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Sending your son a college care package of practical and fun things can be a nice surprise for him. (Shutterstock iaginzburg)
As the parent of both a daughter and a son who are students, I can say without hesitation that it’s much harder to come up with college care package ideas for guys than for girls.
If you’ve struggled like me, walking past fuzzy socks, cute hair ties, and nail polish in frustration, here are some care package ideas that will make a young man smile (and hopefully call home!) with gratitude.
Here are 16 envelopes that will give your son a little treat whenever he needs it. “Open when…there’s a big exam, you’re stressed, lonely, you’re tired of the cafeteria food, etc.” Fill each one with a gift card, a note of encouragement, photo, or cash to remind him he is loved! Save 20%.
If his campus is in a colder climate he might actually put on a pair of gloves to walk to class. These inexpensive ones are fleece-lined and have touch screen fingertips so he can use his phone without needing to take them off.
Here’s another option for a student who lives in a cold climate – rechargeable hand warmers. These are the #1 bestsellers in camping hand warmers Save 47%
Skin can easily become chapped due to exposure to sun, cold or the wind and this easy-to-use skin protectant has Avocado Oil and Shea Butter. It is the #1 bestseller in body butters. Save 17%
This slender book of wisdom can encourage your son to take small actions that may very well transform the way he lives his life, for the good! Author Retired Admiral William McRaven wrote this New York Times #1 bestseller in 2017 and it remains one of the most popular books in our community. Save 46%.
Rugged and Dapper lip balm has become a popular brand for Grown and Flown parents to gift to their sons. With Beeswax, Vitamin E, Sunflower, Jojoba, and Rosemary Oil, it helps soothe very chapped lips.
Winter can be chilly in much of the country so why not remind him to stuff a hat like this in his jacket pocket for cold morning walks across campus? Carhartt is a popular brand and this beaning comes in dozens of colors. It is the #1 bestselling brand in men’s skullies and beanies on Amazon.
This international bestseller has been a wildly popular gift for parents to give their sons and daughters. British illustrator, artist, and author Charlie Mackesy, has created a book about life lessons, with discoveries about discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship and love. Save 21%.
Combine a card matching game, dodgeball, and toy burritos and you have this very popular game. From the makers of the equally popular Exploding Kittens game. Save 20%.
This thin, handy tool can slide into a wallet and serves multi-purposes; it can be used as a can be used as Can Opener, Cutting Edge, Flat Screwdriver, Ruler, Bottle Opener, 4 Position Wrench, Butterfly Screw Wrench, Saw Blade, Direction Ancillary Indication (Water Compass), 2 Position Wrench, Keychain or lanyard Hole.
There will come a day when your son will run out of clean clothes. Send him this great gag gift, and he can wear this t-shirt, giving Mom the credit she deserves.
Boys and injuries seem to go together like PB and J. Why did I not consider sending my son to college with a cold therapy pack? Wishful thinking, I suppose. This heavy-duty gel pack is sewn along the double-sealed seams to prevent leaks.
It conforms to any body part when frozen, so it is great for use on knees, ankles, wrists, and necks. Also helpful, when folded up, it’ll fit in that small freezer section of dorm-sized refrigerators. Reusable. Save 17%
It’s a few months into school, and your son is still looking for a way to break the ice with some people in his hall. This fun and engaging game is an easy ice-breaker. This is the #1 bestseller on Amazon for dice games.
By the second semester, your son has undoubtedly lost more than a few socks. And the ones he hasn’t lost may be dingy and gross. Time to send replacements.
Use any popcorn kernel in this silicone rubber bowl. This is a healthy snack for your perpetually hungry teen, and it folds for easy storage. Save 10%.
This slim portable charger is easy to keep in a backpack or gym bag, so his phone stays charged all day. It delivers fast charging for iPhones or other compatible devices, so he won’t have to worry about using cables. Compatible with iPhone Air/17/16 Series
No matter what you end up putting in a care package for that special teen boy in your life, he’ll love the excitement of receiving a box from you and will feel all the love.
Fingers crossed for a phone call home!
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
Here’s Why You Can Trust Us
The Grown and Flown team includes three moms who have raised 8 young adults and have been working on product lists for over 12 years now, making them experts. When selecting products they survey the Grown and Flown Parents Facebook group of nearly 300,000 parents of teens, tweens and young adults. They do opinion polls, surveys and ask open-ended questions. They search for products that combine reasonable prices with high quality and are recommended by the large following. With recommendations from major retailers, trustworthy publications, and social media influencers, this post selected a range of products, paying close attention to reviews and price tags.
Marybeth Bock, MPH, is Mom to two young adults and one delightful hound dog. She has logged time as a military spouse, childbirth educator, college instructor and freelance writer. She lives in Arizona and thoroughly enjoys research and writing - as long as iced coffee is involved. You can find her work on numerous websites and in two books. Find her on Facebook and Instagram
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