There are regular birthdays, and then there are 16th birthdays, and Sweet 16 Birthday gifts are required to be a little more special than most. While every birthday feels like a big deal when you’re a kid, none are as exciting—or as important—as your 16th. You can drive! You’re almost an adult! You’re thinking about college! There are so many things that make a teenager’s sweet 16 so special—and so deserving of a great Gift to celebrate.
If your daughter, granddaughter, or any other teen in your life is turning 16, we’ve rounded up 27 of the best sweet 16 gifts that they’ll actually appreciate. Whether it’s a cute lanyard for their new car keys, a custom name necklace, or a trendy Patagonia pullover, these are the presents guaranteed to make their milestone birthday that much better.
Best Sweet 16 Gifts
MOMOL Sideways Initial Necklace
If she’s the type who wants to put her monogram on everything (literally, everything), she’ll wear this dainty, personalized necklace every day. (It comes in every letter of the alphabet.)
Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera
The 2021 version of your childhood Polaroid camera, the wildly popular Instax Mini comes in a rainbow of pretty pastels and is exactly what she needs to capture all her 16-year-old adventures.
Nixon The Sentry Leather Strap Watch
If your kid is ready for their first grown-up, sophisticated watch, we love this leather Nixon watch which is water-resistant, and securely buckles so they won’t lose it.
Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop
If you’ve got a gamer, it’s possible they’d be thrilled over a brand new gaming laptop (that can be used for other things…like homework). The Acer Notebook 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H Processor is built to process super quickly and its wide screen has great image quality. Plus, gamers love the red backlit keyboard, which looks pretty dope (and is handy if you’re playing in a dimly lit room).
Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise-Canceling Headphones
These industry-leading headphones (said to be better than Bose and Beats!) are not only noise-canceling and give you the clearest, crispest sound quality, but you can choose to get voice recognition if you want to listen to music but also be able to hear if someone says something to you (like, “Dinner’s ready!”). Our teen sources say this is *the* pair of headphones to splurge on.
Thread Wallets Key Chain Holder
Give her a place to hold those shiny new car keys with this adorable printed leather lanyard, which is available in 28 different colors and patterns.
WONDRUZ Makeup Mirror
She spends all of her free time watching her favorite beauty vloggers on YouTube. With this light-up makeup mirror, she can finally nail that smokey eye once and for all.
Apple AirPods Pro
Pricey? Yes. But worth it? Also yes. That’s what the thousands of people who swear by the newest AirPods Pro say. She’ll feel like one of the “cool kids” with the iconic white earbuds.
SANROCK 1080P HD Camera Drone
Most teens are fascinated by drones, and they’re not extremely expensive anymore, either. This drone has a flight time of 17 minutes and can fly 328 feet in the air — plus, it can be controlled by an app on your phone. You can use this to take high-quality photos, videos, or just use it for fun, like if you’re on a hike and want a better view.
Himawari Backpack
Small enough to be tres chic yet big enough to actually hold all the things she needs to tote around (aka, her laptop, keys, and makeup). Plus, the pastel palette is the dreamiest.
Corkcicle 16oz Canteen
The only thing better than a tumbler? A leopard print tumbler. This one from Corkcicle (which comes in solid hues, too) will keep her water cold and her iced coffee colder.
World Chic Blanket
If your 16-year-old loves to be cozy, get her the Ull Blanket, made in Reykjavík, Iceland. In comes in four very hygge-inspired colors, and will keep her toasty as she does her homework on the couch or catches up on some Netflix. Everyone feels luxurious when they have a luxurious blanket.
The Josie Ring
If your teen is a minimalist (it’s possible), they will probably love this simple — yet gorgeous — ring, which is easily stackable and goes with just about everything.
Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover
Every teen girl wants a Patagonia pullover, so you can’t go wrong with this super soft, super cute color-block sweatshirt. She’ll cozy up to it all fall and winter long.
EZDC 100 LED USB Powered Photo Clip String Lights
Name a teen girl who isn’t obsessed with her room… we’ll wait. Help her take her sanctuary to Pinterest-worthy levels with these tiny fairy lights complete with clips to hold all her snaps.
BONAOK Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone
Make her the TikTok star of her dreams with this wildly popular Bluetooth karaoke microphone. With nearly 20,000 rave reviews on Amazon, it’s the only thing standing between her and a million new followers.
Women's Keds x kate spade new york Champion Glitter
Take the classic white sneakers everyone is wearing this year, toss on a bunch of glitter and voila: the perfect sweet 16 gift for any girl who considers herself stylish.
Sweet 16 Gifts for Daughter
Minimalist Name Necklace
Everyone who’s anyone (aka, all of her favorite Instagram influencers) has a name necklace. Get her one to match with this customizable chain from Etsy.
Tile Mate
Those new car keys are a big responsibility. Help her keep track of them with a Tile Mate, the popular Bluetooth tracker that will make sure she never has to ask, “Has anyone seen my keys?” again.
Personalized Makeup Bag
Finally—a gift for her and for you. She’ll get a cute personalized bag to store all of her things and you’ll get a bathroom counter free of said things cluttering it up.
Birthday Party Candle
Homesick candles are all over Instagram right now and for good reason. People love their delicious scents but more importantly, they love that you can choose candles for any occasion (like a birthday!) or any state.
Zonli Weighted Blanket
Two reasons to get your daughter a calming weighted blanket for her 16th birthday: first, because they’re very trendy, and second, because becoming an almost-adult is very stressful.
Alex and Ani Sweet 16 Bangle
An Alex and Ani bracelet that doubles as a keepsake and that commemorates this major milestone in her life? How, well, charming.
Kindle Paperwhite
If your 16-year-old loves to read, she’ll love the Kindle Paperwhite. It’s waterproof, glare-free, and has the most storage space of all the models so she can stock up on all of her must-reads (and must-listens).
Custom Photo Book
All those pictures you’ve saved up from your granddaughter over the last 16 years will finally be put to good use—and will be cherished forever—with one of these custom photo albums.
Anker PowerCore Portable Charger
Now that she’s able to drive herself around, she’ll probably be out and about a lot more—which means she’ll need a portable battery pack like this one to keep all of her devices charged.
Sweet 16 Gifts for Granddaughter
Amazon Essentials Birthstone Stud Earrings
Birthstone earrings are one of those gifts that never go out of style. And you don’t have to spend a lot thanks to this pretty pair from Amazon, which reviewers say look way more expensive than they are.
Personalized Birthday Print
You’ll be crowned “world’s best grandmother” if you gift her one of these stylish hand-painted portraits from Etsy. You can customize everything from her outfit to the drink she’s holding to the message printed across the top.
17-Month Planner
So much to do, so little time. Your newly-16 granddaughter’s schedule is jam-packed between school and a social life so she’ll appreciate a pretty Rifle Paper Co. planner to keep it all organized.
InnoGear Essential Oil Diffuser
Not a day goes by that your teenage granddaughter doesn’t bring up essential oils (which she swears solve everything). So she’ll think you’re the absolute coolest if you gift her this popular oil diffuser for her room.
Personalised Hug In A Box Gift
Maybe your granddaughter lives across the country or maybe you can’t see her because of COVID-19. Regardless, you can send her a long-distance hug with this perfectly curated care package.
BTYSUN Bracelet
Sometimes your granddaughter just needs a little reminder about how badass she is—and this simple engraved bangle will make sure she never forgets.
Find all of our gift guides—for everyone from the men in your life to the new parents—here.
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