Put a smile on their braces-wearing faces
Middle school graduation gift ideas? Don’t even get us started. Okay fine, let us share our two cents on this one. The thing with middle school graduation is that it’s a pretty big deal. It’s not high school, but it’s also not elementary school. It’s the transition between childhood and preteen years. So, you want to get a gift that’s not too immature or too grown up. Middle school graduation gift ideas can be tough to come up with, especially when you want to find something that’s both thoughtful and age-appropriate.
There are plenty of classic gift options, but as we remember all too well, their image is ultra-important. So, really, it doesn’t hurt to also keep in mind it truly is the thought and the gift that count with tweens. And that’s totally okay! It’s completely normal and absolutely part of growing up. We rounded up some of our favorite middle school graduation gifts that (since we’re still ultra-cool and with it) we feel pretty confident they’ll love (and love showing off to all their friends!). The transition from middle to high school is a big deal and we’ve got the gifts to commemorate it!
Doomlings
They're getting more independent, but an easy way to keep them close a little longer is by rounding up the crew and playing a game that they'll actually want to play. Doomlings is quirky, funny, and perfect for family game night. It works as a 2 player game and up to a party of 6, so it's great for summertime staycations, road trips, and camping weekends, too. With over 4,000 5-star reviews, you seriously can't go wrong. Doomlings ($24.99+)—Buy Here!
Real Review: "I got this for my nephews (ages 8 and 10) and not only did they love it, the whole family did! Loads of fun, really easy to pick up how to play, and really cute graphics!"—Mylène H.
Preppy Aesthetic Wall Collage Kit
No middle school graduate wants bare walls, so make sure they're covered with this kit! Preppy Aesthetic Wall Collage Kit ($10.99)—Buy Now!
“You're Like Really Pretty” Large Neon Sign by Ancient Neon
We are very much anti-blank-walls around here, and Mean Girls quotes are evergreen, right? “You're Like Really Pretty” Large Neon Sign by Ancient Neon ($99.99)—Buy Now!
Kane Revive Sneakers
Designed for athletes and busy kids alike, these recovery sneakers are breathable, sustainable, and feel incredible on! They come in a bunch of colors and are gender-neutral. Kane Revive Sneakers ($75.00)—Buy Now!
iWalk Portable Phone Charger
TikTok isn't going to scroll itself! Don't let them get stuck with a dying phone (which is like, the worst thing ever). This super cool charger comes in 6 colors to match their phones, too. iWalk Portable Phone Charger ($34.99)—Buy Now!
Photo Hanging Clip String Lights
These are the days they want to remember, so give them a place to display all those precious photos! Photo Hanging Clip String Lights ($15.98)—Buy Now!
Jordan Brooklyn Fleece Plaid Pullover Hoodie
Jordan gear will never go out of style, and this sharp plaid hoodie will be the one they reach for over and over again. Jordan Brooklyn Fleece Plaid Pullover Hoodie ($36.97)—Buy Now!
Sprinkles Cupcakes
There's nothing quite like a fancy dessert delivery to make them feel a little more grown up! Sprinkles Cupcakes Favorites Dozens Box ($75.00)—Buy Now!
"Believe in You" Cuff
This is such a sweet cuff with a hidden message (just in case they get a little embarrassed by sentiment—we were 13 once, too)! "Believe in You" Cuff ($12.97)—Buy Now!
LEGO Technic App-Controlled Transformation RC Toy Car 42140
Although we're missing their little baby hands grabbing for Duplo Blocks, this LEGO Technic App-Controlled RC Car is a build your middle schooler will have a blast with! LEGO Technic App-Controlled Transformation RC Toy Car 42140 ($149.99)—Buy Now!
6 Piece Gold Heart Charm Necklace & Earrings Set
Set them up with a whole jewelry wardrobe for the new school year! This set is perfect for mixing and matching. 6 Piece Gold Heart Charm Necklace & Earrings Set ($12.90)—Buy Here!
DIY Journaling Kit
Middle school to high school means big feelings, and getting tweens into journaling their feelings is a great way to teach them healthy ways of handling them. DIY Journaling Kit ($19.99)—Buy Now!
Everyday California Floating Waterproof Snapback Surf Hat
Not only is this a cool hat, but it's also waterproof and floats! Whether they're into water activities or not, this is perfect especially for the spring and summer. Everyday California Floating Waterproof Snapback Surf Hat ($36.00)—Buy Now!
Initial Travel Jewelry Case
We all love initialed goodies, and these adorable travel cases are available in all the letters of the alphabet! Initial Travel Jewelry Case ($14.99)—Buy Now!
Inspirational Nylon Bracelet
An actual rugged piece of cool jewelry that they'll be happy to wear daily, especially since they'll remember the accompanying message! Inspirational Nylon Bracelet ($14.99)—Buy Now!
Evil Plans & Stuff Composition Notebook
Are they in their Wednesday Addams era? This is the composition book/notebook/journal for them! Evil Plans & Stuff Composition Notebook ($5.99)—Buy Now!
Pottery Barn Teen Light Up Wall Shelf
These shelves are seriously cool. Display pictures, projects, or their prized sneakers! Pottery Barn Teen Light Up Wall Shelf ($169.00)—Buy Now!
Adventure Initial Necklace
Freshman year in high school is the start of an adventure, no question. This necklace reminds them to embrace it! Adventure Initial Necklace ($13.99)—Buy Now!
Solid Ruffle One-Piece Swimsuit
Help them celebrate the summer before high school with this adorable ruffle swimsuit from Maurices little sister line, Evsie. Solid Ruffle One-Piece Swimsuit ($24.90)—Buy Here!
Hydro Flask 40 oz Wide Mouth with Flex Straw Cap
Gen Z loves their water vessels (and we do, too), so the new spring 2023 colors (Grapefruit, Dew, Lupine, and Oat) from Hydro Flask are must-haves! Hydro Flask 40 oz Wide Mouth with Flex Straw Cap ($54.95)—Buy Now!
Govee 32.8ft Color Changing LED Strip Lights
It sure seems like we're proud supporters of the customized lighting movement. And that's because we are. The LED strip lights from Govee has vivid colors and lots of options for customization. Govee 32.8ft Color Changing LED Strip Lights ($22.99)—Buy Now!
Pave Lightning Bolt Nap Earrings
Remind them how powerful they are with these lightning bolt nap earrings from Maison Miru! What makes them nap earrings? The flat backs mean they can wear them all the time, even to sleep! Pave Lightning Bolt Nap Earrings ($85.00)—Buy Now!
Throw Throw Burrito
It's a combination of a card game and dodgeball! Players go head-to-head collecting cards, earning points, and throwing squishy toy burritos at one another. From the creators of The Oatmeal and Exploding Kittens, this game is a whole lot of fun! This card game takes 5 minutes to learn and 15 minutes to play. You had us at "burrito". Throw Throw Burrito ($24.99)—Buy Now!
Casetify Reset Check Apple Watch Band
High school schedules can be chaotic, so keep their access to their calls, emails, and calendars, right on their wrist in style! Casetify Reset Check Apple Watch Band ($52.00)—Buy Now!
'How to Draw Cool Stuff'
This step-by-step guide makes it easy for anyone to get the hang of, well, drawing cool stuff! How to Draw Cool Stuff ($14.39)—Buy Now!
Gabbi Ruched Hobo Handbag
This ultra-popular and highly-rated handbag comes in a ton of colors and has enough room for the essentials! Gabbi Ruched Hobo Handbag ($67.99)—Buy Now!
Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Cocoa-Infused Eye Shadow Palette
A combination of age-appropriate neutrals and fun pops of sparkly colors make this the perfect on-your-way-to-high-school palette! Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Cocoa-Infused Eye Shadow Palette ($45.90)—Buy Now!
TOSY Ultimate Disc LED
This light up flying disc isn't a plain old Frisbee! As the original and patent-pending invention, the TOSY Disc is 100x brighter than any other light-up flying disc. It looks super cool, especially when you throw it outdoors at night! TOSY Ultimate Disc LED ($39.99)—Buy Now!
Confetti Clear Backpack & Lunchbox
How fun is this set? We all love a matching moment, and making it sparkle is the icing on the cake! Confetti Clear Backpack & Lunchbox ($68.00)—Buy Now!
Star Projector with Bluetooth Speaker & White Noise
Transform their room with this Northern Light projector! Sync music up with the projection so it moves with the beat, too. Star Projector with Bluetooth Speaker & White Noise ($39.99)—Buy Now!
Keyboard Key Caps
Dress up your keyboard to reflect your style! There are multiple color combinations to choose from, too. Keyboard Key Caps ($64.99)—Buy Now!
My Pretty Strap Honeycomb Apple Watch Band
This swanky band is perfect for pairing with every outfit of the week! It also comes in silver, rose gold, and a dreamy space grey. My Pretty Strap Honeycomb Apple Watch Band ($39.99)—Buy Now!
Herschel Little America Backpack Pro
Use it for school, as a cooler (it's insulated!), and everything in between. Herschel's iconic backpacks are designed to last for years! Herschel Little America Backpack Pro ($140.00)—Buy Now!
STM Goods Chargetree
Charge all the essentials—phone, watch, and AirPods—all at one time with the super fast and powerful (and compact!) Chargetree from STM Goods! STM Goods Chargetree ($119.95)—Buy Now!
Athleta Excursion Mini Belt Bag
Belt bags are having a moment right now, and we're loving the Mini Excursion from Athleta for our soon-to-be high schoolers! They're the perfect size for anything they need, keep them hands-free, and come in 4 colors. Seriously trending gift? Check! Athleta Excursion Mini Belt Bag ($49.00)—Buy Now!
Crocs Classic Clog
Love 'em or hate 'em, Crocs are back in a big way. It probably has a lot to do with how comfortable they are, but it doesn't hurt that they come in a bunch of colors and styles, too. Crocs Classic Clog ($39.99)—Buy Now!
Allkinds Bath & Body for Kids & Teens
Bath & body essentials they’ll use on a daily basis. The six Allkinds collections have their own active ingredients, colour, theme, and 100% natural signature fragrance. Sweet Talk, Lazy Days, Cosmic Choc, Superfresh, Hey Vacay, and more! They smell unbelievable and are perfect for mixing and matching, too. Allkinds Bath & Body for Kids & Teens—Shop Now!
Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera & Accessory Kit
We mentioned the importance of pictures, so make sure they have some to display with this Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera! It comes with everything they could need for capturing important moments. It also comes in four colors! Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera & Accessory Kit ($134.99)—Buy Now!
12’’ Screen Magnifier for Smartphone
If they're into watching a lot of movies and videos on their phone, this screen magnifier doubles their screen size! It also looks really darn cool. 12’’ Screen Magnifier for Smartphone ($16.95)—Buy Now!
HP Sprocket Portable 2x3" Instant Color Photo Printer
A handy little device that allows them to print pictures directly from their smartphones right onto sticky-backed paper? How brilliant is that? HP Sprocket Portable 2x3" Instant Color Photo Printer ($79.99)—Buy Now!
UGG Jella Clear Slide Sandals
The jellies from our youth are back, but way more chic. These Jella Slides are perfect for the pool, and if your middle schooler is anything like ours, they look pretty cute with socks, too! They come in multiple colors, also. UGG Jella Clear Slide Sandals ($95.00)—Buy Now!
Y2K Bracelets
Yep, we said "Y2K". Believe it or not, the styles we wore in high school while wondering if all the computers in the world would shut down on New Year's Eve 1999 are back. We'd be lying if we said we weren't eyeing these bracelets for ourselves. Y2K Bracelets ($9.99)—Buy Now!
Sunset Lamp
Golden Hour at any hour! This fun lamp makes it happen. It's awesome for relaxing, TikTok videos, pictures, and more! Sunset Lamp ($23.99)—Buy Now!
Jake Meets Kate Affirmation Aesthetic Wall Decor
We're all about the affirmations, and this set will help them remember what you already know about them. Jake Meets Kate Affirmation Aesthetic Wall Decor (Unframed) ($19.99)—Buy Now!
Chenille Cosmetic Bags Set
Organization skills are a must in high school, so help them start strong with these cute cosmetic bags! Chenille Cosmetic Bags Set ($39.99)—Buy Now!
Flower Hair Claw Clips
Neutral colors that go with everything and so much more fun than regular elastics! Flower Hair Claw Clips ($11.99)—Buy Now!
Sharper Image Candy Dispenser
M&Ms, jelly beans, peanuts, gumballs—whatever they're into, this dispenser is perfect. After all, now that they're going into high school, you can show that you trust them to keep candy in their rooms. Maybe. Sharper Image Candy Dispenser ($21.99)—Buy Now!
Tortilla Blanket
Maybe they don't use their baby blankets anymore, but who wouldn't want to be wrapped up like a burrito?? Tortilla Blanket ($19.99)—Buy Now!
MYNT3D Professional Printing 3D Pen with OLED Display
Hold the magic of 3D printing in your hand with the MYNT3D Professional 3D Pen! Now you can use FDM technology in any application from drafting and prototyping to spatial learning and 3D sculpting. Young artists and budding engineers will adore this! MYNT3D Professional Printing 3D Pen with OLED Display ($59.99)—Buy Now!
Athleta Girl Pleat Perfect Skort
Skorts are back, baby! This one from Athleta Girl comes in a bunch of color and is ideal for school, practice, and play. Athleta Girl Pleat Perfect Skort ($45.00)—Buy Now!
All the products listed are independently & personally selected by our shopping editors.
If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation. Prices and availability reflect the time of publication.
All images courtesy of retailers.
