£20 gift for a 13 year old boy I don't know?

[ecuse]

I'm doing one of those 'buy a vulnerable kid a christmas present' things. I have been assigned a 13 year old boy. I have very little experience of 13yo boys!

I obviously can't assume he will have things like playstations etc so games are out of the question.

What do 13 year old boys like? It's a tricky age, insofar as I assume it's a bit old for toys, but non-toy gifts probably rely a bit more on knowing personal preferences.

I can't decide whether a voucher would be good because he can choose something he really wants, or bad because it might not be very fun to unwrap.

Thoughts?

Agree a v tricky age (I have one at home!). I would do a voucher plus something to unwrap in the situation.

Ripleys book, chocolates or sweets and a tenner amazon voucher - done!

Or an over door basketball net thing that costs under a tenner, the new Now CD, headphones, guiness book of records, christmas socks...

Or look at www.wickeduncle.co.uk for inspiration. I've been finding ideas for nephews on there.

I would probably choose from Christmas sweets, cheap headphones/mini speaker, or a voucher for a high street shop.

I agree it's really difficult without knowing personal preferences!

I reckon you can't go wrong with a voucher but wrapped up with some sweets (so say maybe a £15 voucher and a giant choc bar or the like).

ooh, yes, voucher plus a little thing to unwrap might be a good compromise. thanks!

If he's vulnerable though will he have access to spend a voucher?.. internet etc. Without knowing what he's into it's hard. Maybe a jd voucher that he can spend in store.

Lego for that age range

Probably too old for
Lego. Voucher and chocolate/cinema vouchers?

Rubik's cube a voucher and sweeties

Some of the schemes don't allow food gifts so I would avoid sweets.

Wind up radio?
Football and pump?
Nanoblocks?

I wouldn't get a voucher as you dot know his circumstances and often spending a voucher can make you reliant on things you may not be able to control. Travelling, accessing the internet etc.

I'd get him a comic or a graphic novel, drawing book, fineliner pens, sweets, a hat.

Oh god, I am paralysed by indecision.

I think maybe a voucher for a real shop (that exists locally) rather than online because of good points about internet access.

I actually would much rather buy a proper present, and lots of good ideas above, but so hard when you don't know their interests. He might like football, or drawing, or both, or neither.

I'm probably over-thinking this

I have a 13 year old boy, and a 13 year old step son - and honestly in this situation, vulnerable often means neglected or escaping domestic violence (therefore having no possessions). So here's what I would do.

Get him [THIS/www.sportsdirect.com/adidas-3-stripe-gymsack-703062?colcode=70306203]

And fill it with [THIS/www.sportsdirect.com/dunlop-work-sock-5-pack-mens-414010?colcode=41401003]

And [THIS/www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=293612801&sc_cmp=ppc--sh--msh--bg--px_%7c_shopping_gsc_%7c_seasonal-_-&gclid=CjwKEAiAg5_CBRDo4o6e4o3NtG0SJAB-IatYY_4cVd4eCaQxcwhcuJqFcLXvwFGHKxk_9OMm6NtBHxoCCpzw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds]

The branded-ness of the bag is the important bit, a teenager can be very upset carrying off-brand things all the time, no matter how silly adults know they are being. I have known a boy that age skip lunch for weeks to save up his lunch money to buy a branded bag.

Socks - cheap shoes are cold shoes and vulnerable teens are not driven everywhere.

Deodorant - a boy whose parent/carer has temporarily dropped the ball might need some encouragment to wash and smell nice, and he will feel better once he does.

That leaves you a few quid for a selection box, which all teenagers love, more so than smaller kids. He will eat it for breakfast on christmas day.

I did this for a 15 year old boy and went for a cinema voucher, some juggling balls and a selection pack

I like the bag idea and/ or a flat peaked cap which is a cheap way of wearing 'designer' stuff.

I definitely wouldn't get a voucher as you don't know if it could be taken off him/ sold for cash. And I wouldn't buy toys as 13 is a bit old and he may have been forced to grow up even quicker.