The finished product now sits on our school-supply shelf and gets used regularly.

For instance, the Electric Pencil Sharpener (one of the Eureka Crate projects, meant for ages 14 and up, mostly because there are lots of small pieces) includes a booklet with a behind-the-scenes look at how the sharpener was designed, the science of switches and circuits, and the history of pencil sharpeners and pencils. Not all the boxes hit it out of the park, but KiwiCo’s crates use higher-quality materials compared with those I’ve purchased at big-box retailers, and they’re infused with thought and creativity. If you don’t want to commit to a subscription, individual boxes and packs of three or five kits are also available. You can choose from four styles, depending on your tween’s interests and skill level: Doodle (art and creativity, ages 9 through 16), Tinker (STEM projects, ages 9 through 16), Eureka (science and engineering, ages 14 and up), and Maker (art and design, ages 14 and up). Just like its subscriptions for younger kids, KiwiCo’s craft boxes for tweens and teens come with everything they’ll need to put a project together (which is one of the reasons it’s our current pick for the best kids craft subscription boxes). My 10-year-old loves a good project-and she can handle it all on her own, thank you very much. And please share your own best ideas in the comments below.) (As always, please keep in mind that kids vary widely in their personalities, interests, and development, so we advise that you take these age recommendations with a grain of salt. If you’re looking for additional ideas, check out our guides to the best gifts for 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, and 8-year-olds, as well as fun stocking stuffers for kids. Got an almost-tween or almost-teen? We have guides to the best gifts for 9-year-olds, 10-year-olds, and teens that offer more ideas.

Athletes may appreciate something from our health and fitness guides, like a yoga mat or a fitness tracker. If you have a gaming enthusiast, check out our gaming guides to find the best Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite accessories and the best gaming headsets. Some of our other guides might help if your tween already has a good idea of what they like. Adult-size tools allow them to tackle grown-up projects like baking and woodworking. Age-appropriate cosmetics and beauty accessories let them experiment with new looks and styles. Room decor such as lights and posters can help them establish a space that reflects their evolving interests and identity. With the help of Pearlman and other toy and child development experts, as well as the collective experience of parents and caregivers on our staff, we gathered gift ideas geared toward inspiring and intriguing tweens. “They’re a mix of wanting to be grown up and thinking they can handle everything, but also still learning.”Įven if they don’t readily show their gratitude, tweens are likely to appreciate a thoughtful gift-one that acknowledges that, while they now have more mature interests, they still love to have fun. “ present like they’re mature, but they still like kid stuff,” said Catherine Pearlman, a parenting adviser, author, and a mother of two teenagers. But they still harbor a fondness for things that are fun and silly (even “babyish”), as well. These so-called tweens are often developing first crushes, taking more interest in their appearance, following social media personalities, and growing increasingly independent. Between the ages of 9 and 12, children start to outgrow their little-kid personas and move on to more-grown-up interests.

Holiday gift ideas for 20 year olds