49 Best Gifts for 12-Year-Olds That Please Even Picky Teens
Tweens will absolutely love these unique, unusual and cool present ideas.
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Twelve-year-olds are complex. They're so close to being full-fledged teenagers, and yet they spend half their time wishing they were little again. Buying gifts for kids this age has to honor their sophistication but still have enough of a fun factor to stay away from the boring "adult gift" territory.
With all that in mind, these are the best gifts for 12-year-olds in 2025. They're a mix of selects from the Good Housekeeping Institute (which tests toys for the Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards), trendy best-sellers that are hits with other tweens and some editor favorites. If you're looking for more great gift ideas, check out the best gifts for 12-year-old boys, the best gifts for 12-year-old girls and the best gifts for tweens.
This is a game that mixes friendly competition with physical skill. Players race to move the pieces from pillar to pillar—one-handed—to match the pattern on a challenge card. Our testers even liked playing it solo. One parent noted: "Though it’s for a family of four, my 10-year-old spent a lot of time doing some rounds on his own because he liked the mental workout. ‘It’s actually challenging and not like one of those easy games,’ he said.” Ages 8+
When you play Kanoodle, you can see how the #KanoodleChallenge has more than 1 billion views on TikTok. Challenge cards start a puzzle with a certain amount of pieces, and players have to figure out how to fit the remaining shapes in. This one has 500 challenges and an added twist: There's a timer, so the puzzles have to be solved in a set amount of time. "I like that I could easily take it with me places or in the car," one Good Housekeeping Institute tester said. Ages 7+
The premise is simple: Players are charged with launching a ball through the curved tube and catching it at the other opening. And yet, they won't be able to stop! It's so fun to play, they won't even realize they're working on their hand-eye coordination. It has such a following, it's received more than 7,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. Ages 9+
It pays to be clean — literally. Each bar of this soap has a real cash bill inside. Payouts range anywhere from $5 to $100, but they have to use it all up before they get the money. In addition to orange and peach, it also comes in a cucumber mint scent.
They can take their artistic creations into the third dimension with this pen, which gives them an intro to the world of 3D printing. The artist gets to pick how hot the unit gets, which puts them in control of how fast the plastic filament flows. It comes with three colors of ABS plastic filament to get them started, but they'll need a filament refill almost immediately, so you might buy that, too.
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Photos instantly pop out of this camera, giving tweens something to hand to afriend or to use to decorate their room. We named it the best overall camera for kids, noting that it holds up to a lot of rough treatment. If giving it as a gift, be sure to include some infant film.
A little macabre, a little wry, a little sly, this book is perfect for those who liked the tone of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved the mix of mystery and humor. And our kid testers are loving the series: A second volume also won a Good Housekeeping Kids' Book Award this year — with reviewers saying it's even better than the first. Ages 8 – 12
Tweens love these bags because they come in bright, bold colors and are just the right size to hold the essentials without getting too bulky. We've named it the best overall fanny pack. If they have lots to tote around, you can also get these in a larger size.
Tweens were mesmerized when we let them fly a piece of string in the air at top speed — that's the ZipString in a nutshell. “It’s easy to learn new tricks and easy to use — makes me feel confident playing with it,” one tester said. All ZipString units recharges with a USB cord, and the Luma glows in the dark. Ages 8+
Ask any tween about Jellycat and they will tell you, they make the most-fun plush. The Amuseables line, especially, features crazy characters like this hot dog, a slice of pizza or a boiled egg with glasses. They're little — this one is under 5 inches tall — but absolutely adorable.
What's the point of taking photos if they just live on their devices (or, worse, yours)? This mini photo printer connects to iOS or Android devices with Bluetooth and lets users print out 2" x 3" photos on sticky-backed paper. If you have the HP app, you can also add stickers, emojis and other effects. It also comes in other colors (like blush pink, lilac or black).
They'll never have to worry about dead devices again with these power banks, which hold enough juice to fully recharge an iPhone 15. The best part is that the charging cables are attached so they don't have to remember to take the power bank and the cords.
Bakers who have mastered all of the usual suspect probably haven't yet mastered the churro. Give them the tools they need for the sweet treat with this all-in-one kit, which comes with everything they need, from baking mix to the proper piping tip. It's great for a one-off gift or a party activity.
Everyone from tweens to teens to even adults are having a grand time making their own beaded bracelets. (Thank you, Taylor Swift.) Any 12-year-old into the trend will thrill to have this set, which comes with more than 700 beads to get them started along with clasps, elastics and charms.
Kids getting into makeup will love the cute, baking-themed cosmetics from Beauty Bakerie. Amazon reviewers like the Lip Whip especially because of its long-lasting color, which comes in four shades.
Once they get a feel for how soft and comfy these plush fleece shorts are, they're not going to want to lounge around in anything else. They're designed by Corey Paige, a young New York-based artist, and they fit Paige's goal of spreading happiness and positivity. But if these are too sporty, the shorts come in three other Paige-designed prints with other themes. Sizes 4 – 14
If they love building marble runs and seeing the cause-and-effect of adding different tracks in different places, they'll adore this game. It gives them challenge cards that start off a marble path, and players have to figure out which pieces to use to get the marble to travel into the red cup at the end. There are more than 60 puzzles to work out — or they can just use the pieces to make their own creations. Ages 8+
What tween wouldn't want to just wrap themselves up in a cloud-like cocoon of lightweight fleece? Whether they want to snuggle up and read, stay warm on a cold day or just laze around, this wearable blanket will have them feeling cozy all over. It comes in lots of colors and patters, and it even has a pocket, so hands can stay warm, too. One size.
Are they ready to make a movie like The Nightmare Before Christmas? This comes with everything they'll need to get started, including a camera with microphone, animation software and a book with hints and tricks. Amazon reviewers say this is really for serious filmmakers — beginners might want to check out the easier-to-use Stikbot Zanimation.
Twelve-year-olds are many things but patient is not one of them. This tie-dye kit works in the microwave, so kids can have creations in under 10 minutes. It requires 100% cotton material, like this Hanes T-shirt, but the materials do not need to be soaked in soda ash to work.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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