For a 15-year-old boy, start with the Exploding Kittens card game for a crowd of friends; the Casio G-Shock watch suits a teen who wears one every day.
*Paid link
Clothing and accessories
A Casio G-Shock sport watch worn on the wrist for checking the time during classes, workouts and weekends without pulling out a phone.
Why we like it
Timed quizzes go smoother when he can check the clock at a glance, and a Casio G-Shock keeps the time right on his wrist, where no teacher will object.
Built to take knocks, the black resin case can stay strapped on from first period through gym class.
Games and puzzles
A strategy board game in which players haggle over trades and expand their settlements, planning each move around what the others at the table want.
Why we like it
Every trade in CATAN is a small negotiation, and the table gets loud the moment a friend refuses the one deal he needs.
The game seats three or four players, a good match for the handful of friends who end up at his place on a Friday night. Each game runs long enough for alliances to form and fall apart before anyone wins.
Music
A drum machine for building beats and rhythm patterns, arranging them into loops and reworking grooves while sketching out musical ideas.
Why we like it
Small enough to ride in a jacket pocket, the Teenage Engineering PO-12 rhythm lets him program drum patterns wherever an idea shows up.
Its sequencer loops each pattern, while punch-in effects let him rough up a beat live as it plays. If he drums his fingers on every desk he sits at, this gives those rhythms somewhere to go.
Electronics
A wireless gamepad made for Xbox consoles, held in the hands to steer, aim and play through games from the couch or a desk.
Why we like it
Midway through an online match, a teen who plays with friends on Xbox needs a wireless pad he never has to share.
Squad sessions fill his free hours, so an 8Bitdo controller of his own means no swapping the household pad mid-round. The controller has no cord to the console, so it stays in his grip when he leans back.
A gift set of body sprays, each with its own scent, to spray on after a shower or before heading out for the day.
Why we like it
An adidas body spray gift set suits a high schooler who now picks what sits on his shelf.
Since the set holds different scents, he matches a scent to school mornings and saves another for weekends out.
Electronics
Over-ear headphones in Apple's AirPods line, worn to listen to playlists, podcasts and audiobooks at home, on the go or at a desk.
Why we like it
Apple's AirPods Max 2 match a teen whose phone always holds the next song, picked and ready to play.
He chooses every track himself, so a full-size adult pair keeps up with his taste better than a novelty set. Between classes, the headphones rest around his neck until he starts another album.
(price and availability terms)
$449.00 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Apple AirPods Max 2 over-ear headphones for music, blue)(price and availability terms)
$449.00 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Apple AirPods Max 2 over-ear headphones for music, orange)(price and availability terms)
$449.00 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Apple AirPods Max 2 over-ear headphones for music, purple)Home
A low floor chair for gaming that sits the player close to the TV or monitor during console sessions at home.
Why we like it
Speakers built into the headrest set the X Rocker Eclipse apart from a beanbag, putting the game's sound right beside his ears.
It connects over Bluetooth and folds up when a weekend of matches ends, so his floor is clear again by Monday.
Building setsAges 11+
A Technic construction set that builds into a BMW racing car model, assembled step by step and then shown off on a shelf.
747 pieces · set 42226
Why we like it
LEGO Technic's BMW M4 GT3 EVO Race Car gives a motorsport fan a racer to assemble.
With 747 pieces, the set stretches across the slow days of the Christmas break. Each section he adds brings the GT3 closer to the car he follows on track.
Outdoor and sports
A reusable water bottle in YETI's Yonder line, meant to be filled before heading out and carried along for drinks throughout the day.
Why we like it
The YETI Yonder gives a sporty teenager a water bottle to carry through long school days.
He fills it before leaving home and tops it up between classes, so water stays within reach all day. After practice, he pulls it from his sports bag for a long drink on the walk home.
*Paid link
An everyday backpack from The North Face for carrying books, notes and daily gear to school, work or around town.
Why we like it
Textbooks, binders, lunch and a spare hoodie all have room inside The North Face Jester, a 28-liter backpack sized for a full school day.
In plain black, it goes with whatever jacket he throws on and looks just as right on a weekend trip downtown as it does in the hallway at school.
A hooded sweatshirt from Champion to pull on over a T-shirt for casual layering on cool days, at home or out.
Why we like it
Champion cuts this fleece hoodie in men's sizes, with big and tall options next to the regular fit, so check the T-shirts he wears now before you pick a size.
Fleece makes it an easy layer for a cold wait at the bus stop, and it goes with jeans or sweatpants alike.
A cap from the Oakley Tincan line, worn to shade the eyes and top off a casual outfit on everyday outings.
Why we like it
When the teen you have in mind walks to school squinting into the morning sun, hand him an Oakley Tincan cap.
His friends recognize the name, and the hat sits easily with the hoodies and jeans he throws on before class. Its brim keeps the low sun out of his eyes all the way to the gate.
*Paid link
A handheld video game controller from the Amazon Luna line, gripped in the hands to steer, aim and press buttons during play.
Why we like it
The Amazon Luna controller gives a teenage gamer a gamepad to call his own.
Gaming fills much of his free time, so a dedicated controller keeps pace with how often he plays. Between matches, it waits on the arm of the couch for the next round.
A touchscreen tablet from Apple for running apps, taking notes, sketching in drawing apps, streaming shows and joining video calls on a single portable device.
Why we like it
A tablet that belongs to him alone keeps his notes, group projects, shows and video calls with friends in one place.
Touch ID unlocks it with his fingerprint, and the battery is built to last a full day of jumping between apps. When he feels like doodling, drawing apps turn the same screen into a sketchbook.
(price and availability terms)
$399.99 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Apple iPad tablet for everyday apps, blue)(price and availability terms)
$399.99 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Apple iPad tablet for everyday apps, pink)(price and availability terms)
$399.99 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Apple iPad tablet for everyday apps, yellow)A mini video projector that casts movies, shows or games from a connected device onto a wall or screen for a larger picture.
Why we like it
No TV in his bedroom?
The Kodak Luma 150 Mini takes a 1080p signal from the device he watches on and turns the blank wall beside his bed into the screen. A built-in battery lets it run away from an outlet, so a movie night with friends can move to whichever corner has room.
A computer gaming mouse designed around MMO play, used for pointing, clicking and triggering in-game commands while playing at a PC.
Why we like it
Guild raids call for a long bar of abilities, and the Redragon M908 puts 12 buttons along its side, right under his thumb.
He can map each one to a spell or a macro, so a full rotation fires without his hand leaving the mouse. Between boss attempts, he reworks the layout while the guild plans the next pull.
A mechanical keyboard that sits at the center of a desk setup, used for typing messages and essays and for playing computer games.
Why we like it
During a co-op night online with friends, a teen who plays on his computer gets a mechanical board for his desk.
At his age he picks his own gear, and a serious keyboard matches the hours he spends online. The new board takes over the spot where the plain office one used to sit.
A curved computer monitor that sits on a desk and shows games, videos and schoolwork from a connected PC or console.
Why we like it
Hunching over a laptop to play is a cramped way to game, and a 24-inch curved Sceptre monitor gives him room to spread out.
Its gentle bend draws the edges toward him, so the shooters and racers he already plays fill his view. Late in a squad match, leaning back in his chair no longer means missing movement at the corners.
A photo printer that turns favorite pictures from a smartphone into paper prints to frame, hand around or pin on a wall.
Why we like it
The KODAK Dock Plus prints from his phone, a good fit for a high schooler snapping every hangout.
He chooses the pictures worth keeping and turns them into prints to swap with friends or frame. After a road trip with the team, the group shot goes up on his bedroom door.
A headset worn while playing video games, bringing game audio close to the ears during matches and online sessions with friends.
Why we like it
The HyperX Cloud Alpha headset lets a teenage gamer play late matches without the TV speakers on.
Footsteps and squad callouts stay in his ears, so the rest of the house can sleep.
A compact instant camera that prints photos moments after each shot, so everyday scenes become physical keepsakes to share or display.
Why we like it
Polaroid's Go Generation 3 hands a high schooler an instant camera of his own for weekend hangouts.
He picks his moments with friends, and the pictures land in his hand, not his camera roll. After a late pizza night, the best print ends up wedged into the frame of his bedroom mirror.
(price and availability terms)
$89.99 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Polaroid Go Generation 3 compact instant camera, purple)(price and availability terms)
$89.99 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Polaroid Go Generation 3 compact instant camera, teal)(price and availability terms)
$89.99 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Polaroid Go Generation 3 compact instant camera, white)(price and availability terms)
$89.99 at Amazon.com*See price at Amazon.com* (Polaroid Go Generation 3 compact instant camera, black)
*Paid link
The Rage Mode edition of the Exploding Kittens card game, played in rounds by a group gathered around a table.
Why we like it
Jokes and jabs fly between him and his friends all day, and Exploding Kittens Rage Mode gives all that trash talk a winner every round.
The deck travels in his bag, so the competition leaves the group chat for a real table. At lunch, whoever sits nearby gets dealt in, since up to five can play.
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
Familiar faces from the Mario games lead this role-playing adventure on the Switch, a slower game where he explores, plans ahead and follows a story.
Each night it picks up right where he saved, which suits the long stretch of days off between Christmas and New Year.
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
On Christmas afternoon at a relative's house, Faraway gives a teen who loves brain teasers something to puzzle over across the table.
He likes turning a riddle over before answering, and here he weighs each move against the ones still ahead. The box stays on the coffee table until everyone in the room has taken a shot at beating him.
A tabletop strategy game themed on national parks, where players plan each move and compete for points around the table.
Why we like it
Set in the national parks, this strategy board game is a slower contest for a teen who weighs options before committing.
He likes thinking several turns ahead, and here points go to whoever plans carefully rather than hastily.
*Paid link
Stick-on pimple patches from the Hydro-Star line that go over a visible spot as part of an everyday skincare routine.
Why we like it
Starface World Hydro-Star pimple patches give a teenage boy an easy way to handle a sudden breakout.
He presses a patch over a spot after washing his face, then gets on with homework. The patches just stick on, so there is nothing to measure out or rub in.
Music
An electronic drum kit for learning to play the drums at home, building up rhythms and grooves from the basics.
Why we like it
This Donner drum kit gives a teenage boy his own set for learning drums at home.
He plays along to songs he already loves, starting slow and building up the beat. Since the kit stays in his room, a spare half hour after dinner turns into practice.
Home
An LED light strip that runs along a wall, shelf or desk edge to add decorative accent lighting and restyle a room.
Why we like it
This Govee LED light strip puts the lighting of a high schooler's bedroom in his hands.
Friends hang out in his room now, so he sets its look before a gaming night. The strip runs behind his desk and frames the screen for the whole match.
Science and discovery
A starter kit for learning electronics and programming, putting together connected gadgets and writing the code that brings them to life.
Why we like it
On a free evening at his desk, a teen who pulls apart old gadgets can build working ones of his own.
His curiosity about how devices work matches a kit where he connects hardware and types the instructions that run it.
*Paid link
A laser tag game in which players split into teams, dodge around a yard or park, and take aim to score hits on rivals.
Why we like it
Squad Hero laser tag gives a restless teenage boy a reason to drag his friends off the couch.
He splits the group into sides, then ducks behind trees and corners to line up each shot. Winning comes down to quick feet and smart hiding, which suits a guy who hates standing still.
A refillable water bottle to fill up and carry through the day, whether to school, sports practice, the gym or a weekend hike.
Why we like it
A Nalgene water bottle suits a high school boy who is always heading out to practice or class.
He refills it instead of grabbing throwaway bottles, and it rides in his backpack all day. Between classes, he tops it up at the hallway fountain before heading to practice.
*Paid link
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 gives a curious teenage boy a steady supply of strange answers to keep in his head.
He likes being the one with the unexpected answer, and he can flip to any page and stop after a few entries. During the slow days after Christmas, the book stays on the couch arm beside him.
A fantasy novel by Tomi Adeyemi, published as a single volume to read from start to finish.
Why we like it
Epic fantasy fans in their teens can unwrap Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi this Christmas.
He reads it through the quiet week after the holiday, chapter after chapter. Then he recommends it to his friends at school.
A manga volume by Eiichiro Oda, published as a single volume to read from start to finish.
Why we like it
Manga-curious teens can start a pirate adventure with One Piece, Vol.
1: Romance Dawn by Eiichiro Oda. He reads it on a cozy afternoon on the couch over the holidays. Then he trades volumes with a friend after break.
Among the electronics, the Kodak Luma 150 Mini carries a built-in battery, so a movie night with friends can move to whichever corner of the room has space without hunting for a plug, and the Apple iPad tablet runs on a battery built to last through a full day of jumping between notes, shows and video calls.
Yes: the Technic BMW race car gives a motorsport fan a racer to assemble section by section, stretching across the slow days off and then taking a place on his shelf once the last part clicks in.
Trash talk is the point of the Exploding Kittens Rage Mode, played in rounds with whoever sits nearby and carried along in his bag, while the CATAN board game seats a handful of friends for a longer Friday night of bartering, where alliances form and fall apart before anyone wins.
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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.
