The search for an ideal gift for a 12-year old can quickly become as complicated as it can be easy. 12-year olds are pretty much a sensitive group of people. They are no longer fascinated by playful toys, neither will they get intrigued by complex adult items. Any gift item ideal for them must fall in between the categories mentioned above.
At 12 years, kids become interest-driven, tech-savvy, and easily distracted. Hence, you may need to think and watch hard to be able to pick an ideal gift for them. The best gifts for 12-year-olds are those that take their interests into account. It helps to figure out what the child’s interests are. If you are a relative and want to buy a gift, you could the child’s parents. This way, you are closer to getting the best gift for the 12-year-old.
The idea of “best toys for 12-year-olds” may sound a little odd to some because they associate toys with younger kids. But toys for a 12-year-old boy or girl is more than something to play with. It should be a gift that drives interest and helps in child development; for example, STEM or other learning toys or toys that help the child enhance his or her creativity.
But, not to worry, below is a well-thought-out list of items and gift ideas you can purchase as holiday and birthday gifts for 12-year olds.
Fitbit Ace Activity Tracker
How about a water-resistant and fun way to track your 12-year olds summer activities? The Fitbit Ace Activity Tracker makes for an ideal holiday gift for 12-year old boys and girls.
It comes with an all-size band and allows you to reward your kids’ daily achievements with badges and messages. They can also be connected with other kids who have the Fitbit tracker to encourage healthy challenges and competitions.
Ravensburger Jaws Board Game
The best gifts for 12-year-olds could be ones that help them think strategically. After all, certain aspects of navigating life require strategy. The Ravensburger Jaws Board Game is a fun and educative way to teach 12-years olds the nitty-gritty of strategy. It comes with a comprehensive instruction that helps kids to navigate the game while they learn and have mind-blowing fun.
Madden NFL 20 – PlayStation 4
There is no better holiday gift for 12-year old soccer-loving boys than the Madden NFL 20 PlayStation 4. With this game, they can share in the personality, power, and emotions of their favorite NFL super players. And at the same time, they’ll get to learn to have fun strategically.
Canon Ivy CLIQ Instant Camera Printer
Kids love to keep sweet memories fresh. And there’s no better way to do so than to capture those memories with the Canon Ivy CLIQ Instant Camera. The camera is portable and can be used with a microSD so that kids don’t miss any exciting moments. It also uses a Zero Ink technology to instantly print captured moments for friends to see.
Kindle Kids Edition
Gifts for 12-year-olds should help them expand their mind through reading. Help the 12-year old in your life become a voracious reader with the Kindle Kids Edition. It comes with a 10th generation kindle edition, long-lasting battery, and a glare-free display meant only for reading – no distracting games and movies.
ColorKu Mad Cave Bird Games
The ColorKu Mad Cave Bird Games is an exciting version of the Sudoku game that makes for an ideal gift for 12-year olds. Instead of numbers, kids get to use brightly-colored wooden balls to solve puzzles and have fun at any time of the day.
Quoridor
If you want to teach a 12-year old to become a pro at fast-paced strategy games, then gift them Querido. They’ll get to learn to engage their logical and analytical thinking skills more whenever they play the game. And their excellence in school work requires that they engage their logical reasoning all the time.
GIGAMIC Katamino Puzzle Game
The GIGAMIC Katamino Puzzle Game helps kids to sharpen their strategic thinking skills and makes for an excellent birthday gift.
How about gifting a 12-year old 500 puzzles with complete solutions? You’ll be teaching them to deal with challenges and confront difficult situations in life.
Hydro Flask Water Bottle
The Hydro Flask Water Bottle is a BPA-free bottle that makes for an ideal birthday gift for 12-year-olds. It comes in a comfortable and attractive design to help kids remember to stay hydrated. It is also easy to clean and comes with a lifetime warranty.
Anki Drive Starter Kit
The Anki Drive Starter Kit is a robotic racing video game that is not precisely complicated for 12-year olds. It allows them to enjoy virtual racing fun with their friends without losing the excitement of physical toys. All they need to do is to set up the starter track and download the Anki Drive app to control their race cars.
BENGOO Stereo Gaming Headset
By gifting your 12-year old boys the BENGOO Stereo Gaming Headset, you’ll be helping them enjoy their gaming experience to the maximum. It features clear sounds, noise cancellation, and an excellent mic to help kids enjoy their video games and also communicate clearly with other players.
M&M Sales Web Outdoor Swing
Give your 12-year olds an exciting outdoor experience by gifting them the M&M Sales Web Outdoor Swing. It has a sturdy steel frame and is supported by UV-resistant polyethylene rope. It can carry weights of up to 600lbs and makes for a perfect gift item to keep 12-year olds engaged outdoors.
Razor Power Rider 360
Let your kids explore the entire block in grand style by gifting them the Razor Power Rider 360. It can carry weights of up to 120lbs and is powered by a 12V rechargeable battery. It features a pneumatic front wheel, and hand-operated brakes so that your child is not exposed to accidents of any form.
Gotrax GKS Electric Scooter
Being able to support weights of up to 154lbs, the Gotrax GKS Electric Scooter passes for an ideal birthday gift for 12-year olds. Riding on this scooter can help kids to master the art of riding on an electrically-powered vehicle while having fun. It features automated acceleration and safe-stop features to ensure your child’s safety.
Mongoose Rise Youth Kick Scooter
The Mongoose Kick Scooter is a lightweight, but durable scooter that makes for an ideal birthday gift for 12-year olds. Your 12-year old acrobat enthusiast can master several stunts with this scooter without the risk of injuries. It has wheel pegs in front and behind, and its deck is covered in MaxGrip to safely secure your child’s feet.
EzyRoller Pro-X Ride
Let your 12-year olds enjoy exciting snakelike rides around the yard by gifting them the EzyRoller Pro-X Ride. It features a foot-controlled spark mechanism and an X-design that allows kids to drift, and perform different stunts on it.
This ride can also bear more adult weight, and accommodate longer legs so that your kids can use them for a long.
Nerf Fortnite TS-1 Blaster
Gift your 12-year olds the Nerf Fortnite TS-1 Blaster to enable them to enjoy exciting fire exchange playtime. With this blaster, kids can blast their friends with 4 flexible foam darts at once. Kids also get to learn the art of aiming with precision and accuracy by using this blaster.
Altair 818 Hornet Beginner Drone
The Altair 818 Hornet Beginner Drone is an affordable way to give your child an exciting first-person live coverage of unforgettable moments. It is durable, easy to fly, and comes with 2 batteries that can last for a total of 30 minutes.
GoldieBlox Scratch Art Projector
Help the 12-year old in your life build confidence as they learn about the solar system with the GoldieBlox Scratch Art Projector. They can light up their rooms with the stencil art they get to create on this projector. And they also learn relevant STEM facts with the included Hack and Facts cards.
Zing Air Hunterz Z-Curve Bow
Backyard games won’t be boring again when you gift your 12-year old the Zing Air Hunterz Z-Curve Bow. They’ll be learning to aim with pinpoint accuracy as they have fun with this bow.
Each bow has been designed to eliminate projectile errors and can project suction cups and foam arrows beyond 125 feet.
BONAOK Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone
Help the 12-year old singers in your life come out of their shells by gifting them the BONAOK Karaoke Microphone. It comes with a durable 2600mAh rechargeable battery and allows kids to sing directly or play their favorite songs via Bluetooth or USB connection.
National Geographic Junior Metal Detector
Help your 12-year old detectorist and geologist explore their passions with the National Geographic Junior Metal Detector. With this easy-to-use detector, kids can discover metal treasures up to a foot beneath the ground. Or they could use it to help you find your car keys.
Fortnite Llama Loot Piñata
Let 12-year olds enjoy an extraordinary piñata unboxing experience with the Fortnite Llama Loot Piñata. They’ll get to collect different exciting items like building blocks, weapons, and action figures. Afterward, they can master the skill of imaginative play with their exciting loots.
LEGO Ideas 21316 Flintstone Building Kit
Help your 12-year olds express their imaginative skills by gifting them the LEGO Flintstone Building Kit. They can recreate modern suburban LEGO life with the Flintstone house, family car, and Minifigures of the Flintstones and friends.
Nintendo Switch Lite
The Nintendo Switch Lite is the ideal holiday gift for 12-year old boys. With this gaming system, 12-year olds can enjoy every compatible Nintendo Switch Online membership
By subscribing to Nintendo Switch Online membership, your budding young man can enjoy games like Super Mario Odyssey, Ultimate, and others through this sleek, handheld gaming console.
3Doodler 3D Pen
Bring your 12-year olds imaginations to life by gifting them the 3Doodler 3D Pen as birthday presents. It is a non-toxic 3D pen with which your budding artist can create a world of their own. By simply inserting the plastic strands, and plugging the pen to a power source, kids can quickly bring their favorite imaginary pictures to life.
Rainbow Colorblock Felt Letter Board
Help kids put their heartfelt emotions in letters most beautifully and legibly possible. Gift them the Rainbow Colorblock Felt Letter Board, and watch them write you the sweetest note ever.
This rainbow board features an oak frame and 300 plastic letters to help 12-year olds communicate their thoughts at length.
Zink Polaroid Mint Camera
Allow your 12-year olds to keep instant 16-megapixel pictures of their favorite moments by gifting them the Zink Polaroid Mint Camera. It works with Zero Ink technology and can print up to 50 photos at once. It is portable and easy to use and would send your kids squealing with joy as they capture every moment of their birthday parties.
LifeProof Fre Case for iPhone 7
At 12, kids may not be able to exert enough care to keep their smartphones from damage. So, the gift that 12-year old in your life the LifeProof Fre Case for iPhone 7 to help them protect and use their smartphones longer. FRE technology helps to keep kids’ phones utterly resistant to water, impact, and dust.
Original Stationery Unicorn Slime Kit
If you’re looking for the best holiday gift for 12-year old girls, then the Original Stationery Unicorn Slime Kit is your best bet. It contains everything from unicorn beads, slime mix, and inks to give your girls hours of slime enjoyment. It is also ideal for reducing screen playtime and boosting girls’ creativity.
Nintendo Switch
Help 12-year olds carry their playtime with them wherever they go by gifting them the Nintendo Switch Game Console. With this game, kids can enjoy different exciting games with up to 11 other players. And they can do so either from the comfort of their homes or while they are on the go.
Plugable USB 2.0 Digital Microscope
Encourage the aspiring scientists in your life by gifting them this Digital Microscope from Plugable.
By connecting to any webcam software, kids can explore the image details of microscopic objects with this high-definition microscope.
Some Good STEM Microscopes for the Astronomy Loving Kid
Celestron 21023 Cometron FirstScope
Celestron FirstScope Signature Series Moon
Excite the budding astronaut in your life with this portable Celestron 21023 Cometron FirstScope. Let kids also view the stars, the galaxies, and the next incoming comet from the comfort of their bedroom windows.
This telescope is easy to set up and use and comes with 2 Kellner eyepieces, and a finderscope.
Also look at the Celestron Cometron FirstScope, described as the Signature Series Moon. This is Celestron’s entry-level telescope that is well-loved. A feature of this is its fine Moon image. It’s equipped with a 76mm reflector optical tube.
Estes Alpha III Rocket Kit
All Thanks to Estes, your 12-year old can now watch the rockets they build from scratch fly very high in the sky.
The Estes Alpha III Rocket Kit features colored rocket parts that can be easily assembled with glue. And in no time, kids can sit in confidence and watch their creations fly.
KINIA 18 Rainbow Unicorn Horn Chalk
The KINIA 18 Rainbow Unicorn Horn Chalk is a set of dust-free colorful chalks that is perfect for 12-year old birthday gifts. The chalks are non-toxic and can be used to create beautiful expressions of a 12-year olds imagination and creativity.
SKLZ Soccer Trainer
Train the next Lionel Messi by gifting your 12-year old the SKLZ Soccer Trainer. It is a solo trainer that helps budding footballers to master shooting, juggling, passing, and receiving soccer skills. A flexible cord attaches the ball to your kids, and the all-size neoprene ball glove enables them to have full control of the ball.
Czech Games Codenames
Help your aspiring CIA agent learn the nitty-gritty of secret service by gifting them the Czech Games Codenames. They get to understand healthy competition and top-secret acts as they try to make contact with every one of their team’s agents before their opponent does.
Conclusion
With the list of items reviewed above, you can’t get it wrong when it comes to finding the perfect gift for 12-year olds. Do not forget to check with the manufacturer’s instructions before using any of the gift items.
Additional Insights About 12-Year-Olds
At age 12, children are considered to be in a space between childhood and young adult. Peer pressure and its impact may just be starting on them. Add norms learned at home, experiences picked up at school and other influences gleaned from TV and social media and it’s easy to see that a 12 year old child’s brain is inundated with worldly experiences that help shape his view of the world, his own personality and personal preferences.
A 12 year old is in between being a child and graduating into that big new milestone of being a teen and all that come with it, including being more adventurous and, sometimes, a tad rebellious. Plus, they may have moods sometimes. Kids at the pre-teen age, called tweenagers, or tweens for short, are just more sophisticated and savvy, developing own interest in things big and small.
Getting good birthday gift ideas for 12-year olds might be a tad challenging. You are thinking ‘best toys for 12 olds’ but, in reality, gifts for kids aged 12 need to be more than just toys. They need to be something meaningful. Something he can manipulate and enjoy the high of accomplishing something.
STEM toys, video games, gadgets and gaming devices are a few examples of gifts for 12 year olds that gives them control and satisfaction of achieving something. Gifts that involve solving problems, like coding or putting mechanical things together are also good. Toys for 12 year olds mean more than just toys, such as toys for little kids. But at the same time, they should not be complex gifts for grown-ups that may be too challenging to maneuver. The sweet spot is striking a good balance somewhere in between.
Holiday or Christmas gift ideas for 12-year olds can actually serve as a way of introducing them to things that can challenge them in the beginning of the coming year – it’s a way to start them off on a New Year resolution learning something new or working with the gift you gave them.
Does this mean every gift for a 12-year old should be one that makes him or her a whiz of sorts? No, not at all. Part of choosing a gift for a child, especially a “tween”, is to take the child’s interest into account, if you are privileged to learn this information. Some gifts are only for entertainment and enjoyment and that’s good too.
The bottom-line is this: as you think of the best gifts for 12-year olds, make sure that the gift you select will make a good impact and match with the personal interests of your kid. To make things easy for you we have compiled a detailed list of toys that you can purchase for your kids.
