Oh, the plight of the “tween-ager”. Not quite ready to leave childhood, yet looking ahead to the teenage years. They aren’t quite as peer-driven as their older siblings – but only by a little. The approval of their peers is a big part of what they think is cool. This makes it difficult to shop for them – whether they are a girl or boy tween.
As you shop for your 12 year old girl, be ware of this pressure. Your gift will be judged through the lens of what other girls think about it.
It’s a big reason why cash and gift cards are often a default choice as a present for tweens.
But you aren’t the type to give up and sign a check, are you? You have the courage to not only pick a gift that is “peer approved” but also one that reflects how much you care for your tweener girl. We’ve selected some gifts that check both boxes to help you in your quest.
Finally, in acknowledgement that no one gift is “the best” for all kids, we’ve selected a wide variety of toys that should appeal to different types of kids. Our headings should give you a good idea what type of kid would love each toy. Hopefully you find something to match the child you are shopping for.
In A Hurry? The Top 5 Gifts and Toys For Twelve Year Old Girls
Forbidden Island requires tactical decisions to find the treasures before the island sinks.
If your young adult is into art and crafts, this gift will mesmerize them for months to come.
The alluring aroma, colors, and BUBBLES of the Two Sisters Spa Bubble Bomb Unicorn Surprise may lure any kid at bath time…plus there is a surprise unicorn toy in each bath bomb.
Collects a whopping 260% more light than a typical beginner-level 60mm refractor telescope - which means hundreds more objects will be visible
For girls 10 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- A strategic problem-solving game with a frantic fun element
- Easy to learn and highly repayable
- Cooperating and working as a team is essential because each character’s skill set is necessary
Cons:
- Experienced players may dominate the game by directing the next move before others get the chance to work it out for themselves.
Hunting for treasure may be exciting, but how much pressure you can handle in finding the treasure before the island sinks in the two-player board game Forbidden Island. Although you are playing with other players, you are competing against time and teamwork becomes essential.
To be a winner requires strategic thinking, the ability to solve problems, and cooperation with others in finding the 4 treasures on time. Game master Matt Leacock created a board game that achieved considerable awards like the 2010 Mensa Favorite Brainy Games Winner and the Top Board Game of 2010.
Each of the six characters has their skills and unique abilities. The game is for two to four players, which creates a twist to the game because you can’t have all six characters.
If you don’t like the idea of a sinking island, then there is the Forbidden Desert or explore a mysterious platform in Forbidden Sky.
Number of players: 2-4
Set up time: 5 minutes
Average Playtime: 30-45 minutes
Complexity Level: Medium
Recommended ages: 10+ years
Reviewed recommended ages: 7+ years
For girls 9 to 17 Years of age
Pros:
- Perfect gift for kids that love to paint, draw, or show other artistic traits.
- Projects can be completed in a weekend so they don’t have to dominate your house.
- This crate introduces unique crafting materials and interesting techniques.
- Non-traditional gift can be perfect for kids that crave their uniqueness.
Cons:
- Not all kids will be interested in these projects – you’ll know if it’s right for your girl.
- Crates are given out randomly so there’s no guarantee which project you’ll get next month. Can be good or bad.
The Doodle Crate makes our best toy and gift list for 12 year olds because it’s different than the average gift. It’s not for every young adult, but those with an artistic bent will really appreciate your thoughtfulness once they receive it.
Every month, a “crate” is mailed to your child. Inside are numerous projects based around the theme of the month. It’s not just painting or drawing – projects require working in different materials including wood, clay, and resins. Different styles of artistic expression are explored each month. There are also written and video resources provided to allow inclined kids to explore the subject more thoroughly.
Not every 12 year old girl will love this gift – but it’s the perfect gift for the kid that’s shown an interest in art in the past. I know in my family, my youngest son had a blast working on his project. I’m confident your creative kid will enjoy the Doodle Crate as well.
Pros:
- A challenging game that is easy to learn.
- Players experience the urgency and drama as if they are part of the Pandemic world.
- Cooperative play. Teamwork is essential to save humanity.
Cons:
- Players who prefer playing against other players may find a cooperative concept difficult to grasp
- Need to play a game before players understand the game
If the idea of saving the world interests you, then join the disease control team in Pandemic and protect the world against deadly diseases. You play against time to find the cures before the virus spreads.
It’s essential to work together as a team to find solutions. Pandemic is a great game to inspire teamwork and strategic play. Players must decide which actions to take next. Do they treat the diseases, find a new cure, build research stations, or fly or drive across the globe?
The game starts with nine infected cities. With each round, the number increases, and epidemic cards may re-infect previous cities that may cause chaos if wrong actions are taken.
Easy to understand the board game allows for all ages to play, requiring tactical and strategic moves to save the world. Players control the difficulty level by deciding how many epidemic cards they place in the deck.
Number of players: 2-4
Set up time: 10-15 minutes
Average Playtime: 25-45 minutes
Complexity Level: Medium to High
Recommended ages: 8+ years
Reviewed recommended ages: 8+ years
For girls 3 to 12 Years of age
Pros:
- Dramatic colored water and alluring aromas may intrigue any reluctant kid to the bath.
- The bath bombs are about the size of a tennis ball and make lots of bubbles.
- Inside each bath bomb is a unicorn toy surprise that is released as the bath bomb fizzes and bubbles.
Cons:
- The pieces may be a choking hazard for toddlers younger than three years old.
The Two Sisters Spa Bubble Bath Bombs may entice any kid to bath with all the bubbles…and the fun unicorn gift surprise inside the bath bomb. Yes, inside each bubble bath bomb is a treasure, a unicorn toy, or a unicorn jewelry piece. For little boys, there is the Superhero Kit with fun superhero figurines and keepsakes.
The secret is to use water pressure for the ultimate experience. Drop the bath bomb into the water while the bath is filling with water. Before long, you will have fragrant, colorful bath water with lots and lots of bubbles. Each bath bomb is about the size of a tennis ball…can you imagine the fizzing and bubbles!
Another surprise is the unicorn toy or jewelry that is released from within the bath bomb. It could be a unicorn necklace, a ring, squishies, unicorn horn or finger puppets, lip gloss, or a bracelet hidden within, waiting for an excited kid to have a bath.
The toys and products are created by moms who work flexi-hours because family is important to them. Being moms, they know which unicorn gifts and toys to select that will thrill little girls and little boys, who like all things superhero related.
For girls 10 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- The Dobson style means it is much smaller and portable than refractor telescopes.
- This is a serious scope – it will last for many years with proper care.
- Can add additional lenses to see even more universal detail.
Cons:
- While a younger child could use this, this isn’t meant to be abused. Keep close supervision on younger brothers and sisters.
- No real instructions provided in the box, but plenty available online.
Ever used a telescope and thought “Big Deal”? That’s usually because the images you see aren’t coming in very bright.
When your child has outgrown a more toy-like telescope and is ready to step up to an adult-level, quality tool, the Orion 10014 Skyquest XT is a perfect fit. Due to the much larger aperture, this telescope producers images over 260% brighter than your run-of-the-mill starter telescopes. That means they will be able to see hundreds of more objects from the night sky.
The Dobsonian style means it’s more compact, so it’s easier to transport. Just be careful when moving it. It’s not a toy – it’s not meant to take too much abuse.  Try this telescope out, and view the moon – or Venus – and see if you still think “Big Whoop”!
For girls 4 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- The thermos water bottle keeps drinks cold all day and hot for 12 hours.
- The beautiful design looks good anywhere—at school, the office, camping, or shopping.
- It is constructed from food-grade stainless steel, which ensures quality and safety.
Cons:
- The water bottle isn’t dishwasher safe.
What stays cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours? A Onebottl UnicornPower Stainless Steel Water bottle! It’s ideal for unicorn-preoccupied kids, teens, and adults who need a water bottle that doubles as a thermos bottle.
The double-walled vacuum insulated exterior ensures a leakproof water bottle that fits in most cupholders when traveling. It won’t leak water on your books or make a mess in the backpack. The unique unicorn design looks good on your office desk and may be the envy of friends at school. The bottle is a blush pink with colorful, clear images of unicorns on both sides of the container. To add to its cuteness, are the stickers included in the package for unicorn girls.
Light in weight, the water bottle is designed for a comfortable grip; you’ll never be without your beverage, even when shopping, camping, biking, or visiting a friend.
It is constructed from BPA-free, 304 food-grade stainless that is safe to pour your drinks into the flask. The screw-on top secures the content inside. The mouth opening is large enough to add ice for those
For girls 5 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- The versatile art activity book has something for all kids irrespective of their art skills; they can trace and scratch-off, color the drawings, or create their doodles and drawings.
- The sturdy wire binding and hardcover protects the pages inside and endure kids’ handling.
- It is perfect for traveling and for keeping kids occupied.
Cons:
- Not for kids under 5 years that may inhale the scratch coating particles.
The Unicorn Adventure Scratch and Sketch, an art activity book, is one of the best unicorn gifts to give a creative child and budding artist…and a unicorn fan. What is hidden behind the black-coated scratch-off art board pages? Even boys and girls who don’t think they can draw could be inspired to follow the tracing and drawings in the activity book. Tracing with the wooden stylus strengthens hand-eye coordination.
Kids of all ages are invited to join Polly with the unicorn on an adventure to the unicorn’s castle. Scratching the black-coated art board pages reveal rainbow swirls and glittery foil unicorn-related images. The hardcover activity book contains twenty drawings and descriptions of unicorns and friends, twenty pages for doodling, and the twenty black-coated scratch-off pages. Kids may use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to create their unique unicorn artwork and their unicorn adventure stories.
It’s not only a drawing book; it combines the story with the drawings taking kids on an adventure. Boys and girls may build confidence in their art skills and create new experiences for the unicorn combining imagination and creativity.
The hardcover activity book with its wooden styles is convenient for road trips and to keep kids occupied in restaurants and waiting rooms. It gives kids the freedom to sketch on pages at the back or for the less daring to trace and color in the drawings.
For girls 10 to 15 Years of age
Pros:
- Various win conditions ensure no predictable outcome.
- A fast-paced, quick but intense game.
- Fun and competitive game for two players
Cons:
- Frequent players may need more variety and purchase expansion sets.
- Some players may prefer larger sized playing cards.
7 Wonders Duel is designed for two players and is as much fun with a similar style of play than the award-winning 7 Wonders. The object is to build a civilization with the best army that will crush your opponent. If you prefer a more peaceful victory than invading your opponent’s capital, you have two other options. Become prestigious by winning the most victory points or achieve a monopoly through scientific advancement.
In the ancient world, the civilizations move through three Ages building wonders that strengthen their game. With only half of the cards revealed and multiple winning options, you are never sure if your strategy is working; your opponent may surprise you at the last move.
If you are a frequent player, don’t fret, there is the Pantheon Expansion pack available.
Number of players: 2
Set up time: 5-10 minutes
Average Playtime: 30 minutes
Complexity Level: Medium
Recommended ages: 10-15 years
Reviewed recommended ages: 10+ years
Pros:
- A strategic game for two players.
- Tile pieces are durable with beautiful designs.
- Portable with a pouch for storage and travel
Cons:
- Some players don’t like to have to continually concentrate during a game.
Hive is a two-player board game that requires strategic thinking like when playing Chess. The objective of the game is to protect your queen bee that she isn’t locked in by opponent bugs.
The game is quick to grasp but requires strategic thinking. Set up time is fast because you don’t require a board; a flat surface will suffice to place the tiles.
Each tile is decorated with one of the five types of bugs — each bug hast its rules of how it can move.
A portable game that can travel with you wherever you go.
Number of players: 2
Set up time: 5 minutes
Average Playtime: 15-30 minutes
Complexity Level: Medium
Recommended ages: 8-15 years
Reviewed recommended ages: 8+ years
For girls 1 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- The jewelry box is beautifully decorated with watercolor designs that will complement a little girl’s bedroom.
- The unicorn figurine spins with the unicorn tune, and the music stops when the lids close.
- Organizing and storing her jewelry and keepsakes in the jewelry box may even inspire keeping the rest of her unicorn room tidy
Cons:
- Although the age is 3-months and up, the spinning unicorn may not be sturdy enough for little clumsy fingers.
Little girls love jewelry and keepsakes, and the Jewelkeeper Musical Jewelry Box is the perfect gift to store a unicorn infatuated little girl’s jewelry and treasures. Beautiful watercolor designs of unicorns, rainbows, and the unicorn castle on a sky-blue background decorate the great gift box. It may complement your daughter’s unicorn bedroom décor and may fit nicely with her unicorn toy collection. Even not-so-unicorn-obsessed little girls may love the musical box and proudly display it on their dressing table.
Opening the lid reveals a spinning unicorn with a pink mane, and the Unicorn Tune starts to play. At the back of the box is the crank to wind up the music. The soft pink lining covers the inside to cushion her unicorn necklaces, bracelets, and other keepsakes. When unwelcome snooping siblings, barge into her room, a quick close of the lid stops the music, and all evidence of the dancing unicorn.
Parents may appreciate the sturdiness and durability of the design. The unicorn musical jewelry box is made from durable pine fiberboard material and has a chic silver-tone latch to keep the music box closed. The material complies and meets CPSIA, ASTM, and EN71safety standards and guidelines.
The Party Unicorn jewelry box is already packaged for gifting for parents who don’t have time to wrap the present.
For girls 5 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- The unicorn garden is portable and can be displayed indoors or outdoors.
- Five unicorn-related figurines decorate the garden. Your child may move them around depending on their imaginative role-playing story at that moment.
- Kids learn gardening skills while having fun.
Cons:
- The seeds and soil aren’t included in the package.
Your child may not have a unicorn in the garden, but they can create their unique unicorn garden with Creative Roots Create Your Own Unicorn Garden kit. The 10-inch plastic planter is a nice size for a sustainable garden project for kids indoors or outdoors.
Each child creates a unique garden by planting or decorating with the flowers, herbs, or plants they wish to have in the garden. You don’t even have to buy seeds; they can also use plants from your backyard or flower bed. Some unicorn gardens may well have daisies, pansies, and violets. Other may have more tropical effect with ferns and ground covers. For some, a quick-growing herb garden could be a great idea. It’s up to your child!
The five hand-painted figurines create a personal touch and inspire imaginative play. Your kid may move the castle, two unicorn figurines, the toadstool, and a butterfly around depending on how their creative story unfolds.
Gardening is a soothing exercise that provides delayed gratification after you see the plants grow and flower. Start by layering the planter with soil (seeds and soil not included in the package). Place the garden accessories as desired. Add the plants or flowers and display your garden for all to see.
If your kid doesn’t want to create a live garden, they can use fake moss, and toy trees and shrubs to develop their unicorn garden.
For girls 5 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- With the design on both sides, it doesn’t matter in which hand your child holds the mug.
- Add hot water and see the unicorn tail change color.
- The unicorn mug, with its unique trademarked design, is decorative on its own and earns a position with the other unicorn collectibles.
Cons:
- You’ll have to wait for your turn because everyone will want to drink out of the mug.
The Color Changing Unicorn Mug is a great unicorn gift for kids and adults who enjoy their coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and other hot drinks that works the magic. There’s a reason the unicorn face looks like it’s smiling as if it has a secret. When you pour hot water into the unicorn mug, the unicorn’s hair changes into beautiful rainbow colors.
The design is on both sides of the mug, so it doesn’t matter whether your child is left-handed or right-handed; they will see the color-changing effect. The manufacturer, Infloatables, guarantees a quality ceramic mug with their trademarked Unicorn Mug Design that won’t scratch off.
With a one-of-a-kind design, the 3D mug is decorative enough to earn a particular spot on your desk, in your bedroom, office, or a special place among the other unicorn collectibles. Display it empty or use it to store your pencils, markers, or pens.
It is one of the best unicorn gifts for kids or adults who adore unicorns. They will be delighted with such an original unicorn gift but wait until you offer them a hot drink in their new unicorn mug. It’s a jaw-dropping experience the first time they see the hair of the unicorn change into rainbow colors.
For girls 11 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- Parental controls help protect children online.
- Matches almost every room decor.
- Works great for music and audiobooks, along with being an alarm in the morning.
- Can be used as an intercom system to talk to the kids in their room.
- Has a off button for the microphone for times you want to ensure no one is listening.
Cons:
- Not everyone is comfortable inviting listening devices for outside corporations into their home.
- Need FreeTime subscription to enable all the kid-friendly options.
If you are looking for a way for your 12 year old to have access to music, stories and alarm functions without having to take out a second mortgage, this device is great for you! The Amazon Echo is quite amazing – the sky is the limit to what it can do when you install additional “skills”. You can set it up to voice control your music – streaming music is available from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Sirius XM, and others. The Echo will answer questions, control your lights (if you have a a smart home), and work with other Echo’s around the home as a intercom system from room to room. There’s more, but I only have so much room in this review. :)
When paired with Amazon Free Time, the Echo becomes the top smart speaker for kids. Why? You can use the Amazon Parent Dashboard to enforce time limits, content filters and more so your children are only exposed to age-appropriate content at times you want. 12 year old girls need to learn how to use technology instead of being ruled by it – you can help them by setting reasonable usage limits.
You are inviting a listening device into your home (which should make you at least a LITTLE uncomfortable) – but the mechanical On-Off button means regardless of Amazon’s promises, you can make sure certain conversations stay private in your home. The speaker quality is good for the size – but you’ll need two for stereo sound. For the price of almost any toy your 12 year old would want, it’s a great gift.
Pros:
- Relaxing yet competitive game for two players
- Quick but engaging game
- Ideal for kids, teenagers, and couples
Cons:
- Not for gamers who want complicated, integrated games and not a relaxing game
Patchwork may look straightforward, but there’s a catch. Uneven pieces of fabric require strategic planning and the ability to solve problems. When you’ve placed your fabric piece on the board, you can’t move it.
Created by game designer Uwe Rosenberg, this classic board game inspires creativity, problem-solving, and healthy competition. The competitive game challenges players to create the highest score with their patchwork quilt design.
A game could take up to 45 minutes, depending on the competitive play. The idea is to complete as much of the quilt as possible with the unique shapes. Kids who like solving puzzles will enjoy that element in the game. Creative kids who want to become textile designers will enjoy the idea of creating a quilt with odd pieces.
The secret lies in the buttons, which is the money currency and gives the quilt that final touch.
If you enjoy Tetris, then you may enjoy this engaging quilting game with its strategic puzzle-solving element.
Number of players: 2
Set up time: 5 minutes
Average Playtime: 15-30 minutes
Complexity Level: Easy
Recommended ages: 8-15 years
Reviewed recommended ages: 8-adults
Pros:
- A card-theme board game for a variety of ages.
- Easy to learn and fun to play.
- Teaches kids card game principles.
Cons:
- Too many players fill up the board too soon.
Sequence is a two-player board game that requires strategic and decision-making skills. The object is to create a row of five pieces while simultaneously blocking your opponent from creating their rows.
The board shows two packs of cards. Each card lies with its image face up. Each player is dealt seven cards. When it’s your turn, you select a card in your hand to play by placing a chip on one of the two options on the board. That’s where the strategy and fun start, choosing the right one that will enhance your play.
There’s always the wild card to benefit a player and have a negative impact on the opponent. The Jack can be played as any card, or you could remove an opponent’s chip from the board.
The player who scores the required number of sequences wins.
Number of players: 2-3 or up to 12 in three teams
Set up time: 5 minutes
Average Playtime: 10-30 minutes
Complexity Level: Easy
Recommended ages: 7+ years
Reviewed recommended ages: 6+ years
For girls 5 to 15 Years of age
Pros:
- The gift set is a combination of 5 unicorn gifts, including jewelry that all girls adore.
- The makeup bag is a nice size for makeup or to store jewelry and other unicorn items that a girl wants to keep safe and within reach.
- The unicorn backpack or gym bag and the makeup bag have the same unicorn design. There are ten design sets to choose from.
Cons:
- The drawstring bag may not support heavy items.
Any unicorn-infatuated toddler, tween, or teen may be smitten with the Unicorn Gift Set that contains five unicorn gifts; two of the gifts is what all women love—jewelry. Why not make a few girls happy at once and use it as the birthday party favor at your little girls’ birthday celebration?
When they see the unicorn bracelet and pendant necklace, the little girls are going to be ecstatic and forget about all the sweet treats. Armed with their jewelry, they are ready for some unicorn birthday fun.
The makeup bag may also be used to store the jewelry and other unicorn keepsakes. A small zip pouch inside the bag safely keeps smaller items separate from the others and avoid accidentally losing it when unzipping the bag. The larger bag that is ideal for gym clothes and other girly things has a drawstring for quick access to the content.
All items have unicorn designs that match the other pieces in the unicorn gift set. Dr. Unicorn created ten different designs to choose from; each represents some characteristic of a unicorn and varies in the background color.
For girls 8 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- The soft-tip nature of darts means there is virtually no chance of damaging property or other children while playing with these toys.
- Gun is lightweight enough that most school-aged children can participate in the fun.
- Real camaraderie is built up among teammates.
Cons:
- Darts are easy to lose. They especially seem to find their way into the vacuum cleaner. You’ll want to buy some extras.
- There are many Nerf Blaster choices – so your child may prefer a toy for a different playstyle.
Nerf dart blasters are a perennial favorite of boys and girls everywhere. The N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster is no exception to this rule. With this blaster gun, you’ll be able to fire 6 darts in a row up to 90 feet. Just slam the slide to reload and you are on your way. That’s right, this blaster doesn’t require batteries.
While fine to shoot at targets by yourself, the real fun comes when a group of girls organize into teams and play tag or other games. Kids learn to implement strategy, cooperate with teammates and burn off a ton of energy running around outside while working to tag opposing team members.
For girls 10 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- The game is easy to learn
- A strategic word deduction game that is fast-paced
- Improves cooperative skills
Cons:
- Could be too advanced for younger players in finding the right word clues
Instead of competing against each other, players work together as a team to win in Czech Games Codenames: Duet. The object of the game is to find the 15 agents among a grid of 25 that includes assassins and bystanders. Should you reveal an assassin, you lose the game.
Just like in the spy world, countries may work together, but they don’t reveal all their secrets to the world; they often communicate in code. With numbers and single word clues, players communicate to help each other find the agents and avoid the assassins.
Codenames Duet is a fast-paced strategic word game that could improve kids developing teamwork and cooperating skills by working together. For those who don’t like the challenge of finding the best word clue or trying to decipher the clue, the game may be frustrating.
Number of players: 2-4
Set up time: 5 minutes
Average Playtime: 15-30 minutes
Complexity Level: Easy
Recommended ages: 10+ years
Reviewed recommended ages: 11+
For girls 10 to 99 Years of age
Pros:
- The flexible structure allows you to follow leads in the order that makes sense to you.
- Perfect for budding detectives and logical thinkers and people with deduction skills.
- A highly cooperative and competitive game that keeps you busy for hours.
Cons:
- No replay value when you solved all 10 cases
- Case 3 has a publisher error that makes it almost unsolvable in versions earlier than 2016. The corrected version is available to download online.
Solve crime mysteries faster than the famous Mr. Holmes in the two-player board game Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective Thames Murders and Others. Players can cooperate to play against Sherlock Holmes, or they can up the competition level by playing against each other too.
There are ten mysteries to solve by visiting locations on the London map and reading stories and newspapers to find clues. If you enjoy reading and finding clues, then this is one of the best game choices for you. The clues you find leads you to a place on the map.
If you like games that don’t require a specific order structure, then you’ll enjoy being a sleuth in this flexible game. Players may visit any place in any order, read all newspapers to date, an interview any informant available.
As you progress as a consulting detective, the cases become more complicated with more clues. The first couple of cases are solvable within 1-2 hours; latter cases will take longer.
Number of players: 1-8
Set up time: 5 minutes
Average Playtime: 2 hours
Complexity Level: Difficult
Recommended ages: 10+ years
Reviewed recommended ages: 10+ years
For girls 10 to 15 Years of age
Pros:
- One of the best worker placement games
- A competitive game without aggressive actions like battles and destruction
- Planning is essential, but the outcome isn’t known
Cons:
- Players may have to wait for other players to decide on their actions.
- Â Some find the game complicated in the beginning
Agricola is a turn-based, worker placement game where the goal is to build and expand your farm. The game starts with the farmer and his spouse, which means you have two actions each turn, one for the farmer and one for the wife.
Each farm chore can only be done by one player at a time, which means strategically, you can block another player’s progress or force them to do other actions. The game is low aggressive because there are no battles or destruction; you can only inconvenience your opponent, not destroy or harm their farm. Parents who want their kids to have competitive fun without aggression, Agricola is a great pick.
Players need to decide which chores are a priority to build the farm, stockpile, and feed the family. Players continuously faced with making difficult choices.
Number of players: 1-5
Set up time: 10 minutes
Average Playtime: 2 hours
Complexity Level: Medium
Recommended ages: 10-15 years
Reviewed recommended ages: 10=15 years
Our Process For Selecting The Best Toys And Gifts For 12 year old girls
We spend weeks writing all of our toy review and gift guides. We know you rely on our input, and we take that trust seriously.  Our writers and editors have spent approximately 31 hours researching and testing the most popular toys for 12 year old girls that you can find on the market in September 2023.Â
All of this time and resources are spent to bring this gift guide to you – we’ve put in the time to make sure our recommendations are ones you can trust.
We also update these lists each and every day. That’s because we don’t want to provide you with toys that are no longer in-stock – a gift you can’t buy isn’t worth much to you, no matter how cool it might be. We have reviewed many more toys than we list in this guide – and many of them are good but not quite as great as the ones that made the cut.Â
As toys move in and out of stock, the list will change. We want this list to help you get the best toys and gifts you can for your 12 year old this Holiday season.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gifts for Twelve-Year-Old Girls
What is the best gift for 12-year-old girls?
The best gift for a twelve-year-old girl is what she likes and matches her personality. It is, however, not always that easy to buy a gift for her because she isn’t a teenager yet, but neither is she a little kid. She wants to be a grown-up teenager, but she also wants to play with dolls and be a little girl.
What do you buy for a tween-going-on-teenager? Our gift guide is a list of various types of toys that may interest a twelve-year-old. When buying a gift for your tween daughter, consider her as an individual, her kind of personality, what she likes and dislikes, her hobbies, sports, and her ability levels.
Our gift guide contains gifts for the recommended age. Children develop different skills and abilities at specific milestones that are usually age-related. Buy gifts that are age-appropriate to help your tween improve and strengthen her abilities and skills. Each child, however, develops at her own pace. When you buy a birthday or Christmas gift for your twelve-year-old tween, consider here ability level. She may be a budding engineer and STEM-related gifts for 12 year old girls may be too simple for her; she needs more challenging STEM gifts that are recommended for older children. If she is slower in developing a particular skill, instead give her a toy recommended for a younger age until she’s developed the ability and is ready for a toy in her age group.
How vital are name brands when buying gifts for twelve-year-old tweens?
How vital the name brand is, depends on from whose perspective you’re considering the brand. Your tween may have a different outlook to name brands than you and your budget do.
Sometimes the brand name is more important to your tween daughter than the actual gift. If your twelve-year-old girl is brand conscious and prefers a specific brand, then the best gift for her is the one with the correct name brand. Another brand could be cheaper and even better quality, but, in her eyes, it is an inferior product and not something her friends may approve. Â
She may not be as brand conscious as her friends are, even so, the right brand could be significant. At twelve-years-old, the opinion of friends may be more important than what her parents think. She wants to fit in with her social network. If the right brand may help her feel secure in the group, why not buy her the name brand she and her friends prefer?
Some famous brands are too expensive for a parent’s budget. Explain it to your tween and let her choose if she wants the gift in another brand or does she prefer to go without it. Sometimes the latter may be a more acceptable option for your twelve-year-old girl.
Lesser known brands or small company brands can often compete with the more prominent brands in quality, features, and durability. Sadly, some unknown brands are made from inferior material, and the gift doesn’t perform as advertised. These companies make a person hesitant to purchase lesser-known brands. If you research and read parent reviews, you should be able to discern if it is a good brand or not. You may be pleasantly surprised in finding gifts from smaller companies that could be better quality with more features at a lower price.
Are tech gifts the best type of gifts for 12-year-old girls?
Your teen is growing up in a technology age. She probably knows more about what your smartphone and tablet can do than you do. Technology is so part of her life; she takes it for granted. Â If your twelve-year-old tween only receives technology gifts, she is limited in developing skills and abilities that unplugged toys may present to her.
If she loves technology, then STEM tech and engineering gifts may delight her endlessly. These kinds of gifts are educational and fun simultaneously. It gives her an advantage over other kids who aren’t exposed to these types of toys.
To encourage a tech girl to unplug now and again, give her gifts that combine tech and movement or tech and crafts. Headphones, smartwatches, and electric scooter or bike lights and accessories are examples of gifts that allow your child to be active and creative and enjoy the tech aspect.
Board games, card games, and physical games that she can play with friends may inspire her to set aside tech for a few hours. Classic board games and card games never go out of style. They may come back in more modern packaging, but they continue to provide endless hours of fun and entertainment. New games are added continuously to traditional games.
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