Off Topic Gifts for Pre-Teen and Teen Girls

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MuggleMom

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As we approach gift giving season anyone have a cool gift that thier kid unexpectedly loved? I generally try to do more experiences than "things" but it is also nice to find some physical things for them to open. Both my girls are out of the "toy" phase and aren't yet really into clothes and makeup so I am struggling for ideas. It doesn't need to be gymnastics related just fun gifts and bonus points if its something you never expected but the kiddos loved it.
 
Rainbow loom bracelet-making stuff was something I loved at that stage. Nail polish is a good one. Slime, pop-its, mini skateboards. Rollerblades. Jewelry. Hard to say without knowing what they enjoy outside of gymnastics.
 
My 12 year old still loves her friendship bracelet making kit (Choose Friendship, My Friendship Bracelet Maker, 20 Pre-cut Threads Craft Kit / Kids Jewelry Kit) with a ton of colors of string and an easy to follow book. She got it last year and still uses it all the time for gifts or just to try a new pattern of bracelet.

We have also had good luck with baking books packaged with their own fun colored baking stuff (spoons, cups, bowls, whisk, rubber spatula etc). These two are the fave books (I actually use them a lot myself!!):
The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs (America's Test Kitchen)
Baking Class: 50 Fun Recipes Kids Will Love to Bake! (Cooking Class)
- the second book has a popover recipe and a snickerdoodle recipe that my kids make on their own ALL THE TIME for guests.

Gym-related, we got a one-year subscription to FlipNow so they could watch a lot of meets that are not on TV. Honestly though, in the past year, they have only watched two things, both of which were HOPES meets where they knew girls competing, so we won't renew that. And then the over-priced college leotards that I would never buy on a normal basis, new grip bag, a gym survival bag (tape, pre-wrap, band-aids, mini hairbrush, deodorant, hair ties, extra leo, face wipes, etc) for gym cubby.

Really, my 12.5 year old (no longer a gymnast) just wants Lululemon stuff (with the bag, so can't order online *insert eye roll*) that I find nuts to pay for unless for a holiday, drumsticks, and new additions for her drum kit. Cool band shirts. Concert tickets when possible.

My 10.5 year old (still a gymnast) wants anything craft related and leotards.
 
My daughter is only 8 so this may be too young but I feel it could be enjoyable for a range of ages... but we LOVE the Create This Book (they have 2 versions) by Moriah Elizabeth. You can order on Amazon. They are fun little books with art prompts to follow.
 
My daughter is only 8 so this may be too young but I feel it could be enjoyable for a range of ages... but we LOVE the Create This Book (they have 2 versions) by Moriah Elizabeth. You can order on Amazon. They are fun little books with art prompts to follow.
That reminds me of a book that my daughter really liked from amazon called Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith. There are several different versions. The one she has is Now in color.
 
As a pre-teen I also wasn't really into clothes or makeup either, but I loved getting room decorations (throw pillows, posters, etc.) and scrunchies/fancy hair ties. Some other ideas are sketchbooks, art supplies, Squishmallows, candy, keychains and stickers. Also there is this book called "Sketch Your Sticker" which is a book full of blank stickers that you can draw on and peel off, which is a really good gift idea.
 

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