Our Complete Kid/Tweens/Teen Gift Guide (All The Stuff They ACTUALLY Want)

My kids are now 10/12 years old (TBH they are harder to buy for. They still love stuffed animals but still think they need a laptop??). Some of the most ridiculous things continue to capture people’s attention (like the Simpson prank call and the Magic 8 Ball). And then there are guys that they’ve been playing with for six to eight years. carving straw kit Then fuse the beads. It’s hard! ! This year, we asked real 16-year-old teenagers to help teenage girls send them things they want. This was very helpful. And at the bottom are the go-to gifts for small children and babies (based on my experience).

Hey, Clay: This is the best airy clay, the best colors and comes with the best inspirational guide so kids will create the cutest scary creatures I’ve ever seen – check out all the creatures on the Art Barn message board!!! So smelly and cute! It’s not sticky and dries quickly. Just great (and different themes).
art set: Elliot loves this 91-piece art set (it came out last year and was a big hit).

Posca marker: These are Elliot’s favorite paint markers (suitable for older kids). It’s expensive and not suitable for babies, but the colors are great and I love the way it rolls.
Art pop! watercolor pencils: I like it even though I use it as a regular colored pencil. She says she loves the color, the way it draws, and the tube it comes with.

I bought this for my girlfriend’s birthday this year. LED art screenand she (and her friends) are having a lot of fun with it.

magnetic dart board: I’m so excited about the magnetic dart board for Charlie’s room. I tested it and it was great – it sticks well and rolls up easily even if you don’t want to stick it to the wall. We’re always looking for indoor winter activities (not just video games) for him and his friends.
pacman countercade: They need to make more of these countercades – this was their big giveaway last year and is so loved.

record player: In our attempt to encourage them to live an analog life, they play records when their friends get home, which is great. Both record collections continue to grow.
electronic indoor hoop: OK, for this gift guide, I photographed this hoop outside on top of a glass door (don’t use a glass door). This is great, keeps score, and is interactive even by yourself. Warning – don’t put it next to your baby’s room as there are a lot of bells 🙂

Elliott’s favorite three things are:

Charlie’s Favorite “Non-Video Games” Games

Charlie and I loved playing chess together, and he sometimes saved up his pocket money to buy a chess game. this cool chess board,mainly…

It’s a magnet! ! That’s so bad. Sometimes I start a game on the kitchen island in the morning before he goes to school, but if he doesn’t finish the game before he leaves for the bus and I need to clean or shoot there, I can easily move it to another table. It also folds closed to store all parts, making it easy to carry on car trips.

simpsons prank call is a big hit. It’s on Charlie’s desk and his friends think it’s funny.
Both children loved it too. These mini ATM machines (electronic piggy bank) for 5 years. It’s an ugly hunk of plastic, but I think the appeal is the fact that it’s secret and they control the code.

2 non-tech (yet fun “tech”??) gifts.

tin can: I bought all my kids their first Wifi “landlines” for Christmas and they didn’t know about it. I’m very excited. This is made for parents like us who are waiting for a smartphone, but want our children to communicate freely with their friends (or relatives). You control who can make and receive calls (no spam or suspicious calls).
neck playground: Intended for group TV-ready active gaming, choose from thousands of games and let the camera record your body as you run, jump, and fight. This is mainly for children and their friends during the rainy season and is an alternative to video games. This is a big present for our family this year so I won’t try it until Christmas – if anyone has it and can review it in the comments please let me know!!

It’s pitch black in New Jersey, so my goal for the next few months is to get the kids outside on dry days. night vision goggles – A 12-year-old boy’s dream. Don’t forget your walkie-talkie.
I’m really looking forward to it glow in the dark basketball and Flying light-up frisbee The ones that have really good reviews.

My kids have reached an age where they like posters and weird collectibles (which are cute). These were a hit with our kids: cordless graphic lamp (When I showed this, the children responded as well) neon smiley face light (In Charlie’s room, unplugged, but looks cool) cinema light box – Elliot values ​​the words “Messy Beautiful Life,” and those are very kind words to me. don’t forget led light strip (integrated with Alexa/Google) Very soft faux fur blanket (My children mostly roll up sheets and sleep on them.

melky yard game: We always play this Scandinavian wooden peg game on camping trips with other families, so we’re buying it this year (we call it Skittles Scuttle, but I’m not sure if that’s just our nickname).
Rumikubu: We play it a lot when we travel because it’s fun for all four of us.

YOTO mini: When the first YOTO reading device was released, my kids were young and loved it, but it wasn’t loud enough. Since then, it’s gotten better and better and people with young kids swear by it.
toybox 3d printer: I’ve had this 3D printer for 5 years now and my kids don’t play with it as much as they used to, but it’s still pretty cool. One of the parents needs to be a bit tech savvy (controlled with an iPad, etc.).

These plug-in mirror ball bulbs This was a big hit and at $16 for two, it’s a great deal.

nail file: I think the biggest hit is the kitten-shaped nail file that you keep in your stocking. I scratch my stomach while filing my nails!!!
Kindle Paperwhite: Both of our kids read on Kindle. We started going on long trips and it just stayed that way. Elliot still likes real books from time to time (dork diary ), but Charlie reads on his Kindle every night – wings of flame.

It’s all cold, baggyand don’t forget your silver chain (Yes, for boys). I love this phase of experimenting with identity, but mostly I just want to fit in. Tweens are the best. Oh, and That Vans hoodie Glow in the dark 🙂 Don’t forget to show your socks (preferably with a hissing sound).

magic kit: We have purchased many magic kits over the years. This little kit made by Justin Willman (the best magician) is really, really good, clever, and solid.

I needed help with this, so Marley’s 16-year-old sister was our focus group for what teenage girls want right now. She gave so much great advice for people who don’t want to say that 🙂

home manicure system: This is the perfect set if you or a loved one wants to do their nails at home.
Benetint lip + cheek stain: This is a super easy cheek + lip stain that Marley has been using since she was in middle school (even her sister loves it now!)

stanley water bottle: “Owala to kids, Stanley to teenagers” – Marley’s sister
softest hoodie: Teens these days are obsessed with loungewear. This hoodie is a teen favorite among both men and women. Super soft.
garage sweats: Marley’s 16 year old sister’s favorite sweatshirt, she and all her friends wear it 🙂

Sol de Janeiro Sampler: This perfume brand is trending on TikTok – their beachy scents smell so good.
touchland hand sanitizer: Hand sanitizer that everyone at school wants!

summer friday balm: One of the most popular lip glosses among teenagers.
best scented dry shampoo: This is one of our favorite dry shampoos and this set comes in a large size and a small travel size. It smells amazing.

room spray: The most deliciously scented room spray from a brand that’s popular on TikTok.
star face acne patch: God, I wish this was in high school. Teens are wearing these NONSTOP – they’re so fun and cute and make breakouts more bearable 🙂

wooden busy board: My kids were obsessed with this when they were toddlers.
wild baby elephant stuffed toy: This stuffed animal can be heated in the microwave and will stay warm for a long time, making it very convenient. But you can also put it in the freezer. It’s very comforting!
baby busy box toys: Any baby or toddler will spend hours trying to “figure it out”. My kids were hooked.

Water Wow! pad: Best Restaurant Activities Ever. The reusable coloring pad comes with a water “pen” that can be easily refilled and stored on the front.
construction plate set: Charlie loved this as a toddler and it made mealtime so much more fun for everyone.
STEM hair block: Old school and still a lot of fun. Hair blocks tickle your creative and engineering brains at the same time.

wood-like soft block: I bought these blocks for Charlie when he was 1 year old and played with them consistently for years. For years. They are foam (but look like wood).
Magnatils: Aim for large quantities of stock! Of course, both of my kids loved Lego (very much), but it’s more fun, less messy, and strangely more rewarding.

wooden grocery checkout stand: My kids have been playing with that store (and all the wooden groceries) for years (it beeps when you scan the food).
play kitchen: I love that this play kitchen is under $100 and super cute. Ah, the pretend chicken nuggets we were forced to eat…

Pretend cleaning By the age of 5 or 6 they are ready to do chores (lol, that’s right). And if you don’t have it yet, doctor’s examination Made by a 3 year old and highly recommended. The way she listens to her heart with a stethoscope is so cute that it makes me cry.

We got it when our kids were 8 and 10 gab’s clockfailed too often in our neighborhood, so we upgraded to: apple watch (You still end up in a dead zone).
both of our children have iPad You can save movies for long flights (with lots of parental controls) and Elliot loves using the stylus, especially for drawing and creating in Canva.

Well, that’s it! These are all actually kid-approved (apart from the ones I’m giving away this year), but either way, this is a foolproof list and I hope you find them useful. Oh, and we have even more ideas (especially for teenage boys) in our new gift guide shop. xx

*Photo provided by: caitlin green