Gifts for Tweens and Teens

My niece is entering that space between the childhood and teen years, and it has me thinking about the awkward time where kids are moving beyond toys, but still may believe in Santa. This list of gifts for tweens and teens will help keep the holidays filled with childhood magic just a little bit longer.

Guitar Hero Live

Guitar Hero Live is a great new addition to the Guitar Hero franchise. Tweens are often exploring who they are, and sometimes it is fun for them to get to pretend to be in the spotlight. This game puts them on center stage looking out at a crowd – a chance to safely explore being in the spotlight.

There are 100’s of songs available for play, which is super cool because it means that the boys can play the songs and genres they love, while I can play the 70’s-90’s stuff that make me want to rock out.

GHTV is another great feature – music videos stream and you can play along!

Nerf Rebelle Bow

I have lots of love for the Nerf Rebelle Bow. Since The Hunger Games series came out, there seems to be an interest in archery. As a child, I enjoyed archery and learned to shoot at camp an the hunting club with my dad. The Nerf Rebelle is unique in my opinion because it actually functions as a safe and fairly accurate compound bow.

It is easy to load – even my nearly 5 year old can do it himself!

Go Pro

The tween boys we know are all obsessed with my husband’s Go Pro. They want to record each other doing tricks, being silly, and having fun. As long as they have good sense of privacy and “everything on the Internet is forever”, I think a Go Pro is a perfect gift.

Magic Show

The most lovely thing about tween and teens is that as much as they want to have adult privileges, they still want to play. Finding appropriate toys for your big kids can be challenging, but the Ryan Oakes’ Magic Show is a way for them to play while finding ways to show off for their friends.

Silhouette Portrait or CAMEO

You all know I love my Silhouette CAMEO. It is quite easy to use and a CAMEO (or the Portrait, CAMEO’s little sister) would be a great gift for a crafty tween or teen. I would have been so excited by one of these – spirit shirts, wall decals, jewelry – I would have made it all.

Pie Face Game

I am imagining myself as a tween, looking for silly things to of with my friends at a sleepover. Had it existed, Pie Face would have topped the list. A simple game that leaves participants laughing and covered in whipped cream, it is a perfect addition to any tween gathering.

Disclosure: Alex Toys, Activision and Hasbro all provided review items for inclusion in this post. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.