Gift ideas · Age 12
Gifts for 12 year olds
Twelve year olds want real versions of things: real tools, real games, real gear. A gift that treats them like almost a teenager lands better than a toy.
Skip: Anything with a character they loved at 8. Ask first.
Remind me beforeor
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Safe bets for most 12 year olds
- 1A 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzleOur pick: Ravensburger The Fantasy Toy Shop, 1,000 piecesA slow project for the kitchen table that the whole family ends up helping with. Find it
- 2A leathercraft kitOur pick: Tandy Leather Aspen Card Case kitA wallet or keychain they made, and actually use. Find it
- 3An instant cameraOur pick: Fujifilm Instax Mini 13Friends, sleepovers and photos on the wall. Find it
- 4CodenamesOur pick: Codenames (Czech Games Edition)The party game grown-ups play, and kids this age are good at it. Find it
Match how they play
- 1An Arduino starter kitOur pick: Arduino Starter Kit R4For a builder. Real code that makes lights blink and motors turn. Find it
- 2A hiking daypackOur pick: Osprey Daylite 13LFor an explorer. Their own pack for real trails. Find it
- 3A USB microphoneOur pick: RØDE NT-USB MiniFor a performer. Songs, podcasts and voiceovers with real sound. Find it
- 4A set of cubes from 2x2 to 5x5Our pick: QiYi 2x2 to 5x5 cube gift boxFor a puzzler. Once they've solved one, there's always a harder one. Find it
Find gifts that match how they play
The gifts that get used match how a kid already likes to play. The quiz takes two minutes. No account needed, and adding a name is optional.
More gift ideas
Gifts for 11 year oldsAge 11Gifts for ages 10 to 12, by play typeAges 10 to 12All gift ideasBy age and by how they play
Holiday gift lists
Christmas gifts for kids that last past New Year'sChristmasStocking stuffers for kids that actually get usedHolidays
Buying for the grown-ups too? Gifts they'll still own, scored on warranty and repair: for dad, for mom, under $100.
Print it before the partyHalloween Party Games for Kids: picture bingo, a monster hunt and pin the face on the pumpkin. 11 pages, $5.Get the printable →
