Your little girl is suddenly not so little anymore. Not just figuratively, but also literally. Chances are she’s had her growth spurt and will only grow a few more centimeters in the coming years. Only in secondary sexual characteristics will you likely see significant changes. Changes or not, she has turned thirteen. In this article, you’ll find fantastic gift ideas and gain insight into why we’ve selected certain gifts.
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Developmental Phase of a 13-Year-Old Girl
Fascinated by everything related to development, we first delve into the developmental phase of a 13-year-old girl. This will show what she is currently occupied with, what interests she might have, and why certain gifts are more appropriate than others. The developments we discuss cover a few key aspects on physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional levels.
While the girl may not have been very concerned with her physical changes in previous years, this will likely change from this age. From things like body hair to the first layers of makeup: her appearance will change both voluntarily and involuntarily. And know that this also affects the girl’s mental state. Sometimes this can have a negative impact, but on the other hand, she might feel quite confident.
One place where both feelings come to the surface is school. After completing the first year of secondary school, she has made this place her own. Since she spends most of her time there, school is the ideal place to further develop herself. Cognitively, she’s suddenly dealing with quite mature topics, and everything discussed in class is secretly quite interesting. However, because she cares a lot about others’ opinions on a socio-emotional level, she doesn’t show this interest unless others feel the same. Confusing, right?
The ‘real’ personal identity doesn’t exist yet, although you can already see where it’s heading based on the friends she has. If she’s already a bit alternative, chances are it will continue. If she’s still quite mainstream, it might change or stay the same. Remember: nothing is by definition wrong or better, just let her be herself.
Don’ts (Types of Gifts Not to Buy for a 13-Year-Old Girl)
Now that you have an idea of the development stage of a 13-year-old girl, you might have a potential gift idea in mind. Before diving deeper and looking at our top gift ideas, we’d like to point out some types of gifts that you shouldn’t buy for her.
Think, for example, of something related to her hobby. She might have found it fantastic last year, but this year it’s anything but fun. She changes so much in one year that this is very plausible. Another thing we advise against is buying something like a power bank. You don’t necessarily want to give something that increases her phone use. A game instead of that gift might be what you’re looking for.
What Is a Suitable Budget for This Age?
Children grow older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the budget needs to increase. Eventually, it might go up a bit, but it doesn’t have to. Take the following amounts as possibilities, not as advice.
- Parents/ caregivers: £50.00 to …
An amount from which you can certainly buy a nice gift. It could also be much more, such as a new phone. Parents are usually the ones who come up with the most expensive gift. - Immediate family members (uncles, aunts, grandparents): £10.00 to £50.00
Depending on the strength of the relationship between the girl and the family member, the budget will probably vary. Assume a minimum of 10 pounds. - Neighbors/ acquaintances: £10.00
With this amount, you can buy her favorite mascara or a few new colors of nail polish. A cool tote bag will also be appreciated. - Friends: £5.00
At this age, the budget might come out of their own pocket. Five pounds is more than enough.
Further Tips
Just a little patience. We’ll give you a few final tips to help you find the perfect gift for the 13-year-old girl. For example, add a personal touch to the gift. For instance, engrave her name on a piece of jewelry or create a personalized photo book. Chances are she is quite emotional at this age and will definitely appreciate it. The same goes for DIY gifts.
But, if you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to ask her friends, family, or just her what she would like to receive. Whether something is cheap or expensive shouldn’t matter, especially in the case of parents. She might be happier with a new school bag than a Nintendo Switch, for example.
1. Jewelry Holder
Rings, earrings, (friendship) necklaces, and bracelets… A 13-year-old girl has many and maybe even too many of them. That’s not a problem, as everything probably costs just a few pounds each and she wears them with great pleasure. However, it’s not practical if half of the jewelry gets lost or tangled. A jewelry holder will be the perfect solution for this. It’s also a nice addition to her bedroom as an accessory. This gift is both aesthetic and practical and will remind her of what she has and inspire her to combine pieces into a fantastic look. A real win-win situation, we think!
2. Backpack
We can still remember wanting a shoulder bag in high school. We also remember being very happy when we got to choose a new bag and could pick a backpack. Indeed, moms and dads had told us that a backpack was much better ergonomically. But being stubborn, we preferred a shoulder bag because it was ‘cool’. So, to prevent her from ruining her back for years with heavy books, laptops, and notebooks, give her a backpack. It’s the perfect gift she didn’t know she wanted. Functional, stylish, and practical: sounds great, right?
3. Bluetooth Speaker
Sometimes you wonder if she even knows what she’s singing along to, but you appreciate the enthusiasm. For days, you hear her enjoying the latest hits from Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and many others whose names you don’t know. Although your daughter may not sing very well, you want to keep encouraging it, and what better way than by giving her a brand new Bluetooth speaker. She (or her friends) can connect to the speaker via her smartphone and play the best playlists. Besides entertainment, it stimulates her passion for music. Be careful not to explain too much about connecting it to her older brother, as he will undoubtedly want to play an unwanted disruptor.
4. Nail Polish Set
Look, it’s fine that her 5-year-older sister spends 50 pounds every month on new nails. She works for it and enjoys it immensely. But, since the 13-year-old girl doesn’t work yet and you absolutely don’t want to spend 50 pounds a month on her gel/acrylic/BIAB nails, you want to find an alternative. That alternative is, of course, a nail polish set. She can try out different colors, discover if she really likes it, and it also stimulates creativity. And what about a fun girls’ night with her friends where they all paint nails together? Nothing is more fun than that, right?
5. Bath Bombs
Bath bombs are the balls you throw into the bath for a fizzing effect, a nice smell, and the most mesmerizing color patterns. They come in all sorts, sizes, scents, and colors nowadays. It’s an item that a 13-year-old girl will undoubtedly be happy with, but take note. It’s helpful to check with a family member beforehand if there’s a bath in the house, in case you’re unsure. Checking with her parents whether the girl even likes bathing is also a smart plan. Since she’s not really at the age where she still bathes with her family, you need to consider if it’s indeed a suitable gift. A bit of an ‘all or nothing’ gift, so we admit, because it needs to be something the girl enjoys rather than the bath bomb gathering dust in the closet.
6. Comfortable Onesie
‘Chilling’ is, of course, not done in regular clothes. No, a onesie, on the other hand, is the perfect chill outfit. After a long school day or during a cozy pajama party with friends, you can guess what the 13-year-old girl prefers to wear. A onesie is not only comfortable but also comes in various patterns and colors and is likely very soft. Maybe it’s nice if someone else gives a favorite book or snacks as a gift, so the whole picture is complete. Indirectly, you’ll be showing that you’re aware of her interests and care about them. In other words, a onesie is exactly what every teenager at this age needs.
7. Mini Fridge
A mini-fridge as a gift for a 13-year-old girl? Absolutely! It might seem unusual, but it has its charm. It may cost the household a bit more in electricity, but you’re giving a piece of personal responsibility. You can encourage her to save her own money for the contents, she needs to clean the fridge herself, and you might also practice portion control. The chocolate bars will fly out in the first few days, but believe us, after a few days, you’ll be tired of it. Unconsciously, you teach her a bit about ‘organizing’ and ‘independence’, and she’ll be consciously focused on showing it off to her friends.
8. Body care essentials
For some reason, most personal care products for young girls, so the cheaper variants they can afford, are not the ones that smell the best. Everything smells very sweet and fades after a second, leaving you in a new cloud of deodorant every five minutes. Therefore, it might be an idea to invest in nice body care essentials. The scents are pleasant for the whole family, the quality of the products is much higher, and you give her a real sense of luxury with this set. It costs her nothing and she will undoubtedly notice that it smells much better than her own stuff. And honestly, how cool is it to pull out a fancy deodorant after gym class instead of one from an own brand line.
9. Digital Camera or Instax Camera
‘It’s a vibe’.
‘Huh?’
Yes, exactly. It’s a phrase the 13-year-old girl has undoubtedly used before, and you understand little of it. Just remember that it means something positive and in the case of a digital or Instax MINI camera, it means absolute appreciation. The thousands of photos and videos she saves on her phone are not nearly as cool as the photos from these cameras. Instead of the meaningless, digitized photos that she has forgotten half of, she has something physical in her hands. The physical photos serve as a constant reminder of what she loves and also as decoration in her room. A bargain she will benefit from!
10. DIY Craft Supplies
Creativity is something that today’s youth seems to lack. At least, the creativity as we knew it ‘back in the day’. Messing around with your hands and making countless bracelets, half of which you don’t even wear anymore, is what we mean. Anyway, maybe you can encourage her to put aside the TikTok dances with a set of DIY craft supplies. Think of a set for designing jewelry, bags, paintings, and clothes. Or how about something specific like a diamond painting or a macramé hanger? You undoubtedly have an idea of what she would probably like. Tap into that interest, stimulate her creativity, and invest in her brain’s development.
