Best Gifts for 9 Year Old Boys

I think this woodland camouflage ghillie suit is one of the best gifts for 9 year old boys I've seen in a long while. I didn't know they actually made them for boys - but I guess if your 9-year-old likes playing the action man outdoors or enjoys the adventure of hunting with dad, then this could well turn out to be his favorite thing.

But sadly, this page of best gifts for boys is not about action or adventure, it's about discovery and education. "Boooo!", I hear you say (maybe), "Where's the fun in that?" "Aha!", I reply, if you think the gifts shown here are gonna be boring, you ain't seen nothing yet...

Gifts for 9 Year Old Boys to Discover

#1. The best gifts in life are free - or at least found!

If you're a parent or grandparent that never had a metal detector when you were a kid, then what better reason to get this as a gift for the boy you're buying for. I say this, because most adults I know (especially the males) always wanted to be pirates, treasure hunters or adventurous archaeologists when they were young. But, that's just my opinion. The opinion of reviewers who have invested in this metal detector for their boys have said that it's the perfect size and weight for the age-range, it works well and is great fun.

This Bounty Hunter Junior Metal Detector features an LCD screen, pinging sound to indicate signal strength, a trowel with pouch, coin wallet, coin folder, coin guide and magnifier. In fact, pretty much everything they'll need to get started on a metal-detecting treasure hunt, straight out the box.


Bounty Hunter Educational Junior Metal Detector

Give your 9-year-old boy the thrill of searching the backyard, beach or park for buried treasure.

As an added bonus, metal detectors can improve listening, visual and direction following skills, along with the virtues of patience!

#2. Proof that boys love to focus on the details

When I was a boy, I actually bought my own microscope, and it was one of the most fascinating things I think I ever owned. Just seeing objects around us close up really added a new perspective on the world. Nature, science, what stuff is made of - a microscope like this has got it all to offer. I remember literally spending hours peering down the eyepiece in awe at the intricacies of all things small.

This particular model is one of my best gifts for 9 year old boys, because it's a best-seller and comes very highly rated. What's more, it's absolutely ideal for parents or grandparents looking for a gift that doesn't make noise and doesn't promote boys spending time on the couch.

My First Lab Duo-Scope Microscope

My First Lab Duo-Scope Microscope is the winner of no less than four Creative Child Magazine awards, for either Top Toy or Product of the Year. It features three magnification settings up to 400X, with real optical-grade glass, and comes with an extensive 50-piece kit of accessories.

Whether it's a tiny insect's hairy legs, plant cells, things that lurk on the surface of fruit or even, gulp, a sample from your own body, the Duo-Scope Microscope is designed to provide hours of fun and learning through discovery of the world-at-large. Okay, world-at-small!

#3. What 9 year old boys don't like the stars?

That's the stars in the Universe, not the celebrity type. However, having just said that, it's amazing how boys find that the people they admire aren't necessarily the ones on the covers of magazines or on the movie screen. Be it their favorite teacher, their favorite author, their parents or grandparents, it's all about being inspirational - and if they've found inspiration by the time they're nine, that's probably one of the best gifts they could have.

Now, talking about stars in the Universe, I'd better get back to subject of my next pick of best gifts, and that's a telescope. But it's not just any old telescope - this is the Celestron FirstScope. Celestron are one of the world's most famous and respected manufacturer's of telescopes, from beginner's models like this right up to instruments used by professional astronomers. In fact, when I was studying astrophysics at college (this is actually true), I was using Celestron telescopes. Aaahhh... that brings back some memories...


Celestron FirstScope Telescope

It's sturdy. It's portable. It's a Dobsonian Reflector telescope. Okay, I didn't quite expect you to understand what that last bit meant, but if you did get it then well done - you know your scopes.

If you're looking for a good quality beginner's telescope at a good price, that's easy for boys to set up and use, then I can't recommend another telescope as good as this. Just point and focus to see amazing views of the moon, planets and stars.

Gifts for Boys Who Like Weird Science

#4. "Cool", "Random", or other words boys use these days!

Now, for fear of showing my age, I can actually remember the movie Weird Science. I know... but as you can also see from my knowledge of the words boys use nowadays to express that things are good, you know that I'm equally a man of the times! Yes? No? Oh well, I tried. But, joking aside, I think some of the best gifts are those that require a little bit of effort to appreciate, and as a result of that effort then offer up the reward of a real wow-factor. The first of my selections here that I think achieves this is slimy.

Sci-Fi Slime is one of those science kits that's been popular for years. Probably since around the time those two teenage boys were conjuring up Kelly LeBrock. Anyway, such timeless amusement can only mean that it's good stuff, cool and can certainly behave a little randomly. Making the effort to appreciate what's going on when producing slime with this kit is surprizingly educational - learn the science behind hydrophilic polymers while mixing up slime!

Scientific Explorer Sci-Fi Slime Science Kit

Boys can create slime in their own slime lab. It's fun, educational and is a cool activity for school science projects or for when friends come around. The Sci-Fi Slime Science Kit includes everything your 9-year-old will need to make color changing slime, magnetic slime, glow-in-the-dark slime and more, along with an activity guide containing detailed instructions and interesting facts.

It's also one of the series of home science kits based on the nationally recognized Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) program.

#5. The best gifts are often hidden treasures

I think everyone must know what a geode is - they've probably been the mainstay of show-and-tell since school first started, and I've seen lots of different ones in my time. For a quick description of what they actually are, they're a rock that contains a hollow pocket which is lined with crystals. The crystals themselves can vary in size and color and the pocket was formed by a bubble of lava trapped in the rock millions of years ago. That's pretty much it in a nutshell.

Just like a nutshell, this Break Your Own Geode kit, by Ancient Treasure Adventures, allows your 9-year-old to crack open a real geode rock to reveal the gems inside that are much pretty. I'd suggest a little adult supervision is definitely required, maybe some safety goggles and some firm action to get it open.


Break Your Own Geode - Ancient Treasure Adventures

These things really are the size of tennis balls, so they're not too large (or small) to display anywhere around the home. Breaking your own geode and identifying the minerals inside is a fun family activity.

The kit includes instructions on how to break the geode and a guide to what you'll see inside. If you're really serious about wanting to show it off, then you should be able to find a rock shop to cut your geode professionally for a small charge.

#6. Khet 2.0 is a great game for 9-year-old boys

Not so long ago, lasers were considered weird science, but nowadays they're so commonplace that most people don't even notice them. In fact, the number of uses for lasers is somewhat staggering - from medical devices, to DVD players, to communications, to espionage, to light shows, to scientific research... the list could go on and on. But, for my next selection of the best gifts for 9 year old boys, the entertainment provided by lasers is in the form of a game.

The Laser Game, Khet 2.0 is as interesting and challenging as it is clever and unique. It's at version 2.0 after having been redesigned from the original, and extremely popular, Khet. As for the gameplay itself, it's kinda difficult to describe without giving too much away, other than that it's all about geometry. As for learning the rules - they're simple. If your 9 year old boy can play checkers, then picking up the rules to Khet should be easy. But, the challenge isn't in being able to learn the rules, it's in the complexity of strategy and the understanding of outcome. Khet is a winner of the Mensa Select award by American Mensa at the Mind Games competition.

The Laser Game: Khet 2.0

The lasers in Khet 2.0 are eye-safe, so you don't have to worry about any potential damage or mishaps. Even so, please use the game and its components in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions - which is why it has the recommended age range of 9+.

There are a number of optional add-on pieces to supplement the basic game, which are available to purchase separately. Personally, I probably wouldn't consider these until I'd honed my strategic skills a bit. This is a great game for some decent one-on-one time with a family member or friend.

Gifts for 9 Year Old Boys to Construct

#7. Know a boy that needs to brush up on his geography?

It's a sad fact (and to some extent I can hold my hand up to this as well) that many people of all ages don't have a good appreciation of where countries are in the world. Personally, I wouldn't want my boy growing up without knowing where places are or even traveling to them when he's older. Having traveled a little myself, I know that a firm grasp on geography is a must.

Anyway, without getting too over-dramatic, what better way for boys to learn about the world and all the countries in it, than for them to make their own. This puzzle Earth contains no less than 540 accurately-machined curved plastic pieces, that can be assembled together to form a solid, smooth globe. There's no glue required and when completed, the globe can be rotated on its included stand.


The Earth - 540 Piece Puzzleball

There are two stands supplied with this globe - one to help you position it when putting it together, and the other to display it off in style. The countries are up-to-date and it also comes with a reference map and instructions.

This is an excellent gift for any 9-year-old boy to learn or review his geography. It's fun, it's challenging and educational, and a good way to get other family members involved. Get ready for that state geography bee!

#8. The best electronics kit for a 9 year old boy

Do you know a 9 year old boy that just loves making different projects? If so, then this is one of the best gifts you could give them. When I was a kid, I was always making gadgets and gizmos out of anything I could find, but nowadays kits like this Electronic Snap Circuits make it easy - and when the making is easy, the mind is then free to have fun and absorb lots of stress-free learning.

The Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 contains over 60 parts that can be combined in over 300 exciting projects. It comes with an illustrated manual, which is also available online. There are no tools required, and if your boy can build with Lego, then he'll take to Snap Circuits like a duck to water. I can't think of a better way for any boy to learn electronics.

Snap Circuits SC-300

Five. That's the number of stars this kit consistently gets in reviews. As for awards, they include the National Parenting Center Seal of Approval and the Dr Toy 100 Best Children's Products - Winner. The SC-300 is just one of a whole range of Snap Circuits kits for boys and girls of all ages - each kit based on a different learning theme.

#9. What boys don't like robots?

Continuing with the gadget theme, my final selection in the list of best gifts for 9 year old boys is a robot. But, it's not just any old robot, and maybe not one that looks like anything you may have seen before. Unlike the Snap Circuits shown above, it's not electronics that power this kit - it's hydraulics. The kit comes with syringes and tubing to manipulate the arm, which can rotate around 90-degrees, raise and lower, and grab things with it's large opening claw.

This is such a cool concept for a project, whether it's for homeschooling, taking into class or for something interesting to do in spare time. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, and the pieces fit together well. I think this is a wonderful gift for boys to learn science with and is fun for all members of the family.


Pathfinders Robotic Arm

This is a home robot that you build for yourself. You'll need a ruler and some scissors to help with transforming the die-cut plywood pieces into this home-physics robotics arm. Other than that, everything else is supplied. Once they've mastered this, they'll be ready to build a Terminator!