something of a mystery. That’s why we put together testing notes from the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Parenting Lab tests, checked bestsellers on Amazon, rounded up the editors’ picks and came up with a list of the best gifts for boys, no matter where his interests lie.
Here’s what to look for when shopping for gifts for boys.
When the Parenting Lab evaluates toys for its annual Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards, it looks for items that are safe to use and well constructed. It also looks for toys that offer some kind of developmental value, be it through fostering imaginative play, helping with fine or gross motor coordination, teaching things like STEM concepts or inspiring creativity. Then, there’s the all-important fun factor, since no toy is worth the money if kids won’t want to play with it.
What are some of the trends for gifts for boys this year?
Looking over the hottest toys coming out this year, STEM and STEM-related toys still are a huge winner, as are sensory toys and fidget toys that give kids with busy hands something to do. Families are still gathering around the table for family game night, so board games and other party games are a trend. And toys that help kids unlock their creativity — especially when it comes to TikTok — are on the rise.
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Best Overall Gift for Boys
2022 Good Housekeeping Kids’ Book Award Winner
Fun for Pranks
Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award Winner
Best Gift for Gamers
Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award Winner
Best Small LEGO Set
Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award Winner
Inexpensive Gift for Boys
Cool Stocking Stuffer
Cool Virtual-Reality Gift
Best Gift for ‘Star Wars’ Fans
Cool STEM Toy for Boys
Gift for Nintendo Fans
Best Interactive Toy for Boys
For Marvel Fans
Great for Indoor Play
Best Just-a-Little-Something
Best Indoor RC
Nostalgic Fave
Best Drone for Boys
Best Solo Board Game for Boys
Great Tub Toy for Toddlers
Unique Gift for Boys
Best Way to Learn a Strategy Card Game
Best Gift for Teenage Boys
Fun Backyard Toy for Kids
Best Gift for Tweens
Fun Educational Toy
Fun Family Game
Cooperative Family Game
Fun STEM Gift for Kids
Best Tablet for Kids
Cooperative Board Game
STEM Toy for Elementary Schoolers
Unique Building Set
Screen-Free STEM Toy for Young Kids
For toys, the Good Housekeeping Institute does year-long toy testing to evaluate for safety, durability, and ease of use, then hands the toys over to real kids to make sure they have the all-important fun factor. While non-toy gifts are not evaluated in the Lab, editors still look for gifts put out by trusted brands, gifts with great reviews from purchasers, best-sellers and editors’ favorites. The list is then vetted by Good Housekeeping editors, who, after years of curating gift guides and keeping track of trends, tries to match the items with what is popular now and what Good Housekeeping readers and families have loved in the past.
For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has provided expert reviews and advice on everything parents and children love, including STEM toys, educational toys, sensory toys, board games and outdoor toys. While not all of the selects on this list have been specifically vetted by our experts, Marisa LaScala, Good Housekeeping’s senior parenting and relationships editor, has scoured the internet and spoke with tweens and teens for the other top-picks. Marisa has covered all aspects of the world of parenting, from the postpartum years through the empty nests, since 2015, and she’s pitched in with Good Housekeeping’s toy coverage since 2018. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter, who are both avid toy collectors.
Looking for more great gifts for kids? Let the experts do all the hard work for you! The Good Housekeeping Institute’s Parenting Lab has expert-tested, kid-approved picks for the best toys and gifts for kids of every age, including:
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