Gift Ideas for Tween Girls: 11 Innovative Gifts for 11 Years Old Girls That Will Capture Her Imagination and Match Her Changing Interests (2018)

Eleven year old girls are very grown up, at least in their own minds, and will most likely turn up their nose at what they see as toys for 'small children'. That is not to say your little one will not delight in cute plush toys and other 'kiddy treats' provided she is in the right mood.

For all her ideas of being a big girl now, she really is a child and as much as she may want to try out makeup and teen products, the truth is she just isn't ready for it. Which is what makes shopping for her so tricky. Having said that, there is still plenty you can shop for her. Focus on her strength when shopping for her. At this age she has well developed interests and is deeply involved in trying to perfect them. What are some things she enjoys? Does she like to bake, read, sew, make science projects, play sports, make jewellery and crafts based on DIY videos she finds herself? Often she would like to do many of these things, so buying her gifts related to her hobbies is a sure way to get it right.

The other option is to get her things to inspire and motivate her. If she is musically inclined encourage her to try her hand at playing an instrument or singing, if she likes to read give her books about accomplished women who can serve as her role models. This is an impressionable age and things she picks up now may well go on to stay with her a long time.

Let's face it, girls adore pretty clothes, jewellery and other accessories, they love dolling up and would be thrilled to have a go at makeup. There's also something about sparkly, shiny and shimmery things that makes them light up. If your 11 year old is more of a tomboy who'd rather spend her play time playing with the boys than preening in front of the mirror with fake lipstick, skip this section and read on ahead. For the rest, you do know what we are talking about.

Now at 11 years your little lady really shouldn't be exposed to makeup just yet but there are plenty of girly products available, such as spa, nail and hair art play sets, removable glitter tattoos, jewellery appropriate for children and loads more that you can indulge her with. She is a moody little one and can run the entire gamut of emotions in the space of a single hour, but get her something girly and pretty and she is sure to turn angelic for at least a while.

Gifts don't always have to be games, toys, clothes and candy. Children are almost always surrounded by a loving and doting family who brings her gifts even when there isn't anything to celebrate. Our Indian custom of not wanting to show up at someone's home empty handed means there is often a small gift for the child in the house, then there are relatives visiting from near and far who come bearing more than just a few treats.

The bottomline being a child if often inundated with toys, games, clothes and party accessories and you don't want to give her things she already has plenty of, and which aren't particularly useful either. Then buy her things she would need anyway - school bags, sippers, stationary, cute socks, hair accessories she can wear on a daily basis, perhaps something to encourage a growing interest - if she is constantly borrowing her parents' phone or using her own to take pictures, a budget camera would be a good idea.

Reversible mermaid sequin fabric is the stuff little girls’ dreams are made of. The material gets its name because the placement of shimmery sequins is akin to that of the scales on a mermaid’s tale. The double sided sequins can be reversed to reveal a different colour hence one can ‘draw’ on the fabric.

This incredibly popular material has found its way onto a number of things right from pillow covers to notebooks. Give your little lady this generic Icosy Magic Sequin Journal, or Reversible Sequin Notebook to pen her thoughts or to doodle in. The 78 page notebook measures 8.3 inch x 5.5 inch and is covered on both sides with this fabric. Not only is it a lot of fun to play with, drawing on the fabric can also be quite soothing. Buy it on Flipkart for Rs.2,001.

Every little girl needs a soft, squishable toy that she can hug, because no matter how big she says she is, at the end of the day she still likes being cuddled or cuddling! There is a wide range of soft toys available in most toy stores as well as online and you can buy her one she would not think is too childish. There are loads of plush toys also available for slightly older girls in interesting shapes such as food, animals, even bees and ice cream that she would love to have.

You can get your hand on one of these in just about any budget range but if you are looking for a good quality product in unique shapes then try out something like the Squishable Hamburger Plush, which looks like, well, a hamburger. The 15” toy is incredibly cute though at Rs.7,205 the price is definitely on the high side. It comes from a known American brand that specialises in unique shaped plushies and there are smaller ones measuring 7 inches available that are priced starting at Rs.3,000. But if this seems to much, just head to your local toy store.

Give you girl the gift of a creativity boost in the form of a flipbook made for writers to reach their full potential. The Amazing Story Generator has literally thousands of different prompts that can be used to write anything from a play or a novel to a short story or script. The book is divided into three sections, each can be flipped separately so that the user gets unique new ideas and combinations to base their stories on. If your girl enjoys writing but sometimes struggles with new ideas for her stories, this will be the perfect gift for her. It will give her plenty of new ideas for years to come! Buy it on Amazon for Rs.850.

For people who enjoy cooking, often the pleasure is in the fact that there is a delicious dish waiting at the end of all the work. So while the process itself may be enjoyable, the rewards make it more so. Now what if the same could be applied to science, or that a tasty reward could make science projects more enjoyable? Girls who are inclined towards science will enjoy the Edible Chemistry Kit.

It’s exactly as it sounds, this kit contains material for over 16 science experiments that result in tasty food, from fizzy drinks, polymer pudding and foaming jelly that changes colour! It comes with an easy to follow set of instructions, and the results are non-toxic and perfectly safe to eat. The kit comes with magic color crystals, citric acid, calcium acetate, sodium alginate, sodium bicarbonate, and even cups, stirrers, plastic bags and pipet, which are all of food grade quality, so all you need to conduct the experiments are already in the bag. It is available for Rs.3,000 on Uncommon Goods.

Since we have already established how girls of all ages have a special place in their heart for all things glittery, the next logical move would be to guide you to some really cool gifts you can buy for your not so little girl. Tastefully using shimmery products is an art and requires careful thought. Your little girl may enjoy having just about anything with glitter on it, but as a parent or adult buying her gifts you have to entertain the possibility that she may want to use all her shiny products at once. So buy her loads of pens, tattoos and pencil cases with glitter, but when it comes to clothing and footwear, you must be more selective. There are sequinned tops that are ideal for party wear, or you can get her dresses and bottoms with sequin detailing.

A pair of good sequinned or shimmer shoes is also an absolute must as these can brighten even a plain outfit and are great for parties and special occasions. There are many options available in both stores and online and you can take her shopping to pick one she likes. What caught our eye is this Felicia Anna Flat by Sam Edelman. There are loads of similar options available but there is something quite elegant about the dainty ballet with its scalloped topline and soft metallic shimmer. It has a textile lining and a synthetic sole and is priced at about Rs.3,526 on Nordstrom.

Treasure boxes and quaint jewellery boxes make for lovely gifts for girls. They give her a space to store her precious keepsakes, and can be used for years as toys and hair clips are replaced with fashion jewellery as she grows up. Since you know your girl best, get her a box suited to her needs - if she has lots of accessories and likes collecting small trinkets, chances are this habit will stay with her even as she grows, and so you can invest in a bigger jewellery box that she can use for years. On the other hand if she only has a few treasured pieces you can look at smaller boxes with perhaps a small trinket inside. These boxes can also be used as a gift box to serve as a double gift.

Ornate boxes decorated with glass beads and sequins such as this Glitter Treasure Box available on India Mart are a great option. This is a small box measuring 226 x 226 x 135 mm, and is made of wood with glass, glitter and beads as embellishments; it is priced at Rs.50. There are also bigger boxes available with metallic and embossed detailing, pick one you think she will like. Since this gift is meant for a child she will be very disappointed if you give her an empty box, so fill it with a small gift or chocolate before giving it to her.

Floating glitter pens make writing so much more fun, and even an adult will have a wonderful time playing with it and watching the glitter glide around in its casing. These are nothing but pens with a a clear casing around the pen filled with glitter suspended in an oil base but watching the glitter slowly glide around when the pen is twirled can be very fascinating. And also the fact they look very pretty and an 11 year old girl will be thrilled to have a few.

Floating glitter pens with a velvet case can be bought from Oklahoma Blue on Etsy for about Rs.366 each. Visual factor aside, they also write very well and if she doesn’t get distracted by them too easily she can even use them for school. Most stationary stores across the country will also carry them for a prices starting from Rs.100.

Painting their nails in pretty colours is not only fun and a favourite girly activity, a nail art set also encourages creativity. Rather than have her play with your expensive nailpaint, or colours that may not be suited to her, give her her very own nail art set. Klutz Nail Style Studio Book Kit is an incredibly popular play set for young girls. The set includes 6 colours of practice nail paint that can be easily removed, a dotting tool, over 250 stick on stencils and a 60 page instruction book with steps to create over 25 unique designs. It is ideal for ages 10 years and up and can be bought on Amazon for Rs.2,000.

Blankets in the shape of mermaid tails are on the most popular gifts for girls at the moment, be they little girls like your 11 year old or older girls like yourself. Apart from helping fulfil her fantasy of becoming a mermaid, they are also quite snug. The tail shape means the legs and feet stay warm and toasty even when wiggling or moving, unlike traditional blankets that sometimes slip or let in a blast of cold, unwelcome air.

Buy this Mermaid Tail Blanket for Rs.2,199 on Big Small. It is available in blue, pink and purple. It is knitted with yarn and is a big size so she can continue to use it for a few years. It is great for wrapping up in to take a nap, read a book, or just lounge around the house.

Bean bags are so very comfortable to use and your 11 year old may have been asking for things to spruce up her room. Now that she is getting older she may want to get rid of the more childish decor in her room and get more grownup furniture, and a cute beanbag is something she will love. This Cat Faux-Fur Beanbag measures 41 inches in diameter and is super soft. The plush polyester cover is machine washable and can be bought separately if you already have a beanbag and is also available as a fox, bunny or owl. Order the slipcover for Rs.9,300 or buy it with a recycled polystyrene content beanbag insert for Rs.16,395 on pbteen.com.

Has your 11 year old started enjoying cooking and baking with you? Most young girls are fascinated by all the fantastic goodies their moms, grandmoms and aunts whip up in the kitchen and many will want to help you make the cakes and sweet treats. Cupcakes are a favourite because they are simple to make and can be customised with loads of flavours and decorated to look really pretty.

Now she is old enough to follow a simple recipe on her own but are you still worried about letting her use the big over on her own. A mini cupcake maker is the solution, infact it is as easy to use as a grill sandwich maker and you may find yourself borrowing it to whip up cupcakes, muffins and brownies in a jiffy. Dealing with a smaller machine cuts out a lot of the time and hassle, it is easier to clean too.

The Baby Cakes Full Size Cupcake Maker CC-12 is a popular product and has a 4.5 star rating out of 5 stars. The non stick coated surface makes it easy to use and clean, and it makes 12 full sized cupcakes in minutes. It can also be used to make loads of other snacks and bite sized foods. At Rs.8,598 it is priced on the higher side and there are cheaper products available, but if your girl likes to bake often you may want to invest in a sturdier machine like this. Buy it on Amazon.