Shopping for tween girls is…an experience. They know exactly what they like, they have strong opinions, and trends move fast. Luckily, between G, Dylan, Emmie, and their friends, we’ve tested (and purchased) enough to confidently pull together the things they’re truly obsessed with right now. From skincare and charms to cameras, water bottles, and “I don’t get it, but they love it” accessories — these are the 21 gifts that never miss. If you’re shopping for a tween girl this year, consider this your cheat sheet.
Everything Tween Girls Want (According to My Three + Their Friends)
These are the 21 tween-approved favorites — all things my girls actually own, use, and genuinely get excited about. Basically: your shortcut to gifting hero status.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 (similar) | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 (similar) | 17 | 18 | 19 (similar) | 20 | 21
1. Bubble Super Cuties Trial Kit
All three girls are obsessed with Bubble, and this little kit is such an easy win. It has mini versions of all the favorites — Fresh Start Gel Cleanser, Soft Launch Hydrating Cream Cleanser, Water Slide Serum, Slam Dunk Moisturizer, Cloud Surf Water Cream, and the Morning Rays Eye Cream — all tucked into the cutest travel bag. Great reviews, adorable packaging, and perfect for testing out the whole line without committing to full sizes.
2. Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Film Camera
This might honestly be my favorite gift on the list. We’ve had so much fun snapping pictures and instantly printing them out — G has hers displayed all over her room. The cameras come in a bunch of cute colors, and you can grab either the classic white film or the fun themed borders (which make amazing stocking stuffers…as long as they already have the camera!).
3. Kendra Scott Elisa Gold Pendant Necklace
All three of our tween girls are obsessed with Kendra Scott — it’s become a go-to brand for gifts. A couple of us from the TME team actually met Kendra years ago, and she was genuinely the sweetest human…so her success feels extra deserved. This necklace is a standout because it comes in a TON of color options, making it easy to find one that fits their vibe perfectly.
4. Spa Headband & Wristband Set
Greenlea just picked this set out as a birthday gift for one of her friends after getting it from another…which feels like the ultimate tween approval stamp. They’re all deep in their skincare era, and this headband/wristband combo somehow turns a basic routine into a full-on experience (you can probably even talk them into giving you a spa day). It comes in a TON of cute color combos, too.
5. Smiley Face Slippers
We have multiple pairs of these floating around the house, and the girls wear them nonstop. I’ve even slipped them on myself more than once when I couldn’t find my own. They’re cozy, adorable, and perfect for a DIY spa day or just lounging around.
6. Owala FreeSip Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Owala | Stanley | Hydro Flask
Stanleys, Owalas, Hydro Flasks…tweens are suuuuuper into their water bottles right now. This Owala comes in the most fun color combinations, and honestly? If it gets them to drink more water, that’s a win in my book. Perfect for school, sports, sleepovers — basically everywhere they go.
7. Touchland Hydrating Hand Sanitizer
I don’t think we can walk into Sephora or Ulta without one (or all three) asking for a new Touchland spray. They’re obsessed. The brand is always dropping new or limited-edition scents, and I swear they want every single one. Grab the set as a gift or pick up individual scents for stocking stuffers — either way, it’s an easy win.
8. Hand Sanitizer Case
And of course, you can’t go wrong with adding a case made to fit the Touchland sprays. They can match their favorite scent or mix-and-match colors, and it makes it super easy to clip the spray onto a bag or backpack. (Not going to lie…I’m very tempted to grab one of these combos for myself.)
9. Poppi Sparkling Prebiotic Soda Beverage
Poppi is huge with the girls right now — Post Malone basically sealed the deal when he partnered with the brand. They love grabbing a can after school, and honestly, the flavors are exactly the kind tweens go crazy for. And just when I thought I was up to date on the latest tween drink craze, Dylan (our oldest) filled me in on Alani Nu, which is apparently the new obsession. Poppi for home, Alani Nu for on-the-go — consider your trendy beverage game covered. (They also make a surprisingly great stocking stuffer if you need to fill a little space!)
10. Labubu
I know… I don’t totally get it either. But tweens go wild for these little monster pendants. Whatever you want to call them, they’re undeniably a hit — and you’ll instantly become the gift-giving favorite if you surprise them with one. Yes, they’re stupid expensive, but… they love them.
11. Lululemon Bag
Lululemon (sold out, here’s a similar cute bag)
The girls have always loved all things Lululemon — especially the bags. I personally love this one because of the PRIDE theme (the “inclusion” printed on the side 💜), but honestly, any of their bags would be a hit. Total tween crowd-pleaser.
12. The Woobles Crochet Kit for Beginners
Greenlea was gifted one of these, loved it…so we bought her another. She loved that one too — and then she turned around and gifted a kit to her friend for her birthday. Safe to say it’s a hit. The kits are truly made for beginners, come in a ton of cute animal options, and include step-by-step video tutorials that make the whole project actually doable. And the best part? Once they finish their little creation, it’s adorable enough to gift — so it’s kind of like two presents in one.
13. Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub
This is another one of those things — like the Touchland sprays — that we cannot leave Target or Ulta without. The girls are obsessed, and it comes in a TON of scents. I may or may not have “borrowed” theirs a few times, and I have to say…it feels amazing, exfoliates really well, and leaves your skin super soft. (Also a perfect stocking stuffer!)
14. Gel Nail Polish Kit with UV Light
I bought this for Greenlea last Christmas, and I can’t even tell you how much use she’s gotten out of it. (She may or may not have used it on Andy and our friend Blake last New Year’s…before they realized it was gel and not coming off with regular remover.) Since then she’s done SO many different looks — on her own nails, her friends’, my mom’s — truly 100% worth every penny.
Just…maybe don’t let them use it on a white faux-fur carpet. Learned that one the hard way.
15. Satin Hair Bonnet
G started wearing one of these a couple years ago (her long, curly hair needs all the tangle prevention it can get), and it made such a difference in cutting down on knots and morning snarls. Now Dylan and Emmie both wear them, and after trying one myself, I get it — it really does help with frizz, bed-head, and keeping your style intact overnight. Such a simple little gift, but honestly so effective.
16. All Things Laneige Lips
Similar Gift Set | Lip Masks | Lip Serum
I mean, I’ve loved Laneige Lip Masks for a while now…but these girls take it to a whole new level. The kits, the limited-edition scents — they want all of it. G recently went to Sephora on a day they were putting little charms on the tubes and OMG…the obsession was real. If it’s Laneige, it’s guaranteed tween-approved.
17. Starface Pimple Patches
Every time we have all three girls overnight, I’m seeing these all over their faces. Some of them wear them out of the house, others just at night, but they all love them. They come in tons of fun shapes and colors, and the girls are constantly picking out new ones. Cute, useful, and very tween-approved.
18. Facemasks
Even Ozzie and Harper (our 7-year-olds!) get in on the face-mask action. Some movie nights just call for a group mask moment, and the girls love using these during their little at-home spa days, too. They make great stocking stuffers, and one of my favorite holiday family nights is when we’re all in matching pajamas, watching a movie, and doing face masks together. It’s the best kind of chaos, and I LOVE it.
19. ALL the Sol de Janeiro Scents
Another total obsession — the girls all LOVE Sol de Janeiro and proudly display the bottles in their rooms. This set is perfect for trying all the scents, but there are plenty of great options to buy individually, too. It’s a thing. Greenlea comes out of her room smelling amazing, and every time I ask what she’s wearing…yep, it’s one of these.
20. Unstable Unicorns
All five kids have loved playing Exploding Kittens, and Unstable Unicorns feels like the perfect follow-up. It’s easy to learn, quick to play, and keeps everyone entertained without a ton of setup — which is a win in my book.
21. Birkenstock Clogs
Not going to lie…I originally had a pair of Crocs on this gift guide, and Dylan immediately steered me toward these Birks instead. I mean, they all have (and love) their Crocs, but maybe Crocs are less of a “thing” now and more just…a given? According to Dylan, these are what everyone actually wants — so I’m very glad I ran this guide by her.
I hope this makes shopping for the tween girls in your life a whole lot easier — every single one of these gifts is something ours truly love. If you stick to this list, you really can’t go wrong.
XOXO,
Scotti
