These Are the Gifts for 12-Year-Olds That Even Tweens Find Cool
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They say tweens spend half their time wishing they were full-fledged teenagers, and half the time wishing they were little kids again. So what do you do when it's time to get gifts for kids this age? Luckily, there are plenty of presents that respect their emerging personal tastes while still letting them have some good old-fashioned fun.
Our top picks:
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Best value: Custom Name Neon Sign
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Unique gift: Buddha Board Enso
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Trendy gift for girls: Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
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Popular gift for boys: SCRIB3D Printing Pen
The Good Housekeeping Institute tests toys and gifts for kids year-round, soliciting feedback from actual families with tweens. When we added in some trendy best-sellers and editor's picks, these emerged as the best toys for 12-year-oldsthis year. Some are games that'll let them show off their logic skills, others are DIY kits and room decor that'll help them show off their style, and some are those useful gifts that tweens shouldn't do without. Lucky kids!
SCRIB3D P1 3D Printing Pen
They can take their artistic creations into the third dimension with this pen, which gives them an intro to the world of 3D printing.The artist is in control of how fast the plastic filament flows, a feature that Good Housekeeping Institute testers like. It comes with filament to get them started, but they'll need a filament refill almost immediately, so you might buy that, too. No age recommendation given
RELATED: The Best 3D Pens
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm Sweet Pink Duo
If she's begging to wear makeup, she'll be hyped to receive this trendy Summer Fridays duo. She'll get two limited-edition lip butter balms: Birthday Cake and Strawberry Soft Serve. No age recommendation given
DASH My Mug Ice Cream Maker
Ice cream, sorbet, gelato—oh my! They can whip up single servings of their favorite cold treatsin their own personal mugs with this gadget. It even comes with two mugs for sharing. No age recommendation given
Buddha Board Enso Water Painting Board
A good mindfulness activity, this lets kids unleash their creativity by "painting" with water—and then they get a clear surface to do it all over when it dries again.This version is a little smaller than the original Buddha Board so it can be brought on the go, which is great for traveling. Ages 3+
Schylling NeeDoh Nice Cube
Kids everywhere are obsessed with squishy toys, and bonus points if you get your hands on a viral NeeDoh cube. They can squish, squeeze, and stretch it, then it'll grow back to its original shape. Ages 3+
HP Sprocket Portable Mini Photo Printer
What's the point of taking photos if they just live on their devices (or, worse, yours)? This mini photo printer connects to iOS or Android devices with Bluetoothand lets users print out 2" x 3" photos on sticky-backed paper. If you have the HP app, you can also add stickers, emojis and other effects. It also comes in other colors (like blush pink , lilac or marble ).
Educational Insights Kanoodle Ultimate Champion 3D
When you play Kanoodle, you can see how the #KanoodleChallenge has more than 1 billion views on TikTok.Challenge cards start a puzzle with a certain amount of pieces, and players have to figure out how to fit the remaining shapes in. This one has 500 challenges and an added twist: There's a timer, so the puzzles have to be solved in a set amount of time. "I like that I could easily take it with me places or in the car," one Good Housekeeping Institute tester said. Ages 7+
U ZERO Personalized Bubble-Letter Name Bracelet
This year, bubble-letter jewelry is everywhere, and these bracelets lets kids spell out their whole name,not just their initial. You can also choose between a silver or gold color. No age recommendation given
Educational Insights Wheel of Fortune Electronic Handheld Game
If they love their daily word games, they'll get a kick out of being able to play "America's Game" at home. It comes with 300 puzzles built-in,and has two different game modes. "My daughter had a great time playing with her younger brother," one parent of two tween testers said, "but I think I also spent hours playing with it." Ages 8+; three AAA batteries required
Relaxcation Money Soap Bar
It pays to be clean—literally. Each bar of this soap has a real cash bill inside.Payouts range anywhere from $5 to $100, but they have to use it all up before they get the money. In addition to orange and peach, it also comes in a cucumber mint scent. No age recommendation given
Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag
Tweens still love these bags because they come in bright, bold colors and are just the right size to hold the essentials without getting too bulky. We've named it the best overall fanny pack . If they have lots to tote around, you can also get these in a larger size . No age recommendation given
Knopf Books for Young Readers 'The Poisoned King'
A companion to last year's Impossible Creatures , this fantasy novel drew in& Good Housekeeping Institute testers with its surprising amount of humor."I liked the way the author connects the first and second books by intertwining the lives of the old characters and the new ones," one 10-year-old tester said. Ages 8+
ThinkFun Sweet Victory Board Game
This is a game that mixes friendly competition with physical skill.Players race to move the pieces from pillar to pillar—one-handed—to match the pattern on a challenge card. Our testers even liked playing it solo. One parent noted: "Though it's for a family of four, my 10-year-old spent a lot of time doing some rounds on his own because he liked the mental workout. 'It's actually challenging and not like one of those easy games,' he said." Ages 8+
Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Camera
Photos instantly pop out of this camera, giving tweens something to hand to a friend or to use to decorate their room. We named it the best overall camera for kids , noting that it holds up to a lot of rough treatment. If giving it as a gift, be sure to include some fun instant film . No age recommendation given; two AA batteries included
YSMNDE Custom Name Neon Sign
Tweens will love decorating their room with something that's uniquely theirs, like this neon sign bearing their name. There are so many ways to personalize it:You can choose the font, the color, the power source, and the symbol at the end, along with the length and shape of the backing. No age recommendation given
Soundbot Water Resistant Shower Speaker
Help them sing in the shower (or listen to podcasts as the case may be) with this water-resistant Bluetooth speaker. It comes in six colors, suction cups to the shower walland is easy to control, even with soapy hands. No age recommendation given
TOSY Magnet Fidget Spinner Glow
Sometimes the best fidget toys are the ones you build yourself. These come with 136 cube-shaped magnets—strong ones, too!—that kids can connect to make various fidget-spinner shapes. Or they could just build different decorations for their rooms. "My child likes to build and construct, and this was great for keeping her entertained and engaged at a restaurant and on a train ride," one parent tester said. Ages 6+
GlowCity Glow-in-the-Dark Basketball
You can keep them outside longer with this basketball, which uses LEDs to illuminate itself at night.Or, if basketball isn't their sport, you can also get a light-up soccer ball or football . No age recommendation given ; batteries included
ZipString ZipString Luma
Tweens were mesmerized when we let them fly a piece of string in the air at top speed—that's the ZipString in a nutshell. "It's easy to learn new tricks and easy to use—makes me feel confident playing with it," one tester said. All ZipString units recharges with a USB cord, and the Luma glows in the dark. New this year is also the ZipString Aracna , which lets kids shoot the string out from their wrists like a Spider-Man web. Ages 8+
RELATED: Our Favorite Toy, the ZipString, Just Got a Major Upgrade
Wekapo Inflatable Lounger
Whether they're hanging out in the backyard or on the grounds at school, this lounger becomes an instant air sofa they can share with their friends. It doesn't require any pumpsor blowing into tubes—simply run around with it for a minute, and it captures the air. When they're done, it deflates and folds up again in seconds. No age recommendation given
Elenco Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Exploration Kit
This STEM set focuses on circuitry and electricityso they can tinker with making their own electronic devices. This one kit can make more than 100 different projects, including musical doorbells, adjustable-volume alarms and voice-controlled lamps, though our kid testers loved building a UFO the most. All the pieces snap together so you don't need a soldering iron. If they like it, they can get bigger sets with more ideas: 300 projects , 500 projects , and 750 projects . Ages 8+; two AA batteries required
The Comfy Dream Jr. Wearable Blanket
What tween wouldn't want to just wrap themselves up in a cloud-like cocoon of lightweight fleece?Whether they want to snuggle up and read, stay warm on a cold day, or just laze around, this wearable blanket will have them feeling cozy all over. It comes in lots of colors and patters, and it even has a pocket, so hands can stay warm, too. One size
HUE Stop-Motion Animation Studio
Are they ready to make a movie like The Nightmare Before Christmas? This comes with everything they'll need to get started, including a camera with microphone, animation software, and a book with hints and tricks.Amazon reviewers say this is really for serious filmmakers—beginners might want to check out the easier-to-use Stikbot Zanimation . No age recommendation given
Pindaloo Pindaloo
The premise is simple: Players are charged with launching a ball through the curved tube and catching it at the other opening. And yet, they won't be able to stop! It's so fun to play, they won't even realize they're working on their hand-eye coordination. Ages 9+
CreateSpace Difficult Riddles For Smart Kids
There are more than 300 brain-teasers and riddlesin this book—not bad for something that's less than $10! Who knows, maybe they'll quiz you, and you can give your own brain a workout. Ages 9+
LapGear Lap Desk
This cushioned lap desk lets them do homework or use their computers in their beds. It fits 15.6" laptops, and has features that keep phones and papers from sliding off. It also comes in many designs, including argyle , buffalo check , and damask . No age recommendation given
Babycakes Cake Pop Maker
With this device, they'll be whipping up batches of cake pops in no time. It makes 12 cake pops at a timeand also comes with a fork for getting them in and out of the machine, 50 sticks and a cake pop holder so they can be displayed. You just have to provide the ingredients and let their creativity run wild. No age recommendation given
Sphero Mini Coding Robot Ball
This little ball doesn't look like a sophisticated robot, but it's packed with a gyroscope, accelerometer, and colorful LED lights. Kids can use drag-and-drop codes to get it to do games and challenges. It also comes in several colors. Ages 8+; one lithium battery included
Shashibo Shape-Shifting Box
This mystery box will keep them on their toes! It can be bent and flipped into a variety of shapes,revealing different patterns inside. Then, it becomes a brain-teaser to figure out how to get it back into box form again. Ages 8+
Pandasaurus Games The Mind Card Game
This game involves players getting on each other's wavelengths, since the object is to play the cards in ascending order. The twist? There's no talking allowed.Instead, the group has to find nonverbal ways to communicate. Ages 8+
Global Grub DIY Churro Kit
Bakers who have mastered all of the usual suspect probably haven't yet mastered the churro. Give them the tools they need for the sweet treat with this all-in-one kit, which comes with everything they need, from baking mix to the proper piping tip.It's great for a one-off gift or a party activity. No age recommendation given
STMT DIY Beaded Jewelry
Everyone from tweens to teens to even adults are having a grand time making their own beaded bracelets. (Thank you, Taylor Swift.) Any 12-year-old into the trend will thrill to have this set, which comes with more than 700 beads to get them startedalong with clasps, elastics, and charms. No age recommendation given
Jellycat Amuseables Hot Dog Plush
Ask any tween about Jellycat and they will tell you, they make the most-fun plush. The Amuseables line, especially, features crazy characters like this hot dog, a birthday cake , or a boiled egg with glasses . They're little, but absolutely adorable. Ages 0+
Starlux Games Wizards & Werewolves
A mix of sport and fantasy that combines hide-and-seek with tag,Wizards and Werewolves is best played when it starts to get dark. A group is divided into two teams: Wizards, who have to find all the werewolves' glowing power crystals and defeat the alpha, and werewolves, who have to try and bite the wizards and add them to the wolf pack. It's a game that can be played with mixed ages and across several skill levels. Ages 8+; lithium batteries included
RELATED: Best Board Games for Kids
Beelove Cleanse & Refresh Amenity Lathering Shower Gel
If they love trying out new skincare routines and body products, they'll love this refreshing shower gel. It's made with coconut, olive and jojoba, and offers a sweet, honey-inspired scent.If they love it, you can get it in a larger size . No age recommendation given
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