In this blog, we are going to talk about care packages for teens. Let’s face it, sometimes shopping for teenagers can be difficult, but, in this blog, we’ll try and help you sort through it all.
Care Packages for Teens: 9 Things to Consider as You Shop
When putting together care packages for teens or buying a care package for a teen, you have to, of course, consider each situation because circumstances and the sheer pickiness of teenagers can make things challenging.
We ship a lot of our gift boxes to kids who are going through cancer treatment. Because of this, a lot of times, we put together care packages that have a variety of items.
Basically, our packages are “mystery boxes” that offer different types of surprises to keep kids distracted with something fun—variety.
Below, we’ll look at some of our items and some tips for teens’ care packages.
1. Candy
Now, this one isn’t for every care package. It goes without saying that some foods can be an absolute turn-off for people going through chemotherapy or other illnesses.
But, in some cases, people going through cancer treatment often crave that one particular candy. I can often remember craving butterscotch candies or watermelon Dum Dums, but heck, I would crave those things on or off of chemo.
The bottom line, though, different types of candy can be a big hit when building a care package for teens. Just thinking back to when I was younger, I can remember Big League Chew, Bost Baked Beans, and other candies being a major score for me. “Get in my belly!”
2. Care Packages for Teens: Cell Phone Items
There’s just no denying, teenagers love their cell phones. Wait, everybody loves their cell phones. And, actually, some folks love their cell phones just a little too much.
It’s like some teenager’s brains have been taken over by YouTube, Instagram, MarioKart, Spotify, and TikTok at times. But, for some teens, these social media channels and apps can be a great way to stay in touch with friends and family when in the hospital or away from home. Also, some of these apps can be pretty fun—another great distraction while facing difficult times.
With this in mind, cool cell phone chargers, blue tooth headphones, cell phone stands, and other cell phone items can be great additions to a teen’s care package.
3. Books
Yep, books are great for care packages for teens. Call me old fashion, and I’ll say, “yep,” but sometimes just a good book can be the distraction a teen needs to get them through difficult times.
Additionally, a good series of books can give teens something to look forward to. And for me, having something to look forward to during all of my years of treatment was key to getting through it all.
Speaking of books, I mean, you know, a teenager might enjoy reading my book, This Is Remission. It won a Benjamin Franklin award early in 2020 (shameless self-promotion), and I actually ship it with a lot of my Bamba Boxes for teens. It’s about me growing up with cancer and having a short but fun run in the music industry.
4. Games
There are digital games that can be played alone on cell phones and games that can be played on game consoles both alone and with others. But, what about good old-fashioned games. You know, the types of games where you get all of the family to join in and actually play together in real life? These types of games can be a great option for both teenage boys and teenage girls.
I mean, simple games like checkers, Clue, Trivial Pursuit, and Scategories used to be major hits at my house. But today, it looks like some of the popular games are a bit different.
Hot Games for teenagers:
- Connect Four
- UNO
- Monopoly
- Clue
- Double Ditto
- I Should Have Known That
- Exploding Kittens (Yeah, forget the name. It’s a HUGE seller!)
5. Care Packages for Teenagers: Add Salt
Just like sweet candy can be tasty, so can salty snacks. As a matter of fact, we include many mouth-water salty snacks in our Bamba Boxes for teens unless it is requested by a buyer that we don’t.
I mean, nothing makes a care package complete without the addition of Combos. And, let’s be honest, after eating a few Sour Patch Kids, you know you end up craving something salty. That’s just how it works.
6. Tech Items
In the same realm of cell phone items come cool tech items or digital items.
These items can be all sorts of things—waterproof blue-tooth speakers that can be mounted in the shower, digital neon lights for a teenager’s room, and even a neon light that lights up your toilet. I really don’t understand why toilet lights are a thing, but they are actually real (real weird).
7. Sensory Items
Well, I’ll admit it. I’m a grown man, but still, there’s something oddly satisfying about a soft squishy dinosaur that you can squish down in your palm and then watch slowly rise back to its full size without a blemish. And, let me just tell you, kids of all ages love these squishy things. Squishy cupcakes, squishy tigers, squishy watermelons, and even squishy llamas are all huge hits. Yeah, squishy llamas are a thing, too.
8. Music
This one has always been my go-to. Even as a kid, I can remember sitting in the chemo clinic with my Walkman, and listening to cassette tapes of songs that my brother and I had recorded off of the radio.
You might not be able to put music into a care package for a teenager, but you can include iTunes gift cards, Bluetooth speakers, and Bluetooth headphones that can come in very handy.
Additionally, learning to play an instrument can be a great way to pass the time for those who are going through hard times. Again, most musical instruments are not items that will fit in a care package. But, having a guitar, ukelele, or keyboard can be a great hobby, both short and long-term.
9. The Gift of Mystery
This is what Bamba Box’s care packages are all about, the mystery.
For me, growing up, the anticipation of receiving my Bamba’s care package after a surgery, procedure, or after a chemo treatment gave me something to look forward to. I never knew what would be in my gift box, but I did know it would be a bunch of cool items I could enjoy.
Care Packages for Teens: A Quick Look Back
Remember, when designing the perfect care package or teen gift box, there is a wide selection of gifts to choose from. You can select gifts that are more current, like Bluetooth speakers and Bluetooth lights. However, card games, board games, and games that bring everyone together can also be very popular.
Sensory toys like squishies, books, and edible items can all be great additions to the teenagers’ perfect care packages. But, you have to consider each individual’s unique situation. You may want to ask questions like:
- Is this person confined to being indoors?
- Does this person have special diet requirements?
- Are these items safe for shipping?
The bottom line is, teenagers facing difficult times can definitely benefit from a care package. These surprise gifts let teens know someone cares and gives them something to look forward to.
