Shopping for a teenager? Here are 25 cool gifts they will actually like

Teens and tweens are notoriously hard to please, which can make gift-giving a little tricky. Luckily, we’ve rounded up all the season’s hottest gifts for the over-11 set with some help from independent analyst and toy historian Christopher Byrne, aka The Toy Guy.

“One of the things that’s so important about teens (and has been for many years) is the social aspect of their lives,” says Byrne. Making, sharing, connecting, and building community are important aspects to consider when choosing a gift. Today’s adolescents still enjoy the old-school activity of playing board games as a way to bond with friends, for instance. The new Dungeons, Dice & Danger game is a great one. Or consider the JBL Flip 6 portable speaker that just begs for a dance party.

“This is a time of life when they may be trying on different identities, discovering who they are separate from their parents and as individuals in a peer group,” Byrne says of the post-elementary school age. “Technology has made this possible, so things that can be shared either in-person or virtually are great.” The Kodak Step Slim Mobile Photo Printer, for instance, lets teens take photos from their cell phones and print them out to share with friends. And the RUKUSfx music mixer allows for music and video creation and sharing.

A few carefully selected gifts are better than a whole pile. “Don’t overload kids with presents,” cautions Byrne. You’ll risk giving kids so much that they can’t appreciate what they get. And don’t stress! “The holidays should be about more than scoring a specific toy,” he says. And to quote the kids: “That’s so 90s.”

Rukusfx Music Mixer

Not only does the Rukusfx mix music, it has an LED light show and over 80 sound effects. And of course, there’s a built-in microphone for vocals. “After playing with it for a while, it is so much more than it might appear at first glance,” says Byrne. “There’s a lot you can do with it, plus you can record and share what you do, and it’s a natural [activity] for taking videos and sharing those.”

Maison Miru pave moon and lightning earrings

If the tween or teen in your life is into jewelry, consider a unique pair of earrings like these dainty gold studs. Also available in sterling silver, you get one crescent moon and one lightning bolt. “I love these studs!” writes one reviewer. “They are darling and just the right amount of edge. I’ve been wearing them almost every day.” 93% of reviewers gave this pair 5 stars — those are good odds that the teen in your life will love them, too!

Sky Castle LetsGlow Studio – DIY Arts and Crafts Glow Kit

“Let’s Glow Studio was designed specifically for making and sharing videos,” says Byrne of this creative set. A LetsGlow Selfie LED Clip with remote and charging cable, hair clips, and shutter shades are included.

Funko POP! Animation Avatar Katara

Funko Pop! makes big-headed products for just about every pop culture franchise, including figurines from teen favorites like the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, Marvel movies, TV’s Stranger Things, Disney films and more. These are popular with teenagers for their collectability, something Byrne says is great to consider when buying gifts. “This is the age when kids start collecting,” he says. “The transition from play to collecting is an important one at this time of life. It really is a kind of rite of passage.”

JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Sure it has crystal-clear sound and deep bass, but the best thing about this speaker is its rugged portability. Plus it’s Bluetooth connected and comes in 11 colors. “I’ve had several portable speakers over the years, and this is by far the best FOR THE MONEY,” writes one Amazon customer. “I would more than likely buy it again because it fits easily into my backpack when I travel.”

Prismacolor Premier Manga Illustration Markers

Help creative teens express themself with a high-quality art set that includes six black markers and 2 sepia-tone ones. “As a beginning anime artist, I was in search of a way to darken the lines in my drawings and lessen the number of pencil smudges in them,” writes an Amazon reviewer. “Every marker within the packet was well worth the money.”

Tamagotchi Pix

There are six different versions of the latest Tamagotchi Pix toy, with themes ranging from confetti to nature. Teens work to keep the little digital pet alive, play 17 games and use the built-in camera. Half the fun is connecting with friends for “play dates” and more. When the game is turned on, the Tama is just an egg. With care, it’ll turn into one of 24 different adult characters.

Lego Star Wars BD-1 Building Set

This cool BD-1 measures over 12.5 inches tall when built. The exploration droid includes authentic details that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order fans love. “The build was great, thoroughly enjoyed it,” says one Lego fan. “The end model is brilliant with the various movement it has and poses it can be set into.” The set includes over 1,000 pieces, enough to keep them off of their phone for a couple of hours.

Loungefly Netflix Stranger Things Hawkins High Mini Backpack

This high-quality vegan leather backpack will be a hit with the teen on your shopping list. The bold design features fun nods to Hawkins High, including Lucas’ basketball jersey number, a “Go Tigers” zipper pull and Upside Down brambles.

Vital Hero Interactive Band – Walmart Exclusive

If your teen is into Japanese media franchise Digimon (short for “Digital Monsters”), this new U.S. band is a great gift pick. Battle monsters and progress via the linked app. The Vital Hero Red Band is a Walmart exclusive and comes with Dinosaur Roar Dim Card.

Beauty Honey Fluff Fluffy Matte Lip Cream

Teens who are into makeup will love this new product from Jason Wu’s Target line. Honey Fluff feels as nice as it sounds, with Jojoba seed oil and grape seed oil to keep lips soft. The highly pigmented cream comes in pretty, neutral colors that are great for teenagers.

Nerf Laser Vision 4 Pack Laser Tag Game

These new Nerf Blasters take laser tag up a notch with the ability to play in the dark — The Laser Vision option illuminates enemy targets. The blasters have a range of up to 300 feet and battery life that will provide up to 4 hours of play.

Birthdate Co. Birthdate Candles

For teens who look to the stars for guidance, this is a really fun gift. The pictured June 4 candle features an orchid, sandalwood, and lemon scent, but each date features a unique “custom scent to match your energy.” The all-natural soy and coconut wax jar candle has a burn time of 60-80 hours. “It’s crazy that they were able to nail it and capture a scent truly made for me,” writes one Amazon reviewer. “I’m obsessed with it and so are all of my friends so I will definitely be gifting it to everyone I know.”

McMiller Entertainment Fire in The Hole – The Plastic-Free Pirate Party Game for Kids, Teens, and Adults

Plus it’s won a ton of awards this year: Made For Mum’s Editor’s Choice top toy of the year 2022, The Toy Insider’s Top Holiday Toy 2022, and the 2022 NAPPA top holiday toy. That’s quite a resume.

Kodak Step Slim Instant Mobile Photo Printer

Take Gen Xers back to your own teen years with actual paper photos. The sticky-backed photos printed from this wireless compact printer are smudge-proof, waterproof, and tear-resistant — perfect to decorate bedrooms, lockers, mirrors, and more. Simply connect to the printer via Bluetooth and use the Kodak Step Prints app to print vibrant photos.

Teddy Bear Pendant Necklace

An inexpensive jewelry option, this gold-tone necklace features a cute bear pendant. In the center is a faux gem representing your teen’s birth stone. January holds a faux garnet, for instance. The 16-inch chain has a 3-inch extender for a flexible fit.

Gap Arctic Fleece Mockneck Pullover

This bold pullover is made from 24% recycled materials, which is a bonus for green-minded teens. The soft fleece fabric will keep your kiddo cozy this winter, and they’ll love the current style.

Xbox Series S

“Don’t forget video games,” says Byrne of the ultimate teenage gift. The Xbox Series S is a great price for a powerful system, and gaming teens will love it. “This is the MOST AWESOME THING I’VE EVER BOUGHT,” says one Walmart reviewer. Convincing words!

Jelly Belly Harry Potter House Points candy dispenser

The magical Sorting Hat chooses your Hogwart’s house with the touch of a button and awards jelly beans accordingly. Will you get Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw? A 1-ounce bag of Jelly Belly jelly beans (in 4 flavors) is included with this set. The House Points dispenser makes a great gift for middle school Potterheads.

Aerobie Sonic Fin Football

“I love the Aerobie football,” says Byrne. “It’s easy to throw and creates social interaction.” The fins are adjustable for right and left-handed throwers, and you can calibrate the spin rate. There’s even a hashtag to follow — #sonicfinchallenge – to participate in social media challenges. A great gift for the sporty teen.

Marvel Black Panther Wakanda Forever Shuri doll

“Representation is very important for teens,” says Byrne of these Fresh Fierce Collection dolls from World of EPI. There are 3 poseable 11.5-inch dolls inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie. Black Panther fans will want to collect Nakia, Okoye, and Shuri (pictured).

Glow-in-the-Dark StarFire Gel Blaster

A built-in LED activator charges the included glow-in-the-dark Gellets for a light-up nighttime experience. Don’t worry parents, the impact is just enough to register a hit, but not enough to injure. And the Gellets dissolve on impact, providing mess-free play. The set includes the StarFire blaster and accessories, plus a USB C charging cable, barrel removal tool, and safety glasses.

JLab Go Air Sport wireless earbuds

We all know that tweens and teens lose things a lot. That’s why the manageable price of these earbuds makes them a practical — and fun — gift. JLab’s new Go Air Sport earbuds have 32+ hour Bluetooth playtime, multiple sound settings, convenient touch controls, and of course a charging case. You’ll get the charging case with an integrated charging cable, 3 sets of gel tips for a perfect fit, and a 2-year warranty. Available in 6 colors including sky blue (pictured), black, green, neon yellow, sand, and teal. “These are the best earbuds I’ve owned,” writes one of over 2,000 Amazon reviewers. “My favorite feature is that they stay in securely no matter what. They’re comfortable to wear, too.”

Discovery #Mindblown 6″ Plasma Globe Lamp

Teenagers can learn about physics and chemistry with the Plasma Orb. Thanks to gasses and an electrode at the center, colorful light streams respond to voice, touch, and even music. This STEM gift also acts as cool room décor when not in use!

First Act Roll Up Drum Pad

Musicians in the making will love practicing the drums on this cool gift: the Roll Up Drum Pad features 10 different drum sounds, foot pedals, drum sticks, record and playback options, and more. Plus it rolls right up for easy transport. Get the party started!

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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