
Your #1 most requested gift guide category? Teens! This gift guide includes 50 options — 30 of those are $20 or under, and 10 of those are $10 or under. Lots of great stocking stuffers too.
My own teens were a huge help figuring out what to put on this list. They started with last year’s list, got rid of anything that was no longer available (or no longer worth including), and then we added tons of new ideas.
There’s something here for every type of teen you can think of. I’ve got all the Breakfast Club stereotypes covered, and a whole bunch more as well. : )
Let’s get started.

Pocket Projector. It connects to their phone via bluetooth and turns any blank wall into a screen. And yes, it’s small enough to fit in a pocket.

Old-School Label Maker. No plug. No batteries. Just a tool, some tape, and rad raised lettering that you can stick on jars or books or your phone case. We have a couple of these and they are irresistible to teens and tweens. Heads up: It comes pre-loaded with one roll, but you’re going to want more tape.

Sheet Masks — Set of Twelve. Have your teens tried sheet masks? Have you? Put on a movie, put an a sheet mask, and spend an evening bonding. This set has two each of 6 different formulas.

No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference by Greta Thunberg. Here’s to putting amazing role models in front of our teens.

Button-Maker. We invested in this professional-grade Tecre Model 100 button maker back when we lived in Colorado, and it’s still going strong. It has been used at dozens of parties (including Design Mom book parties!), has been frequently loaned out to friends, and has assisted in countless student government campaigns. There’s no electricity here, you’re just looking for a heavy duty well-made machine. And if you’re not sure you’ll use it much, there are more affordable options to consider. Teens (and adults) love designing their own buttons, or grabbing a magazine and making buttons from any random image they find.

Cell Phone Camera Lens Set with 9 Options. Confession: I want this for myself. Nine different lenses! And it comes with a little case too.

Areaware Gradient Puzzle. These are beautiful — and look like a real challenge!

Unstable Unicorns Base Game. It’s described as a strategic card game that will destroy your friendships…but in a good way, and it’s one of kickstarter’s top 50 most backed projects of all time! (There are 4 expansion packs available too.)

Mini Torch Flashlights — Set of Two. These are great! You can focus the light, there’s a power-saving option if you’re low on batteries, and there’s a strobe mode. Each flashlight just needs 1 AA battery (not included).

Huhuhero Fineliner Color Pen Set. In 0.38 mm for a fine line. This is a set of 10 colors, or for $9, you can get 18 colors. Perfect for journaling, and based on reviews, these are beloved.

Bendable Magnetic Pick-Up Tool. I didn’t understand what this was when I first saw the image, but when I read the description I thought it was awesome. It’s basically a strong telescoping magnet to help you grab things that have gotten out of reach. Such a cool stocking stuffer. Maybe for your husband or brother too. (Also: great reviews!)

Canvas Roll-up Pencil Case. Such a simple smart way to keep colored pencils or pens organized. Throw this in your bag and you’ll be ready to doodle at school or church or at your desk at home. The canvas is simple and handsome, but is also calling out to be drawn on. Note: this is just the pencil case, but it would pair well with the fineliner pens I listed above.

Eno Hammock. Lots of color options and a fan favorite. For your backyard, or a camping trip.

Reliable Portable Charger. Because sometimes phones run out of power right when you need to call your parents and tell them about your change of plans.

Celestron Travel Telescope. Looking at the stars has such a wide appeal.

Custom Tennis Balls. I didn’t even know you could customize tennis balls till I saw these. What would you right? Silly stuff? Motivational coach-quotes? Your child’s name?

Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit. Does your teen think they’re Harry Potter pro? Now’s their chance to prove it.

Tombow Brush Pens. These are Olive’s favorite pens and they come in lots of different sets with other color options. Perfect for practicing hand lettering.

The Office Pillow. It’s basically a personal joke for fans of the The Office.

Pawnee Book. A real book that’s basically a personal joke for fans of Parks & Recreation.

Wonder Woman Earrings. Pretty and powerful.

Bluetooth Shower Speaker — Certified Waterproof. Do you have a kid that likes to sing in the shower?

Wreck This Journal. These are so cool. They’re probably the coolest journal you’ll ever see and come with instructions on how to paint, poke, create, destroy, and wreck this book to create a journal as unique as your teen.

Watercolor Paint Set. I’ve never seen a watercolor palette presented in such a gorgeous way.

Astronaut Socks. Yay for outerspace! (More astronaut-y gifts here.)

The Great Wave Patch. Sew it on a backpack or jacket.

The To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Paperback Collection. The first one was made into a Netflix movie and it’s great (but the books are better, of course).

Penny Board. Skateboards are pricey! Start with one of these, and the investment won’t feel like such a punch. They’re cool, and they come in lots of different color combos.

Puffin in Bloom Book Collection. This hardcover book set, with cover art by Rifle Paper Company, is stunning. It includes 4 titles that would improve any personal library — Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess, and Heidi.

White Porcelain Bunny Lamp. This softly glowing creature is endlessly appealing. What a gentle, sweet addition to any bedroom.

Slack Line Kit. Have your kid watch some slackline videos on youtube and then head to the backyard or the park to learn a new skill.

Pink Clay Cleansing Soap Bar. It’s 100% natural, 100% vegan, and has a reputation for being very effective. Pink clay is known for drawing out impurities and toxins. Just the thing for troubled teen complexions. And it smells amazing too.

US Chess Federation Supreme Triple Weighted Chess Set. It looks so official, right? And the carrying case makes it easy to bring to Chess Club. No chess club at your school? No problem. Your teen can start one and add that to their college apps.

3-inch Green Mini Clock. It comes in 7 different colors, but the green and blue are my favorite. Oh, and it’s non-ticking! So it won’t bug anyone who likes to fall asleep in a quiet room.

Washi Tape 20 Color Set. This set of 20 includes a super assortment of brights and cools. My teens use washi like this to tape dried wild flowers to their mirrors and walls. There are endless uses for these pretty tapes.

How to Stay Alive in the Woods. It’s divided into 4 essential sections — Sustenance, Warmth, Orientation and Safety — and it has excellent reviews. Your teen will approach the upcoming zombie apocalypse with confidence.

Woodland Pencils. A quirky, cute set of 4 that would be perfect in a stocking.

Sheep Pushpin Holder. This wooly sheep comes with 75 white, round push pins — and doubles as an eraser. Can’t you just picture it sitting happily on their desk? (Could be fun for a co-worker too.)

Tosca Accessory Stand. A simple, good-looking organizer designed in Japan. It holds necklaces, bracelets, eyeglasses, a cell phone — and has a tray on the bottom for rings and watches.


Giant Wearable Body Bubble (set of 2). A fun and funny way to help them get out that excess energy.

A Gorgeous Slingshot. Handmade in California, they come in tons of colors and styles — and the company offers felt ammo too.

Punching Bag. I hung one of these in my family room when we lived in New York and had 3 tiny kids. It was an amazing stress reliever! This full-size, affordable version comes flat, and can be filled with whatever you like. ($16 Gloves too!)

Hardcover Journal. I LOVE this journal. It’s available with dot, rules, blank, or grid pages, it has an expandable pocket at the back, it lays flat when it opens so it’s easy to write in, and there’s a pen holder on the spine. Great looking and great details.

Starter Ukulele. It comes in 10 different colors (I’m really feeling the black version), with all the needed accessories — Canvas Tote Bag, Strap and Picks. They’ll be playing Somewhere Over the Rainbow by New Year’s.

Gio_Graphy: Fun in the Wild World of Fashion. Know a teen fashionista? Or someone who wants to be one? This book is on my own teen’s wishlist. It’s witty and interesting — written by a street-style fashion heroine.

Drying Lotion. Darn zits! This tiny little bottle of magic will dry them up fast. It’s a universally loved product. Pair it with a cool little package of Japanese cotton swabs, and put them both in the stocking. If you like the drying lotion, try the rosewater and green tea sprays as well.

Marvin Gaye Record. Vinyl in general makes a great teen gift. It’s a chance to introduce your teens (or grandkids!) to a favorite album from your own youth, or a vintage record you’ve always loved.

Record Player. This one has great vintage styling. (More record player picks.)

To Kill A Mockingbird. This hardcover, 50th Anniversary Edition, is an excellent addition to any personal library.

Pro Art Drawing Set. Very affordable, with rave reviews. This set has everything you need to get drawing. Pair it with a sketchbook for a handsome gift.
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Your turn! What are you giving to the teens in your life this year? Feel free to add links in the comments. Does anything on this list spark a gift idea for you? I’d love to hear.
P.S. — Need more ideas? Here are another 45 really great Teen Gift Picks.
Amy3
November 27, 2017 at 11:39 amAwesome ideas! I’m going to come back to this when I begin my shopping in earnest. There are some great finds here for my 16-yo. :)
Amy3
November 27, 2017 at 11:43 amI particularly like the jewelry organizer, the magnets, the pink clay soap, the washi tape set, and the clock. My daughter is redoing her room so it would be fun to get her some things that would fit with her new color scheme.
Design Mom
November 27, 2017 at 11:46 amMy ears always perk up at “redoing a room.” I hope she has so much fun! I LOVED getting the chance to redo my room as a teen.
Jeanne
November 20, 2018 at 11:29 amSame here! My 16yr old chose to redo her bedroom instead of a big sweet16 party. It’s been fun and interesting to see her tastes. She wants acrylic drapery rods and I think I’ve found some affordable ones from a TX manufacturer.
Kathryn Humphreys
November 27, 2017 at 11:42 amIt is rare that I read these gift lists and actually go buy things, this one is fantastic. I think my shopping may be done. Thank you!
Design Mom
November 27, 2017 at 11:45 amYay! I’m so glad to hear it. I asked Olive (my 16 year old) to help me with this guide and she did an amazing job.
Lee
November 20, 2018 at 6:53 amAgree. There is some great stuff here. A lot of these gift lists are usually junk but I see some things on here for myself as well.
Susan
November 27, 2017 at 12:36 pmMy 16 year old daughter wants joggers, an Eno hammock and cabin socks. My 18 year old son, no ideas. He’s away at college in Ohio with very limited dorm space. It is tough!
Design Mom
November 27, 2017 at 3:48 pmI want to hear more about Cabin Socks. Is it a particular brand? Or just cozy socks you’d want to wear while hanging out at a cabin. ; )
Susan
November 30, 2017 at 8:45 amThere are different brands, all cozy. Like this.
Jennifer O.
November 27, 2017 at 1:25 pmAlso quality – possibly monogrammed if they’re into that – luggage. So many more travel opportunities as you grow, and then college around the corner. I like to give books but that can be hard unless you know someone well.
Design Mom
November 27, 2017 at 2:24 pmYES to luggage. And it totally brings the travel bug too. : )
If anyone needs a recommendation, we bought FUL luggage when we moved to France (all those years ago), and it’s still going strong.
Kirsten
November 27, 2017 at 1:39 pmGreat list. Definitely will get a few of these items for my kids including the programmable scrolling badge for my 13 year old girl and the bath bomb set for my 16 year old who has newly rediscovered that baths are relaxing! I also love the Make Art Not War poster. We have the sticker version of those and am thinking we might need the poster now too.
Design Mom
November 27, 2017 at 2:25 pmI really want one of those scrolling badges!
Jess.
November 27, 2017 at 2:04 pmThis is lovely. I was a little light on gifts for my 14-year-old (whose big gift is these crazy things, and the accompanying safety equipment, help us all), and this has helped me round it out a bit more.
As always, you are the best!!!
Design Mom
November 27, 2017 at 2:28 pmSo glad I could help! And those skate things look super cool. I’m trying to picture how they work and can’t figure it out — I need to go look them up on Youtube. Hah!
Heidi
November 27, 2017 at 2:35 pmYour final link, the one to your shop, just goes to an Amazon sketchbook.
Love this list! I want to get a record player for myself! And the washi tape!
Design Mom
November 27, 2017 at 3:46 pmMy apologies! Here’s the link. I’ll update the post.
Karin
November 27, 2017 at 2:38 pmLooking for the link to the shop, the final link is taking me to one thing not the 45 things in the shop.
Design Mom
November 27, 2017 at 3:46 pmMy apologies! Here’s the link.
Emily
November 27, 2017 at 4:45 pmIt may seem random, but as a teenager, one of my favorite gifts was a monogrammed manicure set – small scissors, nail clippers, a metal file, etc. – not nail polishes. I think it was a high school graduation gift, and over the years it’s continued to come in handy. It’s practical, but not something you would go out and buy yourself, which I think is the perfect criteria for a gift!
Design Mom
November 27, 2017 at 7:44 pmI love that idea, Emily! Thanks for sharing it.
Natash
November 28, 2017 at 4:52 pmWow- this is such a great list! Would you consider doing one for babies and toddlers?
Hayley
November 28, 2017 at 6:10 pmWhat do you get for the football/basketball/baseball sport breathing always on their phone kind of teen??
JoAnn
November 28, 2017 at 7:50 pmI’d be interested in that answer too… So far sports socks, slides for after practice, and waterproof drawstring backpacks (the XL kind), and lightweight portable chargers. My guys are Scouts too so I’m looking at handy gadgets like pocket-size portable blankets or dry sacs.
JoAnn
November 28, 2017 at 7:51 pmI love the skincare item, yoyo and chess set. Thank you!
Michele
November 29, 2017 at 9:53 amThis is about the best list I have seen in a long time. I have an ‘about to not be a teen any longer’ and am going to have to get a couple of things here. But I really love the inclusion of the record player and Marvin Gaye (one of my favorite albums of all times). Thanks for the memory! And I love the scrolling badge, so many uses! Thanks so much for this, really great job!
Suzanne
November 29, 2017 at 10:03 amThis is the BEST Teen list I have ever seen. Hands down. Can’t wait for your Tweens list! Thank you.
Kile
November 20, 2018 at 5:13 pmI agree! I kept thinking, “Man, she really gets it!” while I was scrolling through this list. It was so special to me when I got a gift as a teen that felt splurge-y in a small way—like the magnets and the lenses and the washi tape. Thanks for the great list!
ig viewer
December 5, 2017 at 1:09 amThank you for sharing the gift guide! I think my kids will love the Woodland pencil set! Even I like it! So adorable.
Gold Stars: Christmas Edition | KendraNicole.net
December 6, 2017 at 7:52 am[…] Mom: Gift Guide for Tweens // Gift Guide for Teens // Gift Guide for Men // Gift Guide for the Smart, Interesting, Capable, […]
Mary Beth Danielson
November 20, 2018 at 6:06 amStopped me in my tracks. I bought that Marvin Gaye album when it first came out…
Kate
November 20, 2018 at 9:42 amThis is EXCELLENT! Wow, so useful, thank you. I have two teens, and two on their heels and there are lots of things on this list they would love! (and that are new to me!)
Ann
November 20, 2018 at 10:08 amThanks so much for this! Cool Chargers and cords are such great stocking stuffers! I loathe and love them at the same time.
Tina
November 20, 2018 at 2:41 pmSo fun!!! I love this list and am happy and relieved for a an abundance of amazing ideas that are also affordable. I bought a double eno hammock for my family this summer and my teen loved it and pretty much stayed it in on a three-day backpacking trip.
As a middle school teacher, I want to add one item – a tin of Prismacolor pencils. My undergraduate years were spent in studio classes and we used Prismacolors so that is what I use with my students now. The color is vibrant and the pencils are soft so the color lays down easily. My students love them and get so excited to use the Prismacolors. Amazon sells a set of 24 that come in a sturdy tin.
Erin
November 20, 2018 at 3:32 pmThank you!! This is one of the best teen gift lists I’ve ever seen! Definitely ordering several items for my kids!
Kelly
November 20, 2018 at 5:53 pmWhat a great list! Our 16 year old daughter’s “big” present this year is redoing her room. So many of these gifts would be perfect for the new space. I will definitely be adding a few of these.
Caroline
November 20, 2018 at 8:21 pmSo grateful for your gift guides! They always point me in the right direction. I’m sure they are a lot of work to put together. Thank you! They are a great gift to the gift-givers!
Annie
November 20, 2018 at 9:04 pmThis is such a fantastic mix of gifts! Thank you!!
Verona
November 21, 2018 at 12:03 amFantastic list! My eldest is almost 12 and I found lots of great ideas for her here! It’s tricky: she doesn’t want “toys” any more, but she is still so tiny. :) (When I saw the Michelle Obama book I teared up a bit. And I’m not even American! Strange times.)
JC
November 21, 2018 at 5:51 pmThis is an awesome list, filled with gorgeous things! Thank you!
Udo
November 22, 2018 at 7:32 amThanks for this post! So will i find something for my kids :-)
Udo – Makler Freiburg
Christine
November 23, 2018 at 8:18 amLiterally just finished most of my shopping with this list!! Thank you!!
amy
December 12, 2018 at 11:27 amThis is the best list! I immediately bought 3 things for our 13 yr old. Thank you for spending the time to do this!
Design Mom
December 12, 2018 at 5:13 pmYay! So glad to hear it.
Susan Magnolia
December 2, 2019 at 5:32 pmI got two items on the list for my then seven-year-old last year; the washi tape and the small watercolor palette and she loves them and used them all year. This really is a great list.
m
December 2, 2019 at 6:48 pmBRB, getting alllll the dogs in my life personalized tennis balls!
Gifting the teens in my family this cedar air dry clay [https://cwpencils.com/collections/recent-additions/products/mokunensan-clay-120g?utm_source=CW+Pencils+-+Website+Subscribers&utm_campaign=3e808512f0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_30_08_47&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_028ad82f4b-3e808512f0-226662657&mc_cid=3e808512f0&mc_eid=5c15f7f27c],
Tattly [https://tattly.com/],
Dixit [https://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-DIX01-Dixit/dp/2914849656]
Em
December 2, 2019 at 11:18 pmGabrielle,
Can you make a post about good white elephant gifts for work Christmas parties ($10-20 limit). I’d love some ideas.
Marsisa
December 3, 2019 at 5:23 amSoooo am I a teenager? (I’m 38.) Because this is the closest I feel a list has ever come to things I’d like. Maybe it’s all the great pens.
yettie
December 3, 2019 at 12:41 pmThank you so much Gabrielle. In a sea of gift lists and ideas, this is the first list that I’ve actually enjoyed reading through. My babies are just 9 but I think they will love some of these.
Lisa
December 3, 2019 at 1:02 pmFantastic list! Thank you!
Karen
December 3, 2019 at 5:04 pmis it possible to include links that aren’t Amazon? I’m feeling less excited about Amazon these days and would love to support some smaller businesses. (Apologies if this is a repeat, my first comment seems to have disappeared).
Eileen
December 3, 2019 at 7:55 pmYou just helped me with my 9-year-old and 7-year-old. This is a great list, thank you!
Linette
December 4, 2019 at 12:44 amLes produits sont très bien mais le vendeur Am..on ne respecte pas des conditions de travail décentes pour les ouvriers en France donc je n’achète pas chez eux, dommage !
Jody
December 4, 2019 at 7:12 amI’ve been waiting for this list, but it’s a repeat! It was super helpful last year, though!
Harmony
December 4, 2019 at 10:46 amI love these! So many for my 8.5 year old too!
Heather
December 5, 2019 at 12:36 amWonderful! Thanks to you, I just bought the portable telescope for my husband. Awesome.
Dee
December 5, 2019 at 5:12 amThis is a seriously excellent list. My blended family has five kiddos between 14 and 22 and I’m pretty sure I found something for everyone. Amazing.
Design Mom
December 5, 2019 at 8:47 amYay! I love hearing that.