No doubt about it, with the level of independence and moodiness rising it can be hard to guess what gift a teenager would want and whether they will like it. It can be equally hard to come up with ideas in the first place. This gift guide aims to help out with some ideas for a young teenager, although the suggestions here are clearly just suggestions and are likely to be relevant to some other ages too.
This article is coupled with one of our new gift idea boards which you can access here. The young teen gift idea board, as with all our other gift idea boards, allow you to get quick inspiration for ideas which you can easily add to your own wish lists.
Below you will find some ideas that should appeal to most young teenagers but do let us know if you have any other great ideas. And with a teenager, don't be put off if all you get afterwards is a small, acknowledging grunt rather than a big hug like you might have got ten years ago!
Key to most teenagers is space – space to be themselves and space to be away from the family! Therefore, are there any authors, genres or series of books that they particularly enjoy? Reading can be a relaxing activity, but also it can help develop vocabulary; if they are taking in more words, maybe there is a chance they might start to talk more! ;-)
At this time of a teenagers life it is likely they are developing more of their own likes and dislikes, especially with regards to music. Is there an artist they like who has a new album out? Are there any music posters they might like to decorate their room with? If you are not sure what they like then there are numerous streaming sites out there, so with a bit of sleuthing it might be possible to find out what platform the child uses and you could give a voucher for that or a contribution towards it. If they play an instrument then they may like some sheet music for their favourite artist or for the soundtrack of a favourite film of theirs.
No gift list for a teenager would be complete without the mention of some type of games console. Love them or loathe them, they are key to many teenagers lives and the time spent on them can be hours. However, they are often expensive, even for games. Depending on your budget you may be able to get a new game, or other options might be some gaming accessories, such as a new controller for the console or a set of headphones.
Vouchers are another type of gift that will be well received by most teenagers. Whether it be for clothes, or other particular stores, it means the person receiving it can go off and treat themselves to something they want.
There may be specific hobbies that the person you are buying for has. Are there any books, clothing, or equipment for example that would make a good present related to their hobby? Does the child have a pet? - if so, then some pet accessories could make a good choice as lots of children love doting on their own animals.
Lastly, like with the gift guides for children of other ages, tickets or vouchers for experiences are a choice that will give the child a lasting memory. As the child gets older their interests will naturally change, but a visit to a theme park, a museum or a movie attraction might be right up their street. An alternative would be to see a live show, or even perhaps a ticket to see their current favourite artist?
As mentioned at the beginning, we have our own dynamic gift guide which you can access to go along with this article. The young teen gift guide, and all our other gift guides, allow you to get quick inspiration for ideas and you can easily add any of showcased items directly to your own wish lists.
Whatever you decide to give, we're sure that it will be well loved coming from you. And don't forget to see if they have a wish list on Giftwhale to consult for any specific ideas of themes that they are currently into. Happy shopping!
