One of the great joys of life is giving people gifts that they want and need—and a big happiness stumbling block is not having any good ideas for what such a gift might be.
I decided to ask my daughters what they’d suggest, for people wanting to buy gifts for children their age.
My older daughter Eliza is a sophomore in college. She suggests:
- temporary tattoos (such as these)
- fun flip-flops for the shower
- Command hooks of various kinds
- twinkle lights
- nice pens
- a smart speaker
- soft blanket
- fun keychain
- bean bag or inflatable chair (I have to admit, I had no idea what an “inflatable chair” was, but Eliza explained that it’s something like this.)
- a fun collapsible umbrella
- gift card to Starbucks or food places
My younger daughter Eleanor is in middle school. She made the point that this is a tough age for gift-giving, because kids are too old for toys but too young for many items that adults would enjoy.
She suggests:
- fun socks—ankle length
- shirts from Brandy Melville
- Mochi toys
- pencil case
- face masks
- Polaroid camera and film
- body products, like lotion or shampoo
If you’re looking for unexpected, delightful gifts for recipients of any age, check out the MoMa Gift Store.
What are your suggestions for good gifts for these ages?