35 best gift for tweens they'll actually think are cool
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Tweens are notoriously hard to shop for. Usually considered between eight and 12-year-olds, they're not quite at teen status – although they want to be – but they don't want the kid presents you used to buy for them. Getting the best tween gifts means striking that balance of cool and age appropriate – tough, right? We’re here to provide some inspo for the best gifts for tweens in your life.
While the best gift for teenage girls might be a Sol de Janeiro set, and the best gift for teenage boys the newest Xbox game, your 10-year-old neice isn’t quite there yet. They know all the latest TikTok trends and are probably looking up to their teen peers wondering when they can start their 10-step-skincare routine (we all remember that saga), but you also don't want them to grow up too fast.
So how do you get that cool gift that won't be eye-roll-inducing and is still right for pre-teen ages? Consider their hobbies.
Crafty tweens might like a bracelet making kit for their next sleepover. A remote control car will tap into their tech interest without introducing another screen. And I hear Squishmallows are still big news, as is Jellycat – no seriously, even millennials are buying soft toys. You can't go wrong with a fashion gift to help them feel grown up, like high-street trainers, leggings, a tote bag or retro slogan tee. And budding photographers will love an instant camera - the perfect gift to encourage memory snapping away from their iPhone.
Whether you go for a water slide for the whole family, some cute new pyjamas, or a bluetooth speaker, they're sure to think these gifts are so sigma. Not skibidi. Mad lit. Sorry Gen Alpha, I'm trying.
Best gift ideas for tweens 2024, at a glance:
- Best Overall: Squishmallows Geraldine Scottish Cat Soft Toy, £25
- Best For The Family: Plum Happy Hop Sharks Club Water Slide, £349.99
- Best Cosy Gift for Tween Girls: Marks and Spencer Borg Slider Slippers £13
- Best Cool Gift for Tween Boys: H&M Hoodie, £12
- Best Toy For Tweens: LEGO Technic 42170 Kawasaki Ninja H2R Motorcycle Playset, £70
After more gift guides? Shop the best gifts for women, great gifts for him, best gifts for daughters, Valentine’s Day gifts for her, the best Mother’s Day gifts, Mother’s Day hampers, 18th birthday gifts and gifts for foodies. Find out how we choose gifts here. For more from Hattie Cotmore, follow her on Instagram @hattiecotmore.