35 Best Gifts for 12-Year-Olds That Even Tweens Find Cool

If she's begging to wear makeup, she'll be hyped to receive this trendy Summer Fridays duo. She'll get two limited-edition lip butter balms: Birthday Cake and Strawberry Soft Serve. No age recommendation given

Ice cream, sorbet, gelato—oh my! They can whip up single servings of their favorite cold treats in their own personal mugs with this gadget. It even comes with two mugs for sharing. No age recommendation given

A good mindfulness activity, this lets kids unleash their creativity by "painting" with water—and then they get a clear surface to do it all over when it dries again. This version is a little smaller than the original Buddha Board so it can be brought on the go, which is great for traveling. Ages 3+

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 marble).

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+

This year, bubble-letter jewelry is everywhere, and these bracelets lets kids spell out their whole name, not just their initial. You can also choose between a silver or gold color. No age recommendation given

If they love their daily word games, they'll get a kick out of being able to play "America's Game" at home. It comes with 300 puzzles built-in, and has two different game modes. “My daughter had a great time playing with her younger brother,” one parent of two tween testers said, “but I think I also spent hours playing with it.” Ages 8+; three AAA batteries required

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. No age recommendation given

Tweens still 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. No age recommendation given

In this innovative tale, the story of a young goatkeeper who must rescue a herd is told out-of-sequence and with plenty of fourth-wall breaks. Our kid testers loved the comic-but-ingenious tone. Having the chapters out of order “is really smart of the author,” one 11-year-old said, “because readers will slowly put the pieces of the story together to make them say, ‘Ohhhhh, I get it now!’” Ages 10+

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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+

Photos instantly pop out of this camera, giving tweens something to hand to a friend 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 fun instant film. No age recommendation given; two AA batteries included

Tweens will love decorating their room with something that's uniquely theirs, like this neon sign bearing their name. There are so many ways to personalize it: You can choose the font, the color, the power source, and the symbol at the end, along with the length and shape of the backing. No age recommendation given

Help them sing in the shower (or listen to podcasts as the case may be) with this water-resistant Bluetooth speaker. It comes in six colors, suction cups to the shower wall and is easy to control, even with soapy hands. No age recommendation given

Sometimes the best fidget toys are the ones you build yourself. These come with 136 cube-shaped magnets—strong ones, too!—that kids can connect to make various fidget-spinner shapes. Or they could just build different decorations for their rooms. “My child likes to build and construct, and this was great for keeping her entertained and engaged at a restaurant and on a train ride," one parent tester said. Ages 6+

You can keep them outside longer with this basketball, which uses LEDs to illuminate itself at night. Or, if basketball isn't their sport, you can also get a light-up soccer ball or football. No age recommendation given; batteries included

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. New this year is also the ZipString Aracna, which lets kids shoot the string out from their wrists like a Spider-Man web. Ages 8+

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Whether they're hanging out in the backyard or on the grounds at school, this lounger becomes an instant air sofa they can share with their friends. It doesn't require any pumps or blowing into tubes—simply run around with it for a minute, and it captures the air. When they're done, it deflates and folds up again in seconds. No age recommendation given