It’s notoriously hard for teens to connect, but we’re sure we can help you find something that will take you from la feet to cool, or whatever it is teens say these days.

Taking into account the age, safety features and educational value of each choice age group as well as your teen’s interests, we researched the most popular choices for this age group. Gift expert Jacqueline Whitmore offers a simple tip: “Tailor the gift to your teen’s personality, style and taste.” Based on these factors, we chose the Flybold Slackline kit, the Hollall Gaming chair and the Hydro Blask Water Bottle as our favorite picks.

Miady 2-Pack Dual USB Portable Charger

“I forgot to charge my phone.” That’s no longer an excuse if you gift your teen this portable charger. The slim device easily fits in any backpack, purse, or even some pockets. The USB charger juices some phones up to three times, so even when your kid isn’t near an outlet, they can stay with a full battery. Even better, you don’t just get one, but two chargers in the pack.

Snap Circuits Teach Tech Mech 5 Mechanical Coding Robot

A great STEM toy combines the love of play with education. Teens will enjoy hours of fun with Snap Circuits’ coding robot, which teaches basic coding skills and engineering. Once the robot is constructed, they can watch it throw, lift, kick, and even draw. Though it’s geared toward kids ages 10 and up, older teens and even adults who are curious about coding will also enjoy this.

YNAB You Need a Budget App

Finances aren’t exactly the topic most teens think about, but they absolutely should learn and know the basics of money. A subscription to an app like You Need a Budget provides them access to financial pros and budgeting advice. This is really helpful for teens who have their first job or who may be heading off to college soon.

Mpow 059 Bluetooth Headphones

While these aren’t the super expensive brand of headphones, they’re still high on function. These can play music for up to 13 hours wirelessly, so they won’t need to charge them all the time. The headphones can also be used to make and answer calls, plus they have Bluetooth capability.

Minted Heart Snapshot Mix Hues Photo Art

Imagine this: You or your teen have digital photos languishing in the cloud or on your hard drive. In just 10 days or less, Minted will transform your fave pics into a gorgeous piece of art complete with a frame of your choosing, although unframed is also an option. It comes in six different square sizes, plus frame choices include brushed silver, champagne silver, matte brass, and classic options like black and gilded wood.

642 Things to Draw: Inspirational Sketchbook to Entertain and Provoke the Imagination

Teens draw and doodle on just about everything—their arms, their pants, their shoes, and anything else they can get their hands on. So why not give them a creative outlet for self-expression? The 642 Things to Draw journal is filled with 304 pages of ideas. It’s got everything from the ridiculously simple—like a cupcake—to things that will take a bit more artistic know-how—like the Northern Lights. Packed with plenty of blank space for teens to stretch their creative legs and hundreds of drawing prompts, this journal is the perfect home for everything from doodles to masterpieces. 

Uncommon Goods Long Distance Friendship Lamp

For your teen who’s missing a friend far away, there’s no better present than this Long Distance Friendship Lamp. Buy a pair of lamps, one for your teen and one to send to their friend. When your teen touches the lamp, the corresponding lamp, whether it’s a few blocks away or across the world, emits a glow. The light can stay illuminated from 30 minutes to up to 24 hours and is a great way to let someone know you’re thinking about them.

Uncommon Goods Magnetic Notebook

Sure, your teen probably has digital notes, but nothing beats a good ‘ol notebook. However, this one from Uncommon Goods combines the convenience of being able to remove and rearrange the pages. We like that the magnetic pages snap in and out of the spine. This is great for your young creative who wants to organize any notes, doodles, or ideas.

Frigidaire Portable Retro Mini Fridge

No need to wait for college to gift your teen a fridge for their room. This pint-size, retro-style Frigidaire holds up to six cans or four one-liter bottles; plus, it’s also a great place to stash small snacks or beauty products like gel eye masks. It comes in fun colors like blue, red, and pink, and has a quiet motor that makes it ideal for a bedroom. This can also be used on road trips as the mini fridge plugs into a 12V car adapter.

Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Thanks to this BPA-free bottle’s double insulation, hot drinks stay hot for up to 12 hours and cold ones keep cool (even ice remains solid!) for up to 24 hours. The Hydro Flask water bottle has a handy loop to keep it securely attached to a backpack. While the standard cap will work for most, if your teen is active, consider buying the sport cap that makes it easy to stay hydrated without missing a beat.

Fjallraven Kanken Backpack

The Swedish company Fjällräven is known for making rugged bags with a clean, minimalist design. The Kanken backpacks are ergonomically designed to handle several textbooks, and this one also has a padded sleeve for a small laptop. Other handy details include easily accessible pockets on both the front and sides, padded shoulder straps, and a top handle. Eco-minded families can also feel good knowing the company supports conservation projects and uses sustainably produced fabrics.

SolidRoots Store Game of Phones

As much as you may try to encourage screen-free time, teens will inevitably be glued to their phones. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Game of Phones is a game that tests who can use their mobile devices the best and the fastest. Users have to draw one of 150 cards and then create an emoji or find the best Google image to match the prompt. This is a game best played with three or more people, so it’s perfect for game night with friends or family time.

hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock

There’s a likelihood your teen uses their phone as an alarm, but this alarm clock will surely change that. It’s cute, sleek, can fit on any night stand, and the functions are useful. The LED light gradually brightens over 30 minutes to arise any sleeper, and the timer dims the room when it’s time to get some Z’s. The clock also plays soothing nature sounds

Anker Nebula Capsule

For the serious cinema buff in your life, the Nebula Capsule Smart Mini-Projector is the perfect splurge-worthy gift to create a home theater. Though it has an array of cutting-edge features, it’s small enough to fit in your hand. The Nebula Mini-Projector is able to play content from a streaming app (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) or mirror whatever’s playing on a phone screen. And thanks to its omnidirectional speakers and advanced IntelliBright algorithms, the sound and picture quality rival that of a movie theater.

Speks Magnetic Balls

Originally designed for stressed-out executives, Speks are minuscule ball magnets that come in sets of 512. Note that because of their 2.5 millimeter size, they are only officially recommended for children older than 14. With inspiration from the manual or their imaginations, teens will love squishing, rolling, or piling their Speks into shapes like cubes, hexagons, cylinders, chains, and more. These can provide hours of fun or a form of relaxation. Speks are easy to lose, so buy an extra set to avoid the inevitable disappointment when the first few go astray under your teen’s bed or the couch.

JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker

For a truly amazing listening experience, it doesn’t get any better than JBL’s bluetooth speaker. This can be used at home or while on the go as it has 12 hours of playtime. Besides the crisp audio and easy connectivity, the device is also waterproof, so no worries if it gets a few splashes while near the pool or on the beach. Also, it comes in tons of colors and even camo.

Uncommon Goods Tabletop Cornhole

This tabletop version of the popular lawn activity is a fun, uncomplicated choice for family game night, but it’s also cool enough to lure teens from their devices. The colorful cornhole board is 3 feet long and comes with launchers and a wrench for adjusting them (to make it easier or harder), eight mini beanbags, four score pegs, and felt feet to prevent scratching.

PopSockets PopWallet Swappable and Repositionable Wallet

PopSockets make it easy to hold on to a phone and this one, which has a wallet attached, is even more useful. The PopWallet can fit up to three cards or a few folded bills. For anyone wanting to switch up their style, the wallet and socket are easily changeable with one of the numerous colors and prints.

What to Look For in a Gift For a Teenager

Recommended Age

Teenagers see themselves as younger adults, so steer clear of any gifts that come across as juvenile or not mature. Even if they maintain some of the same interests they had as younger kids, they are likely ready for gifts that they can grow into rather than out of.

Educational Value

A gift that teaches or develops a new skill, such as music or cooking, is great for a teenager. It is even better if these skills can grow to a lifelong passion or hobby.

“Educational gifts are gifts that keep on giving,” says Whitmore. “Books, audio books, and Amazon gift cards, make great gifts.” She also adds that gifting new experiences or the chance to visit new places offer a great educational and bonding activity the whole family can enjoy.

Safety

Teenagers can be risk-takers, but it’s still important to keep their safety in mind. If you’re considering a gift that requires safety gear, add a helmet or knee pads into the gift bag to make it easy for your teen to stay safe as they go extreme. Internet safety is another important consideration and conversation to have before you give them any gifts that include an online component.

Interests

Your teen may change interests faster than you can keep up, but try to get a feel for the things that they like when choosing a gift. Choosing a gift that works for a group is a great way to connect with your teen while participating in their favorite activities and interests.

“If the teen loves music, a gift card to Amazon or subscription to Spotify might be useful,” explains Whitmore. “Find out (from the parent or guardian) if the teen is saving for something special, like an iPad or iPods. If so, a gift card from Apple could make that teen’s dream a little closer to reality. Or, if the teen loves to write, a customized journal might be nice.”