This Shape-Shifting Box on Amazon Is Absolutely Wild

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Cash and tech gifts, like new phones, tablets and laptops, are what likely comes to mind when you think about gift ideas for teen boys, especially if you've ever spent time around one of those peculiar, hormonal, goofy creatures. And yet, there's so much more that interests and intrigues kids of that age.

Because it's been a hot minute since I was 15, and because most of what’s available to kids today didn’t exist in 1991, I've consulted three experts of the genre: my own 15-year-old, their 19-year-old sister who works at MonkeyFish Toys, an independent toy store close to our home in the Philly 'burbs, and that store's owner, KC Olafsson. My goal was to understand what 15-year-old boys are into right now, what they do and play with, and, if they were to make one last list for Santa or would speak freely and openly to anyone at all, what would they say they want for a birthday or graduation gift, or to find wrapped under a tree at year's end.

When all their preferences were added in — plus insights from other Good Housekeeping Institute experts and editors — these emerged as the best gifts for 15-year-old boys in 2023. The result is a comprehensive gift guide for 15-year-old boys, whether they dig sports or want to bury their head in a book, could bake all weekend, like to build things or are happiest binge-watching movies and TV shows.

The Iceman's Purse Creative Writing Journal

If the 15-year-old in question has a knack for storytelling and world-building, the last thing you want is a bad case of writer's block to shake their confidence and make them lose interest in that form of creativity. Skilled author Renee Agatep has created a journal filled with prompts and quotes to kickstart creativity and get their writerly juices flowing again. Just remind them to thank you in their novel's acknowledgments.

Hip Town Game

If the teen in your life loves Sims and Monopoly but rarely has the time to play either, Hip Town is the perfect world-building game for them and their friends. The object is to build the coolest town possible, filled with businesses like craft cocktail bars or artisan pickleries. Whoever has the most Hip Points at the end wins.

Temporary Tattoo Markers

Like my own 15-year-old, the teen in your life probably has a wish list of tattoos they want to be permanently inked on their skin. Until the day comes when they can legally get them on their own and afford to pay for their dream tattoos, this awesome temporary tattoo marker and stencil set should suffice. The company promises the tattoos wash off with soap and water (though some take a few washes).

Rubik’s Phantom

It's a fidget toy that develops hand-eye coordination and presents any teen with a challenge because, at first glance, there are no colors on this Rubik's Cube. Instead, the heat of his fingers will illuminate the patterns briefly and then your 15-year-old must work to solve this awesome puzzle.

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Tech Stretch Sleeveless Hoodie

With a little bit of elastane, this hoodie is stretchy, soft, breathable, and extremely comfortable for an after-school workout, a bike ride around the neighborhood this summer or simply playing games online with his friends long into the night. It also comes in six different colors.

Sneaker Balls Deodorizer

You may battle your teen when it comes to homework, curfew and eating you out of house and home, but no fight stinks more than the smell of 15-year-old boys! These sneaker balls will deodorize his shoes, duffel bag, and laundry basket — it's really something the whole family will appreciate.

Sueded Fleece Joggers

Comfort is key for most teens, whether at school, on the couch, or on the b-ball court. These warm, sueded fleece Champion joggers are so soft and so very cool.

Disc Golf Set

Maybe he already loves to play outside or maybe you're desperately searching for fun ways to encourage your 15-year-old to spend more time in the great outdoors. Either way, Disc Golf is a rad activity to play alone, with family, or friends. This set has a driver, a mid-range and a putter to get them started.

Screen Magnifier

Does the teen in your life watch movies, games and TV on his phone? Of course he does, he's 15! This gadget magnifies his phone screen to a bright, beautiful 12 inches, so he doesn't have to worry about eye strain.

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Rhyme Antics Game

A freestyle rap battle game that builds vocabulary and is positively hilarious whether played with friends or family members, this is the best interactive board or card game on the market for teens today.

Gooseneck Phone Holder

He can watch his movies, TikTok videos and texts in bed without keeping his hands and head in the dreaded "text neck" position. All he has to do is clip this re-positionable phone holder to a shelf or desk.

Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book

If your favorite 15-year-old is anything at all like I was at that age and like my teens are today, they like to spend weekend mornings in the kitchen with music playing as they bake. This Cookie idea book is a feast for the senses and what it'll help them bake is a literal feast of sweets!

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Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler

This generation of kids might be the most hydrated in history. Make sure your teen has the hottest reusable bottle, this rad Stanley Tumbler is available in many cool colors.

Mini Personal Fridge

Your teenager will think he's the coolest kid in town when he plugs in and stocks his own personal drink fridge in his room. With space for eight cans and a few chocolate and protein bars, this is the best and most handsome small portable fridge.

Medium Duffel Bag

For an overnight at a friend's, a Boy Scout campout, a trip to the gym or a carry-on bag for a family vacation, every young man needs a good duffel bag. This one from Adidas is big enough for him to pack what he needs, and it's available in an array of colors so there's bound to be one that’s perfect for him.

Pro Gelfire Mythic Blaster

This isn't your father's Nerf gun! Blending the coolest aspects of those traditional foam bullet toys and thrilling paintball action, this Gelfire blaster gives teenagers epic fun with no welts on their skin and paint on their clothes.

The Art of Ruth E. Carter Book

Featuring glossy photos, sketches, mood boards and film stills, this stunning hardcover book examines the legacy of Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth Carter, the visionary responsible for the visual aesthetic of so many of his favorite films. The pages inside cover movies like Black Panther, Wakanda Forever, Malcolm X, Do the Right Thing, Coming 2 America, and so many more.

Buddha Board

Making art and expressing yourself through creative pursuits is a common therapeutic technique to help calm and cope with young people's daily stress. The Buddha Board, in its original size or the $18 mini version, is a clever way to foster that creativity — and calm — in your teen.

Darkridge Reunion Game

True crime and horror movies are huge right now! This murder mystery party game is literally killer, like a modern-day Clue, and is going to give your 15-year-old and up to 11 of his friends night after night of terrifying mysteries to solve together. They'll need to work cooperatively and use their critical thinking skills to make it out alive.

Light-Up Soccer Ball

If your favorite teen never wants to come inside after nightfall, give him the gift of a night ball to keep playing soccer, practicing his shooting, or working on his dribbling technique long after the sun goes down. LEDs keep this one illuminated for 30 seconds after impact, so everyone can see the ball.

LEGO Sets

There are incredible LEGO sets from his favorite Marvel, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings movies, along with ways to build cool cars (like this McLaren Senna GTR), famous landmarks, Fender guitars, legendary soccer stadiums, intricate flowers, and so much more. In short, there’s a LEGO set for every 15-year-old kid.

Mini Cruiser Skateboard

Whether he can already grind at the skate park or just wants to mess around in the driveway, buying your 15-year-old a gorgeous wooden Magneto Complete skateboard will instantly make them an incredibly rad kid, even more rad, than he already is.

GraviTrax PRO Vertical Starter Set

Remember marble runs? Well this STEM toy takes that old fashion fun to new heights, literally! If your kid loves building LEGO, process, architecture and design, Gravitrax is a great gift. Once they're set up with a starter set, you can give them expansion sets in the future and add to their bag of tricks.

Pop Quiz Backpack

This backpack is slim, so it won't be one of those back-breaking, overstuffed school bags. And yet, it's big enough to hold everything he needs, and even has a padded sleeve that can fit a 15" laptop.

EXIT: The Game Escape Room Bundle

Escape rooms are awesome, but an expensive pastime for your 15-year-old and a few of his friends. Enter Exit the Escape Room card games! This bundle has 4 addictive games choke full of clues for everyone to work through together to solve the mysteries. Or, if you're looking for a smaller gift, you can buy each one separately ($15) instead of getting the whole bundle.

Professional Printing 3D Pen

Not gonna lie to you, I’m a pretty plugged-in and modern dad who makes his living on the internet, but I barely understand what is happening here. This 3D Printing Pen comes with 3 colors of ABS plastic filament so that as the teen draws, his creations come to life in the real, tangible world. What an amazing time to be alive. And what a rad gift that’ll make for any 15-year-old.

Xbox Live Gold Membership

Every gift on this list will make your 15-year-old smile, at least on the inside, but none will be more well-received than a year of Xbox Live that'll let him play online and download two free games each month.

Spikeball

One of the hottest games of this decade continues to promote outdoor physical activity, teamwork and social interaction. If that sounds kinda stuffy, you should also know that Spikeball is an absolute blast for teens. Keep the fun going into the night with LED lights for the net and balls!

Moving Mechanical Safe Kit

Without going into specifics, every teen boy has a few things he’d rather his parents not find in his room. I’m not talking about anything dangerous or illicit, but a young man has a right to a little bit of privacy. This fully functioning safe will do the trick, assuming he can successfully build it first!

Eerling Haaland Jersey

The most popular young player for one of the most popular teams playing the world's most popular sport, a classic baby blue Eerling Haaland Manchester City jersey makes a great gift for any teen, whether he ever kicks a ball in it or wears it playing FIFA on his Xbox.

21-Inch Hardside Spinner

Does your 15-year-old have a passport and dream of seeing the world? This sleek, international travel-friendly carry-on suitcase will have him spending more time exploring the world as he grows up and less time waiting impatiently by the luggage carousel. Experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute were wowed by how well the wheels held up, especially given that it's so much less expensive than other carry-ons.

RELATED: The Best Carry-On Luggage of 2023

Laser Tag Set

Everyone loves laser tag, but when you play in an arena, there are always too many rules (no running, no jumping, etc) that the fun is tempered. Not so when you have your own set of four laser tag guns and vests! Let your 15-year-old and his friends head out into the woods or down in a basement, and create their own arena with their own rules…or no rules at all!

By You Sneakers

Sure you could buy him fresh pair of kicks off the rack or you could blow his mind by giving him the gift of customized Nikes. From Air Force 1 Low to Mid 1 and many more, he can design his own Nike sneakers and show off his unique style. Note: The cost varies based on the style of sneaker he wants.

Chromebook 311

Every. Single. 15-year-old boy. Wants. His. Own. Laptop. At the same time, no parent is eager to drop thousands on a laptop for their impulsive, careless, and sometimes, less-than-grateful teen. This affordable Acer Chromebook, chosen as the best value laptop by the Good Housekeeping Institute, is the happy meeting point where a child and their adult can both smile, be happy, and maybe even hug.

RELATED: The Best Laptops to Buy in 2023

Video Game Art

Xbox, Game Boy, or Switch, modern or retro, whatever his game of choice is, Grid Studio has stunning deconstructed framed works of art using original devices to show off the motherboard and miscellany that makes the console or controllers work. Absolutely brilliant and original gift for gamer kids. Also available for Apple device nerds too, including this rare original iPhone work of art.

RELATED: The Best Gifts for Gamers

Nintendo Switch Lite

The defining game system of our time, the portable, brilliant Switch is a favorite of 15-year-olds. And, if you're looking for a game to go with it, the newest Zelda entry, Tears of the Kingdom, is winning raves.

RELATED: The Best Video Game Consoles of 2023

Luma 350 Portable Smart Projector

Alone after a rough day at school or together with his friends, in the backyard beneath the stars or in the dark of the basement, your teen is going to love to make his favorite Marvel movies, the newest TV shows or the big game even bigger when projected through this slim, lightweight, but oh-so-mighty Kodak Luma smart projector. Good Housekeeping Institute experts found its small size — small enough to fit in a backpack or purse — appealing, and said it was extremely easy to use.

RELATED: The Best Budget Projectors of 2023

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has provided expert reviews and advice on everything parents, children and teens love, including outdoor sets, scooters, electric bikes, laptops and video games. For this story, Jeff Bogle, who is a parent to teenagers, consulted his teens as well as a toy-store owner to see what's popular with teenage boys. In addition, Good Housekeeping editors look for trusted brands and stellar reviews to ensure safety and durability.

Shop more toys and gifts for kids

Looking for more great gifts for kids? Let the experts do all the hard work for you!

• Top-tested items: See what toys, gifts and books ranked the very highest in our Lab tests with our Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards, our Good Housekeeping Best Kids’ Book Awards and our Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards.

• Tech for kids: Our lab experts are often asked for recommendations for digital devices for kids, and we've tested kids' phones, kids' smartwatches, kids' tablets and game consoles and to see which ones held up the best for families.

• Great learning toys: While all toys can be helpful vehicles for supporting developmental growth, we love to spotlight notably exceptional educational Toys and STEM toys as well as ones that can support social-emotional growth, like those included in our lists of the best sensory toys, pop fidget toys and autism toys.

• Gifts for babies: Please the newest members on your gift list (and their parents) with these useful baby registry items, as well as gifts for babies, gifts for baby girls and gifts for baby boys. Of course, you might want to get something for new parents to help them through the hectic newborn stage.

• Gifts for toddlers: The coolest new toys in this space pull double-duty, whether it's social-emotional learning combined with motor skills, or creative play combined with language, as you can see in our gift guides for 1-year-olds and all toddlers, as well as our stocking stuffers for toddlers.

• Gifts for preschoolers: As they begin to explore the world around them on a deeper level, help them explore with STEM sets, art kits, creative toys and toys that inspire their imaginations. Find our favorites in our gifts for 3-year-olds (including gifts for 3-year-old boys and gifts for 3-year-old girls), gifts for 4-year-olds (including gifts for 4-year-old boys and gifts for 4-year-old girls) and gifts for 5-year-olds (including gifts for 5-year-old boys and gifts for 5-year-old girls).

• Gifts for big kids: By these ages, they've developed their own interests. Help them dive deeper into the subjects that most interest them, from coding to art to cartooning to history and geography, with these gifts for 6-year-olds (including gifts for 6-year-old boys and gifts for 6-year-old girls), gifts for 7-year-old boys, gifts for 7-year-old girls, gifts for 8-year-old boys, gifts for 8-year-old girls, gifts for 9-year-old boys, and gifts for 9-year-old girls. It's also fun to shop for some of our best-reviewed and top-selling stocking stuffers for kids.

• Gifts for tweens: Sure, once they get old enough for an iPad or gaming console you might be at a loss of what to get them. We have you covered with engaging picks for gifts for 10-year-old boys, gifts for 10-year-old girls, gifts for 11-year-old boys, 11-year-old girls and gifts for 12-year-olds, or see what's trending with boys or tween girls as a whole.

• Gifts for teens: We decode what's on the lists for this picky age group, from the hottest accessories to the most-wanted tech gifts, with gifts for 13-year-old boys, gifts for 13-year-old girls, gifts for 14-year-olds, gifts for 16-year-olds, gifts for teen girls, gifts for teen boys and even fun stocking stuffers for teens.

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