The average parent spends a whopping $500 on gifts and a party for their child’s birthday. As your kids get older, it seems as though that price doesn’t want to go down. While teenagers may not want a big birthday party, they suddenly start asking for more expensive gifts, like brand-name clothes or gaming consoles. Luckily, you don’t have to spend $500 to ensure your teen is happy on their birthday. In fact, there are many cool birthday gifts for teens that won’t break the bank. Do you need some inspiration for cool gift ideas? Keep reading as we go over 20 gifts that any teenage boy or girl is sure to love.
1. Bean Bag Chair
Chances are, your teen doesn’t just use their bedroom for sleeping anymore. Their room is probably their main hangout space, where they can go to spend time with friends or relax and watch TV after a long day at school. If your teenager constantly has friends over, they probably need some more seating in their room, and teen bean bags are the perfect solution! Not only are they practical, but they can be stylish too. Girls are sure to love a big marshmallow bean bag chair while boys may prefer a denim chair. We put together a list of six essential teen bedroom furniture pieces.
2. Portable Phone Charger
It should come as no surprise that teens love their smartphones. If your teenager is constantly on their phone, they may need to charge it throughout the day or while sleeping over at a friend’s house. A portable phone charger is an easiest and most convenient way to help them charge their phone no matter where they are. Plus, it’s wireless, so they don’t even have to be near an outlet!
3. Charging Station
Does your teenager have all the latest tech? If their tablet, phone, and e-reader are all low on battery power, they may not have enough outlets to charge them at the same time. Even if they do, that means there will be a mess of wires all over their room! A charging station helps them keep all their tech organized and charged. Many models can hold up to 7 devices, so your teen never runs out of outlets.
4. Phone Case
The price of cellphones has skyrocketed over the years. You’re now looking at spending $1,000 or more on the latest smartphone. With that kind of investment in the hands of your teenager, it makes sense to get a quality phone case. Cases are also the perfect way to show off your teen’s personality and unique interests. So, consider upgrading their phone case to one that has a cool print or their favorite color.
5. PopSocket
If your teenager’s phone case doesn’t need to be replaced, you can help them show off their personality by gifting them a PopSocket instead. These stick to the back of their phone and are meant to make holding the phone more comfortable. They come in tons of different colors and designs, so you’re sure to find one that matches their style.
6. Stick-On Phone Pocket
Is your teen constantly forgetting their wallet? Chances are, they never forget their phone. So, why not combine the two by getting your teenager a stick-on phone pocket? As the name suggests, this is a thin pocket that sticks onto the back of their phone. They can then fit their license, a credit card, and some cash in the pocket, so they’re never without the essentials.
7. Selfie Spotlight
It probably seems like your teenager spends hours a day on social media. This means they’re also probably spending a good bit of time trying to get that perfect selfie to post. The selfie spotlight can help them do just that! It attaches to their phone and gives off the perfect lighting to take those Instagram-ready pics.
8. 4-in-1 Phone Camera Lens
Does your teenager show an interest in photography that goes further than just taking selfies? Have they asked for fancy cameras? If so, you can make them happy and save a ton by gifting them a 4-in-1 phone camera lens. This clips over their phone’s camera and offers 4 different lenses. Not only can they still practice their photography skills this way, but it’s cheaper and more convenient since they won’t have to carry a big, heavy camera around.
9. Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
Wireless Bluetooth speakers are the boombox of your child’s generation. They’re small and lightweight, making them easy to transport wherever your teen goes. All they have to do is hook the speaker up to their phone using Bluetooth, and they can play Pandora, Spotify, or any music they have downloaded onto their phone. It’s a great way for them to enjoy music while relaxing in their room or while out with friends.
10. Bluetooth FM Transmitter
Did your teenager get your old hand-me-down car? If so, it may not have the tech your teen needs to play their own music while driving. A Bluetooth FM transmitter is a quick and affordable fix. After setting it up, your teen will be able to play music from their phone and have it come out the car’s speakers.
11. Mobile Phone Game Controller
Is your teenager constantly playing games on their phone? You can take their mobile gaming experience to the next level by getting them a mobile phone game controller for their birthday. This simply snaps onto their phone and turns it into a controller. This is particularly useful for shooting games, like Critical Ops and Knives Out.
12. Controller Charger
If you’ve splurged for a nice game console, your teen is probably putting it to good use. However, those wireless controllers need to be charged sooner or later. When your teen has friends over, they may go to play video games only to discover the just one of the controllers is charged. Make sure this doesn’t happen again by gifting your teen a controller charger. Your teen can plug multiple controllers in at once and store them there so they don’t get lost.
13. Concert Tickets
Sometimes the best gifts are experiences. If your teen's favorite musician is coming to town, consider surprising them with concert tickets. Unfortunately, concert tickets can be quite expensive. So, look at smaller venues and less-famous musicians to get a better deal.
14. Beanie
As your child gets older, it can seem impossible to buy the right clothing. Trends come and go and their style is constantly evolving. However, you can’t go wrong with a beanie. Boys and girls with all different styles like to wear beanies as they go with just about any outfit!
15. “97 Thing to Do Before You Finish High School”
A book may not seem like the best birthday gift for your teen, but “97 Thing to Do Before You Finish High School” is different. As the title suggests, this book outlines 97 bucket-list items, such as planning a road trip and making a time capsule. This is great for any teen who craves adventure or is constantly complaining that there’s nothing to do.
16. Fun Eyeshadow Palette
Chances are, your teenage daughter is experimenting with makeup. Let makeup remain a hobby and creative outlet by gifting her a fun eyeshadow palette. There are now palettes that take inspiration from everything, including mermaids, unicorns, the galaxy, chocolate, and pizza. Just find a quirky palette that matches her style, and she’s sure to have a blast doing her makeup in the morning.
17. Bluetooth Tracker
Is your teenager constantly losing their wallet or car keys? A Bluetooth tracker can save you both a lot of time and hassle. All your teen has to do is put the small tracker on their keyring, in their wallet, or on any other valuables they often misplace. Then, they can download the accompanying app to locate the tracker.
18. Perfume or Cologne
Let’s face it—dating as a teenager can be awkward and nerve-wracking. But you can help give your kids a confidence boost by gifting them a nice bottle of perfume or cologne. They can go on their date (or show up to school) smelling their best!
19. Cable Bites
Have you noticed that the ends of all your teen’s charger cords look a bit frayed and worn out? This happens when they’ve been overused and bent in all different directions. In order to protect the cords and make them last longer, you can get your teen Cable Bites for their birthday. These look like cute little animals that are biting into whatever device is being charged. But they help keep cable ends straight and sturdy to prevent damage.
20. Gift Cards
Shopping for your teen can seem impossible sometimes. If you’re not sure your teenager would like any of the above ideas, you can’t go wrong with a gift card to their favorite store. This way, they can buy whatever they like.
Your Guide to Cool Birthday Gifts for Teens
Don’t get your teenager something they won’t use! Instead, follow the guide above to help find the perfect gift. From bean bag chairs to phone accessories, there are so many cool birthday gifts for teens. Do you want to help your teenager redecorate their bedroom? Then check out our online collection of bean bag chairs and ottomans today! Know someone who's moving house? Check out these 12 housewarming gift ideas.
