Gifts for tweens in Australia

What tweens actually want

Between about 9 and 12, kids start to care what their friends think of a gift. Anything that looks like it came from the toddler aisle gets put away. They do not want adult things either. They want the real version: a proper card game, an instrument they can play, an experiment that actually blows up.

An Australian Christmas helps. It falls in the summer holidays, so outdoor gifts get used on Boxing Day instead of waiting for spring. The water rocket, the light-up Waboba ball and the footy are all worth more in December here than anywhere else.

By interest

Hosts and gamers: Sushi Go Party for up to eight, That's Not a Hat for a sleepover, Set for a quick kid who likes to beat adults. Monopoly Deal is the cheap one they can teach the whole family.

Science kids: the bottle rocket, the elephant toothpaste geyser and the geodes. The first two are outdoor projects with an adult nearby; the geodes are short and done at the table.

Sport fans: the Kangaroos ball for a backyard kick, the mini autograph bat for a tween going to the cricket this summer.

Budgets

Under $15: Monopoly Deal, the mini bat and the luggage tag. Good for stockings.

$20 to $70: the card games, the science kits, the Waboba ball, the Kangaroos ball, the Oodie and the kalimba. Most good tween gifts sit here.

The surf lesson is the bigger spend, and only works for a tween on or visiting the Gold Coast.

Mistakes to avoid

Buying for the age they were last year. A gift that suited them at nine can feel babyish at eleven, so ask a parent or older sibling what they are into now.

Guessing sizes. Pick the S/M Oodie for most tweens, because the standard size is very oversized.

Ordering late. Small Australian shops get busy in December and post slows down. Order by early December, and earlier for anything going to a regional address.

Questions people ask

How much should I spend on a tween gift?

For a classmate's party, under $20 is plenty: Monopoly Deal or the mini cricket bat both land well. For a family member, $25 to $70 covers most of the good picks here, including Sushi Go Party, the bottle rocket and the kalimba. Save the surf lesson for a tween who has asked to learn and lives near the Gold Coast.