14 Awesome Birthday Gifts for a 12-Year-Old Girl and the Secret to Getting Her Gifts She Will Love + Expert Advice on How to Better Understand Adolescents

If you are looking for a birthday gift for a 12-year-old girl and are scrambling for gift solutions, know that you are not the only one! It is indeed difficult to shop for girls of this age, because they are so vulnerable to the world they are exposed to and have changing ambitions and aspirations. This is the age where they build strong opinions and are heavily influenced by their peers. To help you close the gift-buying struggle for real, read on the following guidelines for choosing and buying an awesome gift for a tween girl.

If you know the birthday girl closely, say she is family, and you regularly meet her, you may probably have a fair sense of her dressing style. If that is the case, you may feel confident about buying her apparels and that would be a great choice. Girls always welcome new additions to their wardrobe. But if you don't know her well, it is better to steer away from buying her clothes.

You may think nothing can go wrong with a blouse with a floral print, but girls can be choosy about wearing patterned or printed clothes. A safer bet would be an accessory, such as a neutral-coloured scarf or a bathrobe with her name embroidered on it. After all, you don't want her to accept a gift, claiming to like it when she really doesn't!

Smart gadgets are very popular among young adults, be it cameras, phones, tablets, watches, e-readers, or other electronic gadgets. They all like the opportunity to brag about their newest gadget and its features among friends and are always looking to explore and experiment. However, many tween girls already own smart devices so do your share of research if you are planning to buy one. Also, it is wise to consult her parents and have their consent before making a purchase. Some parents are disciplinarians and prefer their kids stay away from gadgets as much as possible.

Not all 12-year-olds like pink and have a fascination for unicorns. Some have a more methodical approach to life and are looking for answers to bust myths and facts. So, before you decide to buy a gift for a tweenager, find out her likes and dislikes. Is she girly or is she tomboyish? What does she like to do for fun? What are her hobbies? Is she into books or is she hooked on to TikTok? Answering questions like these will help you find the perfect gift for her, so put on your thinking hat!

We did our share of research and scouted some of the bestselling birthday gifts for a 12-year-old girl. The list caters to a variety of interests and personalities, so we really hope you find something useful for your birthday girl.

Your little one feels like a big girl and you can boost her confidence in herself by helping her make and reach goals. From small ones like learning to make pancakes on her own, to biggies like seeing the Northern Lights. And the best part is there’s a scratch off poster that will do just this! The 100 Things To Do Scratch Off Poster will inspire her to try and complete 100 unique experiences that everyone must have! This one can be a project for years to come as she may need help, or just grow up a little more to finish some - drive a motorbike and go see a play alone. Measuring 23.2” x 16.5”, the poster is printed on 300 gsm, wood-free, glossy paper. Order it for Rs.1,064 from Uncommon Goods.

At the age of 12, many young girls look for privacy. They want to have their own "me time" without disruptions. Many also take to journaling at this age. Child development experts recommend that parents respect this transitory phase and give their children some space to discover themselves, of course with close supervision. This Secret Dictionary Book Safe is a perfect gift for girls going through an emotional transition.

This is an ingenious product that is shaped like a dictionary from the outside, but it is actually a "safe in disguise". It comes with a lock and key and is perfect for storing valuables like jewelry, cash, and accessories, or even other secret stuff. The deceptive dictionary can be kept along with all other books on the bookshelf where it can't be mistaken for anything but a book! This is available on Giveter for Rs.1,099.

A sigil is an inscription or symbol believed to have magical powers. If the birthday girl is a Potterhead, she will be absolutely delighted to receive this official licensed Harry Potter tote bag with the Gryffindor sigil. She would love to carry this to her classes or while hanging out with friends over the weekends. Let her go on a virtual Hogwarts experience with this tote bag. Available on Giveter for just Rs.499, this is a fun and novel gift for a 12-year-old girl.

This romantic bestseller is the debut book of author Cecelia Ahern. It is one of the most uplifting and sweet love stories that revolves around Holly and Gerry, who were childhood sweethearts. The two protagonists knew their souls connected at a deeper level and that they were destined to be together. It is an endearing story that is written straight from the heart and perhaps that is why it has touched the hearts of millions of readers. The book was published in 2004. In 2007, a movie was made based on the book. The story is one of long-lasting love, and the belief that everybody has a guardian angel to protect them in one form or the other. The paperback form can be ordered online at Amazon India, for just Rs.175.

A smart-looking watch is a great birthday gift idea for a 12-year-old girl, and this Fastrack NG6078SL05C Monochrome Analog Watch just fits the bill. It has a smart purple dial and violet strap made of genuine leather. It is a quartz watch and is water resistant (up to 30 m). Moreover, it comes with a 12-month manufacturer warranty. You can buy this smart and stylish watch from Amazon India for Rs.1,999.

Young girls love reading motivational quotes and leaving notes. That's what makes this cinematic lightbox a great gift for a 12-year-old girl. It is unique with some very cool features. It is basically an LED light-up message board that comes with a set of 85 letter and character tiles. So, one can create inspirational messages, leave random notes, or be creative with this lightbox. The light box is battery operated, and the set comes with 6 AA batteries. It makes a great addition to the study desk or the bedside table. This cinematic lightbox can be purchased from Amazon for Rs.720.

Girls enjoy writing down their thoughts and daily events in a journal. The practice of journaling is actually a mind booster as it allows one to channelize their creativity and think clearly. a journal makes a thoughtful birthday gift for the tween girl turning 12. Encourage her to share her thoughts and get into a practice of writing by gifting her this birthday journal.

This is essentially a 7 x 10 size notebook, with plenty of space for writing daily entries, stories, poems, or even capturing random ideas or doodles. This is a great keepsake memory book for her to treasure all her moments and special events as she enters the teenage. The journal has a pretty pink and black cover, which gives it a stylish and classy feel. But this from Amazon for Rs.754.

Parents can't answer all questions the 12-year-old's curious mind may have. Well, Google might, but nothing beats the pleasure of finding answers in a hardcover book. That's right! This National Geographic Kids WHY? edition has over 1,111 answers to all sorts of questions. From animals to human body to nature to space, this giant book has all the answers. It doesn't matter if her questions are silly or serious. The book provides expert information in a fun and entertaining format. The book also covers a lot of trivia and fascinating information, including weird-but-true facts, explorer profiles, and cool activities. Fuel her passion for discovery with an intelligent and fun gift. Buy the hardcover edition from for Rs.449 from Amazon.

Girls just wanna have some fun! Gift the tween birthday girl this fun set called Day at the Spa. it is a set of 30+ items that will help her enjoy a lovely and rejuvenating spa day with her girlfriends. The set includes aan inflatable pedicure pool, a battery-operated nail dryer, satin eye mask, and satin spa bag to hold the mani-pedi kit.

Mind you, the kit is elaborate and has all the essentials such as slippers, toe separators, nail file, buffer, 4 bottles of nail polish, 1 bottle of glitter polish, 6 sets of printed press-on nails, stick-on nail art, nail stand, and cotton balls. Moreover, it has fully illustrated instructions and spa party ideas so the part can be conducted without parents hovering around! If she is a girly and chic, she will absolutely adore this gift and love throwing an elegant day of spa indulgence with her girlies. This is available at Amazon for Rs.3,969.

Not all girls have had their ears pierced or fancy wearing anklets and rings. Hence, bracelets are one of the safest bets among accessories or fashion jewelry for tween girls. We have handpicked a beautiful multi-layer bangle bracelet. The bracelet is made of aqua/mint green coloured beads, a regal and elegant colour (and again, a safe play)! It is a free-size bracelet and is quite stunning and trendy. This one is by a well-known fashion jewelry brand called Shining Diva. Make her a diva with this charming bracelet; get it from Amazon for Rs.399.

She needs to stay hydrated but hates being reminded to drink water, because, well, she’s no baby any more! Instead of nagging her to drink up, give her a cute water bottle that lets her track her hydration on her own. The Drink More Water Bottle has encouraging messages printed on it that tell you how much water to drink through the day; follow them and and you manage to drink two whole bottles of water in a day. The bottle is made of glass with fixtures in plastic, silicone and stainless steel. The capacity is about 500 ml so it’s not cumbersome to lug around, all you need to do is refill! Buy it for Rs.1,418 from uncommongoods.com.

Drawstrings and sling bags are very popular among young girls. They also make for great gifts of practical value. This Kleio sling bag is made of canvas and has a magnetic button for closure. The polka dots print on the bag give it a cool and casual appeal. The bag also comes with a 3-months' warranty for manufacturing defects. This one is available on Amazon for Rs.431, quite a steal deal for the price, we say!

This is a classic charades game that makes get-togethers a lot more fun, allowing friends and families to bond. The game tests your expression skills, wherein you have to make use of a lot of gestures and mime to guess the correct answer. This is an improved version with six different categories of entertainment, including picture, kids, family, Hollywood, animals, and time capsule. The entertaining decks are designed to cater to different age groups, so you're sure to find the perfect mix depending on the audience in question. The talkative and bubbly 12-year-old is sure going to have many exciting times with this game. But this from uncommongoods.com for Rs.1,886.

Another great activity set from Creativity for Kids is this Sparkle N' Grow Butterfly Terrarium. This one is apt for nature-loving girls who love gardening and art. The activity box combines indoor gardening and creative skills, such as decorating an indoor garden with butterfly wings, sparkling stickers, feathers, flowers and more. The kit contains a 5 x 3 ¼ inch jar with a decorative lid, potting mix, china, and organic chi and wheat grass seeds (which sprout in 3 to 4 days), and some craft accessories.

This is a great birthday gift idea for those budding botanists, as it helps them learn the functioning of a terrarium. It is an all-inclusive kit, complete with supplies and equipment, including a plant mister to keep the terrarium watered. This fun educational activity box helps kids learn about botany as well as nurture and care for a live ecosystem. The kit inclusions are all tested for kid safety and are recommended for ages 6+. This amazing gift box is available on Amazon for Rs.3,250.