Stepping up from junior high to high school is a big step in any teen’s life. Eighth-grade graduation brings them one step closer to adulthood and maturity, and is a time when they are really determining who they are going to be as an adult – it is a time worthy of celebration (and gifts!).
They need to know that they’ve got family and friends supporting them and helping them grow and an eighth-grade graduation, welcome to high school gift is a perfect way to do that!
However, deciding what to give a teenager is tricky. They are a fickle bunch, with their own likes and dislikes, balancing between childhood and adulthood – you don’t want to shoot too young and end up giving a gift that makes them feel childish, but you also don’t want to give a gift that is too mature, that they can’t or won’t have use for.
Don’t sweat it! We have compiled a list of some of the best gifts to consider for the junior high graduate in your life – the perfect little something to make reaching the ninth grade even more special (and possibly making YOU the coolest relative in the family!) and with gifts in all price ranges, you will find something great that won’t break the bank.
Fitbit Inspire Fitness Tracker
Any of the Fitbit activity tracking watches are worth the investment, whether your 8th-grade graduation girls and boys are athletes or just live an active lifestyle, it is the perfect balance of sleek design, and rugged utility.
They can withstand just about anything (swimming, running, rock climbing – anything) while keeping up with the progress made in speed, heart rate training, weight loss, steps, and sleep time and quality. These are wonderful for seeing progress over time, in any arena of physical health. And it is capable of alerting the user to calls and text messages when connected to a smartphone, which makes it an affordable alternative to other pricier smartwatches on the market.
Fitness trackers come in a variety of colors and styles, so you can find one perfect for any teen graduate in your life. If you’re (understandably) not ready to shell out big bucks for an expensive smartwatch, this is a great graduation gift option.
Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
They can utilize these to stay focused and concentrate in deep studying sessions, or to keep motivated in the gym. These lightweight, waterproof, sweat-proof, noise canceling headphones are a steal at this inexpensive price, and have over 6000 5 star reviews, giving you the biggest bang for your buck.
The connecting cord is flexible, so they can easily be folded or wrapped up to keep in a pocket or book bag, and come in a variety of different colors to suit the personality of the recipient.
Silver Compass Necklace
For many, graduation day is a door opening to a world full of different directions. This compass pendant necklace is a reminder of that, and, lying against graduate girl chest, is also a reminder that her heart is most important guide. The necklace comes in a box that states “enjoy the journey” and is further wrapped in a manufacturer-made gift bag. This necklace is both simple yet elegant gift for 8th grade graduation for girls.
Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets have been tested and proven to help lower stress and anxiety, and generate better, deeper sleep, by activating pressure points all over the body. These blankets are recommended for anyone struggling with insomnia and anxiety and have also been shown to calm those with diagnosed mental health and emotional stability concerns, such as those with autism and bipolar disorder.
Help them to be successful in what can be a volatile transitional period by giving them a healthy way to relax after school and get a better night’s rest. This may not be a gift that teenagers would like to get for 8th-grade graduation but they are still young and they really don’t know what is good for them. If you’re looking for useful graduation gift this is the right one, if you’re looking for gifts that will delight the teen receivers then maybe you should skip this one.
RFID Safe, Water Resistant Backpack
With all of the tech gear that young people are walking around with these days, it pays to have some protective carry gear for all of their laptops, tablets, smartphones, and handheld games. Give this gifted teenager for the 8th-grade graduation to protect all this preciousness and to have a backpack that looks top-notch.
This backpack offers protection from data scans, to keep their personal information safe, as well as high visibility reflective strips to keep themselves safe. Hidden anti-theft pockets are great for keeping valuables out of reach of sticky fingers, and the rip-stop fabric is resistant to snagging and cutting.
There is also a convenient external charging port, for easier access to battery backups and handheld chargers. This is also a TSA-approved bag, and sized for carry-on – it will easily fit in the under-seat compartment on a standard flight.
Smartphone Compatible Video Projector
What better way to grab hold of the conveniences of today’s world than with a mini video projector, compatible with smartphones and laptops, to create a movie theater experience straight from a video app on a smartphone?
This mini projector is the perfect tech gift to allow the young person in your life to engage with friends and share media face-to-face. All they need is a flat surface and a wall!
Smartphone/Tablet compatible Bluetooth Keyboard
Part of entering high school is taking on a heftier academic workload. That means more assignments, more studying, and more papers and essays to write.
This Bluetooth, wireless keyboard is a great addition to any teen’s arsenal of school supplies, giving them the capability of writing that paper or doing that homework assignment from anywhere.
This sensible and affordable travel keyboard includes an adjustable sliding stand to accommodate tablets and phones of different sizes to suit the individual’s needs. It is slim, lightweight, and with low profile keys, nearly silent when typing, and very durable – this keyboard won’t be easily broken if tossed in a backpack.
Tile Pro Locator System
Everyone loses things from time to time. As hectic as a teenager’s life can be during a transitional time in their lives, important things are bound to get misplaced.
The Tile system is a great way to help them keep track of anything from keys to wallets to backpacks or anything else that might get routinely misplaced. This time, when attached to an object, tracks the location of the object directly to an app on the user’s smartphone or tablet, so they can locate it and retrieve it.
The last thing a parent need is to worry about their child not being able to get into the house after school, or losing a phone with cash and personal information. It has a fair price for peace of mind, and is a lot cheaper than replacing keys or phones.
Plush Graduation Bear
Some may think that 8th-graders are too old for stuffed animals. However, no one can resist this cute little bear in his cute cap complete with a tassel. Once graduation is over, it will remind them of the beautiful moments that they experienced in the eighth grade. Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you have to fully grow up!
Camping Hammock/Tent
Group activities often include time spent outdoors, camping, hiking, and hanging out in the local park – this hammock is ready for any of those adventures. It sets up easily and quickly, with virtually no hassle, in under five minutes.
It can be a single or double-sized hammock with plenty of room to share with friends and includes a detachable mosquito net tent, which can be used for sleeping and camping outdoors. There is a rain fly to ensure that the camper won’t get wet if it happens to rain, and the whole thing compacts down small enough to carry in or attach to a backpack for regular use.
This hammock is a lot more affordable than some other popular brands.
Aromatherapy Diffuser
A great addition to the living space of a high school student is an essential oil diffuser. Even better, an essential oil diffuser that changes colors, emits a visually appealing vapor cloud, adds moisture to the air to help with sinus dryness, and has an automatic shut off so it is perfectly safe to put it on before bed to aid in sleep.
Essential oils can be tailored to the user’s needs and can be used to alleviate headaches, fatigue, insomnia, stress, sinus and allergy problems, and on top of all of that, they just make the space smell really nice.
A diffuser is a great way to give a student’s bedroom a relaxing ambiance and to keep it smelling great.
Kalimbo 17 Keys Thumb Piano and Case
Music is often an important part of a young person’s life and even can contribute to better cognitive development, stress coping mechanisms, and alleviating anxiety.
This Kalimba thumb piano is a quick instrument to pick up and can be taken almost anywhere. It comes with a case, a hammer, and an instructional booklet on how to play. If you have never heard this instrument being played, take a moment to do some internet research and immerse yourself in the lovely and haunting chiming of this beauty. It is simple but unique and versatile.
This is a great way to help get the teenager in your life interested in learning a musical instrument and entertaining their friends in social settings. Its like the piano of ukuleles! And ukuleles are cool.
Lego Figure Graduate
He may have graduated eight grade, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still a kid at heart. And who doesn’t love Lego!? Show him life doesn’t have to be all seriousness and get him this cute Lego figure.
365 Days of Art
Do you know a high school student who has shown interest in drawing, sketching, lettering, painting, or journaling? Give them a reason and a way to practice every day!
Youth is a time for artistic discovery and learning new ways to express yourself. A time when kids are figuring out what they like, what they want to say to the world, and how they want to say it. It can take time and a lot of processing for an individual to find their place in the world of art and build a relevant portfolio that showcases their abilities, talents and interests.
This book is a guide to unleashing that self-expression, with 365 different exercises, one for each day of the year. Any teenager who is even a little bit artistic will love this book and will love you for supporting their artistic side and helping them identify who they are as a person.
NAZIV
If your high schooler is anything like the teenagers I know, they love all things movie trivia and pop culture. This book of movie quotes is colorful, inexpensive, and full of hilarious, insightful, and interesting quotes from some of the best movies ever made.
It is the perfect gift for anyone who loves movies and loves to impress their friends. With this book, they can find the perfect quote for any occasion and learn new witty commentary to insert into conversations – the perfect way to break the ice in a new school setting.
Most adults I know would love this gift, and I know your freshman will too.
The graduation season came. Be ready this year to choose your dear teenagers the perfect gift for a successful eighth-grade graduation. We hope that after reading our article you have ideas on what to choose. Also very helpful for you can be the ideas you can find in our list of Best Gifts For 14-Year-Old Boys. There you can find only the most wanted gifts for boys.
Soft Core Colored Pencils
A perfect companion gift to the creative art guide above is this pack of 48 premium, artist-grade colored pencils.
These are the best-colored pencils for the best value, deeper and richer color than lower-grade colored pencils, and are long-lasting – take it from someone who owns and uses them regularly, these are the way to go for anyone interested in making art with colored pencils. They re-sharpen beautifully and are very comfortable in the hand. These pigments are also lightfast and fade-resistant, so the works of art created with these can last a lifetime.
They also come in a sturdy tin box, with a securely closing lid, perfect for traveling – they can be tossed in a book bag or a purse with no worries!
Also, you can check our other graduation gift ideas:
- Graduation Gift Ideas for Sister
- Gift Ideas for a Physical Therapy Graduate
- Gifts for Daughter’s College Graduation
- Police Academy Graduation Gifts
- Graduation Gifts for Your Boyfriend
We Are Ready for Graduation Season! Are You?
