The coolest birthday gifts for teens

Small but mighty, this little take-anywhere Bluetooth speaker can be personalized with text, photos, and graphics for a one-of-a-kind gift. You can also find affordable, non-personalized portable JBL speakers on Amazon.

They get a text or email telling them to pick 2-12 treats of their choice--cookies, candy, snacks, popcorn ---then they get a second gift when it arrives! One of our favorite gifts for teens.

With colors from Deflying Gravity to a pretty Ga-Linda pink, it's the coolest way to show your affinity for the hottest movie of the season.

They're baaa-aaack! The original virtual pet of our own youth is here, and our teens are begging for them. Tons of colors and styles.

In 3 colors , they'll swaddle themselves in this soft cocoon of a blanket that our teens have on their wishlists.

From graffiti-inspired patterns to plaids, stripes, florals, you name it -- there's one to fit any teen's style, and any teen's phone. Or their Airpods!

Sweet, thoughtful, and very affordable

They'll kiss chapped lips goodbye with this SUPER popular, super-hydrating lip mask that goes on at bedtime. In a bunch of yummy scents like gummy bear, sweet candy and vanilla, it's an affordable gift for kids of any gender.

We have an entire gift guide filled with gifts for your favorite Swiftie and this journal has been a big seller this year. No surprises!

Whether they're Into baseball (above), soccer, basketball, or cycling, a great new piece of sports equipment to get them through their high-school years (and beyond) will make them feel like they've reached the big league. Or consider tickets to a huge event, like the U.S. Open or World Cup, which will gift them with long-lasting memories.

When it came time for our own editor, Liz, to buy a Bluetooth stereo turntable for her own teen, she got a slightly early version of the one above, after a ton of research. Highly recommend! Just don't forget to include the vinyl record cleaner kit (and maybe a few reminders to use it).

If they already have a turntable, you could grab them the latest record release by their favorite artist, or sign them up for this unique vinyl "mixtape" subscription. Each month's record features a selection of new artists' music packaged in gorgeous original artwork. An amazingly creative gift for a teen-slash-audiophile.

They may be almost grown up, but there's always room for cuteness like this. And great price!

Check out Time's list of the best YA books of all time, the Barnes & Noble list of the best YA books of 2024, as well as Kate's recommendations that got her own teens reading again for books that will excite your picky teen.

Titles like Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley, The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta, and Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi aren't afraid to tackle the important issues of our time. Or find the latest from their fave author, like the newest Taylor Jenkins Reid book, Atmosphere: A Love Story. (Tip: if you're shopping for a gift for a teen who's a Kindle or Nook user, grab them a gift card so they can load up on more books.)

Yeah, we can't understand the fascination with film again either, but this point and shoot camera is so fun and colorful. But what's next? Dial phones?

Our teens love these colorful and inclusive temporary tattoos, perfect for those years before they get the real thing. (No judgments either way.)

Perfect for car rides to school or their subway commute, you can't go wrong with a Yeti vacuum-insulated Rambler, travel mug, or even a reusable straw cup in tons of cool colors. It's a practical but very cool teen gift, helping teach them to save money by making coffee at home, instead of spending it all...you know where. (Also great for hikers and bikers!)

And of course, Hydroflasks are still a super popular gift for teens, and often cost a little less.

Portable, lightweight, and super easy to use, this smartphone mount follows their action as they dance, skateboard, or practice cool tricks for TikTok followers -- or their budding filmmaking careers.

If your Stranger Things fans have always wanted to try D&D, this starter set, Dragons of Stormwreck Isle, provides a great introduction into the game. (Target is always a great option for affordable games.) If they're already players, the D&D 2024 Player's Bundle is a generous gift!

This cool gift for teens is still super hard to get your hands on, but oh, will you make their birthday or holiday extra special if you succeed!

With styles for brand-new beginners to seasoned skate-park stars, these wheels are a great way to get them on their feet and out the door.

Art supplies are a great gift for teens, and we found a terrific price on over 70 different markers packaged in this neat little carrying case. Grab a pack of the bleedproof paper too.

Whether you get to go with them, or they take a friend, they'll flip out if you can hook them up with one of their favorites. Check the tours planned for the coming year-- name a genre, and you'll find tickets. And don't forget those smaller, up-and-coming artists on their Spotify playlists; tickets to more-intimate, all-ages shows may be cheaper and easier to snag, and then they can brag that they saw them way back when. Just like we did.

Do they love to show off their creativity and self-expression with makeup? You'll score lots of hipness points with Morphe, a brand that goes out of its way to support LGBTQ+ and BIPOC causes and knows that makeup isn't for girls only.

If you know a teen asking for more piercings than you're comfortable with right now, these versatile hook-on ear cuffs from long-time CMP favorite Maison Miru only look like the real thing. If you want to spend a little less, Bauble Bar is a great choice. (And psst -- teen boys love them too.)

Compatible with Chromebook, which many of our teens use for school, this drawing tablet is a very cool gift for teens who are starting to explore drawing, painting or photo editing.

Whether they want their name embroidered on it or not, they can customize their very own Converse

While we have a list of our favorite affordable headphones for teens, if you want to splurge, you can't go wrong with the AirPods Max. (Also, less likely to be lost than traditional AirPods!)

Young, book-loving hell-raisers are some of our favorite teens! Surely they'll find a way to show off these socks wherever they go.

They'll scream for this ice cream that they can make themselves in minutes. Perfect when late-night munchies strike -- and maybe they'll bring it to college.

If you're looking for a gift for a teen who has a favorite team, whatever the sport, grab the official baseball cap like these from the NHL.

You already know they really, really want money. Venmo makes it so easy with their new "gift wrapping," making it a smart option for sending a special gift to a teen niece or nephew. It should earn you automatic Cool Aunt/Uncle/Parent/Friend status.

PS -- it's always a good idea to donate that cash to a 529 fund instead, especially as they get closer to graduation. Eek!