• Gifts for pre-teens should reflect approaching adolescence and personal interests.girl and cell phone image by Michael Drager from Fotolia.com
  
  Shopping for gifts for pre-teens is a nerve-wracking endeavor: Many teen gifts seem inappropriate while gifts targeted for younger children insult the burgeoning maturity of pre-teens. The so-called tween age group is best suited for gifts that recognize the transitional period into adolescence while reflecting on the individual interests and activities of the child.
  
  

Entertainment Gifts

• Pre-teens begin to develop an interest in popular media and music, but expensive electronics are out of most people's budget. Instead of updated electronics, consider smaller media gifts that tweens can add to their growing collections. For example, purchase several discounted CDs from a used record store; choose popular music from several different decades or genres so that the birthday child has an array of styles to browse. If you would rather let her choose her own music, a gift card to either a music store or a website where the birthday child can purchase MP3s is a versatile gift. Instead of music, purchase a poster or T-shirt featuring the birthday guest's favorite musical or television star. Many popular artists are also featured on obscure paraphernalia like pencils, notebooks and belts.
  
  

Room Accessories

• As children grow into teenagers, their bedrooms transform from places for sleep and play into private areas for entertaining friends. Room accessories that guide pre-teens through the redecorating process are practical and stylish gift options. For example, purchase several rolls of a simple wall paper border in a solid bold color or a mature damask pattern to replace an outdated or childish border. Update an old bed with a simple canopy adapted set that includes a harness suspended from the ceiling and a sheer fabric that drapes over the bed. Even new curtains in a bold modern color like lime or electric blue update a space. As tweens grow into adolescents, they will likely need more room for their belongings as well. A creative, contemporary storage unit comprised of a plastic frame and several brightly colored bins is an attractive and practical addition to a pre-teen bedroom.
  
  

Transitional Gifts

• Many pre-teens are not ready for grown up grooming items like expensive make-up or designer cologne. However, many pre-adolescents are anxious to begin experimenting with such items. Purchase smaller, kid-friendly versions of adult-style gifts to make tweens feel mature. For example, substitute several miniature bottles of perfume or cologne for expensive fragrances. Many companies manufacture small, all-inclusive make-up kits with a few eye shadows, blush and lip balm in kid-friendly colors. A small basket of hair gel and combs introduces a birthday boy to the world of male teenage grooming. Bejeweled hair accessories are a balance of playful and mature for pre-teen girls.