Birthday Gift Ideas for Your Grandson

Grandsons can be hard to buy for. They shrug at clothes, they own more games than you can count, and they rarely say what they want. The best birthday gifts for a grandson are the ones he can do something with, ideally with you. These 12 ideas cover every age from toddler to teen. Our top pick is a song about him, because it tells him what you see in him in a way he can play again when nobody is watching.

Play a real Songbond song

This one was made for another family. Yours would carry his name and your stories.

12 birthday gift ideas for your grandson

1. A song about him ($39.90). Share his name, the nickname you use and a few stories from your time together, and Songbond turns them into an original song. It is ready within 24 hours.
2. A real toolbox with his name on it. A child-size set of real tools for young boys, a proper starter set for older ones, and a project you build together. Usually $40 to $90.
3. A fishing rod and a morning on the water. Buy the rod, then take him. A starter rod and tackle box usually run $30 to $70.
4. A building set you finish together. A big brick set or a wooden model kit that takes a few visits to complete. Usually $30 to $100.
5. Tickets to a game with you. Minor league games are cheap and close to the field. Get there early to watch batting practice.
6. A telescope for the backyard. A simple tabletop telescope and a star chart. Plan a night at your house to use it. Usually $80 to $200.
7. A coin or stamp collection to start. Give him a folder and the first few pieces, including one from the year he was born and one from the year you were. Usually $20 to $60.
8. A bike upgrade. A new bike if he has outgrown his, or lights, a bell and a good helmet if not. Usually $60 to $250.
9. A boxed set of books he can grow into. An adventure series with five or more books keeps him reading for a year. Usually $30 to $60.
10. A camping night in your backyard. A small tent, two flashlights and everything for s'mores. The tent stays at your house for next time. Usually $60 to $120.
11. His first pocketknife, with a lesson. For older boys only, and with his parents' okay. Teach him how to open, close and carry it safely. Usually $25 to $60.
12. Stories about his mom or dad at his age. Write down three true stories about his parent at the age he is now. Boys love hearing that their parents got into trouble too.

How to choose for him

Watch what he does when nobody is organizing his time. That is what he actually likes. Then pick the gift that lets him do more of it, preferably with you.

• If he is always outside: the fishing rod, the bike or the backyard camping night.
• If he likes building and fixing: the toolbox, the building set or the pocketknife.
• If he is quiet and curious: the telescope, the coin collection or the books.

A quick guide by age

Under five, he wants things he can push, stack and bang, and a gift with your voice in it matters more than he can say. From six to ten, he wants to be good at something, so gifts that teach a skill, like fishing or building, go over well. From eleven to fourteen, he may act like he is too old for grandparent gifts. Give him something that treats him like a young man, such as the pocketknife or a real toolbox, and keep the sentiment in the card. From fifteen up, he wants money, time with friends or a gift that is clearly grown-up. This is also the age when a song about him means the most, because he is old enough to understand that you made it for him.

Make his birthday song

Create a birthday song for your grandson from the stories you already tell about him. It is ready within 24 hours, and express delivery gets it to you in about an hour.

Also in the Journal: song ideas for milestone birthdays and songs for Grandparents Day.