A girl’s Sweet Sixteen birthday is important. There was even a TV show dedicated to the subject. Choosing the best gift for a 16 year old girl depends on the girl’s interests and your budget. Sixteen year old girls always appreciate backpacks and other items they use everyday, but fashion gifts are also welcome.   

Today’s sixteen-year-old girls have a wide range of interests, from sports and fitness to tech, science, and healthy eating. Girls celebrating their Sweet 16 birthday love to receive jewelry, clothes, handbags, and cosmetics but appreciate gifts geared toward school and career as well.

Many girls receive cars or other expensive gifts for this milestone birthday, but there are lots of low to mid-range items that make up our list of best gifts for 16-year-old girl.

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Product FAQs

Here are some answers to some common questions that you may also have.

What products make great presents for 16-year-old girls?

You have almost unlimited choices for teen girl gifts. Sweet Sixteen themed jewelry, electronics, and cosmetic gift bags are just a few of the items and 16-year-old girl will appreciate.

How do you know what is appropriate for your daughter/niece/friend?

Consider your daughter or niece’s hobbies, what music/movies she likes, and any favorite school subjects. Discreetly ask her friends what they think she would like.

How We Reviewed

We checked out the most popular gifts on Amazon and other websites for teen girls, especially high school sophomores and juniors. We also looked at Sweet Sixteen party information, and social media posts by 16-year-olds to find out what gifts they would like.

Image source: Pixabay

Top 10 Gifts for a 16-Year-Old Girl

Parents and others unsure of what to buy their daughter for her 16th birthday can get ideas from our list of best gifts for 16-year-old girl.

Sean Covey’s Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Teens

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Sean Covey’s pragmatic self-help book, “Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Teens,” give teens advice on how to make the most of their high school years and beyond. Covey addresses the hard decisions teenage girls and boys face every day, like choosing a career or dealing with family and friends.

Five million copies of this book are currently in print.

  • This book helps teens understand how to make effective decisions.
  • Written for teen girls and boys, but adults can read it, too.
  • Teaches children organization and leadership skills
  • Even teens with Asperger’s or learning disabilities can benefit from reading this book

PROS

  • Available in hardcover, paperback, e-book, audiobook, and MP3 CD
  • Lots of excellent inspirational anecdotes
  • Helps teen girls navigate difficult social situations
  • Has many positive online reviews from teens and parents

CONS

  • Some sellers pass of used books as new.

Sweet 16 Keychain

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This enchanting charm bracelet/key chain has a one and one-quarter inch silver-plated pendant. The quote engraved on the pendant reads “Never Drive Faster Than Your Guardian Angel Can Fly.”

  • Key Features
  • Pricing
  • Where to buy
  • Warranty
  • Coupons/Deals
  • Large lobster clasp
  • Silver-plated pendant
  • Heart and angel wings charms
  • Turquoise crystal

PROS

  • Comes in a gift box tied with a ribbon and tulle
  • The bezel has water resistant resin
  • Looks like a charm bracelet but has a practical application

CONS

  • Water resistant, not waterproof

Adidas Racer Lite Women Running Shoes

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This fashionable but comfortable running shoe is made of synthetic mesh material. The strong mesh upper lets feet breathe and reduce sweat to keep your skin (and shoes) from smelling.

  • Rubber sole
  • Cloud foam lining to keep socks dry
  • Lightweight, durable EVA outsole
  • Available in grey, white and black, aqua and white, grey and white and all-white

PROS

  • Made of mesh and synthetic leather
  • Comes in sizes 5 to 11 medium, including half-sizes
  • Good for sports, jogging, and casual wear
  • Features synthetic leather stripes

CONS

  • Sizing is slightly big.

Apple iPad Mini – White/ Silver

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An Apple iPad Mini in white or silver will keep any 16-year-old girl in the loop on Instagram or Snapchat.  This 7.9 inch iPad mini comes with AppleCare coverage if you want. AppleCare gives you one year of hardware repair and 90 days of free tech support.

  • Makes videos in crystal clear detail with 1080p HD
  • Battery lasts for up to ten hours
  • 5MP camera

PROS

  • Excellent rear camera
  • Mirroring support
  • Attractive industrial design
  • Stereo speakers
  • Less expensive than full-size iPads or MacBooks

CONS

  • Doesn’t have SD card for photo transfer
  • Cramped onscreen keyboard

Glossy Pattern iPhone 6 6s Case

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This glossy phone case is made from tough TPU material to protect your phone. Choose from 28 designs. It is made by AknaCase for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s.

  • Raised lip design keeps the screen safe if the phone falls on the ground face-first.
  • Designs include gold flowers, pink and lilac flowers, veined marble and black and white stripes.
  • Sleek looking case perfect for teen girls

PROS

  • Has FringeReaction technology for more button accuracy
  • Sturdy but flexible
  • Three millimeters high to protect case

CONS

  • The lock button is hard to press for some users

CamKix Selfie Stick

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Any 16-year-old girl who wants to takes lots of pics solo or with her friends will love the CamKix Selfie Stick. This selfie stick holds any cell phone that’s up to 3.25 inches wide so that you can use many different phones with it.

Hold the selfie stick 11 inches away for a close-up shot and close to 40 inches for a longer shot, or to feature more people in the picture.

  • Easily fits in a purse
  • 180-degree adjustable head so you can position it the way you want
  • Bluetooth remote lets you snap photos when you want. You don’t need to rush before the timer sounds
  • Full instructions included

PROS

  • Only 11 inches long when folded and not in use
  • You can adjust the selfie stick up to 40 inches in length
  • Includes Bluetooth remote for Android and Apple

CONS

  • Selfie stick is only compatible with Android 4.2.2 or above, and Apple iOS 2 or above. No other systems are supported
  • Some Android owners may need to download Camera 360 from Google Play

Art 101 142-Piece Wood Art Set

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This thorough set of art supplies gives any aspiring artist or hobbyist lots of crayons, colored pencils and other tools to create unique works of art. The kit contains 24 oil pastels, two paint brushes, 24 cakes of watercolor, 24 colored pencils, a sharpener, eraser color chart, mixing palette and several more items to spark a teen girl’s creativity.

  • Store all items stored in a wooden carrying case with drawer.
  • Contains 60 crayons, plus items listed above 142 pieces total
  • Premium colored pencils are excellent for shading and smoother drawing
  • The wooden case is 14 7/8 inches wide by 10 inches long by three inches high and weighs about five pounds.
  • The convenient carrying case is great for travel

PROS

  • The convenient carrying case is great for travel
  • Has all the drawing and painting tools beginners need
  • Wide selection of colors
  • Easy to keep pencils and crayons neatly organized in different drawers

CONS

  • Made in Thailand, though the website description says “Made in the USA”
  • Some users received different colors than the ones pictured

Forever 21 Gift Card

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Teenage girls can be picky, and their tastes may change rapidly. What they liked last week can be the furthest thing from their minds this week. Gift cards let you surprise a 16-year-old girl with a gift while giving her the freedom to choose what she wants.

Forever 21 has trendy clothing and accessories for teen girls and women. Any teen who likes quirky, cute or colorful fashions will find something to buy at Forever 21.

  • Choose the amount that’s right for your budget.
  • Forever 21 has clothes, accessories, swimwear, shoes and other items.
  • Girls can buy clothes from the website or in a retail store.

PROS

  • You don’t need to spend time selecting a present
  • The recipient can but what they want when they want
  • You can spend  what you want on the gift

CONS

  • You’ll miss the fun of selecting an item and wrapping it

JanSport TDN7 Big Student Backpack

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This JanSport TDN7 Big Student Backpack is 17.5 inches wide by 13 inches long by 10 inches wide. The sturdy denier polyester material lets a teen girl carry her laptop, other electronics, books, and clothes safely. This backpack is an everyday item all 16-year-old girls can use, regardless of their hobbies or interests.

  • Made of 600 denier polyester
  • Lots of internal padding
  • Ergonomic shoulder straps
  • Organizer in the front utility pocket
  • The strap is stiff at first

PROS

  • Plenty of room
  • Lightweight
  • Compartments for laptops and smaller items
  • Weight is evenly distributed even when full

CONS

  • The strap is stiff at first
  • The zipper may get stuck

Pink Jewelry Organizer

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This quality jewelry box was designed and produced by Glenor Company. The box measures 10.25 inches wide by 10.25 inches long by 3.5 inches wide. The best grade materials were used to make this feminine pink jewelry box organizer. A 16-year old fashionista will love this box.

  • Magnetic snap lets users open and close the box with one hand
  • Has various sized compartments for rings, earrings, watches, bracelets, and necklaces
  • Lets you find the pieces you need without searching in one large, unorganized box
  • Lift out top tray

PROS

  • Comes in gift box with a blank card
  • Attractive pink color
  • Large mirror on the inside lid
  • Bottom tray features 28 compartments

CONS

  • Too large for travel

Comparison Table

We compiled an array of the best products in several categories to give you enough gift ideas to please most 16-year-old girls.

Some gifts are low-maintenance, like gift cards, while you’ll need to wrap others. Compare gifts on this list by focusing on what the 16-year old girl likes to do, your budget, how long the product will last, and whether or not it can be used every day.

The Verdict

The Sweet Sixteen Keychain is our pick from the list of best gifts for 16-year-old girl. This keychain is as pretty as a charm bracelet and can be used by new drivers for car keys (or even girls who don’t have their license yet.)  This gift combines the beauty of jewelry with the practicality of a keychain.

Featured image via Pixabay