Emily Reviews writers were set products for inclusion in our gift guide. There are affiliate links as well as Amazon affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.All opinions are my own.
Earlier this week a family member mentioned to me how he finds it hard to shop for his grandkids now that many of them are teens. I had to whole-heartedly agree. Teens can be challenging to shop for. I think it has a lot to do with how they are often in that space between childhood and adulthood. There aren’t a lot of toys that are likely to capture their interest anymore, but many adult gifts would feel boring or not really like a gift to them. If you feel the same way, I hope our 2021 teens gift guide helps you find the perfect gift idea for the teenagers in your life!
Gift Ideas For Teenagers 2021
Calling all Harry Potter fans! This epic Hogwarts LEGO model is packed with play possibilities as it includes 11 mini figures, magical rooms, and even a Basilisk! This is a versatile set that features well-known rooms, enchanting features, and familiar characters from the Harry Potter movies. The best part is you can even easily combine this Hogwarts Chamber of Secrets set with other LEGO Harry Potter and Hogwarts sets.
Your teen will love a beautiful new water bottle from Iron Flask! Ready for a day at school or sports practice, an Iron Flask will keep their water cold all day long. This 22-ounce water bottle is cup holder friendly, too. 25 color options to pick from, so there is sure to be one to fit their taste. Three lids come with every wide mouth bottle, so they can change out the lid to fit their preference. Iron Flask also offers superb customer service and a lifetime warranty on all purchases! If this bottle isn’t quite what you are looking for, be sure to visit the Iron Flask website to see their wide variety of other water bottle options.
Cressi is a very well-known and respected company in the world of watersport supplies and equipment. They offer customers an assortment of products including snorkeling gear, scuba gear, wet/dry suits, apparel, and more. If you’re in the market for snorkeling gear, check out the F-Dual & Supernova Dry set. The F-Dual is a single-lens mask with quick-adjust strap buckles and a wide split strap design for comfort and a proper seal. The Supernova Dry snorkel has a unique Splash Guard at the top which greatly reduces the entrance of water during use on the surface. To learn more about Cressi, read Laurie’s full review.
Social Genius is a perfect gift for anyone who wants to work on their confidence while also having fun. Packed with easy to challenging, non-controversial to controversial debate prompts with a twist, Social Genius is a sure-fire way to boost confidence, flexible thinking, assertiveness, and social skills in children and adults. Perfect for adults, teens, and children, Social Genius is a fun and interactive way to develop deeper bonds with those closest to you. Built on psychological principles by a professional psychologist in the US, this fun-filled game is sure to keep you entertained for hours on end.
If you know a teen who is creative and enjoys technology, a 3D printer can be an awesome gift! The Voxelab Aquila DIY FDM 3D printer has a 32 bit motherboard, and a 220x220x250mm printing volume ability. Most other printers at this price point can’t make items that big! For teenagers who enjoy technology and being creative, 3D printing is an awesome hobby to support and encourage. 3D printing can be a fun hobby while also being educational for teens. Who knows where an interest in 3D printing could lead a teen, maybe into an engineering job!
Encourage staying hydrated with an amazing ORCA Hydra 22 ounce Stainless Steel Water Bottle! The double walled copper clad stainless steel construction means beverages will stay cold (or hot) for a long time. The tough power coat finish is designed to make the Hydra just that much tougher while the clad vacuum seal is for optimum ice and heat retention. Top rack dishwasher safe means you won’t have to hand wash and the popular ORCA tale makes this bottle easy to grab and tote around.
Blank Slate is a fun new board game where ____ minds think alike. The game comes with eight slates, markers and 250 double-sided cue cards. The objective is to complete phrases with any word and you score points for matching your word with any one other player. The rules are simple to understand and each match lasts only up to 30 minutes. Just pick one of 250+ Word Cue cards (with 500 total cues), write the word you think best completes the phrase, and try to match it to another player’s word without giving a hint. Perfect for family game night or a game night with friends!
The mail must flow and you’ve got to help! Key We is a cute, co-operative postal puzzler starring Jeff and Debra, adorable kiwi birds who are working in a whimsical post office. With no hands to help them complete their tasks, they must jump, flap, Peck, and butt-slam their way across an interactive landscape of levers, bells, and buttons to get those all-important messages delivered on time. Rated E for everyone, you can grab this awesome game on Nintendo Switch, PS4/5, XB1/X, or PC.
Cushionaire’s footwear collection focuses on comfort as well as a fashionable style. They carry designs that cover day use as well as night use, boating to office attire, sandals to sneakers, and all things in between. Apolo is one of Cushionaire’s trendy, fashion-forward chunky sneakers. It has a memory foam insole and a comfortable stretch upper. Apolo is available in four colors and sizes 6-11. To learn more about Cushionaire, read Laurie’s full review. While you are there, enter to win the giveaway.
Do you know an artsy teen? DropOfColourUK, an Etsy shop, has paint by number kits that are perfect for teens or adults. This set includes three pait by umber kits, featuring different leaves. It’s a nice way to play around with painting without needing to be really knowledgeable or skilled to get good results. While the shop is based in the UK, they do ship to the US.
Undies for Christmas?! Your teen won’t be sad to receive these! Armachillo Underwear from Duluth Trading Co. will help keep him cool on even the hottest of days. He can ditch his old, cotton underwear for the revolutionary cooling technology of the Armachillo instead. Made with lightweight wicking fabric so he feels drier all day. The Armachillo has microscopic jade embedded in the fabric so they feel cool to the touch! Perfect for teens who play sports! Available in a variety of styles and sizes small through 4XL.
Teens love the magical world of Harry Potter and this 4-pack of pint glasses is so much fun! Each of the cups feature iconic imagery for each of the houses that make up Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry alongside a checkered color-coded background. These glasses are so eye-catching and colorful, they truly bring joy to any HP fan. They truly make a great gift for fans of all ages, boys and girls.
Desert Essence offers its customers a line of beauty, cosmetic, and personal care products that are made with safe, non-toxic, and high-quality ingredients. The Cucumber & Aloe Micellar Cleansing Facial Water is a one-step makeup remover and facial cleanser. Simply put a small amount of this water that contains pure Australian Tea Tree, Cucumber and Aloe, on a cotton ball and gently rub it over your face and eyelids in an upward motion. No need to rinse it off. To learn more about Desert Essence, read Laurie’s full review.
SoundCore Q30 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are a real upgrade from many other headphones. I really thought I was happy with my cheap pair until I tried these Soundcore Q30 ones! They are incredibly comfortable to wear, the sound quality is great and so is the noise cancellation. These ca be used with a cord or cordless. They come in pink (shown above), blue or black.
What to get your teenage boy?! If he needs a hearty snack on the go, get him some Old Trapper Beef Jerky. Maybe tape a gift card to it, or stuff some snack sticks in his stocking? No matter how you gift Old Trapper Jerky – he’ll love it! For more than 50 years Old Trapper has been making delicious beef jerky. Today they have expanded their offerings to include snack sticks, kippered beef steak, deli style snack sticks, and beef & cheese snack sticks. Flavor varieties include old fashioned, teriyaki, peppered, jalapeno, pepperoni, and hot & spicy. There’s sure to be an Old Trapper product to please your favorite teen’s palate this holiday season!
Check out this fun set of 12 Lip Glosses that come delivered in a heron blue compact faux patent leather cosmetic bag. Youzey has included a variety of must-have options including: High Shimmer Lip Gloss, Metallic Lip Gloss High, Shine Lip Gloss, and Matte Lip Gloss. The array of fun colors is sure to please any teen girl on your gift list and this set is perfect for wrapping under the tree or slipping into a Christmas stocking.
Koolaburra by UGG offers customers a line of cute and comfortable footwear. The Ysoria boot has a waterproof suede and leather exterior with faux fur/fleece-lined interior. They have a gusseted tongue that has been coated with a water repellent and all of the seams have been sealed. Ysoria boots are suited for light to moderate rain or light snow. They are available in black or sand (shown), sizes 5-12. To learn more about Koolaburra by UGG, read Laurie’s full review.
The Holy Stone HS110D drone is a cool gift idea for teens who enjoy technology or remote control toys. Many drones either feel too childish or too advanced. This one hits a sweet spot, in my opinion. It doesn’t have a huge learning curve (perhaps especially if the tee has experience with playing video games or other experience with controllers) but it has cool features of some more advanced drones. It has altitude control so it can hold in place while in air, it comes with two batteries for so you can keep one charging while using the other. It has voice commands, and the camera on the drone can sync with your phone so you can see what the drone sees.
Astronauts wanted, are you ready for the mission in ‘The Crew: The Quest For Planet Nine’? The scientific community is abuzz over signs of a mysterious planet located at the edge of our solar system. So far, they’ve been unable to provide substantial evidence about its existence and they need your help. Join this exciting space adventure, geared for ages 10 and up and 3-5 players; with a 2-player variant option. Play takes just 20 minutes in this card game where you need to complete 50 missions; traveling across the solar system on the way.
Meguiar’s is well known for its collection of products that help vehicle owners care for their investments. They have products for everything from wheels and tires to paint, windows, floorboards, and upholstery. Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Wash & Wax gently cleans your vehicle while adding an additional layer of Hybrid Ceramic SiO2 protection. This powerful solution is the perfect way to clean your vehicle’s paint while boosting the protection between wax applications. To learn more about Meguiar’s, read Laurie’s full review.
Teens aren’t typically early risers so the need for an innovative alarm clock is a must. Enter: the Hatch Restore. It actually combines a sound machine, sunrise alarm, smart light, meditation app, and an alarm clock all into one smart sleep assistant! Functional, beautiful, and innovative; this is the alarm clock teens will be happy to have. Good sleep is life changing at all ages and the Hatch Restore is designed to grow with a child into their teen and adult years; encouraging healthy sleep habits.
Tokyo Treats is a subscription service that delivers Japanese foods and snacks in a monthly subscription box. Many of the items that they include will not have English on the package, so they include a pamphlet in English that tells you what each item is. Teens who are interested in other cultures, or who just love trying new foods are likely to enjoy this box. I was sent the November box and we thought almost everything included was tasty, and it was all really unique! It really feels like an experience wrapped up in a gift!
Have you always wanted to spoil yourself with silk pillowcases but thought you couldn’t afford them? Well erase that thought and treat yourself to luxury thanks to MYK Silk. MYK Silk started with a simple belief that high-quality silk products should be accessible to everyone. With this in mind, they created a line of affordable products including their Natural Mulberry Silk pillowcases. MYK Silk’s Natural Mulberry Silk pillowcases are made with 19 Momme Silk. They are available in four sizes and several color options. To learn more about MYK Silk, read Laurie’s full review. While you are there, enter to win the giveaway.
Is it a puzzle? Is it a game? Is it a challenge? YES! It’s actually a jigsaw puzzle AND an escape-room challenge in one dizzying adventure! Unlike other puzzles where the play is over once the last piece is set, with this Escape Puzzle, your journey is just beginning. In this exciting juggle adventure, you’re on vacation, exploring the local wildlife, only to find that your route back to your hut is blocked. With nighttime fast approaching, do you have the smarts to get back to the safety of your hut? Riddle are hidden throughout the scene as well as in the box. Will you solve them in time?
NonZero Gravity’s Power Dyne Adjustable 55-Pound Dumbbell Set is perfect for those focusing on health and fitness. Both dumbbells come with ten-weight plates and a convenient storage tray. Depending on your weight lifting routine, you can choose from 5 pounds up to 55 pounds on each dumbbell. Power Dyne Adjustable 55-Pound Dumbbell Set no-slip grip handles for safe lifting. To learn more about NonZero Gravity, read Laurie’s full review. While you are there, enter to win the giveaway.
One thing that Gen Z is known for is their sense of humor. This Sad Animal Facts Planner is a weekly planner for 2022 that can help keep kids organized with school, homework, extracurriculars and more, while providing a bit of “dark” humor along the way. For example, did you know housefly will never find their karaoke song? They can only hum in the key of F. Or for another example, rabbits can’t vomit! They’re the only mammal that can’t, and science doesn’t know why they’re unable to.
The C5 GORE-TEX Thermo Gloves are engineered to be a versatile glove that will work hard to protect your hands in the worst of weather conditions. These insulated GORE-TEX gloves are an essential for longer rides in wet winter weather and are going to keep you warm and safe against the elements. Features include: lightweight, extremely breathable, durably waterproof, and windproof. The foam padded palm provides shock absorption to prevent fatigue.
XL Feet specializes in both large and wide shoes. They carry an assortment of footwear in difficult-to-find sizes. One item they carry is the Hoss Cartwright II Wellington Soft Toe boots. These boots are made to be comfortable and durable. They have a leather exterior, Mxgrip slip and oil-resistant outsole, contoured soft rebound foam insole, and Hydry waterproof membrane. Hoss Cartwright II Wellington Soft Toe boots are available in sizes 7-17, regular width up to 6E. To learn more about XL Feet, read Laurie’s full review.
Every teen needs a water bottle or two. Owala waterbottles come in three really clever designs, multiple material options (Titan, a durable and dishwasher safe plastic) or stainless steel. They also have multiple sizes and colors for each style of bottle. The one pictured is the Flip bottle which comes with a straw so you can sip out of the top which flips open, but also can hide away (and even locks!) when not in use. The fun color combos that this bottle comes in will appeal to a lot of teens.
Give the teens something fun to do with this interactive, hilarious party game that’s fun for groups from 4-8 players. Telestrations is geared for ages 12 and up, the end results of every round will have everyone in stitches. Bonus because there’s no drawing skills required! Stick figures and a sense of humor are all you need. Grab a card, draw a photo, pass your book and then get ready to guess what the person in front of you drew. Then keep passing till your book gets back to you and everyone shares the funny photos and guesses. It’s always a hit!
ZenPop offers its customers the chance to experience the best of Japan every month through their themed subscription packs. The Japanese Ramen Pack comes with seven authentic instant ramen single-serve meals. They feature the newest and most popular varieties of instant noodles. The Japanese Ramen Pack includes favorite ramen types like tonkutsu, shoyu, and shio. With ZenPop, every pack is a trip to Japan!
Discount: Use the code EMILY for a $5 USD discount on any of the ZenPop packs. The discount code is valid through March 31, 2022.
If you know a teen who is into PC gaming, the Redragon HORUS k618 would make a cool gift. This is a full-sized keyboard that is low profile, meaning the keys are “shorter” than other desktop keyboards. This keyboard is designed to be switchable between multiple devices. It can be set up for three Bluetooth devices, one wired and one wireless. It has a section for macro and media keys that can be used to make some of what you do online quicker and easier. It also allows for standard keys to be remapped. Oh, and the colors are really cool. You can even program individual keys to be different colors!
Life is busy but staying organized doesn’t have to be hard; Purple Trail Planners is here to make it easy! Their popular planners can be fully customized to suit your planning style. Being able to personalize and customize to your exact needs, while getting a high quality affordable product in return is awesome! Each planner features your choice of colorful or neutral inside pages with a sturdy, silver spiral binding allows them to turn easily as well as lots more great features! Don’t forget to also check out their variety of planner accessories too.
Brighten up any space with this easy to use, Back To The Roots Organic Sunflower Grow Kit! This quick growing, dwarf sunflower variety is perfect for indoor, windowsill growing so there’s no need for a big backyard OR a green thumb. These gorgeous sunny blooms will bring happiness to your windowsill; all you need to do is add water. Everything else you need is included: nutrient-rich organic soil, organic sunflower seeds, and an eco-friendly, and stylish mason jar planter.
Give your family the gift of financial literacy – starting with the board games, CASHFLOW Board Game and CASHFLOW for Kids recently redesigned for a new generation of players. The CASHFLOW Board Game is an educational board game, created to give families a sneak peek into strategies to create lifelong financial freedom including how to invest and how to build wealth as well as tips for maximizing passive income. Like his books, Kiyosaki uses the games to teach players investing strategies, financial mindsets, and secrets of money creation that only the rich know. Like a realistic version of Monopoly, kids and adults enjoy playing!
Leguano’s makes shoes for all genders that are designed to feel like being barefoot, just with protection from the elements! Leguanos are trim so they make your feet look a bit smaller than some other shoes, and they are very flexible and breathable. They leave your feet feeling free and comfortable. I love the look of these Go White shoes, and if bright white shoes scare you a bit, know that they are machine washable!
Check out the vibrant new writing collection, the Happy Stripe Pilot Precise V5 Pen Set from Pilot Pens. They are the official Emily Ley pen set and the ideal color-coding companion for your Simplified Planner and are the perfect pens to brighten up any space! Available in a variety of colorful ink options including: Black, Navy, Blue, Turquoise, Green, Yellow, Pink. Designed with a slim barrel for comfortable writing, teens love these pens!
Get ready to climb the Cliffs of Insanity, brave the Fire Swamp, and help Buttercup, Westley, Fezzik, and Inigo survive the dastardly machinations of Prince Humperdinck, Count Rugen, and Vizzini! In The Princess Bride Adventure Book Game, you’ll follow the incredible story through six chapters as you work together to keep the plot on course. Can you do it and will the forces of evil or true love prevail? This engaging game is geared for ages 10 and up and 1-4 players at a time. Play the movie in six chapter, working together to guide the characters and complete challenges!
Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.
Teenagers are hard to buy for at Christmas. Thank you for your ideas. For myself, I really like the Purple Trail Planners. I need an organization planner with teenagers’ activities.
To bad I don’t have a teen to buy for, there are a lot of things her that I would like. The nice thing about your gift guides is that we can see stuff that is popular.
These are awesome gifts for teenagers! I know that my son would love getting a 3D printer, he has been talking about those for a while now. I admit that they are pretty cool, and it would be fun to experiment with one!
SoundCore Q30 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are a real upgrade from many other headphones. I really thought I was happy with my cheap pair until I tried these Soundcore Q30 ones! They are incredibly comfortable to wear, the sound quality is great and so is the noise cancellation. These ca be used with a cord or cordless. They come in pink (shown above), blue or black. 
Leguano’s makes shoes for all genders that are designed to feel like being barefoot, just with protection from the elements! Leguanos are trim so they make your feet look a bit smaller than some other shoes, and they are very flexible and breathable. They leave your feet feeling free and comfortable. I love the look of these Go White shoes, and if bright white shoes scare you a bit, know that they are machine washable! 
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Teenagers are hard to buy for at Christmas. Thank you for your ideas. For myself, I really like the Purple Trail Planners. I need an organization planner with teenagers’ activities.