Decoding 14 Year Girls and What Their Idea of a Good Gift is. Plus 11 Fail-Safe Gifts They Will Love to Receive (2019)

Not for nothing are the teenage years described as challenging, for parents and families, but most of all for teens themselves.

'Nobody gets us!'

A common sentiment echoed across the echelons of teens, even though parents may roll their eyes and complain about difficult kids.

Sure, she is emotional, often moody, too many things seem to set her off, but she is also a giggly young girl trying to understand her place in the world and there are plenty of things that will make her happy. It is a tricky path towards putting a smile on her place, and you may stumble across a few landmines on the way but we help you navigate and get there safely.

Before we get into specifics it may help to get a lay of the land. Every 14 year old girl is different and has her own unique taste, but there are a few things which are usually considered popular among teenage girls. This list changes often; gifts that win you brownie points with her one day may pull you down faster than quicksand the next. So read on carefully to understand how to avoid duds and zone in on the right gifts.

Books make wonderful presents and the story of Malala Yousafzai, the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize is an inspiration read for any age. (It also falls under the sneaky educational gift we mentioned earlier!)

The biography of a 15 year old girl who was almost executed by the Taliban simply because she fought for what she believed was her right to an education highlights an extraordinary journey. She was shot in the head but the girl from a remote region in the north of Pakistan came out alive from the ordeal and went on to become a Nobel laureate at 16 years. This remarkable story of a girl so close to her own age will her plenty of food for thought.

The paperback of I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb will cost Rs.250.

Women use jewellery to define their style, enhance their ensemble and even to make a statement. 14 year old girls are no different. The kind of girl she is will determine whether she is drawn to girly trinkets, studded leather cuffs, or more blingy, shimmery jewellery. Trendy earrings, pretty necklaces and bracelets are all very popular with teen girls. The good part is you don’t have to spend too much to find something pretty.

Thin wire bracelets with an array of charms seem to be popular across the board because they can be customised to individual preferences. We found a range of pretty charm bracelets on aliexpress.com and you could try picking up something from there. Like this gold bracelet with a love charm, a rhinestone and a turquoise charm. The wire is made of stainless steel and fairly sturdy and it is expandable so is suited to different sizes. This one will cost you Rs.495 but there are several other options you can choose from.

Girls this age are very conscious of how they look and keen to explore their sense of style. Experimenting with fashion – be it through clothes, make-up, hair style and beauty products, is one of their favourite things to do. She knows what she likes but there is so much to explore and find out. Help her on her beauty quest by buying her products. That way you can also ensure she is using safe products that won’t damage her skin.

A good idea would be an entire range of nail paint with different colours, in matte, and with shimmer. Girls love to paint their nails and this way she can explore her artistic side. She will also better understand how to use colour when dressing and get a clearer sense of what she likes. Makeup Mania has a set of 24 nail enamels. The 6 ml bottles offer matte colours and glitter shades, are of a high quality and resistant to chipping. The set costs Rs.245 on Amazon.

Pair it with a set of nail art brushes and pens with which she can create new designs and further fuel her imagination. Girls also like to get together with their friends to do girly things like paint their nails and this gift will be perfect for that. Foolzy has a 20 piece set for nail art that costs Rs.349. There's an entire range of brushes and a set of nail art pens that she can have fun experimenting with.

The set includes a fan brush, dotting tool, angle brush, striping brush and drawing brush which together allow for fine and detailed nail art. The scope for experimenting and customization is endless with this combination.

Your 14 year old probably loves technology and has all the latest gadgets high up on her wish list. If you want to spoil her silly you can get her Beats Solo 3 wireless headphones. These Bluetooth headphones have 40 hours of battery life and are equipped with something called Fast Fuel which will give her 3 hours of playtime on a measly 5 minute charge. They provide fantastic clarity, and the adjustable cushioned on-ear cups cut out ambience noise.

With a price tag of Rs.23,799 on Amazon, you may want to give plenty of thought on exactly how much you want to spoil her. She will love you for it but after that bear hug you may find you cannot get a word in, ever.

Her room is an extension of her personality. Even if it is a messy space she loves it just the same and will fill it with things dear to her. She ends up spending a lot of time in her room, locked away from the prying eyes of adults and things for her room will make good gifts.

Give her something that helps make it a cozy place she can relax in - either furniture, wall decor or even a throw, organisers, etc. We think a bean bag is great to lounge in, somewhere she can settle down with a book, sit on while playing her games, and it can give her room a fresh new look. Find bean bags with comfortable, soft covers and designs that will match her room.

Style Homez offer printed bean bags covered with cotton canvas in floral, geometric, abstract and polka dotted prints. You can buy this polka dotted bean bag for Rs.2,799 on Amazon.

Girls at this age tend to be quite physically active, they either enjoy sport or are concerned about their appearance thus taking a keen interest in fitness. There is a huge variety of gifts you can find for an athletic girl – sport apparel, shoes, a cool gym bag or water bottle, sports equipment, etc. If she has a favourite sport or sportsperson, merchandise related to either will surely make her happy. Alternatively you can enroll her for fitness or dance classes that she will enjoy or has been wanting to try out. Enrolling her in a fitness program with a friend is another great idea.

But what if she already has most of these things? If she is interested in a sport she is likely to have most of the things she needs. In that case we suggest a fitness tracker. It will appeal to her love for technology and she can have a lot of fun tracking her activities. The Fitbit Flex 2 comes in an array of colours, is swim proof, and has call and text notifications. The tracker is removable and fits into bangles and pendants making it very customizable. It retails for Rs.7,824.

Letting her experiment with fragrances is a good way to get her to know what she likes. A sampler set which allows her and her friends to dab a variety of scents will keep her happy and smelling lovely. Look for safe products which won’t trouble her skin yet have enough variety to let her experiment.

We suggest you start off with an inexpensive set instead of diving in at the deep end. Remember she is just starting to try out perfume and if she doesn’t like the fragrance, an expensive bottle will be a shameful waste.

The Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Fragrance Mist is floral, sweet and delicate, perfect for a young girl. Scented with cherry blossoms, sweet magnolia and a hint of delicate woody scent, the fragrant mist will envelope her and keep her feeling fresh all day. It comes in a 100 ml bottle.

Buy it from Nykaa for Rs.995.

An excellent way to make her feel independent and empowered is to give money in her hands to go buy exactly what she wants! Only that giving money doesn’t feel like giving a gift. This is where gift cards come in. The sheer variety of gift cards is mind boggling, and extremely useful for a fussy girl. Department stores, electronic stores, sports shops, coffee shops, book shops—you name it and there will be a gift card.

It may seem too good to be true but there is the small detail of getting it right. Get a gift card from a specific brand or store your 14 year old likes to shop from, or one that caters to her interests. You can either get gift cards directly from the retail store or e-commerce website, or select from one of the multiple options available on giftcardsindia.in. There is a huge selection of gift cards listed here and you can pick anything from as low as Rs.250 to whatever your budget is.

Give a new spin to her fondness for taking selfies on her smartphone, buy her an instant camera! The Instax Mini 8 Camera by Fujiilm is as cute as a button and priced at a very decent Rs.4,999. It is available in black, blue, grape, yellow, white and raspberry. The fun things about it, and there are many – she can get instant, credit card sized prints from the camera, the automatic settings and LED lights make sure she gets good shots, and it takes excellent selfies.

That aside, a camera is a great way to get her interested in photography, or nurture a budding interest. There are plenty of DSLRs in the market but an instant camera has a unique charm and is a lot of fun.

Children grow up so fast. There is so much happening in their lives that even they cannot keep track of all of it. Keeping a journal will help your teenage girl organise her thoughts, sort through things she is going through and keep a record of memorable happenings. She can use it to pen down ideas, accomplishments, worries, her dreams and even just doodle. With thoughts so personal privacy is of the utmost concern so a diary with a lock, especially if she has nosy siblings, is a great idea. And with a lock guarding her intimate thoughts and feelings, she will feel safe to write in it more often. Journals and diaries also make for inexpensive gift ideas if you have a tight budget.

We like the My Gratitude Lock and Key diary by Peaceable Kingdom priced at Rs.1,667. Its 104 double sided lined pages feature fun artwork and prompts that guide its user to all the big and small things she is grateful for. The happy memories she records in it will be tremendous positive reinforcement for when she is feeling blue. There are plenty of diaries with other designs and themes to choose from as well.

Wrapping and decorating the gift into a pretty package will not go unnoticed, rather it will make it more special for her. She is no longer a child eager to tear away the paper and get to her gift. Her sensibilities have refined and she will appreciate a pretty gift. Just like the present inside, the wrap should also be based on her tastes so that she is delighted from the instance she sets eyes on it. She is a young adult, treat her accordingly.

There are so many changes that kids have to deal with while going through their teenage years and a 14 year old girl is on the cusp of several mental and physical changes. These changes make them seek their own space and they can be very protective of their privacy. They feel grown up and would like to be treated as adults, and they are to some extent. However, at the same time they are also kids and need the support of their family.

If you are the cool aunt or the awesome bestie who knows exactly what she wants, or simply wants to get her the hottest gift in the world of teen girls, you may want to skip this part. But chances are you are the parent or sensible adult in her life who needs to have meaning and purpose in things you give your 14 year old. In that case you may want to consider areas you think she needs encouraging, or ways you want her to grow.

Hobbies (especially if they aren’t something like shopping or sleeping) are a great way for kids to learn new things and sharpen existing skills, not to mention that gifts supporting their interests will be highly appreciated. Besides, being good at something considered cool in her circle will give her a standing she will be proud of.

Sneak in something educational in the garb of a gift. If your teen likes to read buy her books she will enjoy reading and which also contribute to her learning. It is a tough, competitive world out there, try to prepare her as best as you can.

So your 14 year old likes rugs, and she likes decorating her room. You put two and two together and decide to get her a plush rug for her room. Great! Now the most important part is which colour rug will she like in her room? Get the colour right and she will squeal with delight. But get it wrong and she will hate you even if it is the most expensive rug money can buy.

Does that put you in a quandary? Well, we never said it was going to be easy. Keep your eyes and ears open to her taste in clothes, music, colours…watch her favourite shows on television, flip through her magazines (she may have marked things she likes) and you will get a fairly good idea how to personalise her gift.