HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR TWEENS

Oh wow! Holiday gift shopping for TWEENS can be tricky! They are getting too old for toys yet still expect something AWESOME to unwrap. What do you give them that they'll be geeked about getting? 

VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSETS

Take gaming to the next level with a virtual reality headset. VR headsets immerse players into gameplay so it feels as if they've stepped into the action. Already have a PlayStation gaming console? Then expand upon it with PlayStation VR. 

Want to focus on a device that was created just for providing virtual reality applications and games? Check out an Oculus VR Headset. Watch an NBA game with a court side seat experience or explore a galaxy far, far away in the Star Wars: Tales from Galaxy's Edge game. 

Some developers like Survios are making games for both devices like Puzzle Bobble: Vacation Odyssey. Aim, shoot, and pop bubbles with your trusty bubble cannon using VR movement-based gameplay to match 3 or more bubbles of the same color and clear every stage. Follow Bub and Bob through exotic locations, like a desert oasis or a tropical island, as they solve puzzles along the way.  

NINTENDO SWITCH LITE

We drove out to Yellowstone National Park for a family summer vacation and if my kids didn't each have their own Nintendo Switch Lite I don't know if we would have kept our sanity during the long car ride. Tweens love video games and there is a great selection to choose from for this portable gaming device from Nintendo. 

Just released was Mario Party Superstars which Nintendo recently sent for my kids to review. They get to play games some classic games introduced for the Nintendo 64 and Nintendo GameCube bundled together in Mario Party Superstars that have levels and challenges they've never competed against before. My kids LOVE online multiplayer games and this video game lets them play along with their friends. I appreciate the family-friendly content of Nintendo Mario Party Superstars so my son and daughter can have fun online with their friends without parents worrying they are getting into trouble.

MOVIES

Because of the pandemic we haven't been going to see films at the movie theater. There are a bunch of films my Tweens have been wanting to see we haven't gotten around the viewing yet. One of those my video game loving kids want to see is FREE GUY starring Ryan Reynolds. This comedy tells the story of a bank teller who discovers he is actually a non-player character in an open world video game. Upon coming to that realization he decides to become the hero of his own story. Movies like Free Guy can be something to unwrap that are sure to bring a smile to a tween's face when opening.

TABLETOP GAMING

Wanting to step away from electronics that have kids focused on television and video game screens? Tabletop gaming is growing in popularity and can be a great way for tweens to have fun with friends and family. Not only entertaining these games can assist kids with cognitive thinking and social skills. 

My kids have had some exciting adventures with their friends plus we've had some fantastic family game nights playing Marvel United from Spin Master Games. This is a cooperative team game where players work together to defeat the master plan of a villainous foe. Each player picks a hero from Marvel's Avengers to choose to be and they use those characters skills and abilities to defeat villains that include Ultron, Red Skull and Taskmaster. Marvel United combines elements of board game and card deck building games that promote using strategy and teamwork to win the game.

Another game my kids have really gotten into, also from Spin Master Games, is Disney Sidekicks, which involves players teaming up to battle classic movie villains like Captain Hook, Scar, Bastion, Maleficent and Jafar. Here's the catch though, the villains have captured your favorite Disney heroes and it is up to sidekicks such as Abu, Lumiere and Tinker Bell to save the day!

Great for traveling is Pressman 6-in-1 Magnetic Games. It features Checkers, Chess, Chinese Checkers, Pahrchessi, Backgammon, and Snakes & Ladders. Turn a knob on this sturdy game case and the various boards will rotate for you to choose from. It comes with all the pieces you need to play each game which are all magnetized so they won't fall off the board. Plus, there is a handy storage drawer to hold all the game pieces. A great way to play classic board games that is easy to stash in a backpack or car to enjoy during down time when out and about.

CUSTOM ARTWORK

Create a custom piece of hand drawn artwork that illustrates your tween as a Star Trek caricature or Hogwarts student. Great for decorating a room or as a social media profile picture. Artist Matt Farra will create a custom portrait that will embrace your tween's fandom and delight them. Go to fanarti.com for a fan-tastic experience!

HEXMODS

Build and customize a remote control race car wth HEXMODS. Not only are HEXMODS cool looking but it is equipped with a hobby-grade RC tuner car chassis that lets you race it at speeds reaching 18mph. Even tweens who say they are too old for toys will want to play with this one! This car guy dad is even geeked about this toy from the robot building / toy making folks at HEXBUG. One of my favorite products from this brand that I already was a big fan of before the release of Hexmods.

BEANIE BABIES

Ty has made an extra special effort to fly in rather than ship by sea their Christmas edition Beanie Babies to make sure they are in stock for the holiday shopping season. From Howlidays Dog to Fudge the Reindeer these dolls are adorable and full of holiday spirit. My tween aged daughter likes to think she is all grown up but I still catch her snuggling Beanie Babies all the time. But who doesn't love hugging a Ty Beanie Baby?

REPLICA MOVIE PROPS

Know a tween who is a Harry Potter fan? Immerse them in their fandom with a replica of a prop from The Noble Collection. From jewelry that Hermione Granger wore in the Harry Potter films to wands the characters battled with during the movie's action scenes these are some items that fans are sure to relish. 

Replica movie props can be so much fun whether for imaginative play or as interesting room decor. Planning ahead for next year? Hasbro is wrapping up a crowd funding campaign for a prop replica of the Ghostbusters proton pack. What kid,or kid at heart, wouldn't want that?! It is scheduled for delivery during the holiday season of 2022 from hasbropulse.com. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANUKKAH 

Good luck with your holiday gift shopping! Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season! I hope the tweens in your life are geeked about whatever presents they receive and this time of year is full of memorable family moments. 

Some of the products featured in this post ageekdaddy.com may have been received for promotional consideration. Buy a product through a Geek Daddy link in this post and this blog might receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase. Thanks for reading and supporting ageekdaddy.com! 

FANARTI STUDIOS FANTASTIC PORTRAITS

The talented Matt Farra created a customized portrait for this Geek Daddy to demonstrate the impressive works available through his Fanarti Studios online store on Etsy.com. Ever imagined what you would look like as a Star Wars Jedi, Star Trek Captain or student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry? Submit a photograph of yourself, a family member or friend to Fanarti Studios and Matt will customize a hand drawn illustration with the face from your submitted picture incorporated into one of a number of templates you can choose from. What a great way to immerse yourself in your fanship of Harry Potter, Star Wars or Star Trek.

I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. I choose a Star Wars template depicting the prequal era Obi-Wan Kenobi for my Fanarti Studios portrait that shows me as a Jedi. Attempting to do my best to replicate the look on the face of Obi-Wan, my wife snapped a picture of me to send over to Matt. He then replaced Kenobi's face with a hand drawn sketch of my own. 

Voila! I have a nice piece of artwork depicting me as one of the last Jedi preparing to take on the villainous Darth Vader in an effort to save the Galaxy from the Sith. I was so geeked for the opportunity to be portrayed as a Jedi in a quality piece of artwork!

You can purchase just a digital image to be sent to your or pay a bit extra to have Matt send you the image printed on High Quality Lustre Paper. Framing isn't included so you'll need to pick out one on your own. If you are interested in seeing yourself as a Jedi, head over to Fanarti Studios on Etsy and use code JEDI30 to get a 30% discount off your order. Let Matt know you saw his artwork on ageekdaddy.com! 

Templates you can choose from include a Star Wars Jedi like in my portrait or a Luke Skywalker inspired Rebel pilot suit; Harry Potter inspired images including Hogwarts' school uniforms and quiddich robes; and a variety of Star Trek scenes depicting the Captain's Chair on a number of different starships. Which of these custom portraits would you like to see yourself in? There is also the option to have Star Trek or the Wizarding World of Harry Potter personalized caricatures drafted up. There is even an option to have a cartoon of your pet sketched into a caricature with you. 

With so many impressive options to choose from it may be hard to select just one. With the reasonable pricing for this artwork it is reasonable and affordable to order a number of customized personal caricatures and portraits from Fanarti Studios. I'm thinking of getting portraits done of myself as a Star Trek Captain and my daughter as a Hogwarts student as well as a caricature of my son as Harry Potter. So many awesome templates to choose from!

Matt Farra has absolutely earned a Geek Daddy nod of approval for the hands on approach to catering to his cliental, excellent customer service and impressive art. Head over to Etsy and check out his portfolio for yourself. His work is FAN-tastic!