Gifts for Kids Who “Hate” to Read: High School

Time to share some gift ideas for the teens in your life. It has been my experience that what compliments gift-giving for this group is the factor of time. Even in a pandemic, the demands on our teens are many.

The stresses they feel may make them less likely to want to enjoy something they truly love, so finding something they can “get lost in” can be just what they need. We purposefully picked screen-free activities for this list.

For Relaxation

Manipulative puzzles and brain teasers are great for engaging the brain and reducing stress. Remember how much time you spent with a Rubik’s cube?

Music subscription or gift card. Whether its air pods or a headset, odds are pretty good the teens in your life have music playing most of the time. Some find it helpful for focusing, some find it great for relaxing. We won’t tell them that listening to the lyrics is a kind of reading that resembles *gasp* poetry.

Audiobooks. Like music, kids often enjoy “not thinking” about their entertainment. An audiobook lets them fall into different times or universes without having to look at a screen or a page. 

For Playtime

Multi-player Card and Board Games are another great idea. Especially ones that create family time and will result in LOL moments. Was there a game that your teen couldn’t get enough of as a Kindergartener? Trouble? Connect Four? Kerplunk? Wrap them up and include a note. It can be a memory or a challenge: something that will create happy memories for everyone. If competition isn’t your thing, there are plenty of cooperative game options.

DIY Technology spans all things gadget. From making clocks out of potatoes to hand-held hover drones and robotic arm kits. Great for analytical skills, motor skills, and logic (sequence of things).

Don’t miss the other posts in our Gifts for Kids Who “Hate” Reading Guide: Kindergarten to Grade 3 and Grades 4 to 8

(Some More) Great Ideas

Just like our last post, as we were sorting through categories of ideas, we found some items that stood out!

NOTICE: All links go to www.smile.amazon.com. Amazon.com will donate a portion of your purchase to the Reading Tub. Your purchase supports our literacy mission. Because we are all volunteers, 100% of all income goes to our family literacy mission.