Running out of ideas for a birthday present is nothing to be embarrassed about. Each loving parent finds himself in that situation more or less often. Considering the amount of toys and games currently available in the shops, it is no wonder that sometimes a little nervousness is involved in finding a gift for your child. We want to share a few tips with you today that will hopefully reduce the stress and make everyone happy. Last minute shopping is probably the worst thing that can happen to a parent. If you remember the movie "Jingle All the Way", you probably know what I'm talking about.

It shouldn't be that way at all. Keep your mind constantly open for potential goodies regardless of how far the birthday actually is. Time is the most precious thing we got and when there's not enough of it somebody will suffer. Designate a "top shelf" or a secret hiding place where no-one can gain access to and use it for storing the gifts. Buying them early will mean that you will be able to enjoy the party almost as much as the birthday boy. Finding birthday gifts for boys is in fact a big challenge. Young kids rarely know what's good for them and spoiling children with expensive computer games is probably not the best thing to do. It is a prerogative of a parent to choose how will child's imagination and perception develop.

Overexposing a young kid to too much violence and pre-determined situations that don't require any imagination (like in the computer games), can leave a negative impact in the long run. Variety of things - educational toys, books, activity kits - that require interaction from the kid will nurture the creativity and ability to make sensible decisions in the adulthood. Retail prices for the same product can easily fluctuate by as much as 50%. People who don't shop around for the best price usually end up paying more than it's necessary. The same applies to birthday gifts for boys. If you follow the first tip we just talked about, you will have plenty of time to look for the best price. Check the newspapers regularly for discount coupons and check various online shops to find the best price. Some sellers will artificially inflate the price just because they know that there will be people who never check and never compare. Don't be one of them - make a wise shopping decision.

Not only do they look super cool, you can feel good knowing that your kid can easily be seen when riding at night. The lights are available in blue, green, multicolor, pink, red, and white, so you can choose your child’s favorite color, a set to match his bike, or you can mix and match. Note that the set only includes enough lights for one tire, so you will need to purchase two sets if you want lights for both wheels. Buy the Activ Life LED Bike Wheel Lights here. If you have a kid who loves puzzles, maps, or both, this is a great Christmas gift. The 60-piece puzzle features a map of the USA, with each state cut-out in its actual shape. Each of the states also has a couple of key historical landmarks or animals that are associated with the state, so it’s a nice educational tool.

This also makes the puzzle interactive, as you can talk about the history of the USA with your kid as you complete the puzzle. The puzzle is 16.5 inches by 12.75 inches so it’s a good size for small fingers, and it’s made with cardboard. Buy the MasterPieces Explorer Kids Puzzle USA Map here. If your son is the jokester of the family, set him up for comedic success with this hilarious Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids book. The book is full of knock-knock jokes that provide hours of entertainment for kids. The jokes are simple enough that kids understand them, but they’re still funny for adults as well. Not only will your boy love this gift, it’s a present for you as well every time you hear your kids crack up at a simple joke.

Buy the Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids here. This set of six army soldiers is great for boys who love to play army or war. The figures in the set are about 10.5 centimeters tall, and they each come with a weapon and have a different look. The head, arms, and legs can move, so unlike figures that are stationary, you can realistically play with these army men. The weapons are removable, so you can switch up which soldier has which weapon as you play. Buy the HAPTIME Action Figure Army Soldiers here. It’s no secret that many boys are obsessed with Minecraft. Bring the video game to life with this 30-piece papercraft set, which allows you to create different characters and blocks from the game with paper.

The paper arrives flat, but you are then able to fold and shape each sheet so that it looks like a figure from the game. You can then play with the paper figures like you play the video game, which gives the kids a nice screen time break. These also make great decorations for a Minecraft room or birthday party. Buy the Minecraft Papercraft Hostile Mobs Set here. Games make fun Christmas gifts, especially hilarious games like this one. Speak Out includes 200 double-sided cards and 10 mouthpieces. You break up into teams, and one player will put a mouthpiece in their mouth and read the funny phrase on the card while the rest of the team tries to guess what they are saying.

The mouthpieces are positioned in a way that don’t allow you to close your mouth, which adds to the hilarity. It’s a game that’s fun for all ages, so everyone in the family can get involved. Boys especially love this game, as the mouthpieces allow them to be silly and crazy as part of the game. 21.99, this is a Christmas steal. Buy the Hasbro Speak Out Game here. If your little tike loves to build, this LEGO 3-in-1 kit will be a hit. The Lego Creator Blue Express Building Kit allows you to create a tank engine, carriage, or fast train, all from the same pieces.

The set comes with six wheels, two buffers and a front light, so it’s good for younger kids as there aren’t too many pieces. And since there are three ways to form these pieces, you could purchase a few different kits and put them together to create a whole train. Buy the LEGO Creator Blue Express 3-in-1 Building Kit here. If your elementary-aged boy hasn’t started reading Captain Underpants yet, he’s missing out. The Adventures of Captain Underpants series is great for beginning readers, and it provides a lot of action and a lot of laughs. The series includes 12 books, but this is the first book and the obvious place to start.

The book has both pictures and words, so it’s an easy read and perfect for even the most reluctant readers. Buy The Adventures of Captain Underpants here. This Christmas gift combines two of every boy’s favorite things: LEGOs and Star Wars. The Star Wars watch features Luke Skywalker on the face, and the band on the watch looks like LEGO pieces. The cool thing is you can actually build the watch yourself as each of the links hook together, and there are 12 additional watch links included. The watch face has an analogue display, so it’s also good for kids who are learning how to tell time. Buy the LEGO Watches Star Wars Luke Skywalker Kids Watch here.

Clothes aren’t exactly the most exciting gift to open for boys, but sometimes it’s a needed gift during Christmas time. This tee is actually super cool (and a little silly), as it has a hidden picture on the inside of the shirt. The outside says "Ask me about my T-Rex," and the inside reveals a T-Rex head when flipped up over your head. The shirt is available to blue, grey, green and red, and comes in youth sizes small to extra large. Made of pre-shrunk cotton, it’s really soft and lightweight to wear. Buy the Crazy Dog T-Shirts Ask Me About My T-Rex Flip Tee here. This ring toss game is super fun, both indoors and out.

The mat folds out and five target posts pop up, so it’s easy to transport around the house or outside. Six soft rings are included, and it’s a simple game that can be played alone or with friends. For older kids, you could even assign points to each of the posts to make it a scored game. The game also comes with a storage bag, so it’s easy to fold up and put away when you’re all finished. Buy the Diggin PopOut Ring Toss here. Play to your boy’s creative side with this wooden cars build and paint kit. There are enough materials within the kit to build and design three cars, including paint and stickers. Each of the cars is made with 100% real wood, so you can be sure they will last a long time.

Whether you choose to make the cars display pieces or play pieces, the cars provide a lot of fun. If you don’t love the car look, the same type of kit is available for rescue vehicles and a wooden train (found at the same link below). Buy the Made by Me Build & Paint Wooden Cars here. If you have a mad scientist in your midst, this is a cool (and cheap) Christmas gift. The science kit comes with 20 different pieces that allow you to perform different chemical science experiments, and each one is totally safe for kids. This is also a fun project to do together, especially if you are giving it to a younger child (the kit is recommended for kids six years and up).

If you’re looking for a Christmas gift that’s a break from all the toys and is educational and fun, this is a great option. Buy the Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit here. Football fanatics will get a kick out of this flyer, as it’s pocket-sized. The nerf football has an aerodynamic stick connected on the back that allows for lots of air time, but the entire thing is still super small. It’s fun for playing pass or starting a pick-up game, and since it’s miniature sized, you can easily pack it in a sweatshirt pocket or backpack. Buy the Hasbro Nerf Pocket Aero Flyer here. This cheap Christmas gift is ideal for an aspiring Harry Houdini. This magic set has 20 easy tricks that range from making candy disappear to a magic cat puzzle.

The kit also comes with an instruction book and instructional DVD, so your kiddo can learn and perfect the tricks as they go through each of the steps. This truly is a beginner’s magic trick, as you can start as early as four years old. This is an unexpected gift that will provide hours of entertainment. Buy the Ideal My First Magic Set here. 9 Best Christmas Nativity Sets: Which Is Right for You? This hatch and grow egg set provides tons of fun, as you place the eggs in water and wait for the animals to hatch and grow. Each of the eggs takes about 24-36 hours to crack, and close to 48 hours to fully hatch. Then, you can continue to watch the animals grow by leaving them in the water, or take them out to play.

The animals will shrink once out of the water, but you can place them back in and they will grow again. The key to good growth is fresh water, so make sure you change it out every day. The set includes three different sea creatures: a shark, a turtle, and a blue crab. Buy the Animal Planet Hatch and Grow Sea Creatures here. Heavy, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. Our product recommendations are guided solely by our editors. We have no relationship with manufacturers.

Buying last minute gifts for brothers, son, nephews, and young cousins is easy with this quick list. We’ve included a broad array of options for boys of all ages. These gifts are bound to please young dudes that are adventurous, fun-loving, and/or electronically-inclined. Some of these gifts are popular, others are just plain awesome. No matter what you choose, the recipient of your gifts will open something up Christmas morning that will leave them with the joy of Christmas! Here’s the 10 best last minute Christmas gifts for boys. For those looking to interest the young men in their lives in robotics and software development, the Anki Cozmo is an awesome way to do so.

It includes "Code Lab" a platform that allows kids to program the robot to do tasks like express emotions, play games, lift cubes, and more. Also, Anki is constantly updating Cozmo’s skills to add new and exciting features. This is a great gift for the STEM-minded. If you’re looking to interesting the receipient of your mangnamity in programming or video game creation, this Bloxels kit offers an extremely fun way to do so. It is a winner of numerous toy awards and is shockingly robust for a toy. The app works with Android, iOS and Kindle and can be used to develop levels, characters and more. Plus, creators of levels within the games can be shared online, adding a social element to the process. This is a great kit and an extremely exciting unique gift.

For those boys looking to get started playing with drones, a better starter drone does not exist. This Holy Stone model is dirt cheap and offers a ton of fun and value for the price. Sure, it’s not quite a Phantom 4, but it will really set one up to establish themselves as a drone dabbler or someone who is ready to take the plunge to the real thing. As someone whose father loves drones, I can strongly vouch that as fun as they are, one should definitely start with a beginner model to get a feel for them. This will also help set up the right expectations for the real deal.

This drone offers solid speed and good control. That said, it’s not exactly easy to fly. It does take some learning and practice. Needless to say, it’s not wind resistant either. That said, it beats a kite! Users love it for its durability (it can take a fall or a hit) and the fun that comes with it. Again, this is the perfect toy to get started droning with. For younger boys, the Leapfrog laptop is the gift of the moment. It offers a fun, tactile way to learn things like the Alphabet, play games, and to learn animal games. Parents love it for its solid durability, and a great teaching tool for young kids (toddler age). The games and activities are very accessible and fun for the preschool crowd and bound to keep even picky kids busy Christmas morning and hopefully afternoon.

Legos are a timeless Christmas tradition. This set is amazing evoking Pirates of the Carribean and other classic ship dwellers. This set boasts tons of figurines, a variety of accessories, and of course, a mind-blowing watercraft to please even the most discerning Lego enthusiasts. It’s praised for its intricate details, high number of pieces (over 2000), and legendary Lego durability. For Star Wars fans, BB-8 has captured many of our hearts. This particular version of him is about 16″ tall and can be controlled in a variety of ways. He can respond to multiple voice commands, and can be steered around with a remote control.