by Jesse Chettle, Pigtail Pals
Finding the right presents for tweens can be tough with their interests changing so rapidly as they grow up.
Below, you can find some useful tips on how to select gifts your tween will love. You can also find some info on the kinds of things that you may want to avoid gifting a tween to help you feel even more confident about your choices this coming holiday season.
Learn Their Interests
If you’re having a hard time thinking of the specific things that your tween is into, you can plan ahead and start asking them now since you’ve still got some time before the holidays. You can also just observe them and see what they’re taking a like to, but asking them can get you more details on the exact stuff they really want!
For example, they may be really into video games, spending more time playing them lately. That’s a good starting point, but you’ll want to learn more about the specific types of video games that they enjoy playing to ensure that the gift is just what they were looking for.
Maybe your tween is taking more of an interest in music lately. Again, it’s a good clue that you can use to dig deeper and learn more about who their favorite singer is and if they have any new albums out.
Pro tip: You could check if their favorite band is coming to town soon for a concert and get them tickets to the event, an experience they’re sure to love!
You can ask any of these questions casually by just asking them about their interests or you can be more direct and tell them you want ideas for their Christmas list. It’s really up to you how you go about it.
Gifts They Can Use With Friends
Tweens tend to want to spend a lot of time with their friends. It’s normal and giving them some space can be good for letting them have time apart from being so close to the family all the time.
Therefore, finding gifts that tweens can use in groups with their friends could be an excellent idea. The types of gifts that you may want to consider could include board and card games. These are fun options for tweens to play indoors, making them a good gift during the cold weather months.
There are also awesome outdoor group activity gifts, such as sports gear, walkie talkie sets and more.
Meaningful Gifts
Tweens may be at an age where they’re starting to appreciate more meaningful gifts. These types of presents can be excellent for both holidays and birthdays.
Jewelry with their date of birth could be fantastic for a birthday gift. Furthermore, engravings with your tween’s name on pieces of jewelry could be a wonderful choice for the holidays.
These kinds of presents can have a more sentimental value that tweens can find more memorable.
Gift Ideas That Could Be Risky
When kids are younger, buying them clothes as gifts was a safer bet because it’s predominantly parents who dress their kids. However, once your child hits the preteen years, they’ll start wanting to make their own fashion choices.
Some people take the risk of buying clothes and finding out that it’s not the kind of style that tweens want to wear. While you can simply return the clothes, it may leave your child a little disappointed.
Therefore, it may be a good idea to avoid clothes altogether, unless you know about something specific that they’ve had their eye on.
It can be a difficult shift to adjust as parents once your kids are in their tween stages and approaching their teenage years. Therefore, it leads to a big change in the kinds of stuff that interests them.
For specific gift ideas your tween will love, check out the tween gift guides from our friends at Pigtail Pals. And don’t miss the Big Philly Tweens Holiday Gift Guide coming soon!
