104 Gifts for 18 Year Olds

Turning 18 is memorable for anyone as it marks the end of their teenage years and their official recognition as an adult. To help 18 year olds celebrate this milestone, we have compiled a list of the best gifts for this age group.

Choosing the best gifts for 18-year-olds

18 is an age that evokes fear and excitement almost in equal measure. The idea that they are suddenly considered to be adults can be quite jarring for most 18-year-olds. Professor of Pediatrics Dr. Jennifer Woods, says that some experience “a lot of worry around realizing that they are legally considered an adult but aren’t sure what their life goals and plans are.”

As the caregiver, therefore, helping the 18-year-old navigate this stage of life becomes your most important assignment. You could choose a book that teaches them what it means to become an adult as a gift item to help them.

How we identified the best gifts for 18-year-olds

We want to usher the 18-year-old into the wonderful world of adulting in style. People this age are usually looking forward to becoming more self-reliant. Some are ready to hit the ground running while it might take others a couple of years to get there. To help them prepare, we curated this list of cool, popular, practical, and unique gift ideas comprising items that will teach them essential life skills.

We selected a cookbook with easy-to-follow recipes to help them sharpen their cooking skills in preparation for living alone, we picked a humidifier to encourage them to care about their environment, and a tree starter kit to teach them responsibility as they nurture a living thing from scratch. We also chose several tech gifts that will come in handy should they continue with their studies or just for their daily use such as the smartwatch.

Tips for buying the best gifts for 18-year-olds

1. Know what’s next for them
   At this age, most people are leaving high school and carving a new path for themselves. You need to know what the individual intends to do next so that you can get a gift that will be helpful to them. Whether they are going to college, opting to start working, or taking a gap year to explore the world — knowing this will determine the best gift to give.
2. Make it a learning experience
   Remember when you were younger and thought every adult has it all figured out and then got here and realized that we’re all just winging it? No need to have the 18-year-old in your life go through the same experience. There are plenty of adulting books that can help prepare the person for life. They may not immediately appreciate the value of what you’ve given them but one day they will.
3. Prepare early
   By preparing in advance to help mark this momentous anniversary you are bound to find a meaningful gift. Last-minute shopping may find you settling for whatever’s available rather than getting a gift that lets the recipient know that you put some thought into purchasing it.