2026 Gift Guide for KIDS + TEENS
The gift guide includes my favorite recommendations for KIDS + TEENS:
Because I don’t have kids of all ages in my home right now, this gift guide filled with fun suggestions for things we are loving now and our most-loved gifts over the years.
There is some crossover between this gift guide and the gift guide for adults, so check there for even more ideas!
- At the top of the guide is brand, new gift guide recommendations this year.
- Below that are the all-time most popular gift guide items from the last 15 years.
This means you don’t have to go clicking through 15 years of gift guide links…all the best recommendations are right here in one spot!
Remember that none of the items on my gift guides are sponsored. I’ve bought or been gifted by friends/family everything on this list – these are all things we genuinely love! Affiliate links are included which means I earn a small commission if you click on the link to buy; but as always, feel free to shop around for the best deal.
New 2026 KIDS + TEENS Gift Ideas
Stick Flip: This super simple flipping game is great for bored tweens and teens (I have gifted this to several nephews!). The electronic sensor has different games and levels for extra challenge.
Wall Collage: This kit is perfect for the creative teen that wants to put together a colorful, personalized collage for their room or door.
Transformer Fidget Spinner: A fidget spinner but with transform capabilities! And these aren’t just for kids (I sent these to my two missionaries serving across the world in their Christmas packages last year).
Bloom Planner: My daughter used this planner for 2026 and loved it! It’s cute, functional, and has a stencil, bookmark and cute stickers.
SweetTarts: A great stocking stuffer for lovers of sweet/tart candy. These ropes bites are some of my kids’ favorites. They also love these SweetTarts Fusions.
Dot Art Pads: These aren’t just for kids – in fact, I think they’re great for all ages if you have someone on your list that likes meditative art (these are from the creators of Melissa and Doug products – my 14-year old daughter has loved them!).
Cute Ruffle Socks: The cutest gingham ruffle socks (different colors available!).
Dr. Squatch Deodorant: Yes, my kids get deodorant in their stockings. No, they don’t complain because my boys LOVE Dr. Squatch deodorant. Fresh falls is one of their favorite flavors, er, scents.
e.l.f. Lip Gloss: A great stocking stuffer (and my daughter’s fave lip gloss). Comes in a 2-pack.
Aqua Puffs Activity: I pulled out this kit when I had some younger kids over at my house, and it was so fun – a total hit with them! And way less messy than a lot of other kids’ art activities. Highly recommend!
Questions for Teens Flipbook: I LOVE this book for teens. It’s been sitting out near our kitchen table for a few weeks, and it has sparked the funnest conversations (my kids usually ask one of the questions with no prompting!). And if it doesn’t feel like the right gift for your teen, put it in your own stocking. 😉
Baggy Levis: Baggy jeans are all the rage with teens right now, and these ones have been much-loved here (without breaking the bank). I also highly recommend these cargo pants (over 40,000 5-star reviews, and my boys have loved them).
Girls’ Barrel Sweats: These are hands-down the most popular sweats for my 14-year old daughter.
Slim MagSafe Power Bank: I used this power bank all over Italy and it worked so well – these would make a great stocking stuffer. They come in various colors and are about half the cost of other similar slim-style power banks.
3D Printer: This is definitely a big ticket item, but since 3d printers are all the rage, this one gets the highest all-purpose recommendation from my sister (who owns a 3D printing company and has a lot of printers!).
Hobeman Sphere: What a fun toy! This sphere is enormous when fully extended (enough for my tween nephew to fit inside!).
Faith Blankets: These faith-based blankets from Comfort in Christ are amazing – both in quality and in design. They are SO soft. I’ve bought several of the Peace Be Still blankets as gifts (they have several other themed blankets like that one). I bought a customized blanket from here for my son after he returned from his church mission to the Philippines.
Long Athletic Shorts: You can’t beat the price of these long athletic shorts – these ones are so popular right now (also: me over here saying “i told you so” to my kids about long shorts coming back into style when they were sure they never would and were mocking their dad for the shorts he wore back in high school). My nephews have multiple pairs of these!
CrunchLabs: There are a lot of subscription boxes that aren’t worth it, but the boxes from CrunchLabs are incredible. My son and nephew have both had subscriptions to these – if you have a creative-minded kid who loves to create and build things, this subscription is amazing. They have tiers – different boxes for different ages.
Cute Notebook: This inexpensive notebook feels a lot nicer than the cost of it! It has a sturdy spiral binding, thick pages, and a built in bookmark. It also comes in a lot of colors and makes a perfect small journal or writing pad. My daughter has several of these!
Gel Pens: These gel pens come in pastel or bold colors (the ink is black) and they write well. They go perfectly with the notebook above.
Swim Trunks: My boys each own a pair of these swim trunks. They are durable and well-fitting with a liner underneath. They also come in a lot of different color/pattern options.
Wallet: I bought this wallet for my son, and it is still going strong. It’s lightweight, slim, and really durable. A great gift or stocking stuffer!
Sport Sunglasses: These sunglasses are not only cute (and come in a lot of colors), but they are great for active sports. My daughter has them to use for tennis…and wears them all the time when she plays tennis and also just around the town (or house).
Atolea Tarnish-Free Jewelry: My daughter and I were both gifted one of these necklaces by a good friend, and I’ve since bought a few more pieces from this company. We love the jewelry from here! It can be worn 24/7 and doesn’t tarnish, and the styles are so cute.
Dazzle Dry Polish: This is our favorite nail polish for fingers and toes! So many colors, and their nail systems are pretty great, too.
Slim Charging Block: Where have these been all my life? A slim, low-profile charging block that doesn’t stick out of the wall – these are amazing, especially if plugging phones/electronics in behind tables and furniture. Great stocking stuffer idea!
All-Time Favorite KIDS + TEENS Gift Ideas
Moon Ball: This super bouncy, durable ball is a favorite for all of my boys. I’ve sent several of these to my boys serving church missions around the world.
ZipString: I bought this for my 12-year old nephew’s birthday earlier this year, and he called me within minutes of opening it telling me how fun it was (apparently it was a hit with his whole family!). UPDATE: Branding changed from the one I linked to a few years ago.
K’Lani Hair Tie Bracelets: These bracelets that can also be used as hair ties are SUPER popular with Camryn and her friends. They are super cute!
Face Masks: These face masks are so cute and fun! They come in a variety pack and have become one of my go-to gifts.
Teen Skin: My teens have had this brand of moisturizer and cleansing pads for years and highly recommend.
Bean Bag Chair: We’ve had this XL bean bag for several years, and it is still going strong! We packed it extra full of filling and haven’t had to fill it up since the first time.
Boot Bananas: Sometimes gifts need to be practical! And these boot bananas have worked really well for a few of my teens with stinky shoes. Stocking stuffer alert!
Sloth Mug: I’m not sure any gift defines teenage years more than this one. 😜 This mug is cute, funny AND perfect for the tea or hot chocolate loving teen you know.
Jewelry Dish: This adorable jewelry dish has options for all the letters of the alphabet to customize for the person you are giving it to. Perfect for kids/teens jewelry!
Laneige Lip Balm: This lip balm is all the rage right now – and this particular gummy bear flavor is a favorite of Cam’s!
Skeletool: This amazing multi-tool is perfect for older teens (and adults!). It has wire cutters, pliers and more.
Shower Steamers: ALL my kids love these shower steamers (they are a perfect gift for teens and adults!).
Fidget Worm Toy: One of my kids loves fidget toys, and this one is different from others we’ve had – it’s a favorite! It’s also a great stocking stuffer.
3-Barrel Curling Wand: Camryn uses this all the time to crimp/curl her hair. It works great (and the waves stay in for days!).
Mini Bluetooth Speaker: This waterproof mini bluetooth speaker is amazing! I gifted one to several of my boys last year and they’ve loved it.
Foldology: One of the best boredom busters ever. My kids (of all ages) love these folding puzzles.
Ties: These are my boys’ all-time favorite ties (the ones at home and the ones serving church missions!). They have unique patterns and have a woven-type feel. They also love this brand of ties, too.
ROKR Marble Run: My kids have built several of these wooden puzzle kits, and this marble run was an all-time favorite.
Gross Science Kit: Talk about a dream science kit for kids! It’s gross…and creative…and really awesome.
Oofos Ooahh Slides: These slides are so comfy; my boys wear them during their sport seasons as they go to and from practices.
Tortilla/Burrito Blanket: We gifted this to one of my sons years ago, and he still uses it. A fun AND comfy blanket!
Stuff-n-Sit Bean Bag Chair: We have one of these for the millions of stuffed animals we’ve accumulated through the years. But you can stuff it with blankets or other soft toys!
5,000 Awesome Facts Book: I think this might be the most-read book in our house. We’ve had it for years, and my kids still pull it out to recite random facts to me while I make dinner.
Oontz Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: We’ve had this speaker for years and it still works perfectly! It’s been dropped in the hot tub and left outside for two weeks. Pretty amazing for the low price!
Fujifilm Instax Camera: Camryn still uses this several years later! She loves taking it on any and all family adventures.
How to Survive Book: A clever and actually quite useful book, this manual is a fun read and perfect for adventurous kids.
Brain Teasers: A perfect stocking stuffer, my kids and Brian love these!
Difficult Riddles Book: This book is perfect for anyone of any age who loves riddles. They’re challenging but fun!
Glide Detangler Brush: I can’t say enough good things about this brush. Cam uses it daily and it is a wonder for long, easily tangled hair. It would make a perfect stocking stuffer!
Comfy Folding Chair: We’ve had this chair for over five years, and it is still in perfect shape (and we use it every day – and move it all over the house wherever we want it!).
Lego Succulents: These creative Lego plant sets are fun to put together and so cute…we love them!
Portable Suitcase Record Player: This portable record player was a great gift for my vinyl record-loving son a few years ago. It has bluetooth speakers and the sound quality is excellent. Tons of great reviews and it has worked great!
Magnetic Dart Board: This magnetic dart board has provided hours of fun and is so much safer than a traditional dart board (for people AND walls!).
Yodeling Pickle: This will forever be one of my favorite gifts ever. I love it so much.
Shashibo Cube: My kids are obsessed with these, and we have gifted them to so many others! It’s wild what shapes you can make with these (and even more if you put two together!).
Fort Builder: My kids played with this fort builder set for YEARS. Even though they’ve outgrown it, I keep it around because it is so popular with younger kids who are visiting. Great gift!
Electric Drum Set: This drum set has a much smaller footprint than a traditional set, and it has provided hours of exciting drum time (cue the ear plugs for me).
Plastic Bat and Wiffle Ball Set: This classic sports toy has been played with for hours and hours in the back yard with my kids.
What I Love About You Journal: This is a great stocking stuffer for someone you love (you fill in the prompts throughout the book before gifting it to someone).
Puffy Sticker Books: My kids are too old (or so they say 😜) for these sticker books, but they are my go-to gift for family and friends with little kids. I have heard back that they have provided hours of fun for their littles. The reviews on these are excellent!
Glow in the Dark Football: Such a clever spin on football, and perfect for the time of year when the days are short, because this football can be used in the early evening.
Dollhouse: Cam played with this dollhouse for YEARS and it held up perfectly. One of the best gifts ever for her!
Gel Nail Lamp: this nail lamp is used often at our house since Cam is at the age where she loves to paint her nails…and so do her friends! It’s amazing how fast the gel nail polish dries with this thing.
Floor Chairs: these are the most amazing and comfy chairs! My sister introduced them to me, and I am slowly stocking up our bonus room with them. They come in a variety of colors!
Weird But True Book: Another fact book that has been read many, many, many times!
Hammock: Each of my kids have one of these, and they’ve been going strong for years. They use them on our swingset, between trees out on our property – basically everywhere!
Foldable Duffel: I gifted one of these to each of my kids almost ten years ago, and these bags are STILL going strong. They’ve traveled everywhere with us – from Mexico to Montana. So durable, and they fold up in a tight little square when not in use.
Sloth Stuffie: One of our fave stuffies ever.
ZipChip: These little zipchip frisbees fly incredibly far…makes a great stocking stuffer!
Guitar Pick Punch: My boys love playing the guitar, so this guitar pick punch has been a super fun gift (once we set some boundaries about what should be made into a guitar pick…and what should not!).
Newton’s Cradle: I did a lot of research into the best one of these out there that is affordable, and almost two years in, this one has held up (without getting twisted).
Girls’ Joggers: These joggers end up being about $10 a pair and have held up so well! Also, they are super soft and comfy.
Sewing Machine: This has been the perfect beginner sewing machine for Cam…but honestly, sturdy and competent enough for more serious seamstresses.
Moon Lamp: We gifted this to one of our younger friends, and every time I see her mom, she tells me how much her child loves having this in her room!
Sticker by Number Book: Super fun and really low mess! This is another of my go-to gifts when taking something to young families with little kids.
Neck Light: This light lasts a long time (and is rechargeable via USB). My kids bring them on all road trips.
ATM Piggy Bank: This little money bank is not only adorable (comes in lots of colors), but it lets the kiddo set an electronic password (and it really works!).
Lightsaber Chopsticks: The perfect stocking stuffer or gift for the Star Wars fan in your life.
Slippers: My son bought these North Face slippers for himself, and I don’t think he’s taken them off since. Lest you be concerned that we are slipper snobs, my other son has these ones. Also: wears them nonstop.
Sherpa Lined Flannel: These sherpa lined flannel jackets are so cozy and comfy (and they come in lots of patterns!).
Panama Jack Lip Balm: My boys’ favorite lip balm (it has SPF factor, too) – makes a great stocking stuffer!
Giant Husky Stuffed Animal: This comes shrink wrapped quite small but fluffs up delightfully well – it’s still a favorite stuffie of Cam’s (she got it years ago)!
Phone Holder: This is a clever little stocking stuffer for any teen (or adult?) who needs to prop their phone up for video calls, homework, lazy scrolling, or whatever the case may be.
LED Frisbee: This light-up frisbee was gifted to one of my sons – and it was such a hit, that we’ve given it as gifts to several people since.
Mini Bluetooth Speaker: my 16-year old got this for his birthday (from his sister) and for a tiny speaker that can fit in your pocket, this thing has volume! It would be a fun stocking stuffer.
Gold Initials Bracelet: Layered bracelets are so popular, and I love that this bracelet is in two separate strands (no tangling!). It fits small wrists, too.
DIY Journal Kit: this customizable journal kit is so cute, especially if you have a crafty, journaling kiddo in mind. We’ve gifted this to several friends for birthdays and it has been a well-loved gift.
DayBetter LED Lights: My 10-year old daughter got these for her birthday this year, and immediately had us help her put them around the perimeter of her bedroom. She loves them! They change color with music/sound and add a fun touch to her room.
Gatorade Bottle: all of my kids have one of these (they come in a million colors!) and they all agree: best water bottle ever.