Hi all! Because you (Lead Safe Mama community members) have asked us for Lead-Free holiday gift ideas, we are creating posts with ideas for each age group. Note: we’re paying to promote these so more people see them.
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This is the “Teens & Pre-Teens” gift idea post. Since this is an especially important time in a child’s life for them to stay connected with the family – my focus (as a parent) for kids this age has always been games – including ANY game that encourages and supports reading and organizing and planning skills! The list below is full of things I might buy (or have bought) for the teens and pre-teens in my life including my four sons!
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Stand by for posts for other categories of gifts. The “infants and toddler gift ideas” and “newly independent young adults” posts are linked at the bottom of this too – scroll down for that. All products links below are for Lead-free choices (based on independent XRF testing we have done of these products).
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There is a full range of price points here. These are some of my top picks after spending hours scouring online for good choices! [prices may change and were current as of posting on 10/5/24]
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Board Games
(if you have vintage versions of these games made before 1990, it’s a good idea to replace them – as older versions can have unsafe levels of Lead in some plastic, paper or metal components).
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– Classic Connect Four – https://amzn.to/3ZP0BKB – $9.99
– Classic Battle Ship – https://amzn.to/4dCTpV9 – $14.97
– Classic Twister – https://amzn.to/3ZO34VB – $14.41
– Classic Monopoly – https://amzn.to/47X8OhH – $26.99
– Monopoly with Thimble – https://amzn.to/3Yclu0Y – $14.97
– Classic Jenga – https://amzn.to/3XXJrrB – $9.97
– Classic Clue – https://amzn.to/3Y9ARY3 – $21.99
– My favorite travel scrabble (I bought for each of my kids when they moved away too!) https://amzn.to/3Yb2ZKa – $39.95
– Classic Scrabble – https://amzn.to/3BwHtqJ – $20.92
– Classic Boggle – https://amzn.to/4dyg5pp – $11.99 (we bring ours with us EVERYWHERE!)
– Mini Boggle – https://amzn.to/4dAlLPy – $8.18
– Giant Boggle – https://amzn.to/3ZXY5ln – $21.99
– Deluxe Turntable Scrabble – https://amzn.to/3ZMGFYK – $169.95
– The Game of Life – https://amzn.to/3BITLvV – $21.99
– Forbidden Island – https://amzn.to/3XSaogo – $19.99
– Ticket to Ride – https://amzn.to/4erb8Qu – $43.11
– Sorry – https://amzn.to/4etpjof – $9.75
– Catan – https://amzn.to/4eTfH5Q – $43.97
– Chess & Checkers – https://amzn.to/3TV3FRm – $9.89 (note: some modern chess sets sold for use by adults may contain lead)
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Card Games
– Bicycle Playing Cards – https://amzn.to/4ew91Lm – $4.89
– Classic Uno – https://amzn.to/3YeBPCt – $5.45
– Exploding Kittens – https://amzn.to/3Nc1vZY – $18.47
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Toys / Puzzles / Puzzle Toys
– Rubik’s Cube – https://amzn.to/3Bz5c9H – $9.28
– any RoseArt Puzzle – https://amzn.to/3Bz5c9H – This one is $10.97
– any Ravensburger Puzzle – https://amzn.to/3ZSfFXV – this one is $24.99
– Kanoodle – https://amzn.to/3YbBSyD – $9.99
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Dungeons & Dragons, Pokemon & Magic The Gathering (many things I have actually bought for my kids in support of their gaming!)
– Magic The Gathering Starter Deck – https://amzn.to/482EP8g – $10.48
– Magic The Gathering Commander Deck – https://amzn.to/4ew91Lm – $45.99
– Pokemon Starter Deck – https://amzn.to/3UlgbKv – $14.99
– Pokemon Battle Deck – https://amzn.to/4dAma4w – $14.69
– Glow in the dark 100 sided die – https://amzn.to/4gQhDOt – $15.98 (bought for my kids in many colors)
– Rainbow DND Dice Set – https://amzn.to/4eV7qi5 – $9.99 (bought for my kids)
– 6 sets of DND dice – https://amzn.to/3XMudpe – $12.99 (bought for my kids)
– My son’s favorite card binder – https://amzn.to/3XW4NFx – $22.49 (all colors should be ok)
– Card Sleeves – https://amzn.to/4dFWung – $17.99
– Set of Binders for Card Sleeves – https://amzn.to/3Yc50G3 – $28.99
– Note: we buy our deck boxes at local stores. I would not trust options on Amazon to be toxicant-free.
– Note 2: Your vintage D & D figurines (metal ones from your childhood) should not be used as they are often nearly solid Lead OR Lead mixed with Antimony (a known Carcinogen). I recommend buying the paint-it-yourself plastic figurines from your local game store.
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Educational Toys (for exploring the world). These are for older children and / or need to be used with supervision. They may have Lead in batteries or other toxicants in components like electrical cords, but are not a concern when used as intended (by a child in the appropriate age group).
– Kids Microscope Set – https://amzn.to/4evViUH – $89.99
– Microscope for Younger Kids – https://amzn.to/4eRLAM2 – $39.99
– Kids Telescope – https://amzn.to/4eV7PRD – $146.93
– Alternate Kids Telescope – https://amzn.to/4dzdbR9 – $44.99
– Rock Tumbler – https://amzn.to/3zM3UHL – $44.99 (do not tumble rocks that may contain Lead. Rocks with the kit should be safe & most rocks you will find on a beach or similar location will be safe.) Use this with a rock book to identify safe rocks to tumble – here’s one – https://amzn.to/3Yb1agr – $16.63 – This one – https://amzn.to/3Y8hVc5 – is $11.66
– Fishing Magnet (amazing toy, needs very close supervision as powerful magnets can scratch things like cars and refrigerators … something I “may” know from personal experience!) – Charlie pulled a shopping cart out of a lake with this – it’s a great tool for learning about cleaning up the environment (removing metal things from bodies of water!) https://amzn.to/4gUm5f1 – $19.99 (HOURS and HOURS of fun if you live near a body of water!)
– Metal Detector – https://amzn.to/47TORse -$71.00 – we’ve bought two of these (a more expensive one might be better, but this is a good starter one!)
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Bedroom (20% off SALE!) – anything from this site, but some of my favorites:
– Organic Mattress (Twin – what my youngest son has): https://shrsl.com/4pa6k
– Organic Sheets (Cotton – Twin): https://shrsl.com/4pa6l
– Organic Cotton Blanket: https://shrsl.com/4pa6n
– Down Pillows: https://amzn.to/3TVLjzZ
– Organic PLA (Sugarcane fiber) pillows: https://shrsl.com/4p9dc
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Naturepedic’s 20% Off Fall Sale is happening now – the code to use with the above Naturepedic links is FALL20. [& they contribute 15% of what you spend back to Lead Safe Mama, LLC in support of our programs if you start your shopping with a click on one of our links!)
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Links are Amazon affiliate links or direct affiliate links for Naturepedic unless otherwise state. If you purchase something after clicking on a Lead Safe Mama, LLC Amazon affiliate link – Lead Safe Mama, LLC may receive a percentage of what you spend – at no extra cost to you! You don’t even need to purchase what we link to to support this childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety advocacy work! You simply need to click any Lead Safe Mama, LLC Amazon affiliate link before you start your shopping – and then go about your shopping as you normally would and we may receive a percentage of what you spend – at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting this work in this way!
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Our “Babies & Toddlers” Gift Post: https://tamararubin.com/2024/09/2024-shopping-guide-lead-safe-mamas-favorite-lead-free-holiday-gifts-for-babies-toddlers/
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Our “Newly independent Young Adults” Gift Post:
https://tamararubin.com/2024/10/2024-shopping-guide-lead-safe-mamas-favorite-lead-free-holiday-gifts-for-newly-independent-young-adults-college-grads-newlyweds-others-2/
For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website:
Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005).
- Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama, LLC — a unique community collaborative woman-owned small business for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety.
- Since July of 2022, the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC has been responsible for six product recalls (FDA and CPSC).
- All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable.
- Please check out our press page to see some of the amazing coverage of our work so far this year!
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