Last Updated on July 20, 2024 by Kimberlee Johnson
Your child just survived the roller-coaster ride of middle school.
The last thing you want to do is give them something that would barely reward them for their hard work.
You want to make sure you let them feel how proud you are!
Here’s a list of 8th-grade graduation gifts geared towards various interests that your kid might have!
Top Gift Ideas For 8th Grade Graduates
Sporty Gift Ideas for Sporty Teens
A great way for you to congratulate your child is to support them in fostering an active lifestyle.
Not only will it serve as a cool graduation gift, but it will also show them that your support for them is not limited to their academic journey.
1. Running Shoes
Running shoes are the perfect graduation gift for your active child, whichever sport they may play!
Each sport certainly involves running, jogging, and walking. You need to pick the right one to ensure superior foot cushioning, motion control, and traction.
What’s more, your child may also use it at school once their classes start again!
Check out the following running shoes that your kid may like:
The comfy and cushioned Adidas Unisex-Child Ultraboost 21 Running Shoes allow your kid to play and be active while remaining comfortable.
The structurally supportive NEW BALANCE 990V5 doesn’t need a flat surface for your child to maintain balance easily!
The ultra-lightweight SAUCONY KINVARA 11 sounds like a good idea for your teen who’ll be going on long walks or jogs with their friends.
With its low price point, you can get one for yourself (and maybe even a matching shirt) so that you can bond with your child and maybe give them a few tips on how to survive high school.
2. Hydroflask
‘Colder. Hotter. Longer. Happier.’ True to the brand’s motto, a Hydroflask will keep your kids hydrated while they’re busting their butts at training.
A Hydroflask also has a range of fun designs that cater to specific style preferences that your little graduate might have.
Here are a few fun designs of theirs that incoming high school students might like!
Whether they’re training for track or out with their friends, keep it cool with the double-walled and vacuum-insulated standard flex cap is ideal for all-day hydration.
Chill! Keep your water icy cold for up to 24 hours with the 20 Oz Punch Kids Wide Mouth Straw Lid.
3. Sports Headphones/Earbuds
Sticking to the classic wired earphones is never a great idea when you’re trying to move around. Not only can it get tangled up, but it might also end up restricting your movement.
The solution? Sports headphones and earbuds!
They’re easier to connect to your device because they use Bluetooth.
This design allows them to have an overall more fun and less hassle experience in their activities. They’re unisex, so boys and girls alike may enjoy music equally!
Let your young graduate vibe to their upbeat music playlists with these sports headphones/earbuds.
These Bose Sport Earbuds are sweat- and weather-resistant, perfect for your child’s intensive training session or a fun game night with their friends.
Also Read: 10 Best Gifts For A 9-Year-Old Boy Who Enjoys Sports
4. Electric Scooter
Lastly, you may also want to get your teen the E1000 Electric Scooter.
Perfect for ages 13 and up, there’s no better way to celebrate your teen’s 8th-grade graduation than allowing them the exhilarating feeling of riding their electric scooter through the neighborhood.
What’s more, you can spend quality time with your teen by giving them tips on how to ride their electric scooters, which may entail a mom-and-child or dad-and-child bonding time with them.
Bookish Gifts For Young Bookworms
Everyone’s got their way to unwind. Some people party, some go on summer getaways, and some go shopping when they’re feeling stressed.
8th grade may have given them required readings on top of the drama that middle school always entails for your teens. Being in control of the literature they consume with their minds may be a fun way to celebrate their graduation.
These are for the fresh middle school graduates who’d rather flip through the pages of alternate worlds and thrilling adventures written in between the lines of quality literature.
5. Reading Lamp
This Book Lamp is the perfect gift for your middle school graduate going through one of those books that they HAVE to finish in one sitting.
Not to mention how aesthetic this lamp is if your child is into photography – look at it!
6. Mug
What’s better than reading books on a rainy day? Reading books on a rainy day while sipping on a hot beverage, of course!
And there’s nothing better to this than with a Starbucks Tumbler/Mug.
7. Reading Pillow
Lastly, you can never go wrong by throwing in a comfy pillow for your young bookworm.
Not only can your teens use it for an aesthetic Instagram post of their room, but it’ll also make accidental naps-turned-sleep a lot comfier. Learn how to gift wrap a pillow here.
8. Kindle Paperwhite
The Kindle Paperwhite e-reader is the hip and cool way to read books nowadays.
Its plastic rear and button-free edges allow your teen to grasp in comfortably. What makes this better is that your child may choose to share the enhanced reading experience with multiple kids.
P.S. If you’ve never tried reading with anyone, you should try it out sometime!
Of course, there’s always the downside to it, which is that they will have to charge it beforehand.
But on the bright side, it can create the opportunity for your kid to read through multiple alternate worlds without having to lug around thick and heavy books wherever they go.
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Award-Winning and Critically Acclaimed Books
Of course, what would our list of 8th-grade graduation gift ideas be for your young bookworm if we didn’t include book recommendations?
9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
To start things off, allow your young reader to travel back to the past (particularly to war-ridden Germany) through the young eyes of Liesel Meminger in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
The novel is filled with a range of important lessons, such as learning how to deal with grief at a young age, the art of compromise, and becoming less selfish in doing more for others.
Our Favorite Quote From The Book
“I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sandcastles, houses of cards, that’s where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate.”
Awards Received
- Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best Book (South East Asia & South Pacific) (2006)
- School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2006)
- Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year (2006)
- National Jewish Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature (2006)
- Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book (2006)
- Michael L. Printz Honor Book (2007)
10. Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Life can sure have its unexpected twists and turns.
Holly Goldberg Sloan’s Counting by 7s follows the story of endearing Willow Chance, a twelve-year-old who learns how to handle the unexpected things that her life throws at her as she navigates her way through school, making friends, and many more.
The themes in this book ultimately display a strong female character (despite her age), making it a perfect read for young readers, girls and boys alike.
Our Favorite Quote From The Book
“I’ll be ready. I’m not sure for what exactly. But maybe that’s what being ready really means.”
Awards Received
- Amazon Best Book of the Year (2013)
- Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2014-2015 Master List
- School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
- E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor Book
- Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Nominee
- National Public Radio Best Book of the Year
11. 1984 by George Orwell
A convincingly gritty, vivid, and thought-provoking fictional world set in the ’80s wherein the people of Airstrip One are constantly surveilled by the Thought Police to ensure the absolute rule of Big Brother.
Follow the thrilling journey of Winston Smith as he learns about himself, his family, and the courage in questioning dominating beliefs in his community in 1984 by George Orwell.
Our Favorite Quote From The Book
“If you can feel that staying human is worthwhile, even when it can’t have any result whatever, you’ve beaten them.”
Awards Received
- Prometheus Hall of Fame Award (1984)
- Nominated for All-Time Best Novel (1975)
- Nominated for All-Time Best SF Novel (1987)
- Nominated for All-Time Best SF Novel before 1990 (1998)
Gifts For Young Gamers
Video games have been around since the age of Tetris, Donkey Kong, and the likes.
And the way that the video game industry has skyrocketed since social media personalities started posting playthroughs and reaction videos of them playing games are completely understandable.
Playing video games is another cool way for boys and girls alike to immerse themselves in alternate worlds and storylines for hours on end. Here are a few great gift ideas that your child might appreciate if they’re into video games.
12. Oculus VR Set
The end of a school year always feels like a breath of fresh air. Children can have an entire summer doing what they want – one of which would be checking out the new Oculus Quest 2 advanced all-in-one VR headset.
Though you may have to put in your money for this, treat it as a small commission for the guaranteed fun times ahead!
The Oculus Quest 2’s next-level hardware, immersive entertainment, easy setup, and all-in-one gaming are cause for celebration already (and your child doesn’t even have to leave the room to have a party for this one)!
Read: What To Write On A High School Graduation Card
13. Gaming Desk
Another great gift would be this Gaming Desk. Its meticulous desk design puts it above any other gaming desk.
With its carefully calibrated height, it’s sure not to cause any back or elbow strain while your child is playing and its built-in cable management system which helps make your child’s room cleaner.
14. Gaming Chair
Anyone would play better when they’re not straining their backs. Good thing there’s the Respawn Gaming Chair!
With its upholstery available in either quality leather or soft weave fabric, it’s almost too good to be true. Keep them comfy, especially if they’re on their desk for hours.
Also Read: Appropriate Gift Ideas For College Graduates
Scientific Gifts For Young Scientists
School may have had a few cool experiments for your 8th-grade graduate, but getting them a gift or kit from this list of ours may greatly advance them in their scientific journey.
15. Chemistry Set
This Thames & Kosmos Chem C2000 is a complete chemistry kit with over 250 chemistry experiments! Perfect for chemistry-inclined teens.
16. Game Design Set
Check out this Thames & Kosmos CodeGamer – an award-winning kit that has 34 projects in a 64-page manual, an interactive gift for your coding/game design-inclined 8th-grade graduate.
Check out these awesome Spongebob Square Pants party ideas for your celebration!
17. Telescope
This is the best gift you can get your space-fascinated child.
Like how they surpassed 8th-grade, getting them the Orion StarBlast Astro Telescope as one of their graduation gifts may represent that they are now moving on to bigger and better things.
18. Wall Art
It might be time to add more decor to your incoming high schooler’s wall.
This Moon Wall Art will surely add more character to your child’s room and wall decor.
19. Astronomical Wall Clock
Not your typical alarm clock, this Astronomical Wall Clock is one of the coolest graduation gifts you can get for your child.
It’s a prototype of the renowned astrological clock in Prague [1]. Perfect if your kid is a big history buff who wants to travel the world!
What’s more, students are always very watchful of the time for the deadlines. Why not make it aesthetic for them?
Also Read: Gift Ideas For Law School Graduates
Final Thoughts
No matter how lavish or simple your gift is, it’s already a great graduation gift if you know them well and touch on their hobbies!
8th grade graduation gifts should be something they identify with. They’re on that stage of self-discovery and cementing their identity.
Be it a simple statement matching shirt you’ll wear with them, a high school survival kit (composed of new notebooks, an alarm clock, and the Sean Covey book about ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens’), or even just a fun little getaway to the nearest beach in your area.
When you are genuinely proud of them, it will show even in the most little of things.
Life passes by the way too fast, and sometimes, being present in each other’s life is already a gift in itself. The best 8th-grade graduation gift is a genuine display of appreciation for their hard work on their special day.
Reference:
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Prague
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