39 Good Gifts for 12 Year Olds That Don’t Suck

Once your kids get past a certain age, they’re more fun to hang out with. Enjoy those precious moments before they take your car and pretend not to know you. “Capture the Flag REDUX” is an old-school game with exciting features like LED lights for nighttime play. Great for campouts, family reunions, or parties.

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At some point in everyone’s life, the need to wield a needle will arise. Craftster’s Woodland Animals Kit is a fun way for youngsters to learn basic sewing skills. This is more than threading a needle – five cute little stuffed animals result. It’s a great kit for a solitary child or for a party activity.

View more: 44 Craft Kits for Kids

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“Tough Puzzles for Smart Kids” is an intriguing title for an intriguing book. Kids will enjoy the challenge of solving different types of puzzles in a handy format to take wherever they venture. No batteries required, either! No matter how smart your kiddo is now, he or she will be smarter after tackling this challenge.

Related: Perplexus Puzzle

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All alone or with friends, at home or on the go, the Nintendo Switch is THE go-to gaming system with the most versatility. Kids can convert a smartphone into a handheld game, or switch to play on the TV. They can practice skills on their own, then switch to multiplayer mode and challenge their pals.

When you’re 12, bedtime doesn’t always mean sleep time. This clever clip-on LED book light is just right for illuminating a page or adding a bit of brightness to an e-reader for a few more chapters after lights out. Of course, it’s portable so it’s ideal for camp, sleepovers, or spending the summer at Granny’s.

OMG… my BFF… YOLO… IKR? Say what? If this is how your kiddo and her friends converse, maybe she’s ready for the exciting and changing world of Hair Chalk from Madellena. Ten awesome colors for temporary hair color or face painting is a fun way for tweens to express themselves without damaging or harsh chemicals.

Learning to use makeup is a rite of passage all girls look forward to. As their parents and grandparents, however, we want them to have flattering colors and chemical-free products. This organic, all-natural, made in the USA makeup kit from Kooalo is designed for the younger lady in mind, without the hefty boutique price tag.

The Kindle Paperwhite E-reader is just the right size, portable, and weighs less than a library full of books – all features your youngster will appreciate when you choose this easy-on-the-eyes electronic book that goes anywhere. Road trip to Grandma’s? Summer camp? Wherever your kiddo goes, a wonderland full of books, newspapers, and magazines goes, too.

Boy Craft Catapult Wars is a fun kit for boys AND girls. Assemble the pre-cut pieces into a pair of catapults, set up the cool included targets, then compete for accuracy, distance, speed, or just launch the mini sandbags for fun. Stickers are included to add flair to the catapults. Which will fling the farthest?

View more: 32 STEM Toys for Kids Into Engineering

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Self-care is learned behavior, and let’s face it – your 12-year-old isn’t going to learn any younger. Thus, the Creativity for Kids Day-at-the-Spa deluxe gift set is a marvelous introduction to the world of relaxation, pampering, and luxury. It’s a fun party theme and includes a spa-party invitation, or choose it for a “mom-and-me” bonding experience.

The traditional ho-hum mani-pedi is so last year. At least in comparison to the ALEX Spa Glow Sketch It Nail Pens. Now get this – these up-to-the-minute colors glow in the dark. Five awesome shades in double-ended nail pens allow your creative diva to design fab nail art that’s still on fleek when the lights go out.

Meccano but not as you remember it, with the Meccanoid 2.0 robot building kit kids can create and then program their own motorized pal to play with. Made from 1,014 parts and standing almost 4 feet tall, the robot has 10 motors for realistic movement, as well as LED eyes.

Lazer Tag Phoenix LTX Tagger from Nerf is a super-duper two-pack of laser tagging fun without a trip to the local arcade. Nerf uses 40 nanometers wavelength LED infrared lights and has receivers incorporated into the handset to log tags, so no separate targets or receivers to wear or lose. Perfect for head-to-head combat.

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If your youngsters ask “Which house?” here’s a gift that will have them over the moon. Designed like a traveling trunk, this clever box contains the complete set of “Harry Potter” books with book jackets designed to complement each house of Hogwarts. Even if they haven’t been sorted, kids know in “which house” they belong.

View more: 40 Imaginative Harry Potter Gifts and Toys for Young Potterheads

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So now you know how to get to Sesame Street, but your kiddo is all about Minecraft – they grow up way too fast. It’s inevitable, so you may as well go with it. Bring home the PlayStation 4 Slim game console, and you’ll get some awesome gaming time with your youngster and develop gaming skills

Boxer may be a robot, but he shows more emotion that most tweens – his expressions change depending on whether he’s happy, sad or sleepy. Kids can interact with their pal using the remote control to do stunts, such as somersaults, or by playing games together.

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Kids can take apart and put back together this squishy human body, learning about the muscles, bones and organs beneath their skin. Accompanied by a 24-page illustrated anatomy book, youngsters can discover the vital organs along with the digestive system, ensuring they’ll be top of the class in biology.

Take an iconic figure from one of the most popular movie franchises ever and turn it into a LEGO building kit for a win. The Star Wars Stormtrooper Commander set allows nimble fingers to create a battle-ready action figure. Your kids can set up their favorite movie scenes or create new adventures of their own.

View more: 39 Gift Ideas for Kids (And Adults) Really Into Star Wars

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Sleight of hand is a skill that requires practice, and the FAO Schwartz Premium Magic Trick set has all the accouterments your young prestidigitator needs to practice over 300 feats of magic. Achieving an inexplicable illusion in a flawless performance to the delight of friends and family makes this a gift that keeps on giving.

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Knowing what kids like makes it a breeze to find gifts for 12 year olds. The “Crafted by Me” quilt kit from Melissa & Doug is a fun project for a kid, whether they’re crafty or not. Precut squares are ready to tuck and tie for a colorful, patterned quilt your youngster will enjoy and cherish.

Vision boards have been inspiring adults for years. This set is a fun craft project resulting in a customized vision board highlighting your kiddo’s dreams and aspirations, memories and mementos. The Craftivity Dare to Dream kit includes little planks to paint, decorate, and decoupage, then assemble for a truly unique and updateable vision board.

The Nerf N-Strike Precision Target Set is a blaster featuring a light beam targeting system. Targets are included so your sharpshooter can practice his or her skills, or compete with a buddy. They can stand the targets up or hang them on a door. Either way, they’re on target for the “ready… aim… fire!” countdown.

Gaming is serious stuff these days. You’ve checked out the best systems, found the most appropriate games, so naturally, you’ll want to choose a primo gaming headset for your youngster. The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 wireless surround sound offers an exclusive “Superhuman Hearing” setting for enhanced audio details to give your player a sound advantage.

Avengers fans can become one of the gang with this Inventor Kit from littleBits. Through the app, kids can take part in superhero training, as well as build and customize their hero gear using the littleBits electronic blocks to be like Ant-Man and Black Panther.

Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster is the mother of all Nerf blasters with two 25-dart drums, alternating-fire barrels, mounted on a tripod. This is the crème de la crème of rapid-fire motorized blaster toys. Whether the battle is for the last cookie or the top bunk, your little guerilla will be victorious over all comers.

Letters to My Future Self is a brilliant idea in a handy volume which is perfect for collecting a youngster’s thoughts, photos, mementos, and hopes. Journaling is a great habit to begin young, and as an adult, your kiddo will appreciate your foresight in encouraging them to look forward from the here and now.

The leaders in any field had to start somewhere. Melissa & Doug toys often lay the foundation for future career choices. The Fashion Design Art Activity Kit is a great way for a budding Ralph Lauren or Vera Wang to get some practice creating wearable art concepts. Everything is in an easy-to-carry kit – handy wherever inspiration strikes.

Bangle bracelets and charm bracelets have long been favorite feminine accessories. This clever version combines the charms on an adjustable bangle. “This is what 12 and awesome looks like” accompanies cake, gift, and balloon charms for a charming gift for your favorite young miss. Smart shoppers like you get the most bangle for the buck.

The ALEX Toys Knot-a-Quilt kit is not a quilt, but pre-cut pieces of softest fleece in trendy chevron shapes. Your youngster arranges the colors, then knots them for their very own blanket. It’s great for chilly days, lazy days, or any days; curling up on the couch in a roomy cocoon of comfort sounds good.

Discerning one’s color palette isn’t an easy task. Without a professional consultation, it takes a little trial and error to figure out what shades are flattering. The SHANY Glamour Girl Makeup Kit offers a generous range of eyeshadow, blush, and lip colors to complement any complexion, and learning what works for your blossoming miss.

Enchantmints presents a timeless treasure for anyone who loves unicorns. The decor features lovely depictions of unicorns frolicking in an enchanted forest. Tiny drawers for small secrets and a larger one for greater trinkets enhance this delicate box. A unicorn figure rotates when you lift the mirrored lid to “The Unicorn” music box tune.

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Fans of Fortnite can put down the controller and compete with family and friends off-screen with this new edition of the popular board game. Inspired by their favorite video game, kids must pick up health packs, build walls, and fight off their opponents until they’re the last player standing.

After all these years, some people still don’t believe in women’s lib or gender equality. None of the youngsters in your life should ever hear (or say) “girls can’t” or “women shouldn’t”. This marvelous book, “Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World” shares stories of amazing women proving girls can do anything.

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Tween-agers are on the cusp of maturity as they leave childish things behind. It can be a confusing and emotional period. This beautifully crafted charm necklace gives your child encouragement and empowers them with a message to “Be you” and to “Reach for the Moon.” Stones with healing powers are carefully selected for each charm.

Playz Fun Perfume Experiment Science Lab kit is an engaging, entertaining, and enterprising DIY fragrance operation that makes a unique gift for 12 year olds. Kids can make bath fizzies, potpourri, and other scented delights for themselves or as gifts, or set up a shop to compete with the big name bath stores. STEM friendly.

You might not consider mud to be “magical” when it’s covering your kitchen floor, but with this Magical Microbes MudWatt STEM kit, kids can learn how to make clean energy using the power of mud. Experimenting with soil, along with leftovers from the fridge, they can use the MudWatt Explorer app to measure microbe growth.

Style trends today change faster than we can keep up with. One thing that’s stable is the concept of uniqueness. Individual choices are a lasting trend and the “Make Your Own Nail Polish” kit embraces it – everything your fashionista needs for customizing colors to match the latest fashion or create a party theme to share.

The second expansion to Exploding Kittens, this card game is filled with suspense, just like a game of Russian roulette. With these 15 cards, players will unlock 8 additional actions, as well as a “streaking kitten” card, which means that they can hold an exploding kitten card in their hand without combusting.

If your kids are poop-obsessed, they can make unicorn poop to play with using the ingredients in this Poopsie Slime Surprise Pack – by combining the unicorn food with a touch of unicorn magic, they’ll have multi-colored, scented slime that they can customize. There are 18 to collect, including the rare Unicorn Sparkle.

The classic game is now available in a portable edition for Nintendo 3DS. Kids must help Luigi fight off the supernatural residents who are lurking in the mansion to save Mario, following the map on the touchscreen to find and stun the ghosts with the Poltergust 3000.

The Vamslove kick scooter features an adjustable height T-bar handlebar, non-slip deck, and flashing wheels. When style and good looks are as important as performance, this is the right foot-to-ground powered ride. Rear brake for ease of operation and optimum safe riding combined with easy storage and portability options make this scooter fun and convenient.

This is not your grandpa’s inner tube! The Intex River Run Sport Lounge is specially made for relaxing in your favorite body of water. Oh, wait. We’re shopping for the kids. Maybe you need two of these mesh-bottomed inflatables. It has a built-in backrest and cupholders for luxury on the high seas or backyard pond.

Potter fans will go crazy for this Hogwarts Great Hall building kit. With 878 pieces, they can create a 4-level model of the iconic Great Hall, complete with the sorting hat, mirror of Erised, and 10 minifigures of their favorite characters, including a buildable Basilisk.

When choosing gifts for 12 year olds, consider this inspiring pendant, which encourages the wearer to “live life with intention.” Twelve is a complicated age – no longer a little child, not yet an adult, and facing decisions of increasing consequence daily. “Be Truthful, Be Gentle, Be Fearless” may make the transition to impending maturity easier.

Battling to free the Atlas Star System from Grax and the Forgotten Legion, kids can mix and match pilots, wings, and weapons to create their own starship. As they build their ship, they can watch the changes they make come to life on-screen in the game, like they’re fighting in a parallel universe.

Why do kids find goldfish so fascinating? If you’d like to give a darling little goldfish to your favorite kid and not worry about it not surviving the weekend, choose this whimsical pendant. The tiny 14k-gold fish is suspended in a sterling silver “fishbowl” to add to the delightful illusion of a swimming fishy.

Kids can build a menagerie in their bedroom with these 3D puzzles made from recycled cardboard. Select an animal, from a sloth to a llama, and watch it come to life, as kids get busy sticking together the numbered pieces using the non-toxic glue that’s included.

Cable TV is expensive, especially if you have several units. Not to mention, some of the content is less than suitable for the under-13 crowd. When you choose a Roku stick to connect your kids’ TV, they’ll have a wide choice with content, especially for younger viewers. You already pay for WiFi, so why not?

Kids will be transported to a galaxy far, far away as they construct this 1,060-piece LEGO Star Wars building kit. Featuring Darth Vader’s castle, the set includes an underground hangar, which houses the TIE Advanced Fighter, as well as an ancient Sith shrine and a meditation chamber.