What to buy 13 year old boy?

Owleyes00

My nephew is 13 in a few weeks and we have zero idea of what to get him. I have spoken to my brother and sister in law and they are also struggling with ideas so haven’t been able to suggest anything other than he has plenty of cash he has never spent from previous birthdays so would definitely prefer a gift.

I don’t have kids so I have absolutely no idea what would be popular. 

He likes football but has lots of football/arsenal stuff already.

Any parents of teenagers got any ideas? Happy to spend up to £40 but would prefer to keep it around £30.

Thanks!

baza52

videogame, apple or android vouchers or failing that ask him what he would like.

Misslayed

Dystopian genre novels for young adults went down well with a 14 year old relation

Brie

How mature is he for 13?  I'm wondering if he needs to start shaving (even if only monthly) or is at the point of wanting cologne or similar.  It's hard to know with young chaps - I had a school mate who needed to shave twice a day at that age and currently have a work colleague, mid 20s, who has just a light covering of peach fuzz.

sheramber

What does he like apart from football?

Does he read, make models, play board games, jigsaws?

baza52

sheramber said:

What does he like apart from football?

Does he read, make models, play board games, jigsaws?

its 2021 not 1950

sheramber

baza52 said:

sheramber said:

What does he like apart from football?

Does he read, make models, play board games, jigsaws?

its 2021 not 1950

Plenty of  books, annuals, games designed for teenagers. There must be a market for them. 

Noit every child wants to sit at a computer or game machine all the time.

Grumpy_chap

Rather than a thing to hold, what about a thing to do?

Cinema vouchers, Nando's vouchers, depends on whether he is a mature or young 13 yo and the amount of freedom he has.

Spendless

At that age we bought DS a lot of things aimed round him playing computer games eg a gaming mouse, gaming mousemat etc. Now 21 and on a computer degree he still has a lot of things from those days.
Does he enjoy gaming and if so in what format eg xbox, computer etc you could perhaps buy something based round that.

Is he into clothes, his hair? Anything you could buy based round that? 

Owleyes00

Thank you for the ideas. He is not into clothes or his appearance yet. I like the Nando’s voucher idea although might need to have a chat with my sister IL about whether he would actually use it. It’s such a funny age!

Pollycat

I think at the age of 13 they are capable of deciding for themselves what they want for their birthday.
A gift doesn't have to be a surprise.
Better you buy something he really wants rather than spend money on something that has to be returned (if that is even possible) or left unused in his room.

At that age my nephew sat with the Argos catalogue and gave me a comprehensive list - including order numbers - of what he would like.