Gift Ideas for Tweens (8-12 year old)

“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.”

― Mary Oliver

8–12-year-old is an age when a child’s individuality starts shining. They start understanding their likes and dislikes better and start forming their opinions. This is also a great age to spend time with them.

With the holiday season approaching, we thought it might be a good time to list down a few interesting gift ideas for tweens that do not involve screens. There is already too much screen-time that parents have to deal with!

So here we go:

1. Skateboard or Wave-board

Skateboards and wave-boards are a great gift for tweens who are always on the move. They are fun to ride and easy enough to learn.

If the child is beginner, this is one skateboard you can go for.

PS: Don’t forget to use the safety gear if the child is a beginner.

2. Lego – NASA Apollo Saturn V

We had bought this set for our 8-year-old. It has 1900 pieces! More importantly, it is a close replica of the actual Saturn V. The astronaut figures are in the right proportion (human:rocket). It has all the three stages, the lunar lander and the lunar orbiter. It also includes a booklet about the manned Apollo Moon missions. A great way to keep the child engaged and get them interested in space missions.

3. Board Games

In our previous article, we had listed down a list of 8 strategy board games for tweens.

Here is the link for details.

Games like Scrabble, Monopoly, Scotland Yard, Catan, Othello, Sequence, Game of Life. These are great gifts that kids this age enjoy playing. They are also a good way to spend some quality time together as a family.

4. Books

If the child is a reader, books can be one of the best gifts.

Here is a link for Fantasy Book Series for Tweens

It is difficult to go wrong with a fantasy book series for tweens. I see many kids who love to read and re-read them.

5. Kindle

Kindle Paperwhite is another awesome gift for tweens. Paperwhite models ensure minimal impact to eyes. They are as good as reading a book. A kindle gives a massive set of books without worrying about any bookshelves and space to store them.

6. 3D Pen

Is your child creative? Does he/she like to make or draw things? Then, this can be a great gift. My son has made some amazing things with this pen, including a small bicycle and a plane. Let them unleash their creativity.

It is easy to use and comes with some filaments that can be used. Extra filaments are also available separately. You have to use your own power adapter though.

7. Interactive Glow in the Dark T-Shirt

These are really fun T-shirts. The kids can draw on them and it glows in the dark. The design lasts for around 5 minutes and then it is ready for a new design. A great gift that is a lot of fun for kids.

8. Musical Instruments

A good quality musical instrument can be a perfect gift for budding artists. A keyboard or guitar are usually the favorites among tweens. A 61 key keyboard is usually ideal for learners. Drums is another instrument which many of them enjoy but think twice before buying them for your homes!

Pets

I would suggest considering pets as well. I have not added them to my list, since they are more like family members and not ‘things’. If you think you and your family can manage having another family member and meet it’s needs, a dog can be a child’s best friend.

Read this post on Benefits of Pets for kids

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