MenuStart with the POWERUP 4.0 airplane kit for a 14-year-old who likes tinkering outdoors; the Turtle Beach gaming headset suits one who plays on a console most evenings.
*Paid link
Outdoor and sports
A stunt plane to take outdoors to an open field or park and fly through aerial tricks and sweeping turns.
Why we like it
The Sky Viper Vector puts stunt flying in the hands of a 14-year-old hooked on planes.
The maker rates it for ages 12 and up, so the controller stays in his hands.
At an empty field after school, he flies laps until every trick comes out clean.
Building setsAges 10+
A LEGO Technic building set for assembling a remote-controlled model of the Porsche GT4 e-Performance from 834 pieces, then driving the finished car.
834 pieces · set 42176
Why we like it
His bedroom wall of Porsche posters belongs to a teen who wants to see how those machines work underneath.
This LEGO Technic kit has him put that machine together himself, at his own pace.
The finished GT4 e-Performance then drives down the hallway with him steering.
Science and discovery
A telescope for looking at the night sky, letting someone find the Moon and bright objects overhead and study them up close.
Why we like it
Which glowing dot is a planet?
With the Celestron Travel Scope, he gets to answer that himself instead of looking it up online.
It packs into its own backpack for a camping weekend, and the Moon makes an easy target on the first clear night.
Electronics
A gaming headset worn during play that connects to a compatible game console or PC, such as Xbox or PlayStation, keeping game audio private.
Why we like it
Halfway through a co-op mission, a teammate's warning about the next ambush has to reach him fast.
This wireless Turtle Beach headset carries every callout with no cord to snag when he leans back, and it works with a PS5, Xbox, PC or phone, whichever one he games on.
Electronics
A portable battery pack for recharging a phone or other small devices while away from a wall outlet, on trips or long days out.
Why we like it
The Anker Zolo gives a 14-year-old who lives on his phone a backup charge for away games.
It rides in his gym bag, so he can plug in on the bus ride home.
Games and puzzles
A take-apart brain teaser, turned over in the hand to work out how its parts separate.
Why we like it
Gigamic's Spiral take-apart puzzle hands a teenage boy with restless fingers a brain teaser to fiddle with.
He turns it over in his hands, hunting for the move that lets the pieces separate.
After Christmas, he hands it to friends and then shows them how it comes apart.
Vehicles
A motor kit that turns folded paper airplanes into flyers steered from a smartphone through the POWERUP 4.0 app on iOS or Android.
Why we like it
Those wing shapes he doodles in his notebook margins are ready to fly.
He folds a paper plane, fits the POWERUP 4.0 motor kit to it and steers each flight from his own smartphone, banking it in wide loops over the backyard.
Clothing and accessories
A flat-brim cap from a workwear label, worn day to day with casual outfits to shade the eyes and round out a streetwear look.
Why we like it
This Carhartt cap gives a 14-year-old skater a flat brim to match his board and hoodie.
He tugs it on before heading to the skate park and turns it backward for his tricks.
Arts and crafts
A pad of paper made for watercolor painting, giving a dedicated surface for brushwork, color washes and finished pieces worth keeping.
Why we like it
Every page of the Canson XL Series pad is meant for a brush, not the scrap printer paper a teen painter grabs.
He recreates album covers and game art in color, and that work deserves pages he can pin above his desk.
A fresh sheet then waits on top of the stack for whichever cover he picks next.
*Paid link
A gaming mouse from Razer's Basilisk V3 line, used at a desk to aim, click and steer through computer games.
Why we like it
Hours of PC gaming happen under one hand, so the shape of the mouse matters.
The Razer Basilisk V3 is ergonomic and built for games, with RGB lighting he sets to match his desk.
A few warm-up rounds against bots will show how quickly the cursor answers.
A guitar-shaped controller styled after a Gibson Les Paul, held and played along with songs in rhythm video games in place of a regular gamepad.
Why we like it
If he plays air guitar through every car ride, this CRKD controller puts a Gibson Les Paul shape in his hands.
The blueberry burst finish looks the part, and since it is built for multiple platforms, the guitar isn't tied to a single console.
A mechanical gaming keyboard that sits at the center of a computer desk, used for playing games, typing documents and messaging online.
Why we like it
Hot-swappable switches set this Redragon K671 mechanical keyboard apart: when he gets curious about a different feel, he pulls a switch and tries another, no soldering required.
Eleven lighting modes he can program keep the keys lit for late PC sessions and history essays alike.
A basketball hoop that doubles as a game console, turning everyday shooting practice into video-game-style play at home.
Why we like it
Late on a school night, a teen who lives for basketball gets to keep shooting without leaving his bedroom.
His love of the sport outlasts the season, and a hoop built like a console gives his extra shots stakes.
A handheld Nintendo game console that plays Switch games, whether at a desk, on the sofa or packed along for a trip.
Why we like it
The teen who borrows a friend's controller every visit wants a system of his own to bring home.
With his own Switch, the titles his friends trade tips about become ones he plays at any hour he picks.
The whole system slips into his backpack for the next sleepover.
A Bluetooth speaker that connects to a phone or tablet and plays music, podcasts and playlists out loud for a room or group.
Why we like it
Songs from his phone play out loud on the JBL Go 4, letting a 14-year-old share the playlist he has been building.
Each artist he discovers lands on it, and a speaker of his own lets him decide what fills his room.
The Go 4 sits on his windowsill while friends hang out, working through each new find.
(price and availability terms)
$49.95 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (JBL Go 4 Bluetooth speaker for music, blue)(price and availability terms)
$49.95 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (JBL Go 4 Bluetooth speaker for music, purple)(price and availability terms)
$49.95 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (JBL Go 4 Bluetooth speaker for music, white)(price and availability terms)
$49.95 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (JBL Go 4 Bluetooth speaker for music, pink)(price and availability terms)
$49.95 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (JBL Go 4 Bluetooth speaker for music, red)
*Paid link
A strategy board game set in a maze, where players plan routes and compete to outthink each other around the table.
Why we like it
Ravensburger Labyrinth rewards whoever plans a route two moves ahead, and shifting the maze lets him block a grown-up's path to the treasure.
The rules are simple enough for younger players, which makes it an easy pick for family game nights over the holidays.
A card game that reworks poker into a team effort, with everyone at the table working together toward a shared result instead of competing.
Why we like it
You know a teen whose card games with friends end in squabbles, and The Gang puts them all on one side.
He studies faces around the room, and here every hunch about another player's hand moves the whole crew toward a win.
The deck gets shuffled again right after a round slips away.
A role-playing video game for the Nintendo Switch console, also playable on Nintendo Switch 2, where players guide Mario through a story-led adventure.
Why we like it
Super Mario RPG suits a Switch owner who likes to think a few steps ahead.
It is a role-playing game rather than a platformer, with Mario and his familiar crew moving through a story-driven quest at whatever pace he sets.
A strategy card game where players lay cards down and plan their choices carefully to come out ahead on points when the game ends.
Why we like it
Faraway belongs with a teen who would rather outthink his friends than outrun them.
He loves spotting the move nobody else saw, and the whole group can join in at once.
The winning total he scribbles inside the box lid becomes the mark everyone chases next time.
Liar’s UNO is a bluffing version of the UNO card game, played around a table as everyone tries to catch each other lying.
Why we like it
Liar’s UNO turns the familiar card game into a bluffing contest for a teenage poker face.
He watches every glance across the table, then calls out a fib or lets it slide.
Over the holiday break, cousins at the dining table take turns hunting for his tells.
A boxed introduction to tabletop role-playing, where a group of players invents heroes and makes choices together through a shared fantasy adventure.
Why we like it
The Dungeons & Dragons starter box Heroes of the Borderlands gives a fantasy-loving teen a way into role-playing.
He and his friends decide what their heroes do, and the story follows the group's choices.
On Christmas afternoon, his cousins pull up chairs around the box and start inventing heroes.
A jigsaw puzzle of a current world map, assembled country by country over several sittings.
Why we like it
EuroGraphics' map puzzle gives a 14-year-old who follows world news a picture of every place in the headlines.
He hunts down each country he read about that week and snaps it into place on a card table.
*Paid link
A ping pong kit whose net fits onto a kitchen or dining table or a desk, so rallies can happen on furniture already at home.
Why we like it
Ping pong rivalries from gym class carry on at home with this PRO-SPIN set.
Its retractable net stretches across a kitchen table, and he takes on anyone who walks by before packing the paddles and balls back into the case.
A soccer rebounder that sends kicked balls back, so passing and receiving can be practiced alone in a backyard or open field.
Why we like it
For the teen soccer player you have in mind, this Franklin Sports rebounder turns a backyard into his own passing wall.
Team practice never gives him enough touches, and here every kick comes back for another between sessions.
A caster board for cruising and carving along sidewalks and paved paths with a side-to-side motion that mimics surfing on land.
Why we like it
On the way to the skate park, a teen who knows his skateboard inside out can roll in on something new.
The Razor RipStik Ripsurf asks for a swaying, surf-like stance, a fresh puzzle for feet tuned on a skateboard.
The new lines he carves end up as phone clips from the park.
A roundnet game set where players hit a ball down onto a round net and rally it back and forth on grass or sand.
Why we like it
For a 14-year-old athlete, Spikeball brings a fast pickup sport his whole friend group can join.
He sets up the net after school and teaches his friends to dive for a save.
A flying ring that someone throws and a partner catches, turning an open lawn, park or beach into a back-and-forth game.
Why we like it
A 14-year-old with a strong arm gets something to launch across a field with this flying ring.
His brother runs it down at the far end, then fires it back for another long toss.
*Paid link
A Nike backpack from the Varsity Elite line with an athletic look, used to carry schoolbooks, gym clothes and daily essentials.
Why we like it
Nike on his feet and Nike on his hoodie make the Varsity Elite backpack an easy match.
Its 32 liters hold his practice jersey and homework with room to spare, and the black and silver look suits a boy who cares how his gear goes together.
A sports duffel bag that carries workout clothes, a towel and other gear to the gym, team practice or an overnight trip.
Why we like it
The Under Armour Undeniable 5.0 Duffle gives a teenage athlete a bag for practice gear and weekend trips.
His weeks run from team practice to away games, and the duffel carries his clothes to each.
After a Saturday game, he drops his sweaty jersey inside and sets the bag in the trunk.
A digital wristwatch that shows the time with a quick look, made for everyday wear alongside casual clothes and a relaxed wardrobe.
Why we like it
A Casio digital watch gives a 14-year-old boy a retro classic to wear on his wrist.
He likes gear without fuss, and a plain digital display shows the hour at a glance.
After soccer practice, he checks the time before texting for a ride home.
*Paid link
A fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, a story to read alone or aloud and keep on the shelf for a later reread.
Why we like it
A fantasy classic under the tree, The Hobbit suits a teen reader already into dragons and quests.
Over the holidays, he can make his way through it at his own pace. It then joins any other fantasy books he keeps.
A trivia book of short, surprising facts, meant for opening at any page, reading a few at a time and sharing aloud.
Why we like it
This trivia book of odd facts fits a teenage boy with a habit of collecting strange stories.
He opens it at any page and reads a few entries, then picks the oddest to remember.
At lunch the next day, he springs it on his friends between bites.
A manga volume by Koyoharu Gotouge, read right to left in comic panels, that a reader can follow with later volumes.
Why we like it
Demon Slayer by Koyoharu Gotouge makes a Christmas gift for a teen manga fan starting a new series.
He can tear through it over the break and ask for the next volume by New Year.
Its spot on his shelf leaves room for the rest.
A book of survival advice on handling a bear attack and other unlikely emergencies, read for practical know-how about situations nobody plans for.
Why we like it
Bear attack survival advice gives a 14-year-old hooked on wilderness stories a book of unlikely what-ifs.
He likes to plot how he would escape every scrape in a movie, so this book gives those guesses answers.
On a long car ride, he can pick an emergency and quiz the family on what to do.
A fantasy novel by Leigh Bardugo to read in long stretches and keep on a shelf of favorites afterward.
Why we like it
A Christmas copy of Six of Crows hands a teen fantasy fan his next big read.
It fits a reader fresh off his last fantasy series and hungry for more. Once he finishes, his friends can take turns borrowing it.
Yes. The POWERUP 4.0 airplane kit fits a motor to a paper plane he folds himself, and he steers every flight from his own smartphone in wide loops over the backyard. For stunt flying at an open field or park, the Sky Viper Vector plane takes him through aerial tricks and sweeping turns, lap after lap until every trick comes out clean.
Around the Labyrinth maze board game, he shifts the maze to block a grown-up's path to the treasure, and the rules stay simple enough for younger players to join. With the UNO bluffing card game, he watches every glance across the dining table before calling out a fib or letting it slide while cousins hunt for his tells.
A teen who spends weekends at a campsite can bring the Celestron Travel Scope telescope along, since it packs into its own backpack. On a clear night he points it at the Moon, an easy target, and then works out for himself which glowing dot overhead is a planet rather than looking it up online.
We took out Thames & Kosmos Structural Eng kit for building bridges.
We took out a gift pick.
We took out Ravensburger Stitch character jigsaw puzzle.
We took out Samsung SM-R410 earbuds with noise canceling.
We took out Skullcandy Smokin’ Buds earbuds for everyday listening.
We added 5 gift picks. We took out 5 gift picks.
We took out coding and electronics starter kit.
We took out computer microphone for voice chat and recording.
We added 9 gift picks. We took out 8 gift picks.
We took out LEGO Fortnite 77080 Supply Drop brick model.
We took out Under Armour Hustle Sport school and gym backpack.
We took out Apple AirPods Max 2 over-ear headphones for music.
We took out Soundcore V20i everyday open-ear earbuds.
We took out Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller for couch gaming.
We took out HyperX Cloud III headset for gaming sessions.
We took out Amazon Basics desk microphone for streaming and podcasts.
We took out JOOLA Team School ping pong paddle set.
We added 6 gift picks. We took out 2 gift picks.
We took out lavalier microphone with noise canceling.
We took out Franklin Sports Superlight guards for soccer players.
We took out 2K NBA 2K26 basketball game for PS5.
We added 4 gift picks. We took out 6 gift picks.
We took out Razor RipRider DXT pedal tricycle for drifting.
We took out picture frame for a favorite photo.
We took out bedside alarm clock for school mornings.
We took out corner shelf unit for books and plants.
We took out coffee maker for a desk or kitchen counter.
We took out lunch bag for carrying packed meals.
We took out running vest for carrying small essentials.
We added a gift pick. We took out 2 gift picks. We updated the short answer.
We added a gift pick. We updated the short answer.
We added 8 gift picks.
We added a gift pick. We took out a gift pick.
We took out insulated water bottle for everyday carry.
We added 2 gift picks. We took out a gift pick.
We took out DJI Osmo Pocket 3 camera for vlogging.
We took out a gift pick.
We took out LEGO Creator 31380 retro console building set.
We took out LEGO Technic 42198 bush plane model kit.
We took out magnetic placement game for tabletop play.
We took out smart flask for tea, coffee and water.
We took out SteelSeries Apex 3 gaming keyboard for a teen's desk setup.
We took out ping pong bat set for casual rallies.
We took out Apple AirPods 4 earbuds for everyday listening.
We took out FIFINE AM8 streaming and voice chat microphone.
We took out gaming earphones for virtual reality play.
We took out Razer BlackWidow V4 X Mechanical keyboard for a PC gaming desk.
We took out FBSPORT table tennis set for casual games at home.
We took out FBSPORT table tennis kit for casual home matches.
We took out Redragon S101-3 keyboard and mouse combo for PC gaming.
We took out BENGOO G9000 gaming headset for evening online play.
We took out Ozeino gaming headset for game audio and team chat.
We took out Ozeino OW810 wireless headset for gamers at home.
We took out Rode NT-USB Mini desk microphone for calls and streaming.
One alarm in early November, with this list’s newest picks.
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Chosen by our team from store data and what readers pick, not hands-on tests. Nothing is paid to be on this list. Recall notices checked . How we pick
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
