12 years old girls are often an enigma to themselves and those around them. One moment they are trying on every dress and skirt in their closet begging to be able to start wearing makeup and the next moment they are dressed in old jeans and an oversized T-shirt playing baseball with the neighborhood boys.
There are other times they seem so insecure and shy you’re worried about them and at other times they appear so poised and mature that they take your breath away. The fact that your preteen is childlike one minute and mature the next may make it seem like it is impossible to find the right gifts for her birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s or other holidays.
We’re here to help, and after some experience in purchasing gifts for young girls this age and a lot of research we have come up with the best toys and gifts for 12 year olds. We choose only those products that earn high ratings on reviews and do our best to cover a variety of price ranges.
For your convenience we have divided the gifts in this gift guide into three categories. The first category covers the best toys for tweens. In the second section we bring you some non-toy gifts that girls of this age love, and the last section covers alternative gift ideas for the young lady who has everything.
Helpful Tips for Finding Great Stuff for 12 Year Old Girls
- Just like young ladies of this age are trying to bridge the gap between being a child and being a teen, so too should you look for toys that appeal to both your child’s childish side and their more mature side as well. Toys that are pure fun, but take some skill to use are good choices as are toys that allow your tween to express their creativity.
- When choosing clothing for girls who are turning twelve pay attention to what other girls their age are wearing as well as clothing your child seems to be drawn too.
- When choosing items other than toys or clothing consider looking for gifts that are both appealing to the preteen and useful to them as well.
- Let your child guide you by paying attention to those items they express real interest in.
10 Fun Toys for 12 Year Old Tween Girls
1. Snow Ski Scooter
A great gift for Christmas or for any young girl who has a late fall or winter birthday the Railz Snow Ski Scooter will take your tweens sledding experiences to an entirely new level. With a weight capacity of up to 200 pounds this snow ski works best on hard packed snow and will provide hours of winter fun for any young girl on your list.
Click here to see the latest price!
2. Jewelry Making Kit
Pre-teen girls are at an age where they are just beginning to develop a real interest in jewelry and they love making gifts for their friends and family members so this Jewelry Making Kit is a great way to combine both these interests while encouraging the young girl in your life to be creative. With 2600 beads in this kit that tween in your life can make tons of jewelry either on her own or with friends.
Click here to see the latest price!
3. Rory’s Story Cubes Set
This Rory's Story Cubes Set includes 3 sets of Rory’s story cubes original, voyages, and actions. These pocket sizes “make up a story” games are the perfect gift for any occasion: Birthday, Christmas, Easter Basket etc. Tweens will love playing this game with their friends at sleepover parties, with the family on game night, and can even play alone when they are bored. Kids will love letting their imagination soar and the more outrageous the story the better!
Click here to see the latest price!
4. Roller Blades
A great gift and a great way to get that young lady outside and exercising these Bladerunner Rollerblades come in sizes 5 through 10 is a great mode of transportation for young girls. It may take a little practice before your tween gets good on this skates, but once she does she will have tons of fun. However, we do recommend that you also include a Set of Protective Gear to help protect the pre-teen for injury.
Click here to see the latest price!
5. 3D Coloring Puzzle Set
This Coloring Puzzle Set is a great gift for any young girl who loves coloring and puzzles. There are 10 3-D puzzles for the tween to put together and can personalize them by the colors she chooses to color each puzzle. The puzzles vary from buildings (windmill, Eiffel tower, house) to animals ( deer, swan, peacock) as well as a butterfly, seaplane, and 2 dinosaur skeletons. The set also comes with 24 markers for coloring the puzzle pieces, but you may want to add a set of glittery gels pens with this gift to add a little more glitz and glitter to the preteens projects. Once completed these puzzles make excellent décor for the child’s room.
Click here to see the latest price!
6. Jazzminton
Imagine playing badminton without a net and using table tennis paddles instead of rackets and you have Jazzminton a game your tween is sure to love. This game comes with 2 slow birdies and 2 fast play birdies and is perfect for your 12 year old to play with a friend or family member. The game can be played inside or out, but outside is definitely better.
Click here to see the latest price!
7. Electronic Catch Phrase
A great game for tweens to play with family or friends. Perfect for those slumber parties, game night, camping trips or just any time your child feels like playing a game. This Electronic Catch Phrase Game has some really challenging phrases depending on the age of the players, which makes the game more fun to play.
Click here to see the latest price!
8. Super Spirograph
For any young lady who likes to doodle this Super Spirograph Set will provide hours of fun. Any child with any creativity will enjoy experimenting making different designs with this set. Great for those cold or rainy days when going out to play is not an option. This is an activity your child can enjoy alone or share with a friend.
Click here to see the latest price!
9. Portable Tetherball Set
A great gift for any active This Portable Tetherball Set can be set up anywhere in the yard and provide hours of fun for your pre-teen during the spring, summer and fall months. Just fill the base with water or sand for stability and you’ll find that your child will make friends will all of the kids in their neighborhood as everyone loves this challenging, but easy to play game.
Click here to see the latest price!
10. String Art Kit
This String Art Kit has 6 different projects for your tween to do. This kit offers hours of fun and when completed can be used as room décor or given away as gifts to her friends or to family members. Crafts include a fox, heart, flower and more.
Click here to see the latest price!
5 Non-Toy Gifts for 12 Year Old Girls
1. EOS Lip Balm
No products found.
This No products found. is sure to be a favorite of any girl. Your young later will be able to keep chapped lips at bay and enjoy some great flavors as well. This lip balm set makes great stocking stuffers or used in an Easter basket as well as makes a great birthday gift.
Click here to see the latest price!
2. Soft Colored Nail Polish Set
This Beetles Pastel Nail Polish Kit comes in 6 non-toxic colors that are perfect for young girls just beginning to experiment with wearing nail polish. The colors are pale, shining, and very pretty which makes them the perfect gift for any pre-teen girl.
Click here to see the latest price!
3. Top and Legging Set
This BNY Top and Legging Set is perfect for tweens up to size 14. The outfit also comes with a necklace making this a complete gift for Christmas or your child’s birthday. The set comes in 6 different designs or colors with some of the selections being a bit more dressy than others.
Click here to see the latest price!
4. Hair Clips
By the time girls reach middle school they are concerned with keeping their hair neat and tidy and this Cute 20 Piece Set of Hair Clips will allow your pre-teen to keep their hair neat while adding a little bling to their hair style. These clips are best suited to medium length and longer hair.
Click here to see the latest price!
5. Pull Over Sweater
No products found.
This No products found. is perfect as a gift for a young girl aged 12. The two color sweater looks super trendy and runs in sizes X Small to Xlarge. This sweater can easily be worn with jeans, dressier slacks or even a cute skirt making it a versatile item for any tweens wardrobe.
Click here to see the latest price!
What Are Unique Gift Ideas for the 12 Year Old Girl Who Has Everything?
Is that young lady in your life been spoiled with toys and clothing and no longer has room in her closet or her bedroom for another item or are you simply looking for something really different to give as a gift? If so, here are a few alternate gift ideas for a pre-teen.
Is that tween interested in learning to play a musical instrument or wanting to learn to ice skate or ski? Why not give them a gift of lessons for what they are interested in learning.
Why not start a savings account for that young lady? In a few years that 12 year girl may want to go to summer camp with her friends, buy a car, or go off to college, so starting a savings account for them instead of just putting cash on a card can make a great gift, especially since anyone can add to the account for any and every holiday and be a part of investing in her future.
Give a gift certificate for the local bookstore, or to a favorite store, or to a local mini golf or game arcade that the girl in your life particularly likes. To make the gift of an activity more meaningful include a second gift certificate so the tween can take a friend with her.
Conclusion
With the variety of toys and gifts on this list, there is sure to be at least one gift idea that your own 12 year old girl will like. Happy shopping!
