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As I am not mum to a boy myself, I asked my nephew, who just turned ten, what his favourite birthday gifts were. I’ve sprinkled in a few other ideas from successful gifts I have bought for friend’s sons so I can share with you a brilliantly useful list of gift ideas for ten-year-old boys, gifts that are certified stuff that boys who love sports, fun, and gaming and creativity in equal measures will love.
I am particularly aware that it is really hard to find gifts that boys of ten will really want, use and love. I found it was much easier to buy stuff for younger boys, but once they hit double-digits and those tween years, their interests really start to change. It’s goodbye toys and hello more grownup stuff, but not really grownup stuff!! Cue gift-buying panic!!
Related: The best gift ideas for 12-year-old girls
So if you are feeling stumped about what to buy someone about to celebrate their tenth birthday party or a Christmas gift for a ten-year-old, this list of gadgets, sports kit, STEM stuff and creative kit will serve you well.
16 BEST GIFT IDEAS FOR TEN-YEAR-OLD BOYS
This RCB Hoverboard comes with Bluetooth speakers, colourful LED lights, self-balancing technology, and hard solid tires. It is a best-seller on Amazon, with a close to full 5-star rating.
POGS The Gecko Kids wireless Bluetooth headphones are softly padded and easily adjustable, which makes them super easy and comfortable. Plus the sound quality is brilliant.
Plus they are foldable, so easy to pack in a bag. The charge lasts around 12 hours. The headphones come in four colours, mustard, raspberry, dusty blue and soft green, which make them look far more grownup than headphones for little kids.
Related: 27 tween girl gift ideas
Powell Peralta is one of the most reputable skateboard brands there is. This board is 7.6" wide, which is great for a ten-year-old boy. It is really sturdy, has decent wheels and trucks (the bit the wheels attach to) and turns really well. All-in-all, it's a great starter board for kids.
A helmet is an essential piece of kit for any child who loves cycling, skating, BMXing or hoverboarding. This Triple 8 helmet is great because it is Dual Certified for Bike and Skate. It also has a patented MIPS Technology low-friction layer to reduce rotational forces caused by angled impacts.
I have given this T-shirt as a gift a couple of times, and it's been a big hit. It comes with a glow pen, but a mobile phone torch works equally well to create designs that last five to ten minutes on the T-shirt. (It is machine washable, BTW!)
Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty is stretchy, bouncy, and mouldable. Plus, it never dries out, so it can be played with again and again. It's a great fidget toy for kids, plus it gets their imaginations going.
Now, I'm not suggesting you encourage your child to go out and throw up pieces around your town.
However, if they have a fascination for street art, you could use it as an opportunity for them to do something that doesn't involve a screen by helping them learn how to create their own graffiti.
I love that this gift is both practical and also cool. Not only it will it help kids keep track of their football boots, it's also a great gift for the kid who loves football but seemingly has everything!
How about this... a water bottle that flavours water through scent rather than adding loads of sugar and flavouring?! These are hugely popular with ten-year-olds at the moment, so you will score a big hit by gifting one of these.
This latest version of FIFA features the latest kits, clubs and squads from some of the top football leagues around the world. It also includes top women's club teams (you don't have to be a girl to appreciate the brilliance of women's football).
This is a great gift for those rainy or super cold winter days when a sport-loving boy would still love to be shooting hoops. It goes on the back of a door and comes with a soft mini basketball to minimise the chance of basketball-related incidents!!
TIPS FOR BUYING GIFTS FOR 10-YEAR-OLD BOYS
1. PRICE
Always work to a budget for gift-buying and try not to be swayed by hints for expensive gifts. Tweens can be fickle, so if you buy a big-ticket item, make sure it isn’t just a trend that will be forgotten about within weeks.
I always set a maximum gift budget for buying gifts. It helps in two ways. Firstly to make sure I don’t overspend and secondly because it gives me a focus, which makes it easier to find a gift.
2. RESEARCH
Take time to research big-ticket items before you buy them. You want to ensure you go for the most reliable, best quality product. Recommendations from people whose opinions you trust are worth so much.
3. BRANDS ARE IMPORTANT
Like it or not, brands start to matter when kids get to their tween years. There is no point in buying a brand your child won’t wear or be seen with, even to save money.
It is never a good idea to overspend to buy them their current heart’s desire. If you can’t stretch to the brand they want, speak to them about it and buy something different instead.
4. ON A TIGHT BUDGET
It is much more important to be realistic about what you can afford to buy for your child and go for fewer gifts rather than lots of cheap gifts.
5. BROADEN THEIR HORIZONS
Look for gifts that help your child explore new interests or deepen existing ones, such as science kits, sports equipment, or art supplies.
6. GIFT CARDS CAN BE USEFUL
When in doubt, consider giving a gift card to a popular store or online retailer that sells games or clothing or other stuff that your child may enjoy. It may seem like a cop-out, but in my experience, tween kids covet gift cards and spend ages planning what to spend them on.
Luci is the founder of Mums Make Lists (Est. 2011). Over the last decade or so, she has used her experience as a mum to create useful guides to organising family life. During that time, she has found the most joy in creating lists of ideas and inspiration to make it easier for busy parents to plan and host kids’ parties and find great gifts. Read more.