4 Thoughtful Gift Ideas for Tweens

Thank you to Mixbook for sponsoring this post about thoughtful gift ideas for tweens. All opinions expressed are my own.

We have not one, but two tweens in our house!  Our twins turn 10 this January, and are growing increasingly difficult to shop for when it comes to gifts.  It's such a tough age because they are no longer little kids, but they are not yet teens.  Here are some ideas for thoughtful gifts you may consider for your tween . . .

1.  Custom Poster - If it's time to take down the little kid posters from their room, a cool custom poster would make the perfect gift.  Choose a special photo of a person, place, or thing, and have it printed on a large poster that fits that empty wall space.  Regular posters work fine, but an acrylic or metal poster print would look super-cool on your child's wall, not to mention they would be more durable than the standard poster.  Some fun subjects for a poster would be your child and his or her BFF, your family pet, or a special place that holds wonderful memories for your child.

2.  6" Tablet - If your child is too young for a smartphone, but finds a full-size tablet to be too cumbersome to carry around, then a smaller 6" tablet might be the solution.  A tablet, like the Fire HD 6, is about the size of a large smartphone, making it super-portable.  With an Android OS, your child will have a plethora of apps to choose from without having access to a smartphone.  Be sure to include a tablet case with your gift.  Most are quite inexpensive, so it's a no-brainer to add that extra protection.

3.  Experience Gift Card - A gift card is always a safe gift for anybody on your list, but what about giving a gift card or gift certificate for something your child can experience?  How much fun would it be for your child (along with a friend or sibling) to create a painting, paint pottery, take a cooking class, experience Taekwondo classes, learn about archery, etc . . . ?  The possibilities are endless, and the memories made from experiencing something new will last forever.

4.  Photo Calendar - If you like our idea of a custom poster, but are having trouble narrowing down the subject matter to just one, a custom photo calendar is a smart solution.  A calendar is the perfect gift for your tween because he or she is starting to have 'plans' to keep track of.  Having a place to record play dates, study dates, team games and practices, dance recitals, and friends' birthdays will also help your tween to feel more organized.  When the year is over, you can frame each photo from your calendar to make a photo wall in your child's room.

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Have a fun and thoughtful gift idea for tweens?  Share it with us in a comment here.

Guinness World Records Books . . . Easy Gift Ideas for Kids, Teens & Adults (Gamers Included!)

Thank you to Guinness World Records for providing a copy of Guinness World Records 2016 and Guinness World Records 2016 Gamer's Edition for this review.  All opinions expressed are our own.

Guinness World Records is a company that makes annual record books that have exciting records and amazing pictures. Each year, they release a new book with hundreds of new records. Since the Guinness World Records book is produced annually, it is also great for people who like to collect things. It is the ultimate gift idea for the holidays!

Also, there is the Guinness World Records 2016 Gamer’s Edition that is completely filled with records about amazing gaming feats, like finishing a game on hard mode in fourteen minutes, or scoring 321 goals in FIFA soccer. This is a great gift for gamers of all levels, with gaming records about Fallout, Minecraft, Call of Duty, and much more.

Personally, my favorite record from the Guinness World Records 2016 book is the ‘Most Layers in a Sandwich’ with 40 awesome layers of bacon, fluff, and peanut butter. My favorite record from the Guinness World Records 2016 Gamer’s Edition is highest score on Fruit Ninja’s zen mode because I feel that I can beat that record.

As you can see, these records are interesting, awesome, and sometimes funny. I would recommend these extremely awesome books for people ages 7 to 200.  To see more amazing world records, visit www.guinnessworldrecords.com!

Have you read one or both of these books?  Share your favorite records with us on Facebook!

The Ultimate Gift Idea for Young Artists . . . Bring Children's Artwork to Life with #Budsies!

Thank you to Budsies for providing complimentary custom stuffed animals samples for us to base this review upon.  All opinions express are our own.

If you have a child who has a deep love of drawing, this gift idea will surely be a cherished one.  We have two such children in our house and they were over the moon about the idea of bringing their artwork to life in the form of a custom plush toy.  It didn't take them very long to decide what to draw, but what then?  That's where Budsies came in . . .

On Budsies.com, you can submit a scan or a digital photo of your child's artwork to have a Budsies designer create a 16" plush toy in the artwork's likeness.  Our two children, who submitted artwork, are 10 and 7 years old and were able to follow the tips I gave them quite well . . .

Tips for Designing Your Budsies Creation:

1.  Try your best to show the entire subject on the page without having parts cut off at the edges.

2.  Use solid blocks of color when coloring in your subject.

3.  Try to assign a color to every party of your drawing.

4.  Keep your background white or another solid color.

5.  Don't worry if any parts are a little abstract.

6.  Have fun with it!

Even if you just do one or two of the above or your artwork was drawn for another occasion, you will be amazed at what the designers at Budsies can do.  Visit Budsies on Instagram for some wonderful examples!  All the materials that go into making each one-of-a-kind creation are hypoallergenic, so they are safe even for the youngest artists.  If your child needs a little inspiration, he or she can take a look at the Budsies templates.

I have to say that the whole process of ordering from Budsies could not be more simple.  When you submit your image, you will have the opportunity to include some characteristics about the subject to help the designers really capture its spirit.  The hardest part was waiting for the custom plush to be crafted.  It takes approximately 5 weeks from the time you submit your child's artwork to the time your child's new plush friend gets delivered to you.  My children asked me at least once a week about when their cat and owl would be arriving.

When the cat and owl finally arrived, I was pretty darn impressed.  In fact, I shared a photo of the plush toys next to the drawings on Facebook and everyone was amazed.  My daughter was thrilled with how her cat came out and would not stop hugging it.  My son loved his owl, but wished it was a tiny bit pudgier.  Both the likeness and the workmanship looked incredible to me.

Need more reasons to be impressed?  Budsies gives back by partnering regularly with children's charities, such as Easter Seals and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to bring smiles to children who don't have many things to smile about.  Learn more about how to get involved or suggest your favorite children's charity to Budsies!

Thinking about ordering a new plush friend for your child from Budsies.com?  Now is the time!  Budsies is offering a special online price of $69 (Reg. $99) per plush, plus 3G2S readers can save an additional 10% off when you checkout using Budsies promo code: 3G2S10. Remember to plan ahead because it takes up to 5 weeks to have your custom plush made.

Holiday Gift Idea: U Star Novels . . . Classic Novels Starring You or Your Loved Ones

I think it is really cool to have our names published in a Peter Pan book.  U Star Novels lets you enter people's names on their website and replace characters in the stories of classic novels.  I got Peter Pan, but some of the other books you can get are Dracula, Frankenstein, Treasure Island, and many more.

You can replace more than one character with another name.  In Peter Pan, we replaced Wendy with my sister Makenzie, John with me (Jake), and Michael with my little brother Luke.  The name switches really went well with the story.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

On the front cover it will say the title, the author, "Starring (your name)".  It says the same thing, but also says "customised first edition" on the title page.  On the second title page, it says "This book is dedicated to (your name)" and you fill out that information on the U Star Novel website.  You also can put a special message and the date.

On the back cover, it says the title again and a description of what is going to happen in the book.  It is modified with the names of me, my sister, and my brother.

I think that it is neat that U Star Novels can turn your name or other names into characters in a classic novel. I think one of these books would make a good Christmas gift during the Holidays for a child that is really into classic novels.  I would like to get other books, like Dracula, in the future.

To learn more about U Star Novels for children, visit www.UStarNovels.com.  (PLEASE NOTE:  If you are visiting the website with your children, the sections for personalized books for men, women, and couples, may not be appropriate for them.)


Thank you to U Star Novels for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

3G2S "Top Picks" 2012 Holiday Gift Guide for Tweens

1. The World According To Me Personalized Book Kit ($39.95) - This is a book kit from the creators of the well-known I See Me! personalized books.  One thing that makes this book even more special than the other personalized books offered on ISeeMe.com is that it includes your child's artwork and words, in addition to the usual personalization.  Included inside the ready-to-wrap box is an instruction booklet (which also contains interview questions for your child), paper for drawing each themed picture, extra blank paper, a pack of 10 thin markers, and a postage paid envelope.  Of course this book kit can be gifted to a child of any age, but I think it is especially perfect for a child between the ages of 8 to 11.  At this age, a tween is still very much a child and still has a wonderful imagination, but he or she is beginning to truly develop a drawing style and has the patience to put a lot of detail into the illustrations.  Our nearly 9 year old son thoroughly enjoyed this project.  It takes approximately 3 weeks for the finished book to be shipped to you after you have submitted all the interview responses and artwork by mail or online.  Our son just cannot wait to see how his book turned out!  To shop for this and other personalized books, visit www.ISeeMe.com.

2. My Friendship Bracelet Maker Kit($24.99) - This is one of 6 craft kits made by the Choose Friendship Company, all designed around the theme of "friendship."  This particular kit is the one that started it all and includes the Friendship Bracelet Maker, 56 skeins of floss in 14 different colors, and easy-to-follow instructions.  There are many more tutorials for fun patterns available online.  Although this product is recommended for ages 6 and up, I think it is a perfect gift for an older child, who will have better dexterity and a longer attention span.  I had to teach myself how to make a few patterns before I could teach our nearly 9 year old son and I am still working my way through the beginner patterns.  The online video tutorials are such a huge help.  Like with knitting, weaving friendship bracelets is a very therapeutic hobby.  It is the perfect activity for a tween who needs a quiet activity to focus on in order to escape his or her hectic life.  It is also a wonderful creative outlet and your child will be so proud to show off and share these bracelets with his or her friends.  You can find the My Friendship Bracelet Maker at many major toy and craft retailers nationwide.  Visit www.myfbm.com to find out more about this and other products by the Choose Friendship Company.

3. The LEGO Adventure Book, Vol. 1: Cars, Castles, Dinosaurs & More!($24.95) - This is the first of two very different LEGO books that are new from No Starch Press for Fall 2012.  Although this book does teach the reader how to build specific models, it also does an amazing job at inspiring the reader to use his or her imagination to create something great.  My son found the bright and colorful photos to be captivating and refused to put the book down until he had looked through it twice.  This hardcover book is currently selling on Amazon.com for $15.48 with Free Super Saver Shipping.

The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide (Now in Color)($24.95) - Now this book is a very handy how-to LEGO manual.  It will help the reader learn new ways to build things, how to build sturdier structures, and how to get around certain obstacles, such as running out of a specific type of brick.  While my son read through this book, I heard him say "Hey!  I didn't know that!!" many times.  It would definitely be an interesting read for any LEGO fan.  This paperback book is currently selling on Amazon.com for $16.14 with Free Super Saver Shipping.

4.  Gap Kids x Junk Food Tees ($26.95) - If you are considering buying your tween clothing for Christmas, you must make it something super-cool.  Nothing is cooler than the t-shirts from Junk Food Clothing.  This brand has been seen on the children of famed celebrities, such Angelina Jolie, Gwen Stefani, and Heidi Klum.  For Fall/Winter 2012, Junk Food Tees have arrived at your local Gap Kids store, making it even easier for you to shop for these sought after shirts.  These long-sleeved shirts are currently available in-store and online in raglans, hooded tees, and layered tees with Star Wars and superhero themes.  Our son just loves the stylized artwork of the Millennium Falcon on his long-sleeved pullover hoodie.  The shirt is also extremely soft because it is a polyester/cotton/rayon blend.  Visit Gap.com or your local Gap Kids store to see all the shirt designs currently available.  The selection will vary from store to store.

5.  Kidz Bop Christmas! CD($13.98) - New for 2012, this Kidz Bop Holiday music CD (or any Kidz Bop CD for that matter) would make an affordable gift or a nice stocking stuffer that can be enjoyed for years to come.  If you are not familiar with the music brand Kidz Bop, it is a series of music CDs where young Kidz Bop singers record popular hits in kid-friendly versions.  What I love most about these songs is that they usually maintain the sound of the original music.  This CD includes some of my favorite Christmas songs, such as "All I Want For Christmas Is You", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", and "Jingle Bell Rock."  Visit KidzBop.com to listen to samples of all 15 Christmas songs.  This CD is currently selling on Amazon for $10.00 with Free Super Saver Shipping.  You can also download the Kidz Bop Christmas! MP3 for $5.99.

6.  Guinness World Records 2013 ($28.95) - This hardcover book is my nearly 9 year old son's most-wanted book for Christmas.  Since receiving his first Guinness World Records book 4 years ago, he was hooked and has anxiously awaited for the release of the next one every year to follow.  When asked what his favorite record was for the 2013 edition, my son said the man that holds the record for the largest muscles.  Although this book would be fascinating to adults as well, I think the Guinness World Records book does an especially good job at encouraging tweens to read something other than fiction.  The book is also filled with interesting full-color photos that make you want to find out more.  You can find this book at most major book retailers, such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Scholastic Books.  It is currently selling on Amazon for just $16.30 with Free Super Saver Shipping.  To learn more about how to set a world record of your own, visit www.guinnessworldrecords.com.


Although complimentary product samples were sent to facilitate this gift guide, all opinions expressed are my own.

The 3G2S "Top Picks" 2012 Holiday Gift Guide is Coming Soon!

Keep your eyes peeled for the "Top Picks" 2012 Holiday Gift Guide in November on 3G2S!  There will be six categories in our guide . . . Gifts for Kids, Gifts for Tweens, Gifts for Teens, Gifts for Women, Gifts for Men, and Gifts for Grandparents.

Just to be clear, this is a guide of my personal picks for thoughtful and unique gifts for each category.  I tried to provide gift ideas ranging in prices at under $10 to over $100.  This is not a list of the newest and hottest toys and gadgets.  You can find those all over TV commercials and store circulars without my help.  All the gift ideas included are items I would personally be proud to gift to a loved one.

When will you know that our gift guide is live?  Look for the series of buttons above to appear at the top of the 3G2S homepage.  Then click on any of the six buttons to be taken to the gift guide for that category.  Easy, right?

As always, I will be open to any feedback you might have after the Gift Guide goes live.  What improvements can be made?  Would you like to see something similar for Holiday 2013?  Should I make changes to the categories?  Anything would be helpful!

"My Circle of Creativity" DIY Bracelet Maker Craft Kit

My kids love making things and being creative, so when we were offered the My Circle of Creativity friendship kit by the Choose Friendship Company, I knew this would be an excellent outlet for their creative minds. This is an amazing craft kit that is very cleverly designed and perfect for hours of fun.

My boys are not worried about things being too "girly" (or rather, what society's perception is about what boys should like), a trait I love about them, so they were super-excited to make friendship bracelets for their friends and family. This unique kit comes with a loom, patterns on 6 discs, 30 bobbins, 112 pre-cut threads in 14 colors, 100 pony beads in 10 colors, and easy to read instructions. As a bonus, it comes with all the supplies to make fun lanyard key chains, as well as the tools that help make box and cobra knots, 15 key rings, and 36 plastic laces in 9 colors. Plus, it all conveniently stores away inside its sturdy plastic carrying case, so everything is organized and at hand when you are ready to begin and it is easily portable for on-the-go fun, as well.

(Click any image to enlarge)

My 5 1/2 year old, Quinn, had no success in making either the bracelets or lanyards. It was just too complicated for him and he lost patience quickly. Since the My Circle of Creativity is recommended for 8 years old and up, though, that was not too surprising. Avery, my 11 year old, had no trouble figuring it out with some minor assistance from me. The day we got it he easily made two bracelets and a lanyard. The loom and pattern cards make it easy to create tons of different designs and the unique design of the case makes it so simple and convenient. I was thoroughly impressed with everything about this set and would recommend it to any parent for older children with a creative streak.

With over 300 pieces, this kit is sure to be hours of fun. You can learn more about the Choose Friendship Company on their website, www.MYFBM.com. To purchase the My Circle of Creativity craft kit, visit QVC.com. It retails for $24.99.

Thank you to the Choose Friendship Company for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

Holiday Gift Idea: Time For Kids Book . . . "That's Strange, But True! The World's Most Astonishing Facts & Records"

Time For Kids: That's Strange, But True! is a really cool book.  The book contains facts of strange jobs and strange records about new things that were invented.  This book has 14 different chapters.  I highly recommend Chapter 5, "Strange, But True Jobs."  I also think this book is cool because of the really neat color photos.


Here are some of my favorite parts of the book . . . 

The photo below contains the boat car called the Python.  It can travel up to 60mph in water.  I like this page because I really like cars.

My favorite robot on this page is the soccer robot, who is the robot all the way to the right.  I like it because I used to play soccer and I really like the sport.  The robot plays at the RoboCup Championships every year.

The other robot I like is the one that goes along telephone wires and repairs them.  I like it because now nobody has to get shocked while touching the wires.

I like page 91 because I think it's really cool.  I think it's cool because it looks really weird.  It looks weird because it takes normal objects and mixes them together with creatures in a confusing house of stairs.

I love this page because there's a really neat battle drone on the upper right.  I like the battle drone because it looks cool and looks like it's made of bronze and gold.  The battle drone is actually a piece of art from the 19th century.  This robot is motionless and doesn't do anything.

I think this book is good for ages 7 and up.  I also think it would make a great Christmas present.  I would love to read and review more books from this series.

That's Strange, But True!:  The World's Most Astonishing Facts and Records by Time For Kids retails for $19.99 and can be purchased at most major book retailers, like Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.


Thank you to Time For Kids for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

One Kings Lane "Gifts For Little Ones" Sale

Starting Wednesday (10/24), One Kings Lane is launching a special sale devoted to the people you love to shop for the most . . .  your children! I have a soft spot for monkeys and cannot help but wonder how my children would have loved the cuddly monkey rocking horse being featured in One Kings Lane's Gifts for Little Ones Sale. They are too old for one now, but it would have been such a cool surprise for Christmas morning when they were toddlers.  Do you think this Red Links Beanbag Chair would have the same effect on an older child?

Go take a look at One Kings Lane to see for yourself what kind of amazing finds they have to offer!  If you’re new to One Kings Lane, sign up today for a $15 credit for purchases of $30 or more.  If you enjoy treasure hunting at stores like T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, and Homegoods, I think you will have a blast shopping at One Kings Lane, especially since you can do it in your pajamas!

As always, if you shop, make sure you come back and share with us what you bought!

Mungi Bands . . . Magnetic Silicone Bracelets for Kids and Tweens

Has your tween asked you for silicone band bracelets only to find that they are all sized for adults?  Mine has repeatedly, so he was super-excited to try out Mungi Bands, which are magnetic silicone bracelets that allow your child to mix and match the two halves.  They come in themed 3-packs for both boys and girls.  My son chose the Rock Star, Shark Attack, and Hot Boards styles to try out.  Mungi Bands, which are recommended for children ages 8 and up, actually come in two sizes . . . Small and Large.  I went with the smaller size for my 8-1/2 year old son, who has a lean build.  It turned out to be the perfect choice.  The bracelets do not fall off his wrist like standard silicone bracelets, but they also give him room to grow.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Below are some examples of our son's favorite combinations.  I do want to point out that the magnets are extremely strong.  If your child wants to layer the bracelets, you should be prepared for them to stick together at the seams.  Personally, I think it would work out better to wear one per wrist and then layer it with other types of bracelets.

Because our son loves to play with magnets, he could not resist trying to make a necklace, rings, and even art with his Mungi Bands . . .

I would love to see more styles like the black Mungi Band that says "Rock Star" on it.  Although the shaped designs are fun, I think that children would also like bracelets that look like "grown up" silicone bracelets that have straight edges with just text on them.

Visit www.MungiBands.com to view all the styles of bracelets available.  Each pack of 3 retails for $6.99 and there is flat rate shipping of $2.99 for all orders.  Follow Mungi Bands on Facebook to be one of the first to know when new styles are being introduced.


Thank you to Mungi Bands for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon and for providing additional product for our contest prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

Pre-order the MG Android Gaming Device for $99 (Retail $169) by September 27th

I could not be more excited about the new MG from PlayMG!!!! My kids ask me every 2 minutes for my mobile phone when they have nothing else to do. Finally I can keep it to myself while the kids occupy themselves with their own device that plays everything my phone can.

Have you checked out the MG yet? You MUST see it. The moment Karen shared this with me I was ecstatic about the whole thing. Go to Kickstarter and check it out. Show your kids, they will go bananas. Heck, I went bananas! My kids aren't ready for a smartphone and can't be trusted with a tablet, the MG is the PERFECT solution.

The MG is a portable gaming device a lot like a mobile phone, but without actually being a phone. It plays the same 60,000+ games available to any phone, both free and paid apps. It is small and designed to be portable but also ergonomic like a game controller. You can preload your account with money so your kids can buy apps without hassling you. The MG can also be set up for parental monitoring.


If you pre-order the MG by September 27th you can save $70!!! This thing is a no brainer for the holidays! Can you tell I am excited about this? Kickstarter is a site that startups can use to help fund their product or service. By making an investment in the product (like the MG) you can earn perks like a fantastic discount or a free MG!

Look for our upcoming review of the MG gaming device coming up this fall!