Holiday Gift Guide for Tweens and Teens 2009 » Gifts for Tweens

My Secret Circle-Safe Social Networking for Tween Girls

Elizabeth — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:18:34 +0000

Kids are more tech savvy than ever these days. As kids in the tween age range see older brothers, sisters and relatives getting on social networking sites, like Facebook and MySpace, they want to get into the craze. But, most parents won’t allow it – for good reason. Finally, there’s a safe, fun new alternative that makes everyone happy.

World renowned game and toymaker, Senario, has created the first-ever secure social networking world specifically for girls ages 8-12. My Secret Circle is a new plug-‘n-play product that allows girlfriends – not strangers – to hang out online, chat, share pictures and play games.

My Secret Circle uses online access keys (USB keys) featuring proprietary technology with embedded browsers and unique ID codes. Only friends can connect on My Secret Circle by exchanging private codes. Even better, girls never need to upload personal information online, further enhancing the security of the network. My Secret Circle is SO HOT, you have to place an order NOW on Target.com to get shipping in a few weeks! Price at Target.com: $24.99 plus shipping

FaceChipz-Safe Social Networking for Tweens

Elizabeth — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:48:06 +0000

FaceChipz were created by George Zaloom, a father of four girls who wanted to help them find a safe way to interact with friends online. They were too old for sites like Club Penguin or Webkinz, but not old enough for MySpace or Facebook. So, they put their heads together and came up with FaceChipz! FaceChipz are sold in packs of five for $4.99, making them a great stocking stuffer or gift for kids to give their friends for Christmas!

The tokens are meant to be physically exchanged between friends. The code on the back of the chip (pictured here) is entered both on the giver’s page and the receiver’s page. Once this is done, FaceChipz.com connects the two friends and they can communicate together, share photos and much more. Once the code is used by two friends the code becomes invalid so if it is lost or passed on it cannot be entered at FaceChipz.com. Also, kids are only allowed to connect online with friends whom they have exchanged chipz with. They cannot see or connect with any “fringe” friends like Facebook or MySpace might allow. It’s all about safety but with the fun features of an adult social networking site! Price: $4.99 at Toys “R” Us.

Crocodile Tears: An Alex Rider Adventure

Elizabeth — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:12:51 +0000

Crocodile Tears: An Alex Rider Novel (#8) feels ripped from the headlines, with a charity broker con artist raising millions of dollars in donations, only to invest them in a form of genetically modified wheat that has the power to release an airborne strain of virus so powerful, it can knock out an entire country in one windy day – a catastrophe so far-reaching that it would raise millions of dollars more in charitable donations, all of which would be embezzled by one man. The antidote? Alex Rider, of course, who survives gunfire, explosions, and hand-to-combat with mercenaries – just another day in the life of an average teen super-spy kid.

The Alex Rider Adventures by Anthony Horowitz have already spent over a year on the New York Times best seller list and sold 12 million copies in English alone, with sales of over 5 million in the US. This past July, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times included the Alex Rider Adventures on his “The Best Kids’ Books Ever” list. List price is $17.99, but get it through this Amazon link for only $9.71 plus shipping!

Myzos Collector Bracelets

Elizabeth — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:37 +0000

Two years ago Savanna Sterling (then went to her mother with an idea for a bracelet that she had created in her bedroom. Realizing her daughter was onto something, mother Caryn told her daughter to go back to being a kid but took on the work of proving to her daughter that with hard work and determination, you can make anything happen. Since then Caryn has successfully created a line of MYZOS (mymyzos.com), sold in the trendiest boutiques and worn/traded by Hollywood’s most famous kids, tweens and teens. On August 22nd, Caryn celebrated the launch of MYZOS featuring our favorite Disney characters from Disney Fairies, High School Musical 3, Hannah Montana and Muppets. The theme: Celebrating the creativity of children and determination of their moms.

The event, hosted by celebrity mom Alison Sweeney (The Biggest Losers) and BFFs Noah Cyrus (Hannah Montana) and Emily Grace Reaves (Hannah Montana: The Movie), brought out celebrities including Lionel Richie (with his daughter Sophia), Twilight star Boo Boo Stewart (with sister Fivel), Denise Richards (with her 2 girls), Brittany Curran, Kathryn Newton (Gary Unmarried), Ryan Newman, Daniel Samonas and many more. Their favorite MYZOS varied from Animal to Tinkerbell to Kermit. Myzos Bracelets are $12.00 on MyMyzos.com.

Discover Electronics Kit by Sparkle Labs

Elizabeth — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:08:31 +0000

With 130 real parts like switches, buttons, diodes, capacitors, transistors and regulators and bread board, the Discover Electronics Kit by Sparkle Labs is a great gift for tweens, teens, even adults. Comes with a step-by-step illustrated manual easily guides you through challenging projects with ease. After mastering the basics of real-world circuits with our sample projects, you can rearrange the parts to create your own gadgets again and again. $49.99 from Sparkle Labs.

Passport to the World Cooking Club

Elizabeth — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:50:26 +0000

For tweens who like to cook, a membership to the Passport to the World from Ginger Kids will bring the cuisine of the world right to your door! Premium membership provides a complete multicultural experience through a “culinary adventure in a box” delivered monthly to your doorstep, and VIP access to the Passport to the World website. The “culinary adventure in a box” includes a non-perishable food product, special kitchen tool, additional recipes and more! Other exciting program details include welcome postcards with problem solving questions delivered one-week prior to the release of the new month, food shopping lists for parents, and birthday greetings for all members!

Premium Membership – $32.95 per month

Why Don’t Your Eyelashes Grow?

Elizabeth — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:37:53 +0000

Why Don’t Your Eyelashes Grow?: Curious Questions Kids Ask About the Human Body by Beth Ann Ditkoff M.D. is filled with fun trivia and answers to questions kids sometimes ask about their bodies, like what their Adam’s Apple is for and why ears are filled with earwax. There’s also an “Urban Myth” section that covers typical parental warnings like whether it’s really bad to crack your knuckles or if you’ll actually see better if you eat carrots.

Ditkoff wrote this book with the help of her two daughters, and explains in the introduction that these are also questions she gets from her patients as well as family and friends. At only $5.98, this is a great stocking stuffer for kids who like trivia books.

For Tween Girls-Scarlett & Crimson Book Series

Elizabeth — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:47:06 +0000

Scarlett and Crimson are 13 year old best friends who see the world differently than other girls their age. They love the color black; their favorite time is nighttime; and their favorite mood is DARQ – which they define on their website as ‘a way of looking at the world and making sense of it from the inside out’. These girls hold confidence, individuality, love, respect, and friendship at the top of their priority lists. A 16-book series already popular in the U.K., the first three books in the Scarlett & Crimson series have come to the U.S. and are available from Simon & Schuster. Learn more about the world of Darq at http://www.scarlettandcrimson.com, buy the books from Simon & Schuster’s website for$6.99 each.

Crazerasers Collectible Puzzle Erasers

Elizabeth — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:09:47 +0000

Two words? VERY COOL. Crazerasers are Collectible Puzzle erasers sold by Toys4Minds.com, sold in sets as well as individually. Each puzzle looks like a familiar object, then separates into pieces, made from a soft foam. Food is a popular theme, with erasers shaped like ice cream treats, hamburgers, breakfast foods, and more. There are also sets shaped like furniture, tools, even toothbrushes! Each set is a very affordable $1.24. Look for Crazerasers at toy stores and some bookstores. WARNING!!! These puzzles have VERY SMALL PIECES!!! Please use caution if you have a baby in the house and give a Crazeraser puzzle to an older child.

Milkshake’s “Great Day” CD

Elizabeth — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:49:26 +0000

They want great music on their MP3 player, you want lyrics that are appropriate. I’m happy to say that Milkshake’s Great Day will make you both happy. Produced by music veteran Tor Hyams (Joan Osborne, Edwin McCain), the disc features a dozen Milkshake originals, plus guest appearances by two-time GRAMMY®-winners Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer and Rodney Henry (former front man of the legendary kings of the Baltimore hard rock-garage-rockabilly scene, The Glenmont Popes). The songs on ‘Great Day’ touch on issues of friendship, inclusion, family, self-esteem, goals, and material desires, and they ROCK. My favorites are “Shake It Up” and “You Did It”. Listen to song clips and purchase the CD at Milkshake Music for $14.00.