With the holidays approaching, gift shopping can be tedious or just plain overwhelming! Fear not – I carefully cultivated this list for gift ideas for girls in your life that will teach, inspire and encourage! Girls of today are our future, and to create the brightest future, we should invest in our girls and encourage them to live their dreams.
American Girl Wellie Wishers ($60)
I really like how these dolls and their accompanying books place an emphasis on kindness, compassion, and friendship. I also love the diversity. Representation is so important! These dolls are all so cute and they have accessories for girls to match their doll. I would have loved matching my doll as a child!
Thames & Kosmos Kids First Coding & Robotics ($69)
This gift is so cool. Give your girl an intro to science and technology! There are not nearly enough women in the field of science, but that’s slowly beginning to change. Give your budding coder a gift that is as cool as she is. With this she can learn how to code and build a variety of robotics such as a mouse, a fire truck, a penguin, a factory, or even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!
Creativity for Kids Enchanted Fairy Garden Craft Kit ($20)
I love how this kit introduces girls to gardening (seeds sprout in 3-4 days), but also offers the customizable option to paint the included accessories to create a fairy garden all of her own. I’m glad to see the Creativity For Kids brand still thriving! I had several of these kits during childhood, and loved them all.
American Girls Smart Girl’s Guide Kits ($45)
I’ve always been a fan of the American Girl brand, but I really adore these “Smart Girl’s Guide” kits. There are so many to choose from, and they all come with fun little gifts inside to match the theme of the box. This box is about building confidence and self esteem! There are many more to choose from, including a “Smart Girl’s Guide: Worry” to teach girls helpful coping skills for their feelings.
Goldieblox DIY Unicorn Headphones ($24.99)
I think this kit is so cool! Classic style headphones have been making a comeback, and this kit allows girls to customize their own pair of headphones. I think it’s awesome that the kit includes S.T.E.M cards, to teach and encourage girls to pursue and rule the field!
See Through Compost Container for kids ($26.99)
With climate change on the rise, girls can learn environmentally friendly habits to help do their part to make the planet a healthier place for all! I’m really impressed with this kit. It combines the science of composition and green-friendly living, and can help her feel accomplished – like she has the power to affect positive change. Building up our girls is priority!
Mindware Pottery Wheel ($79.99)
Is your girl a budding artist? Give her something that will fuel her creativity and skills. This pottery wheel is a great start to any artists career and will give her the opportunity to explore her talents and work with her hands.
Ella Enchanted ($6.79 for paperback, $10.99 for hardcover)
This book is so special to me. I read it for the first time when I was 9 years old, and I’ve had several copies throughout the years. Cursed with the “gift” of obedience by the bumbling fairy Lucinda, Ella of Frell’s life is full of magic and adventure. Ella is one of my favorite female literary protagonists. She’s strong and resilient, and always kind. If I ever have a daughter someday, I can’t wait to share this book with her.
My Comic Book – Create Your Own Comic ($29.16)
How cool is it that girls can create a whole new world of their own on paper? I think it’s an especially awesome feature that the comic book she creates will be printed and delivered to her so she can see and hold her creation! This is a great gift for any girl with a vivid imaginiation.
Star Wars “Be More Leia” ($6.99)
For the Star Wars fan, this handy and entertaining book is all about Princess Leia! The content of this book offers helpful advice she can apply to her daily life, such as how to handle bullies, trusting your gut (it will never steer you wrong!), and how to outline your goals and dreams – and actually LIVE them. That’s what we’re all about.
Cool Maker Sew N’ Style Sewing Machine ($13.49)
This is a great option for her very first sewing machine! This kit comes with everything you need to make five items, and refill fabric kits are available for purchase as you go! It’s so important for girls to be able to create, and then to see and hold their creations.
Make It Real DIY Unicorn Hoodie Kit ($17.99)
Another option for the creative girl! Now that Winter is here, a unicorn hoodie that can also be used as a blanket would make a fun (and cozy) project. It teaches and combines the skills of sewing and knotting, which are super helpful to know for the crafty girl!
Melissa & Doug Decoupage Made Easy Deluxe Craft Set Cupcakes ($18.79)
My sister and I used to decoupage all the time in the early 00’s and I always remember being very proud of our creations – and what could be cuter than a cupcake? The cupcakes double as mini storage containers where she can keep all of her treasured trinkets! This is another great gift for a creative girl that loves making her own masterpieces.
A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America On The Moon ($11.88)
In 1969, three women boldly went where no woman – or man has ever gone. The genius of mathematician Katherine Johnson, NASA supervisor and mathematician Dorothy Vaughan, and NASA engineer Mary Jackson enabled the very first moon landing! The genius of these women were the inspiration for the 2016 film “Hidden Figures”. This is Katherine’s story.
Women In Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed The World ($12.89)
Sharing women’s history with girls is so special and important, because if she can see it, she can be it. If she can dream it, she can do it. Learning about the women who came before us will inspire the girls of today and tomorrow. Every girl deserves a hero to look up to.
For more ideas check out or gift guides from 2019 and 2017!
Girls have big dreams and it’s our responsibility to help cultivate those dreams! This year, give the girl in your life a gift that will inspire and affirm the person she is so that she can continue to grow, create and learn. Happy holidays!
Ashley Hesse is a 20-something writer/musician and women’s rights activist. She is a former beauty/special FX makeup artist who put down the makeup brushes and raised her fist in solidarity to help fight the social injustices against women all over the world. When she’s not crusading for social justice and defeating bigotry in all its forms, she also enjoys feeding her soul with musical theatre, red lipstick and Ghirardelli brownies.