The #1 Gift Tweens Are Asking For This Year? Personalized Lights for Their Room

Twelve-year-old kids are fully into their tween phase, which means they spend half the time wishing they were little kids and half the time wishing they were teenagers. When it comes to buying gifts for kids of this age, you have to find something that threads that needle. And while they'll tell you they're no longer into "toys," they are — it's just that the toys themselves have grown up. Board games have turned into party games, video games are now tech gifts and art sets are now DIY projects that can help them decorate their rooms. And while that all sounds very expensive, it doesn't have to be: Sure, there are some splurges you might consider, especially if your 12-year-old needs a new laptop or tablet for school. But you can still nourish their interests, engage their brains, get their bodies moving and help them express their personal styles without spending a lot.

Our picks for the best toys and gifts for tweens of this age are a mix of items tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute Parenting and Pets Lab (including current and former Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners), editor's picks, best-sellers and favorites from tweens themselves (yep, we asked them!), so you don't have to put in much guesswork when shopping for those inscrutable 12-year-olds. Whether you're shopping for gifts for boys or gifts for girls or anyone in the tween phase, these are the best gifts for 12-year-olds in 2022.

This year, tweens are definitely into cool lighting for their rooms, be it in the form of colored lights, neon signs or anything else that'll set the mood for their photos and TikToks. They're into projects they can display in their spaces, too. And, if you need just a little something, you can never go wrong with an inexpensive fidget toy or a mind-building puzzle!