75 Christmas Gift Ideas for Tween Girls (2023 Gift Guide)
Shop gift ideas straight from tween and teen girls (and their moms)! Everything from the latest trends to classic gifts, board games and books.
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Updated 12/7/2022
*Shopping for boys? See our list of Best Gifts for Tween & Teen Boys
Latest Trends
Every holiday season, a few gift ideas rise to the top of every tween girl’s wish list. These on-trend gifts range from big gifts to stocking stuffers
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Our girls love to take pictures and hang them from photo clip lights on their walls. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 makes it super easy!
This package gets you the instant camera, a case, photo paper and some fun stickers.
Camera and case available in a few other colors!
Short UGG boots are all over our college campus! I sent a pair to my high school niece and she loves them. Definitely at the top of gift lists this year!
Lots of colors available.
Yep, the Squishmallow craze continues. Even our college students ask for this plush toy for Christmas.
Naomi the Narwhal is really popular and the 16" size is the perfect choice for tween girls because it's big enough to be used as a pillow.
Arts & Crafts Gifts
There are lots of gifts for tween girls and gifts for teenage girls that involve supplies to make creative projects or decorations. A craft kit is a fun gift and so much fun to do and display.
Acrylic Paints and Canvases
Whether she’s just beginning or has been painting for a while, she’ll appreciate a set of high quality non-toxic acrylic paints. These paints are one of the most popular gifts in our Facebook group Gifts for Tween and Teen Girls. Pair them with a 6- or 12-pack of canvases.
Diamond Painting
We’re not sure why they call this painting, because there’s no paint involved. But even our girls with short attention spans loved making these sturdy and beautiful bookmarks (there are also larger projects if you have a serious crafter).
Yarn Tree (for Jewelry or Decoration)
She can make the yarn tree for herself or give it away. From the Amazon gift guide, this project includes the wire tree along with cream-colored yarn and embroidery thread so she can customize it to match her room. And then she can use it to get her jewelry organized!
Succulent Terrarium Kit
If you’re looking for unique gifts, take a look at these terrarium kits. Succulents are easy to keep and they’re the best way to bring some nature inside. We love these kits from Etsy because you can choose from 5 different themes: basic, beach, rainbow, driftwood/sea glass and diamonds/pearls.
String Art Kit
DIY kits on Etsy have exploded because we’re all staying at home more often and need something to do. We love the snowflake because it would be a fun Christmas project that can be displayed through the winter months–and it’s a great price!
Paint By Number
This arrives in a deceivingly slender box, but you get a sturdy canvas with materials to hang it and a complete set of paints. My daughter and I left it out as a work in progress for about a week to carefully paint each section. The result makes you feel like a true artist.
Outdoor & Adventure Gifts
We have some great gift ideas for tween girls and gifts for teenage girls who are active or love to spend time outside. Many of these gifts are things girls can use for many years to come.
Camping Hammock with Tree Straps
My daughter got this hammock and it immediately went up between two trees in our backyard. It’s so easy to put up and take down with the tree straps, and you can honestly enclose yourself and take a nap. Our neighbor’s son rigged his up on his back deck, where it stayed for most of the summer. It packs up small and you can’t beat the price at around $30.
Water Bottles
She might prefer certain brands, so we’ve included a few that our college students love. S’well is a give back brand and the water bottles come in seemingly endless colors and patterns. We’re sure your familiar with Hydro Flask! The wide mouth straw lid is the most popular. We recently learned about Super Sparrow bottles and love the leak-proof design, the flip top that opens with one click and carry-strap. These bottles are a great option at a more reasonable price point. Then order some cool stickers from Red Bubble to get started making the bottle unique to her.
Overnight Duffel Bag
Girls need duffels for everything from sleepovers to sports to camp. This one is a good size at a great price, and it comes it lots of color options. It’s made of water resistant fabric to keep everything dry inside (even if the outside gets wet), has a shoe compartment and a pocket on the front and side.
Laptop, Water Bottle Stickers
The college students we teach all order their stickers from Red Bubble. You can find stickers showing places you’ve been or hobbies kids enjoy. Or you can go with funny sayings or Michael Scott memes from The Office. If you need some add-on Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers, these stickers are perfect!
Inflatable Kayak
She may love kayaking but traditional kayaks are pricey. This inflatable tandem kayak is a more reasonable option and we LOVE ours!
Inflatable Paddelboard
Kristie’s boys did paddle boarding this summer through our Metroparks and loved it! We know other families who have these inflatable paddleboards–they said you wouldn’t believe it’s inflatable when you stand on it.
Pool/Beach Floats
How cute are these floats? This is a 3-pack so she’ll have some for her friends.
Toy & Games Gifts
Don’t be fooled into thinking that toys and games don’t make good gifts for tween girls and teenage girls. They still love to play. Just make sure to choose the right toy or game.
Board Games
A board game is a perfect choice because she’ll have it for years. We have a separate list of what we think are the best board games for tweens and teens, but we’ll highlight a few favorites here:
LEGO Harry Potter
If she’s a Harry Potter fan, she’ll have fun putting this gift together. Kristie’s niece asked for Harry Potter LEGOs when she was a teen–it was one of the only things on her list!
Bedroom Decor Gifts
Teenagers spend lots of time in their rooms. Bedroom decor gifts are hot-selling gifts for tween girls and teenage girls. They don’t want the little kid room anymore, so they’re looking for ways to update their space to feel older and more their style.
Hammock Chair Swing
She can hang this chair in her bedroom or apartment as the perfect place to relax–or put it outside to upgrade an old swingset. The XL size means she’ll have plenty of room to get comfortable! It comes in 3 colors with hanging hardware, a drink holder and a lifetime warranty.
Summer Collage Kit or NYC Collage Kit
So many of our students have collage walls. Choose the subject matter and aesthetic and she’ll be able to download the images to print and hang. You can find just about any style, from vibrant colors to mellow neutrals. Trust us–she’ll love it!
Ivy Vine Garland Lights
This is one of the most popular gifts inside our Facebook Group Gifts for Tween & Teen Girls. Our tweens and teens are spending more time than ever in their room, so they might as well make it their own.
Weighted Blanket
Different sources on the weighted blankets say they can be good for restless leg syndrome, restless sleepers in general, ADHD and even anxiety.
There are a bunch of reviews online if you want a blanket that’s better for a specific purpose (hypoallergenic or good for kids). I want one that has a plush cover that is removable for washing, and this particular blanket got rave reviews with those features. You can also select different weight and size options. It’s on the pricey side at $85, but it’s a full-sized blanket kids can take off to college with them someday.
Ocean Wave Projector
Our friends’ daughter got this for her 14th birthday and it is a HUGE hit! She and her sister love setting it up for family movie nights.
Wall Tapestry
Our college students use these to decorate dorm rooms and bedrooms. It’s an inexpensive way to bring some color and personality to a room.
Technology Gifts
Tweens and teens are part of the digital generation, so gifts ideas for tween girls and teenagers always seem to include some kind of tech. These gifts get pricier, but they are things they will use daily and hopefully keep for years.
Apple AirPods Pro / Apple AirPods
We each got a pair of these to help with online teaching, and our kids weren’t happy that we got them and they didn’t. Moms can still win the tech battles every once in a while.
Beats Wireless Headphones
If she prefers headphones to ear buds, she’ll love these Beats wireless headphones that have 40 hours of battery life, a foldable design and several color options! If she wants noise cancelling headphones, you’ll need to get the Beats Solo Pro version.
Mini Projector
Project movies, shows and video games onto any flat surface (including the ceiling–which seems to be important to tweens and teens). Kristie’s teen saved up for one and loves it! You can connect to cell phones, computers, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Roku and more.
Echo Dot
The Echo Dot lets tweens and teens keep in touch with friends and family from a distance, play music, listen to audiobooks and set reminders and alarms. It’s a powerful little bluetooth speaker and we love the digital clock.
Docking Station (and other phone accessories)
Docking stations are a perfect gift to easily charge phones, iPads, laptops and other electronics all in one place. For a quick add-on gift, consider a 6-foot lightening charging cable pack. These are fun colors and she’ll know which one is hers!
Beauty & Skin Care Gifts
A list of tween girls gifts could be incomplete without beauty products. They pay more attention to makeup and skin care than we ever did!
Face Masks
Girls love using face masks and they’re great for sleepovers! She can also have her own spa night at home. We’re partial to these Burt’s Bees facial sheet masks because they’re made with natural ingredients and application is easy. Choose from detoxifying, rejuvenating and several different hydrating scents, including watermelon and cucumber. Great stocking stuffer idea!
Lip Balm
Small items like lip balm never go out of style! Two popular options for a tween or teen gift are have multipacks with different types of flavors.
Choose the fruit mix holiday gift set from Burt’s Bees that comes in a pretty box and is the perfect size for a stocking.
Or choose an 8-pack of the 5-star-rated Lip Smacker best flavor forever in original and special holiday flavors.
Sports Gifts
These gifts aren’t just for student athletes. They’re gift ideas for tween girls and teenage girls who like to be on-the-go or do things like run, skate or do yoga or pilates.
Running Shorts
Sometimes running shorts seem so…well, short! We like these because of the inner layer and they get great reviews. The lightweight material is moisture wicking and there are pockets! Several colors available.
Roller Blades
Kristie’s tween neighbor loves her roller blades, and Kristie’s son practically lived in them for a few summers. These are a #1 best seller from Amazon for inline skates, and they come in 4 colors.
Yoga Mat and Sling
Many of our college students practice yoga, so we know a yoga mat would be a great gift for teens. Gaiam has some of the best mats on the market–this one is lightweight, non-slip, nontoxic and comes in lots of colors. It also includes a free downloadable yoga workout to get started. Don’t forget to add the sling so it’s easy to carry.
Clothing Gifts
Choosing clothes as gifts for tween girls or teenage girls can feel like a risk. But buying brands they love, classic picks like leggings or fun sweatshirts are usually a safe bet.
Black Leggings
She can never have too many pairs of black leggings, so you can’t go wrong with this gift. These are buttery soft (not an exaggeration–I have a pair) high waisted leggings with a pocket. Choose from other colors too, but black is always safe.
Be Kind Sweatshirt
She’ll love this comfy, lightweight oversized sweatshirt! And you’ll love the price.
Here Comes the Sun T-shirt
This shirt comes in 10 different colors.
Book Gifts
Books are a great gift idea for tween girls or teenage girls. They can help girls navigate the tween and teen years, grow their empathy and know that there are worlds beyond social media and their day-to-day life.
Books by Linda Mullaly Hunt
When you find books that are loved by middle schoolers and recommended by teachers, you know you have a winning author.
Girl in the Blue Coat
Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this award-winning mystery set during WWII. The summary describes it as “an extraordinary novel about bravery, grief, and love in impossible times.”
I Am Malala
This powerful memoir is a must-read. Malala stood up for education, was shot by the Taliban and became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient in history. It’s such a good book, and one she’ll want to talk about.
Audible – Amazon’s library of audiobooks
Amazon makes it easy for you to gift 3-, 6- or 12-month memberships to a massive library of audiobooks for tweens and teens who love listening to books.
Kindle Unlimited Membership Plan
For tweens and teens who like to read on their Kindle, you can gift 6, 12 or 24 months of Kindle Unlimited so they can access a massive library of books in seconds.
Other books our tweens and teens recommend…
READ MORE >>>
Gift Cards & Money Gifts
Giving a gift card as a gift for tween girls is a solid choice. And did you know that you can get gift cards for a ton of stores on Amazon? You can ship the gift card or share the digital code with the recipient. So easy!
Starbucks Gift Card
Make the gift card extra special by tucking it inside this personalized reusable 24 oz frosted venti coffee cup with straw–and support a small business!
Fun money
Lots of tweens are saving for bigger ticket items and they honestly want gift cards or cash. You can give cash or gift cards in a clever way. Free options include wrapping a box within a box within a box to throw them off. The options below are other affordable and creative ways to give gift cards and cash.
Puzzle Pod
If you want to get a little more creative, this puzzle lets you design your own set of clues that lead to a three-letter word of your choosing that opens the pod and reveals the gift.
Savings Bond
No joke, my 12-year-old asked me about the bonds I received from my grandparents when I was a kid because I used them to buy my first car. I looked into it, and the hard copy EE bonds I got as a kid were discontinued in 2012. But you can still give savings bonds electronically and then print gift certificates to give as gifts. Plan ahead, because it requires that the recipient have an account set up.
Experience Gifts for Tween & Teen Girls
Check out this list of experience gifts for tween and teen girls.
Even More Gift Lists for Tween & Teen Girls
We have gift guides for Valentine’s Day, 8th grade graduation, gifts that give back and the best watches.
Thank you for some helpful ideas! My daughter is 11. I am just needing a couple more presents and I am going to look into some of these. 🙂