ISO Holiday gift ideas for 11-year-old
November 2, 2020 11:15 AM Subscribe
Looking for gift ideas for a very cool nature-loving collecting kid during a pandemic. Any ideas from the hivemind?
As Halloween disappears into the rear view mirror, my extended family is asking me for some cool holiday gift ideas for my 11 year old child. Alas, she's an only child struggling hard with virtual school so we've been doing lots of pandemic "treats" already... and now I'm plum out of ideas. Budget is flexible, as many family members may join forces for a particularly great $$$ gift, but we also need stocking stuffers. Any thoughts?
The child loves plants, snails, mushrooms, feathers, wild animals. She has been learning about crystals, properties of minerals, moon phases, charms. She is a stealth collector and has a million jars, knickknacks and tiny objects all around her all the time, including on necklaces and in pockets and bags that she carries around with her. She likes drawing in Procreate and loves to design virtual people and houses in games (aka in the Sims, Minecraft, Animal Crossing) more than she likes playing the games themselves. She has recently had a room re-do to facilitate virtual school, including new desk, lamps, decorations, giant fuzzy pillows, etc. She's just started getting into finding and listening to her own music.
Already has (lucky girl): Sewing machine, art supplies, books, Switch, smartphone, Apple pencil, skateboard, bike, Kindle, outdoor clothing/gear, a million stuffed animals. Also two birds and a tank of snails.
Doesn't really like (any more, sigh): Cooking, lego, knitting, tv or movies, sci-fi, gift cards, sports, online classes or "experiences" online.
On the list already: Windowpane rainbow-maker. And.....?
As Halloween disappears into the rear view mirror, my extended family is asking me for some cool holiday gift ideas for my 11 year old child. Alas, she's an only child struggling hard with virtual school so we've been doing lots of pandemic "treats" already... and now I'm plum out of ideas. Budget is flexible, as many family members may join forces for a particularly great $$$ gift, but we also need stocking stuffers. Any thoughts?
The child loves plants, snails, mushrooms, feathers, wild animals. She has been learning about crystals, properties of minerals, moon phases, charms. She is a stealth collector and has a million jars, knickknacks and tiny objects all around her all the time, including on necklaces and in pockets and bags that she carries around with her. She likes drawing in Procreate and loves to design virtual people and houses in games (aka in the Sims, Minecraft, Animal Crossing) more than she likes playing the games themselves. She has recently had a room re-do to facilitate virtual school, including new desk, lamps, decorations, giant fuzzy pillows, etc. She's just started getting into finding and listening to her own music.
Already has (lucky girl): Sewing machine, art supplies, books, Switch, smartphone, Apple pencil, skateboard, bike, Kindle, outdoor clothing/gear, a million stuffed animals. Also two birds and a tank of snails.
Doesn't really like (any more, sigh): Cooking, lego, knitting, tv or movies, sci-fi, gift cards, sports, online classes or "experiences" online.
On the list already: Windowpane rainbow-maker. And.....?
Best answer: One more comment: my 12 year old's favorite gift last year was when I took one of her characters and created die cut stickers that she could give to her friends. It made her art feel so much more real to her! I used sticker mule, and signed up for their emails and waited for one of their 50 custom stickers for $20 deals.
posted by sleeping bear at 11:24 AM on November 2, 2020 [9 favorites]
posted by sleeping bear at 11:24 AM on November 2, 2020 [9 favorites]
Best answer: Microscope. High quality microscope that she can use to observe the world she collects. Microscopes offer a range of prices snd capabilities and paths for accessories. They can also be used with smart phones. Combine this gift with beautiful books on scientific and natural observations, too. It is art and science combined.
posted by jadepearl at 11:26 AM on November 2, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by jadepearl at 11:26 AM on November 2, 2020 [6 favorites]
Best answer: I feel like this is the kind of kid who would really appreciate a rock tumbler. Perhaps also books/materials for turning the rocks into jewelry/pendants after the tumbling process? I'm thinking wire, cords, small beads, pliers, etc.
posted by daikaisho at 11:28 AM on November 2, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by daikaisho at 11:28 AM on November 2, 2020 [4 favorites]
• There are really good charts/posters about the natural world at PopChart.
• Interesting crystals and specimens at Paxton Gate. They also have a "treasure" subscription box that looks fun for kids.
• Pet hermit crabs, or small turtle. Air plant. Venus fly trap.
• Hydroponic herb garden. (I have an old one and the plants grow really fast so it's very satisfying.)
posted by xo at 11:36 AM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
• Interesting crystals and specimens at Paxton Gate. They also have a "treasure" subscription box that looks fun for kids.
• Pet hermit crabs, or small turtle. Air plant. Venus fly trap.
• Hydroponic herb garden. (I have an old one and the plants grow really fast so it's very satisfying.)
posted by xo at 11:36 AM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
How about a decent entry-level telescope?
Maybe an indoor herb garden kit that she can grow from seed? I'm 38 and my sister gave me a window garden tea-growing kit that was fun.
posted by greta simone at 11:38 AM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
Maybe an indoor herb garden kit that she can grow from seed? I'm 38 and my sister gave me a window garden tea-growing kit that was fun.
posted by greta simone at 11:38 AM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
Cricut machine (bonus it has lots of accessories and consumables for future gifts) and she can make her own stickers, labels etc for all her jars. Mushroom growing kit.
posted by gryphonlover at 11:38 AM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by gryphonlover at 11:38 AM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Not sure if it's in your budget, but if she likes feathers and the critters they come from, maybe some nice mini-binoculars for bird watching?
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:00 PM on November 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:00 PM on November 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
Best answer: How about geodes that she can crack open herself?
posted by oxisos at 12:10 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by oxisos at 12:10 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If she loves to collect, she might really enjoy making bottle necklaces. Many different sizes and fun shapes are available on Etsy. You could get her some fine or angled tweezers to go along with them; they’re great for placing tiny items inside.
posted by corey flood at 12:28 PM on November 2, 2020
posted by corey flood at 12:28 PM on November 2, 2020
Best answer: As a nature-loving kid, I loved collecting leaves and flowers and then pressing them. This article has a good overview of the process. I remember using an unabridged dictionary and sheets of wax paper, which worked well and were very inexpensive. If you wanted to create a giftable project, you could make a flower-pressing kit by including interesting card stock for bookmarks, fancy stationery for letters, pictures frames, or other mounting ideas to use with the pressed leaves and flowers.
posted by cursed at 12:29 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by cursed at 12:29 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
My 11 year old who is somewhat similar enjoys her Art Snacks and Owl Crate subscriptions. The first is art, the second is books.
posted by dpx.mfx at 12:57 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by dpx.mfx at 12:57 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
These are pricy AF but maybe a mini-museum?
Or what about a specimen cabinet for her little treasues? Genuine antique ones are likely to be big and expensive furniture but a lot of jewelry boxes would fit the bill, especially if they have customizable/replaceable trays so you can get the ones that fit things of the size she collects.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:58 PM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
Or what about a specimen cabinet for her little treasues? Genuine antique ones are likely to be big and expensive furniture but a lot of jewelry boxes would fit the bill, especially if they have customizable/replaceable trays so you can get the ones that fit things of the size she collects.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:58 PM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
Best answer: She has been learning about crystals, properties of minerals, moon phases, charms
How about a tarot deck? The Wanderer's deck is a nice one.
posted by veery at 6:55 PM on November 2, 2020
How about a tarot deck? The Wanderer's deck is a nice one.
posted by veery at 6:55 PM on November 2, 2020
Seconding the idea of a specimen cabinet--I had many of the same interests as a kid and would have loved something like this to store my collections in. I would be lying if I said I didn't want one now, as a fully-grown person. Relatedly, perhaps a printers type tray shelf for displaying some of her collections? The small compartments are perfect for shells and rocks. These are very easy to find on Etsy.
posted by Jemstar at 8:02 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Jemstar at 8:02 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: A pair of white chuck taylors and a great set of fabric markers.
posted by beccaj at 8:33 PM on November 2, 2020
posted by beccaj at 8:33 PM on November 2, 2020
Response by poster: Such great answers. She already has a rock tumbler, digital microscope and a kinda-specimen-cabinet, but we'll be looking into rock jewelry kits, bottle necklaces, chuck taylors, geodes, tarot, custom stickers, flower pressing. Going down the flower-pressing rabbit hole showed me some easy resin/polymer projects she might like as well.
THANK YOU and if anyone is still coming to this question, I'll still be checking for more great answers.
posted by nkknkk at 8:39 AM on November 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
THANK YOU and if anyone is still coming to this question, I'll still be checking for more great answers.
posted by nkknkk at 8:39 AM on November 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also speaking of having kids those ages: GOOD HEADPHONES that are durable. With zoom school, they need them, and it's so hard to find ones that are comfy and sound good and last.
Finally, if she's drawing on Procreate, what's her stylus situation? A good one makes that app so much more enjoyable. And there are little things like drawing tablet gloves (that just cover the pinky and ring finger and palm edge of the drawing hand) that make it so much easier to draw on a tablet. EDIT: saw that there's an apple pencil. But still the tablet gloves and overlays to give the screen more of a paper feel, and other stuff like that are nice.
posted by sleeping bear at 11:21 AM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]