She might have just left primary school or is flourishing in her final year. Either way, it’s a time when you see an 11-year-old girl change a lot. However, this varies from girl to girl. While one might be deeply involved in discovering herself and making her own choices, another might still do everything asked of her. Somewhere during the year, there is a change, and the girl who was 10 becomes 11 and thus celebrates her birthday. Curious about what you can give, also with an eye on her development? Find in this blog the best gifts for an 11-year-old girl.
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Developmental Stage of an 11-Year-Old Girl
It seems like the development of an 11-year-old girl never stops. A few years ago, you were surprised by how independent she already was, and now you’re astonished by entirely different things. We have explored some of the most notable developments for you. Note: every development is different, and your 11-year-old girl may not yet be ready for these changes or may have already gone through them.
A lot of changes occur during this ‘pre-puberty’ stage. It’s particularly noticeable among peers that there are differences between boys and girls. Girls will start puberty earlier, often experiencing growth spurts and visible changes in secondary sexual characteristics. It could even be that the 11-year-old girl has had her first period. This is all very exciting, as it also influences her appearance. Suddenly, the little girl is on the train to real womanhood, with breasts and hips starting to grow.
There are also many exciting developments on a cognitive level. Learning becomes more effective, and they take ownership of their development. It is understood that success is not always guaranteed, no matter how hard they try. Learning also comes with many frustrations. More and more often, parents’ words are questioned because they have heard alternatives elsewhere. The independence from earlier now comes with responsibility. However, this doesn’t mean the child can be left entirely alone. No matter how difficult it is, continue to engage with her. No matter how much she wants to stay at that party later than 11:00 PM, rules are rules. Comparing herself to peers often takes precedence in such cases.
Dont’s (Types of Gifts Not to Buy for an 11-Year-Old Girl)
So, many changes are taking place, and these changes also dictate the type of gifts. Automatically, there are also gifts you should not buy for an 11-year-old girl. An example of such a gift is something like a stuffed animal or toy. Although she is still a child, she will likely feel too grown up for them. The same applies to educational items; they feel too school-like and are not really fun to give on a birthday. There’s a good chance she would like them, but a birthday is simply not the appropriate occasion.
What Is a Suitable Budget for This Age?
An 11-year-old girl is not very small anymore and is quite aware of the value of things. What is a suitable budget for this age?
- Parents/Caregivers: £50.00 to …
In this case, the budget will vary the most. It varies in money, undoubtedly not in how much love the gift is bought with. Think about what her wishes are, whether you have the budget for them, and whether you will buy it. - Close Family Members (uncles, aunts, grandparents): £20.00 to £50.00
With such a budget, nice ‘extra gifts’ can be bought. They are not expensive but also not the cheapest among all gifts. Think of something like a fun board game. - Neighbors/Acquaintances: £10.00
Not too much and not too little. £10.00 is a perfect budget to stick to for neighbors and acquaintances. - Friends: £5.00
With the above amount, you can buy something nice, such as an item that is very popular at the moment (fidget spinners, putty, scented erasers, etc.).
Further Tips
We end with a few final tips to help you choose the right gift for your 11-year-old girl. Avoid gifts that are too specific unless you are sure she is interested in them. Also, it’s important to keep age and personality in mind when selecting a suitable gift. This might sound obvious, but do you know, for instance, whether her favorite color is pink or red? A small difference that can make the gift more or less appreciated. Girls often pay more attention to details, so keep that in mind. You only have one birthday a year. How nice is it to be spoiled with everything you wish for?
1. Bedside Lamp
With a bedside lamp, you don’t necessarily imply that the 11-year-old girl is afraid of the dark, but sometimes it can still be a bit scary. And since nowadays the door to the hallway has to be closed for ‘privacy reasons,’ her room can be pitch dark. A bedside lamp provides the perfect way to create light quickly in such a situation. It’s also handy if she wants to read in bed before sleeping or is looking for a hair tie in the dark. The gift might sound a bit dull, but it offers many more benefits than you initially think. We think it’s a great gift to start this list with. Not convinced? Then read on for the other nine types of gifts we’ve listed for you.
2. Games
Planning an evening with friends? Great! How about a game night. It’s handy if the 11-year-old girl has the right games. Nowadays, there’s plenty of fun on the market, including small card games and classics like Monopoly. This also means that games are available in different price ranges. We understand that an uncle might not spend £30 on his niece’s birthday. In such a case, he can buy a game for a tenner. Just because something is expensive doesn’t mean it’s better than something cheaper. This also applies to games.
3. Crafting
While she still enjoys it, it’s handy to take advantage of her creative spirit. There are countless craft sets that help her get started while still allowing for enough artistic freedom. You can think broadly with these things. Don’t limit your thoughts to glue and paper; also think of beads or even nail polish sets. Such a set might include pens for creating patterns or stickers to apply. It might cause some mess at home, but the smile you get in return is priceless.
4. Pencil Case
Around the age of 11, it’s probably almost time to go to a new school. What’s the most important thing to have there? Exactly, a good pencil case. From a set square to a marking pen and a pencil for making notes, everything will be needed. Particularly with something like a set square, you want it to be well protected, so make sure the pencil case is of decent quality. When buying the pencil case, it might be fun to ask about the girl’s favorite color. Alternatively, you could look at the rest of her school supplies and base the pencil case’s appearance on that. Well, we can’t really advise you on those things, and you’ll have to ask the girl herself (or her parents/friends).
5. Music
Maybe you want to listen to the song that’s currently the favorite of the 11-year-old girl. But after two times, you’ve had enough. However, since the sweet 11-year-old loves blasting it over her phone’s speakers, it doesn’t stop at those few times. To prevent this ‘problem’ in the future, you can think of various solutions. One option is to listen to music via wireless earbuds or a nice headset. It probably won’t always be used, but something is better than nothing. It’s also wise to buy a quality music device. Today’s youth have pretty high standards. If the earbuds, for instance, are not from the same brand as their phone, they might be discarded sooner than you think.
6. Lego
Luckily, we’re long past the time when Lego was only for boys. Lego is now universal and is for young and old. So, also for an 11-year-old girl. Maybe she loves fantasy, and you can cater to that. Alternatively, there are also more ‘girly’ sets (if we can still say that). Think of a flower set, Lego Friends, or a beautiful treehouse. The great thing about Lego is that you can make it as expensive as you want. There are sets you can buy for two tenner, but also some that cost around a hundred pounds. In other words, whatever your budget, it will fit. Nice for a change, right?
7. Diamond Painting
What to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon? Diamond painting, of course! This wonderfully relaxing and creative activity will keep the 11-year-old girl concentrated for hours. Serve her a nice cup of tea with a treat, play some nice music, and sit next to her with a book. Or something like that. Anyway, nowadays, there are diamond paintings in all sorts of designs, and you can easily find a theme that interests her. Think of her favorite animal, a beautiful bouquet, or even a photo of her and her friends. Just keep in mind that the painting will need to be displayed somewhere. If her room is already full, you might need to do some decluttering first.
8. Ring Light
Oh my… A ring light! How cool is that? Now that your 11-year-old has started making YouTube videos or endless TikTok videos, it’s time for an upgrade. You don’t necessarily have to do this by giving her a new phone or camera (do you know how expensive that is?), but you can simply get a ring light. The ring light likely has a stand integrated, where the girl’s current phone can be installed. Instead of disturbing the peace in the living room, you can send her to her dark bedroom. The lamp creates perfect lighting, allowing her to dance like a star.
9. Book or diary
When some of us were around 11 years old, we were really in the peak of our reading lives. Book after book was devoured, with a few specific books being a favorite. We don’t know where the motivation came from, but it was enjoyable. Instead of spending the entire vacation on a screen, the book became a favorite. We hope you can achieve that with your 11-year-old. If you can’t get her into a book, you might start with a diary. Writing can sometimes be even better than reading. She has a way to write down her feelings and keep secrets. And, uh, don’t read it secretly, she’ll never forgive you!
10. Bean Bag
Now that the not-so-little 11-year-old girl is starting to go through puberty, she will increasingly need her own space. That space, given that the rest of the house is also for the rest of the family, is her room. Since her room is probably not big enough to fit a whole sofa and you still see the bed as a ‘sleeping place,’ it might be an idea to get a bean bag. Buy a blanket with it, and she can disappear into it while watching a movie, reading, or studying. It might not be the most ergonomically responsible position, but well, you can’t have everything. Be careful with the color, though, as you want it to match the rest of her room’s ‘interior.’
