Gifts for 12 Year Old Boys That Aren't Just Screens

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Twelve is a funny age for gifts. My 12-year-old son is too old for most toys and not quite a teenager. He's started caring about how he smells (finally), he's teaching himself every card game he can find, and he grows melons in our backyard planter.

He also reads, loves Batman, and plays sports games whenever he gets the chance. Here are the gifts for 12 year old boys I'd buy again, the ones on his list, and the one big ask I'm still on the fence about.

How I shop for a tween boy

I look for gifts that fit what he already does, not what a store says 12-year-olds want. With six kids, everyone gets the same number of gifts, so each one has to land. That's the rule that keeps our Christmas on a budget.

For the card game kid

A card games book. This one is his, and it's how he learned most of what he plays now, from Go Fish all the way up to 21. If your kid likes rules and strategy, it's a great gift.

A poker chip and card set. Chips make every game feel more serious, even when nobody is betting anything but bragging rights.

An automatic card shuffler. A fun, small gift for a kid who deals every game in the house.

For the boy who's starting to care how he smells

This is the year grooming showed up on his list. He asked for cologne and grooming products, and honestly, I'm thrilled.

A grooming gift set. Body wash and deodorant made for teen boys. It makes the routine feel like his own.

A light cologne. A small bottle, so he learns that a little goes a long way.

For the gardener

He has a real green thumb. He grew melons this year in our planter, and he wants to plant more next season and try garlic. Our kids' garden tools get used every spring, and a indoor herb garden kit is a perfect winter gift. It lets him keep growing something on the windowsill until it's warm enough to plant melons and try garlic outside.

For the reader and the Batman fan

The Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales box set. These graphic novels are history told like a comic, and both of my boys love them. They've each gotten this set or its sequels.

A Batman graphic novel. He loves Batman, and a graphic novel is an easy way to keep a reader reading.

The human body encyclopedia set. This one is his, and he still pulls it out.

For gaming

He plays Batman and sports games. Our older kids share a Meta Quest and a Nintendo Switch, so a new game is a gift the whole family ends up enjoying. A Batman game for the Switch is on my list for him.

Gaming headphones. Great sound and a real "gamer" look, so the kids feel like they're taking gaming seriously, without me spending a lot.

The phone question

He wants a phone. I'm torn. Right now, only my 14-year-old has one. A phone is a big step, and once you give it, it's hard to take back. We haven't decided yet, and if you're on the fence too, you're not alone. Whatever we choose, it won't be the only gift under the tree.

The quick list

• A card games book, a poker chip set or a card shuffler

• A grooming set and a light cologne

• Garden tools and an indoor herb garden kit

• Nathan Hale graphic novels or a Batman graphic novel

• A human body encyclopedia set

• A Batman or sports game, and gaming headphones

Shopping for his sisters too? Here's what my 8-year-old daughter actually plays with, and what all six of mine love in my Christmas gifts for kids by age post.