Teen Boy Stocking Stuffers that aren't 6/7 or Mid

My twins turned thirteen this year. That's right, I have teenagers! It hit me that day even, when they were against wearing birthday-themed shirts anymore, lol. So, now that Christmas is approaching, I guess I need to man-up and find more age-appropriate gifts for my young men. 

Guide to no more mid stocking stuffers for teenage dudes: 

Old Spice Themed Holiday Deodorant & Body Wash

Still provides some holiday flair while combating teenage smells, lol. 

I know the Jacked Frost wash is going to get some laughs and inspire some better cleaning too. 

I got them each different deodorant varieties (SnickerDudel and LumberSnack) so they can have their own signature scent, which apparently is a big deal. Even better, I got them shipped from Amazon. Easy peasy. 

Monopoly Deal: Harry Potter Card Edition

This fast-paced card game is great for some quick family fun, because even my too-cool-for-school dudes will spare 15 minutes to play. Ages 8 and Up, 2 to 5 Players, Travel Size. It's only $5.99 too.

If yours aren't Harry Potter fans their is also traditional Monopoly Deal, which we have too, and thankfully does NOT take hours like the real board game. There is even an NFL edition as well.

Nike Everyday Cushioned Training Crew Socks 

I don't know about you, but my boys get holes in their socks like every other day. Yet, they insist on having heavy black crew Nike or Puma socks (we live in Florida) and they aren't cheap. Instead of getting them whenever, I plan to put Nike socks in their stocking this year. The gift that keeps on giving. 

Gatorade Gx Bottles 

I spend more time cleaning water bottles than I do on dishes. Two boys bringing water bottles to school and soccer, equals about 4 stinky containers to wash and leave out to dry, just to do it all over again the next day. *sigh*

But my boys really love the GX bottles for easy squeezing, plus they look "drip" and can go through the metal detectors at school without them having to remove them from their bags with their laptops (the world we live in now-a-days). They also come with an ID ring that you can easily write their names on. 

Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds 

These in Ear Headphones come in different colors and are under $25 on Amazon.

 The white ones look like they are Bose or Apple too and features 9+ hours of playtime in each earbud and 26+ extra hours from the charging case. 

Unless you want to spring for Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds for $89, but they aren't even noise canceling and I'm afraid they will lose them. 

Personalized Sports Ornament 

You can pick the sport, jersey color, name, and number to be added. I got one for both of my boys displaying their soccer numbers. 

CR7 Cologne 

I'm telling you it's all about the signature scent and my boys love Soccer. One of it's biggest stars, Christian Ronaldo, has several affordable colognes that look tough too. They already have the big 7 one, so I'm looking to get one of his many others. All are under $40, luckily. 

My twins like displaying their bottles and even the boxes by their vanity and in their bathroom. 

NeeDoh Squeeze Cube

Fun to squeeze, squish, and stretch in your hands and it's not sticky either like slime. My boys loved their NeeDoh cubes, but TSA confiscated them considering it a liquid, when it's not, ugh. They even brought them to sleepaway camp with them this summer. I plan to slip one each in their stockings and expect them to be back in their school backpacks again next year. I kinda want one for my desk, lol. 

Portable Charger Power Bank

With all their devices and cables, it feels like they could always use some extra juice. I like that the Anker ones are small, convenient and plugs directly into their phones or ipads. Great for travel and in their backpacks for school. Plus, no more excuses that their phone is dead when I'm trying to call them, lol. 

More ideas:

Holiday Gift Guide for PreSchool Boys

Holiday Toys for Active Boys

5 Unplugged STEM Travel Toys for Younger Boys & Girls

Coolest NEW Games & Toys From Sweet Suite 

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Coolest NEW Games & Toys at #SweetSuite23

Hosted by the Toy Insider, Sweet Suite is a legendary toy party for members of the press and top-tier digital influencers (apparently that's me!). 

At Sweet Suite 2023, we got an up-close peak at the coolest new toys, collectibles, video games, and more. Some are yet to be released but are expected to be among the hottest best sellers this fall and holiday season. 

My boys (10-years-old) tried them out and here are the ones that stood out. 

New must-have toys and games:

Nintendo 

Nintendo's booth & lounge area was definitely the hang-out for my boys. I kept finding them rocking on a gaming chair playing new Nintendo Switch games like Pikmin 4, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land™ Deluxe and Everybody 1-2 Switch! As well as ...

Disney's Illusion Island

We are Nintendo Switch and Disney fans, so when you combine the two, yippee! My boys kept going back to this demo station to play it again and again throughout the party. They could also play with each other and they picked it up fast, which was great.

Join Mickey & Friends on a quest to explore the mysterious island of Monoth and recover three mystical books to save the world from disaster! Play as Mickey & Friends (Donald, Goofy, etc). Choose your favorite character and unlock special abilities as you perform high-flying platforming feats, solve fun puzzles, and take on epic boss battles.

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza Game

This card game is fast-paced, interactive and fun for the whole family. I've also played it with just adults as a silly ice-breaker too, but it quickly became competitive, haha! 

Simply go in order saying Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, and Pizza. Then when what you say matches the card shown, slap the pile. The last one to slap has to collect all the cards. The fewer cards, the better. 

There are also 3 Special cards that spice up the game Panda, Moose, and Flapjack. When these appear you have to do correlating sounds and movements before you can slap the pile. 

Great for travel too as it's just a deck of cards. 

boop

This MENSA Select winner is a deceptively cute, deceivingly challenging strategy game for two. Or as it says on the box, "a very thinky game for 2 clever cats." 

It's like chess, but with cats and different movements. My boys played on-site with the Smirk & Dagger team, and again the next morning against each other. They already enjoy chess and anything with cats we're all for. 

Photo from @thetoyinsider & @williamthomasphoto

Basically, every time you place a kitten on the bed, it goes “boop.” Which is to say that it pushes every other kitten on the board one space away. Line up three kittens in a row to graduate them into cats… and then, get three cats in a row to win.

It's so popular that it keeps going out of stock, but only $35 once it's available again. 

Snuggle Puppy 

Snuggle Puppy is a heartbeat stuffed toy for anxiety relief. You can actually feel a heartbeat pulsing when you hug this plush.

Originally designed to calm dogs by mimicking a warm, comfortable, furry best friend, this product also comforts children with anxiety, sensory issues, etc. 

Magnatab Minis

Hear the click, so satisfying! These magnet-shaped keychains come with a mini stylus that lets you bring magnetic balls to the surface and then swipe them away to do it again. 

We got yellow lightning bolt-shaped ones to attach to my boys' backpacks, but I think I want one for my purse, especially the avocado design, lol. 

Fingerlings

Fingerlings love to hang onto your finger and respond to sound, motion, and touch. These interactive pets are adorable and come with 70+ cute sounds and reactions from singing to laughing to showing you their love.

Meet baby pet monkey Leo! 

Blow them kisses and they will kiss you back. Hang them upside-down by the tail and watch them monkey around. Pet them to sleep or make a loud noise and watch them get excited. 

Stomp Racers by Stomp Rocket 

If your home is like ours, you're probably already familiar with Stomp Rockets, where you can launch foam rockets into the air. 

Now you can send cars racing too. This new set comes with 2 Race Cars and 2 Launch Pads to stomp on to send your cars racing. Perfect for indoor or outdoor play. 

Hurry Up Chicken Butt - Kids Party Game by Exploding Kittens

Kitten Games is already known for making quirky and addictive game for all ages like Exploding Kittens, but now they are releasing new line of games designed for kids ages 4 and up. Where were these when my boys were younger? Luckily, they can still play these since it's great for the whole family. 

Hurry Up Chicken Butt is a twist on the old hot potato game, here though players must complete a goofy challenge before they’re able to pass the clucking, chicken-shaped dice shaker globe. Just don’t get caught holding it stops clucking or you're out. The instructions are easy to learn each game has an average playtime of about 10 minutes (thank you!!).

It will be available at Target on July 30, 2023, followed by a wider launch in August. 

The Floor is Lava 

It's a game a lot of kids play on their own, but this physical version of the game is even more interactive and promotes Physical Activity. Picture twister, but with more dares, leaps and challenges. 

This great game is best with 2 to 6 players who are ages 5 years old and up. Boys and girls alike will enjoy this game which comes with 25 colored foam “safety stones”, 27 challenge cards, game spinner, and instructions. For example, my son spun Yellow and had to jump to a yellow foam square as well as complete an activity like dancing, etc.

Now available from Goliath Games. 

Gift Box Ornament Decorator 

The Gift Box Ornament Decorator is an exciting DIY product that allows you to make hand-decorated ornaments for your Christmas tree! The best part is you can decorate a variety of ornament styles -  from traditional ball and teardrop to ones shaped like snowmen. 

Simply place the included markers onto the ornament as the decorator spins - creating all types of brightly colored ornaments! Plus - it’s truly mesmerizing, relaxing and fun to do. Great way for little ones to make unique holiday gifts for their family too.

Cats Vs Pickels and Pop Soft Plush

We have long since been fans of Cats Vs Pickles mystery bean bags. We have the cornhole set to and at least 30 collected so far. 

Now, the brand has Pop Soft Plush mystery bags.  Inside each mystery bag, you'll discover a surprise plush with elephants, sea turtles, and unicorns, which are super cuddly, vibrant plush toys that are covered in fantastic patterns and filled with love, beans and fluff (that's a technical term). Each PAS character has a unique colorful design and are great to snuggle with. Even my husband wanted the Sugar Skull patterned mighty elephant. They're so cute and squishy - like a mini emotional pet zoo! Find these adorable mystery bags at TARGET beginning July 30th.

Faction Gel Bead Blaster 

Gel bead or orbeez guns are already popular, but faction is a bead-blasting powerhouse where every real-world action is tracked by Facbion Battle App with GPS. Create and configure battle zones in seconds, and activate the Bluetooth-connected Smart Beacon for target practice or battle. Available on Amazon now, and in July at Walmart and Target. 

GooToobz

These nostalgic sensory games are easily portable and fun to squish and play. 

Photo from @thetoyinsider & @williamthomasphoto

Soon they are coming out with ones that are similar to the water ones I grew up with where you have to get a bead into a hoop or slot, but an updated version with more challenges and interchangeable backdrops. 

Shape Shifting Puzzle Box

Unlike other puzzles that are done once you solve them, the patented, award-winning Shashibo Sensory box features 36 magnets for an innovative design that transforms into over 70 shapes. 

I was surprised at how much my boys liked these boxes and have been playing with them since. They will put them in a complicated shape and have us solve it and sometimes I'm able to put it back into the box form quickly and other times I'm embarrassed at how bad I'm at it, lol. 

Great for car trips and fidgety hands too. 

Pin it: Hot New Toys and Games of 2023:

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Quarantine Board Games & Projects for Little Learners

Play is our brain's favorite way of learning. It has a deep impact on our cognitive, social, developmental and academic skills. Play stimulates children's learning abilities by fostering creativity, which builds critical thinking, sparks intellectual curiosity and facilitates learning by doing

It's week number who knows, and I'm tired of my kids watching TV and playing on their iPad.

By this time families have gone through all their classic board games and are itching for something new and exciting to try.

Below are some tried and true gems that are perfect for Pre-K thru third grade and fun for the whole family. Twin-boy tested and this mom-approved for family game nights/days and hands-on fun.

At-Home Board Games for Active Young Kids

Sneaky Snacky Squirrel 

This is a perfect first board game for toddlers and years later it's still one of my boys' favorites. Even our kitty Taffy likes to play by hitting the spinner.

Best of all, the rounds are quick and easy to understand. This game also teaches children to take turns, colors, counting and general game basics. Using the squirrel tong squeezer can help to develop fine motor skills for handwriting too.

 

Ooze Labs: Colorful Crystal Lab 

Let your child explore the natural beauty and wonder of crystals by growing them yourself in many different shapes and colors! 

This kit lets you set up your lab station — complete with beakers, test tubes, centrifuge, display dome, and more — and use safe, non-toxic crystal salts to conduct more than ten experiments in crystal formation. 

You can even make red, pink, blue, purple, and clear crystals using the spinning centrifuge! After you’ve completed the experiments in the kit, continue your crystal growing adventures using the cool lab setup and common materials from around your home. Ages 6+.

My boys are really into rocks and crystals so it was great having them learn the science behind it. They also especially proud to have grown these ones.

Banana Blast 

Players pull bananas from the treetop...until the monkey jumps! Keeps kids engaged because every player gets a chance to catch the monkey A game of mounting excitement, reflexes, and hand-to-eye coordination For 2-5 players, ages 4 and up.

Spot It

Award-winning game of visual perception for the whole family. Between any two cards there is always one and only one matching symbol, so spot it fast and slap the cards to win. 

Frenzied fun for 2 to 8 players. Develops focus, visual perception skills, speech-language skills, and fine motor skills. Includes 55 cards and illustrated rules in a durable travel-size tin that you can easily take with you, when we can all travel again, lol. 

There are many editions of Spot It too from Frozen, MLB, Finding Nemo, etc.

Shady Pets Card Game

If you love pets, you'll love this game! Recently Ranked #1 on Amazon's Hot New Releases! (Apr. 15, 2020) and originally released on Kickstarter raising 34k. The cards also feature real pets with shades on (glasses) and even two celeb Instagram cats too. 

Shady Pets is like Clue and Uno except you have to deal with flying octopuses and naked turtles! You have to steal, take, show, sneak peek, expose, ambush, stop other players, grab and even throw an occasional octopus at an opponent on your way to victory. As players take turns, the game gets more intense because, just like you, everyone is getting closer to solving the mystery pets, yet who is going play the best game, collect the most points and win the game? The perfect gift for adults, teens and kids! Takes 5 minutes to learn, 15-20 minutes to play, is for 2-5 players (ages 7+) and includes 84 cards. 

You can buy an optional Octopus plush to throw too. There is also a NSFW version for adults only. 

Pop The Pig 

Top-selling preschool game with over 200 million views on YouTube Players take turns rolling the die, feeding the pig, and pushing down on his head Each pump makes his belly grow bigger, bigger, and bigger until... POP! Teaches numbers, colors, and counting For 2-6 players, ages 4 and up.

Gator Golf 

Can't go out to putt putt now? No problem, you can bring minigolf home, where a hole-in-one is a lot more fun with Gator Golf!

Take the game safely inside without the miniature golf crowds or expensive fees. Hit the ball into the Gator's mouth to score, and he'll toss your ball back with his tail for more golfing fun. The first time it shot the ball back to us we all squealed with glee. Be the first player to score three points to win Active game helps develop large motor skills and gets kids moving indoors.

For 2-4 players, ages 3 and up. As they get older you can move the gator farther and farther away and even throw in some obstacle along the way.

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5 Unplugged STEM Travel Toys for Younger Boys & Girls

We've been doing a lot of road trips this summer and now that we no longer have a minivan (holla! 🙌) we need to work harder to keep the boys entertained during our rides.

While it's easier and quieter to just hand them an iPad and headphones, it's not exactly the unplugged and engaged family trip that we had growing up. But if you are intending to get a set of headphones for these occasions, do check out this list of best active noise-cancelling headphones this year.

There are numerous great travel toys on the market, including adaptive toys for children with special needs. Along with tons of snacks and limited water (fewer bathroom breaks), I've been packing the following travel toys for my boys. Bonus, they won't dirty your car and kids love them too! Win/win.

Unplugged STEAM Travel Toys for Kids Ages 3 to 10

BRIO Take Along Labyrinth: 

Almost like a video game, but not, younger children can play with this portable marble labyrinth by themselves or take turns with their sibling and friends. Warning: dad will likely want a turn too, lol! It requires concentration, dexterity and is surprisingly addictive. The Take Along Labyrinth is two-sided and completely sealed, making it especially ideal for travel. It's also lightweight, durable and quality made. Ages 3+

Hasbro Connect 4  & ThinkFun Stratos Spheres Game - 

If you have more than one child, the family favorite Connect 4 Grab and Go Travel Size Game can have them playing nice together for awhile or at least the best out of three. Better yet if there is a rematch!

If you want to take the classic game to another level though, try Statos Spheres, the perfect game for your lower elementary aged children. Work on visual-spatial skills while creating a 3D game from the classic connect four game. Builds logic skills, visual perception and strategy. With no game board and game-go bag, it's perfect for travel.

Kid O Magnatab 

The Magnatab is a wonderful learning tool that provides an immersive, early writing lesson. While my boys know and can write their ABC's their penmanship needs work (I should talk! lol) especially lower case letters. Following the directional arrows, kids can use the magnetized pen to trace over the letters or numbers and the beads will pop to the surface with an audible click revealing the shape. They can do this over and over again too, by pressing the balls back down with their fingers and start over. The balls are completely self-contained and stay securely in the board, so great for travel too.  There are three different boards available - upper case letters, lower case letters and numbers.

Melissa & Doug On the Go Water Wow! 

It's watercolor painting without the mess! Kids simply trace over the thick pages with their water-filled brush and suddenly color is revealed with each stroke. Eventually, it fades once dry and kids can start to color all over again. This is a favorite travel toy for Logan who especially enjoys coloring and arts and crafts. The only problem is sometimes the water will leak from the pen and you also have to remember to fill the brush with water at some point, but it only holds a little amount, so the leaking is minimal and you can refill at any water fountain or bathroom sink along the way.   

Crayola Color Wonder Coloring Pad & Markers 

Don't worry, color wonder markers work only on special paper and will not stain your child's clothes, fingers, car seat or your car either. Phew! It's more coloring fun without the mess. However, once these pages are filled in, you can NOT reuse them. The markers will work on other Color Wonder pages though and most packs provide numerous pages that end up lasting us both legs of our journey. They also sell blank pages where kids can draw whatever they want instead of just using a coloring book.

Stomp Rockets

I know this doesn't sound like it would do well for traveling, but the stand folds up and the rockets are foam, so it's all very lightweight. Perfect for a camping trip to provide outdoor, unplugged, group fun. I especially love that it gets my boys playing together and outside. Plus, children can learn through play with concepts like trajectory, wind, force, and aerodynamics at work. You can also get the accompanying Stompin' Science book with cool STEM experiments and information that you can do with your rockets. Ages 5+ (parents will have fun with this toy too). 

Disclaimer: The above post contains Amazon affiliate links. I also received the BRIO Labyrinth, Stomp Rockets and Water Wow pads gratis for an honest review and coverage consideration. 

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