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Gifts for 12 year old girls
At twelve, gifts are about her room, her look and her friends: an instant camera, earbuds, a sunset lamp, heatless curls. Skip anything with 'kids' on the box, which is why nothing here is a toy.
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Best gift overall
1. Instax Mini 12
Selfie lens and mirror · 54 x 86mm, credit-card size · About 5 seconds
An instant camera is the gift twelve-year-olds take to every sleepover and school trip. The listing confirms credit-card-sized prints in about five seconds, automatic flash and a selfie mirror beside the lens, and it takes any instax mini film. Film runs out fast at a sleepover, so include a pack or two.
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Best earbuds
2. Soundcore P30i Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Doubles as a phone stand · 45 hours with the case · Adaptive, up to 42dB · IP54
Noise-cancelling earbuds from Anker's Soundcore brand at a price that suits a first pair. The listing confirms adaptive noise cancelling up to 42dB, a transparency mode, 45 hours of playback with the case and a case that doubles as a phone stand. Earbuds have no volume limit like kids' headphones, so it is worth a word about volume.
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Best speaker
3. Anker Soundcore 2
12W · Up to 24 hours · IPX7
A tough little speaker for her room or the garden. The listing confirms 12W of sound, IPX7 waterproofing and up to 24 hours of playback, with pairing for a second speaker. It is a small speaker, so it fills a bedroom rather than a party.
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Best for her room
4. Cuiwos Sunset Projection Lamp
USB · 16 · 24-key remote and app
A sunset lamp throws a warm glow across the wall, which is the bedroom look of the moment. The listing confirms 16 colours, a fade mode and a remote, powered by USB. It needs a USB plug or socket by her bed to run.
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Best for her hair
5. Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set
34-inch satin · Overnight, no heat · 2 satin scrunchies
Heatless curls are a big trend at this age, and this satin rod gives curls overnight without straighteners or tongs. The listing confirms a 34-inch satin rod and two satin scrunchies, for all hair types. Getting the wrap right takes a couple of tries, so point her to a video tutorial.
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Best for school
6. WATERSY 40oz Insulated Tumbler with Straw
Straw lid with handle · Stainless steel, double-wall vacuum insulated · 1182ml (40oz)
A big insulated tumbler with a straw is the water bottle twelve-year-olds want to be seen with. The listing confirms 1182ml of capacity, a double-wall stainless steel body, a handle and a straw lid it calls leak-proof. At 40oz it is big for a school bag, so check where it will travel.
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Best for artists
7. Faber-Castell 9000 Art Set (12 Pencils)
Tin · 12 graphite, 8B to 2H
A proper set of artist's sketching pencils from Faber-Castell, for a twelve-year-old who is past felt tips. The listing confirms 12 graphite pencils from 8B to 2H in a tin. It is pencils only, so add a sketchbook.
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Best craft kit
8. Fournine Clay Bead Bracelet Making Kit
About 4,700 flat clay beads, 500+ charms and spacers · 6 sets of A to Z letter beads, stretchy string, clasps, tweezers
Clay bead bracelets with names and words spelled out in letter beads are what twelve-year-olds make and trade. The listing counts about 4,700 flat clay beads, six sets of A to Z letters, more than 500 charms and spacers, stretchy string and tweezers. The listing gives no age mark and pitches it at teens, and the beads are tiny, so keep it away from younger siblings.
Nothing matches those filters. Try fewer filters, or search for a brand like "MSI" or "Crucial".
How we rank
Chosen from what is selling on Amazon UK in each category on the day we checked, inside the price cap, and only if it was in stock. Ordered by how useful the gift is to the person it is for, then price. We have not handled these products: the write-ups rest on what each listing states. Prices and stock are checked daily.
Prices are Amazon UK and eBay UK at the time we last checked; they move daily, so confirm on the retailer's page. We earn a small commission if you buy through our links, at no cost to you. It never changes the order. More about how we work.