Best Gifts for Teenagers of 2023 That are Cool and Fun

flybold Slackline Kit

4.6

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If your teen is into outdoor activities (or you want them to be), slacklines are all the rage with the younger set. These kits can be set up in the backyard where your kid can master the art of balance as they try to walk across the slackline. Think of it as tight roping, but with a wider base. This kit will give your teen everything they need to get from Point A to Point B while also getting in some fitness, making it our top pick.

The kit is also equipped with safety features for beginners, which our tester loves. The slackline is wider than normal for first-time users and uses high-quality materials that are stretchy and sturdy. Our tester reported that setup was a breeze after reading through the instructions, but take note that you have to be cautious when dismantling the line due to high tension.

Spikeball Roundnet Combo Set with 3 balls and Backpack

5

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Teens will love playing this athletic game that’s a mix between volleyball, tennis, and basketball. The Spikeball set is lightweight and portable, making it ideal for teens to take wherever they go, from gatherings with friends to vacation. This set comes with three softballs, a net with collapsible legs, a drawstring bag for easy storage, and an instruction book. As an added bonus, teens can connect for free to the Spikeball community for tutorials, or they can download the app so they can find pickup games for any time fun. 

Spikeball is accessible to all fitness levels and all ages, which our tester loved. The rules are easy to follow, but also malleable to be super competitive or more low-key and chill, making this perfect for all teens.

Yogibo Max Bean Bag Chair

4.8

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If you have a bit of extra dough to spend on a gift for your teen, look to a functional bean bag that doubles as adorable room decor. However, our product tester noted that this is no ordinary bean bag. It functions as a chair, recliner, bed, or even a couch. It'll form to your body as you sit or lay for the most comfortable experience without uncomfortable pressure points. Choose from more than a dozen colors to sit your teen's bedroom or dorm room. We love that the cover is washable, so they can enjoy this pick for years and years to come.

Big Potato Games Mean Girls Party Game

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Mean Girls is a classic teen movie, so a game inspired by the infamous burn book is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Ideal for ages 14 and up, the party game asks players to answer questions about each other anonymously.

The game, which can accommodate 4-8 players, includes 100 cards, 7 cardboard mats, 2 answer pads, and 1 scoresheet. At the end of each round, each player gets to pick an answer they want to reveal to the group—and if you pick yours, you'll be making your own confession.

Kodak Zink Smile Instant Print Digital Camera

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This Kodak camera combines the gratification of instant pics but with a bit of a retro look. The camera features automatic focus, flash, and the viewfinder makes it easy to snap the best pic. Not only can photos be shared, but they can also be printed out. There's even the option to print two photos on a single sheet. The printed pictures have a sticky back, and there's even the option to add a border or filter.

Now in Books Book Club

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A gift that keeps on giving month after month is sure to please anyone. A Now in Books subscription gifts your favorite teen newly released novels. The book titles will vary, but each box also includes activities, discussion topics, and even a curated playlist that corresponds to the theme of the book. You can choose from several delivery options.

Ranch 23 inch Professional Wooden Concert Ukulele

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This affordable wooden ukulele is actually quite comparable to pricier counterparts. We love that the kit comes with many extras, such as a neck strap, digital tuner, padded carrying bag, and microfiber polishing cloth. The company, Ranch, also offers free online video lessons, with the final one teaching "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," a song made popular by the late Hawaiian musical icon (and ukulele player) Israel Kamakawiwoʻole.

Homall Gaming Chair Office Chair

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The gamer in your life will absolutely appreciate Homall's gaming chair that's built for function. The foam fits the body comfortably, and there's the ever important headrest and lumbar support. Also, the seat has a tilt back function that can be adjusted between 90 to 150 degrees. We like that the casters move easily on hardwood floors or carpeting.

Kunodi Outdoor Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

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Kunodi's bluetooth speaker is tiny, but mighty and you'll love the wallet-friendly price. It easily fits into the palm of a hand and seamlessly connects to various devices. You can take it on the go and attach to a backpack or handlebars (thanks to the carabiner). You can even store it in your bathroom: There's a suction cup mount, as the waterproof design makes it perfect for listening to music in the shower.

GMYLE AirPod Case

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AirPods are pretty expensive, so if your teen has a pair, consider gifting them this sturdy case. The silicone casing protects the actual cover, while still allowing access to the charging port. There's even a carabiner so it can be strapped to the inside of a backpack or pocket. With more than 30 colors to choose from, there's something for every style.

Masterclass Virtual Cooking Class

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A Masterclass membership is a great option if you want to expose your teen to learning that's fun and appeals to a wide variety of interests. The online classroom provides access to pros and tastemakers like chefs, producers, writers, and more. There are writing classes, cooking demos, and pretty much everything. The virtual classes can be viewed at leisure and your teen is sure to learn a lot.

Miady 2-Pack Dual USB Portable Charger

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"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

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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

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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

4.2

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

4.8

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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

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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

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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

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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

4.2

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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

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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

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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

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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.