27 Best Gifts for Tweens in 2023

This clever drone flies and hovers by itself and can be used with any Nerf gun or Gel blaster for target practice. Just throw it up, and the drone levitates and maneuvers as it tries to avoid blasts and tracks your hits. Pretty nifty. It’s tons of fun to play solo or with a group of friends.

Sol de Janeiro’s popular scents are deliciously sweet, evoking fruity florals, warm vanillas and beachy vibes — perfect for tweens. This handy set lets you try them all, and they’re easy to slip into a bag or pocket when you’re on the go.

Cloud slides took off on TikTok, and they’re still popular among tweens. These nonslip shoes are perfectly cushy, waterproof and simple to slip on, so you can easily wear them both indoors and out. They’re so comfy, adults just might want to wear them too.

Create a fun space for your tween to chill with these super-affordable LED strip lights. Set them on one solid color, or rotate through multiple colors on “rainbow mode.” You can also sync them up to music so that the lights pulse to the beat. I purchased one and ended up buying a second one to add to my son’s room. (He loves them that much.) They come with an app, but my kid prefers to use these with Alexa for voice control. 

Converse sneakers are still popular among teens and tweens. Make theirs extra-special with customized Chuck Taylors. Tweens can choose from a variety of unique colors and patterns and then add customized patch logos, racing stripes, laces, eyelets and more for a one-of-kind look.

If your tween is into bobba tea, also known as bubble tea, this kit has everything they’ll need to make their own delicious concoctions at home, including tapioca balls, a variety of loose-leaf teas, straws and recipe cards.

If you’re looking for a personal and meaningful gift, Gorjana’s Power Birthstone Coin Necklace is a surprisingly affordable option. Choose from a variety of gemstones that symbolize their birth month, including sapphire, emerald, citrine, pink tourmaline and more. The necklace comes on a 16-inch gold chain with a 2-inch extender, so you can easily adjust the length and layer it with other jewelry.

Gel Blaster’s Surge is tons of fun for both kids and adults. But be forewarned that you definitely want to take this one outside, and the “Gellets” do sting a little on impact — not as bad as paintball or airsoft, but protective eyewear is recommended. The best part is that the gel pellets are water based and evaporate after shooting them. No more cleaning up a hundred foam Nerf darts afterwards.

If your tween wants to document their next action adventure, GoPro cameras can’t be beat. We love the new GoPro Hero 12, but not its $400 price point. The GoPro Hero 10 is still pricey, but not nearly as much, and you get a lot for the money. This camera has amazing stabilization, can shoot 5.3K video and has a 23-megapixel camera.

Give the gift of luminous skin with this six-piece mask set. Tweens will find every mask they need for a healthy complexion, including a green tea sheet mask to brighten and purify, an aloe mask for intense hydration, and a coconut sheet mask to clean and revitalize.

Spikeball is a super-trendy, fast-paced game that combines elements of volleyball and four square. Instead of hitting a large ball over a straight net, you’re smacking a softer, grapefruit-size ball onto a bouncy, ringed one, sort of like tetherball but without the string. 

Be prepared, parents: This is a physical game, one that requires fast movement and probably some diving if you want to score points. Consequently, this might be best for just the kids, although it does require four players.

What better way to take selfies and fun pics with friends than with an Instax? It’s easy to throw into a large pocket or backpack so you can document your daily life. And there’s something great about immediately getting a physical photo to hold onto as soon as you take the pic.

Once your tween starts snapping pics with their Instax, they’ll need a great backdrop and lighting. These dreamy string lights help add a magical feel to any room. With 50 clips to hang up their favorite pics, your tween will love their new sparkling retreat.

You don’t have to be a seasoned pilot to fly Deerc’s budget-friendly D10. It’s easy to operate and has a built-in camera that captures and records in 1080p full high-definition. It’s compact, foldable and weighs just 5.8 ounces, so you can take it just about anywhere. Be sure to apply the 20% coupon at checkout.

Ping pong is a great rainy-day activity, but not everyone has the space — or the pocketbook — for a full ping pong table. Enter Pro-Spin’s portable ping pong set. This handy set comes with two paddles, three balls, and a retractable net that easily clamps onto any table surface. (Or you can spend an extra $10 and buy the four-player version, which comes with four paddles.) We were impressed with the overall quality of the equipment, though be advised that it works best if you’ve got a standard rectangular dining or patio table.

AirPods are a tween staple. The AirPods Pro 2 are the best lightweight earbuds you can buy, according to CNET’s David Carnoy. They’re powered by Apple’s newer H2 chip, which offers more processing power while being more energy efficient. If you don’t want to shell out $249 for the Pro 2, you could go with Apple’s 2019 standard AirPods. They’re not as feature rich, but they’ll do the job.

If you’re a fan of Exploding Kittens (or even if you’re not), you’ll get a kick out of this game. It’s a card game and dodgeball (but with burritos!), all in one. Players collect matching cards to score points, all while dodging flying burritos thrown at you by your opponents. It’s a great way to get tweens off their screen and running around — just be sure to move any breakables out of the line of fire.

If the tween in your life is into PC gaming, take their gaming setup up a notch with a gaming keyboard. The SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL is our favorite budget gaming keyboard thanks to its durability, super-quiet gaming switches and eight lighting zones. Bonus: It’s also IP32 water-resistant so it won’t matter if your tween is a chronic spiller.

What tween doesn’t love mochi? Making homemade mochi can be tricky, but this kit makes it super easy, and it’ll be a fun rainy-day project for your preteen. Flavors include matcha green tea and cocoa powder, but you can come up with your own flavors too!

If your kid doesn’t have a Nintendo Switch, you can’t go wrong with this gaming system. It’s a splurge, but it’s not as expensive as the PS5 or Xbox Series X, and it’s easier to travel with.

This mobile gaming system provides hours and hours of entertainment with games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pimkin 4 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It’s fun for adults, too.