The Phone Case, Record Player, and 30 Other Gifts Your Teen Will Actually Like

Buying a gift for a teenager almost requires a crystal ball. Teen trends come and go faster than a viral TikTok, but in reality, these years are about discovering their own individuality and personal style. When you’re tasked with buying a gift for a teen, whether your own child or not, it’s tempting to go the gift card route. But you’re more creative than that. So we’ve pulled together a useful list of 32 gifts, zero of which are totally lame. Because what teen wouldn’t want a lamp that’s also an essential oil diffuser, a cozy weighted blanket, or de-puffing under-eye masks?

For Good Vibes at Home

While they haven’t moved into their own apartment yet (thank God), a teen’s bedroom is all about self-expression. Get them a colorful squiggly lamp for their desk, a speaker the size of a tennis ball, or a Bluetooth-enabled record player—we heard retro is in. 

For Throwing in Their Backpacks

If you’re just looking for a little something, these pick-me-ups are a good place to start. From a jumbo deck of cards to nonpermanent tattoos that last one to two weeks, these crowd-pleasing gifts make lunch break a bit more fun. 

For Completing Their Look

If you’re brave enough to buy a teen a fashion accessory, you’ve come to the right place. A “tuna fish sandwich” hat is just ironic enough, and if they’re celebrating a graduation or big birthday, a simple pearl ring from Catbird is classic enough to live on their hand into their adult years. 

For Late-Night Studying 

Teens spend most of their time hitting the books (or so we’d like to think). These will make the wee hours banging out that algebra homework a little more caffeinated, hydrated, and organized.