
30 Brilliant Christmas Present Ideas For 9 – 12 year olds
Tweens are notoriously hard to buy for. Swerve the gifting angst with our guide to how to please the pre-teens.
Too grown up for little kids’ toys, too young for teenage trinkets: tweens are betwixt and between, which makes them particularly tricky to buy for. They may still secretly, or not so secretly, love their cuddly toys, but at the same time they’re developing strong tastes of their own across books, fashion, gadgets, games or sport.
That’s why we’ve pulled together this edit of clever, thoughtful, and fun gifts to delight even the hardest-to-please 9 to 12-year-olds. Creative kits, cool tech, cosy winter warmers and fun little surprises: these presents hit the sweet spot between childhood and teendom.
That’s why we’ve pulled together this edit of clever, thoughtful, and fun gifts to delight even the hardest-to-please 9 to 12-year-olds. Creative kits, cool tech, cosy winter warmers and fun little surprises: these presents hit the sweet spot between childhood and teendom.

By
Becky Ladenburg
·
Updated October 2025
As The Guide's features editor, Becky has her discerning finger on the cultural pulse. She's also our go-to expert on the property market.