Gift Ideas for the Tween Girl

The term "tween" girls is a relatively new term. I don't remember being referred to with this term when growing up, so I'm guessing it's an advertising term to zero in on this certain age group. It probably refers to those girls between the ages of 9 and 13 years of age or pre-teens.

These young girls may still like dolls, and have started to care more about clothes and boys. Friends are also becoming more important to her as they are trying to figure out how to deal with new feelings and experiences . Of course, girls mature at different rates, so a few may think some of these ideas as "babyish" while others will not.

Here are some gift ideas that may appeal to most of this age group, whether it be for Christmas, birthday, Hanukkah, or any special occasion. I've reviewed the best rated and most creative items this year, that is sure to please.

Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul by Jack Canfield was was written because this age group wasn't written about before now and is one of a series that have been written for other age groups by this author.

Jack describes this book as a survival guide and tackles tough issues that preteens or "tweens" face today, such as divorce, changes in friendships, life issues, family problems, attitudes and adjustments as they mature. Stories from celebrities such as NSYNC, Mia Hamm and Beverly Mitchel. Retails new for $14.94 and used for $0.01 on Amazon.

The Scattered Dot designed neoprene laptop sleeve is a very grown up item for a young girl.

She will feel special carrying her laptop to school or friends homes in this very fun and fashionable sleeve. Bright multicolored dots against a navy blue background will stand out and not get lost very easily.

Produced by BUILT, NY, Inc. measures 17 inches with shark gill grips for easy handling.

Retails for $44.00 and now on sale for the around $29.00.

Here's a fun gift idea for your tween daughter, niece or cousin --a Furry Beanbag Chair.

This is made from synthetic “fur” of polystyrene and comes in light blue, lime green, pink

and dark purple. It will be a favorite place to sit and do homework, listen to music and watch her favorite shows. Maybe get a few for her and friends.

It measures 112” round and weighs 10 pounds with double stitching.

They can be found for $89.00-$109.00.

My PhotoStory made by Creations By You. The kit consists of a hardcover book, markers, stickers, tape, allows the child to create memories in book style with her favorite photos. This can be made by the company in the mail or online by the child. This is a good,creative and fun way to share memories with family and friends. Retails for about $24.95 from the Fat Brain Toy Company.

Klutz Hemp Bracelets Kit comes with 10 feet of hemp string, assorted beads, and clear instructions to make up to 10 bracelets. This is a favorite activity of girls. It allows them to make a unique piece of jewelry and share an activity with friends and family. Retails for $13.95 to $14.95 from Fat Brain Toys Company.

Alex Watch It! Kit with 7 interchangeable watch bands is the perfect accessory for a tween girl. They will love the look and feel of a real watch that can also be designed for each outfit. Preteen girls are very fashion conscious so this is a real pleaser! This won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award. Retails for $29.95 and can be found on sale for $17.95.

Alex Ribbon Headband Kit with 14 interchangeable ribbons is another necessary accessory for the fashion conscious tween girl!

The kit consists of a hard plastic head band and 7 reversible ribbons that slide onto the band. Each ribbon has two different designs on either side ,they can be reversed to have a total of 14 different looks. This retails from $11.50 to $15.00.

Levi's ® Girls Leg Warmers is another must have fashion accessory to have this year.

They can be worn with a dress or skirt or shorts. Some girls even wear them under a long tee shirt. They are very fashionable wit the Levi® label in an assortment of colors and materials. Retails for $15.00.

Another fun gift for the almost teen girl is an iPod of her own.

Apple iPod shuffle 2GB is the newest 4^th generation model to carry up to 500 songs.

This is very little, measuring only 5”x 5” x 1” and comes with ear buds.

It has an easy to control pad to play music, pod casts and audiobooks. This one is pink and comes in other fun colors. Retails for $46.00

Young girls also need to think about their skin needs and breakouts may begin earlier than the official teen age of 13. Some of the standbys for generations are Neutrogenia, Eucerin, Proactiv and a few natural lines such as Kiss My Face .

Buying a gift package or trial kit with all the products line in small sizes may be a good introduction to skin care so check out some of the products here.

iCarly Sing Out Loud CD + G Karaoke System is a complete system for your tween daughter and friends to sing along to. This makes for a lot of fun and brings out the shyest girl. The lyrics can be watched on a black and white monitor and duel microphones will allow her to sing along with a friend or family member. Among the cool features it has a 20 track programmable memory, built-in camera and enhanced vocal effects. This system retails for $149.00 but there are other systems with less capabilities that you may want.

So there are some popular gift ideas for tween girls ;whether it be for Christmas, Hanukkah or a birthday.

The "tween" girls are not children nor are they teens yet, so trying to find a gift that they won't roll their eyes at is sometimes a daunting task. These are a few ideas for the "tween" girl in your life.

They are geared toward self discovery and friendship building, which is so important at this age. Some gifts may be too young for her or too old; you need to ask questions or watch what she talks about on TV.

Maybe just watch some of these preteen shows to get some good ideas yourself!

Stacie L(c)