Super Fun, Opened Ended, Screen-Free Gift Ideas for Every Tween & Teen!

Raising Generation Nourished…

It’s more than just the food, though that is typically the focus around here! Today, I thought I’d take a little step aside from the recipes, and focus on another aspect of raising a nourished generation. A generation that is creative, focused, and content. A generation that has just so much good ahead of them. Their future is so bright.

Contented kids

Not long ago I received a private message on my Instagram asking how I’ve raised kids that are so “content.” She mentioned it always felt like my kids found joy in the simplest of things – digging in the sand at the beach, stirring a pot of soup, taking a hike…simple childhood. She was curious how a 12 year old could be happy with such simplicity. We aren’t a completely screen free home – we definitely enjoy a good movie! And my kids have their favorite shows. We even play the occasional educational computer game. But over 12 years into this thing, I do think that part of my kids’ joy in simple childhood play has to do with limited screens. They aren’t the enemy, but open-ended play is vital to kids that don’t need to be constantly entertained with a screen. Contented kids that are ok with being “bored” because those are always the moments where creativity shines the brightest. I have seen it with my own eyes, and I would go back and do it all over again to see that in my kids.

You do you momma!

I am most definitely not here to mom shame. Every household has a different rhythm, and every child has different needs. If you have video games in the house, and that is working for you, great! If your kids have tablets, and that is working in your home – totally fine! What I am here to do, is give you some ideas for under the Christmas tree that my upper elementary/tween/middle school aged kids have enjoyed and are enjoying right now, that I really think any kid will have fun with, whether they are into screens or not. I hope to give you some ideas to put something different under the tree next to the other items.

Tweens & Middle School ages

Years back I created a Montessori Inspired gift guide for younger children when my kids were little, and I thought it was time to do an update! My older two are 12 and 10 and this list was so fun to put together with them. They helped me pick out their favorite activities in our home now, and we messaged with friends of both boys and girls of this age group to find out what their favorite screen-free activities were too. I hope you find something fun to put under the tree for the kids this year that will stimulate the child that is within them, foster creativity, and give them purpose!

STEM/Science/Building

The number one thing my children along with every momma that I texted said for this age group was…LEGOS! Every last one of them. My 12 year old still asks for Legos every holiday and birthday, and she pulls them out all the time. This age is literally built for STEM mindset, and it is why so many schools focus on innovation days, science fairs, and STEM clubs from 4th grade through middle school. There are so many to list – I would love to hear your tween and teens favorite STEM items to add to this list – please comment below if you do!

• Legos
• K’nex
• Brain Teaser Wood & Metal Puzzles
• Solar Robots (Many of these are 13 in 1 meaning there are 13 ways to put it together! We have a couple of these sets and my 12 year old pulls these out as much if not more than Legos over the last year)
• Table Top Robot
• Solar Rover
• 3D Wood Puzzles
• STEM Kit
• Snap Circuits
• Microscope (wide range of prices here – something for everyone! We have a middle of the road one and love it!)
• Gravity Maze
• National Geographic Science Kits (We’ve never bought one of these we didn’t enjoy!)
• GraviTrax (Start with the “starter” set and then there are add-on sets too!)
• Rock Tumbler
• Magic Trick Card Games

Crafts

Our crafting collection started around my oldest’s 6 year old year, and has become such a staple inside activity in our home over the years. Those “I’m bored” moments almost always land in the Rainbow Loom box, Perler bead bin, or with a sketch pad and markers.

• Rainbow Loom (start with that and then these refill kits are fantastic for storage and extra rubber bands for looming!)
• Friendship Bracelet Kit (Lots of price point choices here! Get what works for you – we have all ranges and they all work!)
• Beaded Bracelet Kits
• Embroidery Kit (lots of beginner projects here!)
• Make Your Own Paper Bowls (and Thread Bowls)
• Perler Beads (yes my tweens still love these – you can find really great 3D projects online to print and follow!)
• Weaving loom
• Loopdeloom
• Gel Pens (lots of price points here – get what works for you!)
• Canvas Painting
• Canvas Paint By Numbers (a favorite of my 10 year old)
• Diamond Painting
• Colored Pencils and Colored Pencil Case
• How to Draw Books & Sketch Pads (We have so many of those How To Draw Books – they are so great!)
• Comic Book Sketch Books (To make their own comics – my 10 year old loves doing this!)
• Origami Kits, or Origami paper & Origami Instruction Books (My oldest started doing this in 5th grade and has gotten really good at it!)
• Aaron’s Putty
• Sewing Machine
• Knitting Kits
• Crochet Kits
• Pom Pom Kit (so simple but so loved in our house!)
• Happy Loom Kit
• KumiKreator

Board Games & Puzzles

This is definitely not an inclusive list! Please comment below with other favorite board games – we are always looking to add to our collection too!

• Catan (household favorite right now!)
• Dragonwood (close second is this and Dragonrealm below)
• DragonRealm
• Chess
• Othello
• Clue
• Stratego (this was the most mentioned for “boy moms” when I asked around, along with Risk below!)
• Risk
• Ticket To Ride
• Battleship
• Splendor
• Monopoly
• Playing Cards

Outdoors/Movement

No matter the weather where you live, fresh air is an important part of childhood. It will create habits that will last into adulthood, and that, my friends is where raising a nourished generation starts. I would love to know what your tweens and teens like to do outside so I can add to the list for our readers! Use the comment box below!

• Portable Hammock
• RipStick/Scooter/Skateboard/Fingerboard/Longboard
• Drift Skates
• Disk Golfing gear
• Pogo Stick
• Hiking boots/Hiking pack/Waterbottles
• Fishing pole/Fishing net
• SpikeBall (we play this at the beach, but it is fun in the yard too)
• KanJam
• Ladder Golf (this is another we play at the beach but it works in the yard too!)
• Lawn Jenga
• Bow & Arrow
• Basketball/Soccer/baseball gear
• Portable Badminton Set (Yes! Middle schooler’s love this!)
• Water Guns/Nerf Guns
• Skim Boards/Boogie Boards
• Croquet Set
• Bocce Ball Set
• 4 Square
• Sleds/Snow Shoes/XC Ski/Downhill Ski Gear

Safe Skin Care/Self Care

I started putting little self care things in the girls’ stockings starting pretty young. A new bar of soap or a fun nail polish to start, and as they are getting older it is getting even more fun. You can do the teen girl stuff in a safe, non-toxic way so easily these days too! Use the EWG Skin Deep website to check ingredient safety, but for the most part, these are the brands we love and use in our house.

• Dr. Bronner’s Lip Balms or 100% Pure Lip Balms (or anything beeswax based – we have some local artisans that make some – look at your local markets!)
• Epsom Salts and EO’s for Baths (this is our favorite EO for a drop or 2 in a bath!)
• Native Body Washes or Attitude Body Washes
• 100% Pure Body Creams or Shea Moisture Body Creams
• EO rollers for perfume (Find a blend that works for her – look through these blend descriptions and these chakra oils and purchase in a roller for her!)
• 100% Pure Make-Up or Mineral Fusion Make-Up
• Piggy Paint Nail Polish, or Ella & Mila Nail Polish, or 100% Pure Nail Polish, or Mineral Fusion Nail Polish
• 100% Pure Scrubs & Masks
• Herbal Teas and a pretty mug!

Books

This was the hardest list to tailor down when I asked the girls’ their favorites. I do have a household of very big readers, and I am here to tell you I really do think it is because when I get the “I’m bored” look, if they aren’t pulling a craft out, they are pulling out a book because we don’t have tablets around. I will often say on a rainy day “go get sucked into a book” and they haul up in a beanbag for hours! Here are some of our favorites both in our home and ones the girls have had to read in school at the upper elementary and middle school ages so far. Please let me know what your tweens are reading! I have one adventure lover that needs action and Harry Potter-like books, and another that prefers more imagination, and less thriller like books!

• The Secret Zoo Series
• The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings
• The Magic Misfits Series
• Treasure Island
• The Borrowers Series
• Esperanza Rising
• The One & Only Ivan
• The Secret Garden
• Green Ember Series
• The Familiars Series
• Wild Rescuers Series
• A Tale of Magic Series
• Wonder
• City of Ember
• Where the Red Fern Grows
• The Land Of Stories Series
• Five Towers Series
• Alan Gratz books (Projekt 1065, Allies, Refuge, Code of Honor)
• The Chronicles of Narnia
• Hardy Boys
• The Last Kids on Earth
• The Wingfeather Saga
• Wings of Fire
• Percy Jackson Series
• Pax
• Story Thieves
• Hatchet

Cooking & Baking

Of course this is near and dear to my heart, but I literally haven’t met a tween that doesn’t like to bake or do something in the kitchen. It is part science/STEM, part mess, and right up their alley! I’d love to know what your tween and teens are making in the kitchen and what tools they love the most that would make great gifts! Please comment below!

• Bread Making Kit! Sourdough starter, sourdough bread making supplies, and a sourdough cookbook
• Cookie Kit! Cookie cutters or mini cookie cutters, baking sheet, rolling pin, etc
• Pizza Kit! Pizza cutter, pizza pans
• Salad Kit! Salad Spinner, salad serving set, dressing bottles
• Popcorn Kit! Wirly Pop, Stirring Popcorn Maker, or Air Pop, cool popcorn bowls, coconut oil popcorn oil
• Pie Kit! Fun Pie Plate, pie server
• Ice Cream Kit! Ice cream maker, ice cream cones, ice cream scoop
• Cupcake or Cake Decorating Kit! Cake Pan, Cupcake Pan, Piping Bag kit, sprinkles
• Cooking tools (knives, peelers, pancake flippers)
• Mini Waffle Maker
• Popsicle Molds (we have this one)
• Apron (or fabric to sew an apron!)
• Cookbooks (Find something in a targeted area they might be interested in so it isn’t overwhelming such as healthy smoothies, a Mexican themed cookbook, a soup cookbook, a sourdough or bread making cookbook…or a healthy lunchbox cookbook!)