Your child’s 17th birthday marks a major milestone on the road to adulthood. While they may still be in high school, 17-year-olds are starting to gain more independence and think about their future plans. As a parent, you want to celebrate this special birthday in a memorable way. Choosing the perfect gift can be tricky, but thankfully there are lots of great options for 17-year-olds.
In this guide, we’ll explore unique and thoughtful gift ideas to make your 17-year-old’s birthday extra special. From trendy tech gadgets to practical items for college, we’ve got you covered no matter your teen’s interests and hobbies. Read on for our top picks across a range of budgets.
Tech Gift Ideas for 17th Birthday
Technology is a great gift category for 17-year-olds. As Gen Z teens, they likely already have a smartphone but would appreciate upgrades and accessories. Tech gifts also work for teens heading to college soon. Here are some of our favorite tech gift ideas:
- Wireless Headphones – Allow your teen to listen to music and more with no cords attached. Popular options include Apple AirPods, Beats by Dre, and Bose noise-canceling headphones.
- Digital Camera – For the aspiring photographer, consider a starter DSLR camera like the Canon Rebel series or a point-and-shoot from Sony or Nikon. Extras like tripods, camera bags, and photo printing kits make great additions.
- Laptop – If your 17-year-old needs a new computer for school or college, laptops from Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and more are fantastic but pricey options. Chromebooks are affordable alternatives.
- External Hard Drive – Great for backing up photos, videos, and files. Useful for students heading to college.
- Smart Watch – Let your teen track their activity, get phone notifications and more right on their wrist. Apple Watch is the top choice, with options from Fitbit, Garmin, and Fossil too.
- Bluetooth Speaker – Portable speakers let your 17-year-old take their music anywhere. Popular brand options include JBL, Ultimate Ears, and Bose.
- Video Game Console – Consider the latest PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch for your gamer teen. Include a gift card for new game purchases too.
Practical Presents & Gift Ideas for 17th Birthday
While tech gadgets are cool, don’t overlook more practical presents too. Here are useful gift ideas your 17-year-old can get a lot of use out of:
- School Supplies – Pens, notebooks, highlighters, calculators, planners, and flash drives they can use for classes. Go for trendy, colorful options.
- Backpack or Tote – Pick a stylish, durable bag to hold their essentials. Messenger bags, leather totes, and packs with charging capabilities make good choices.
- Gift Cards – Let them do their own shopping with gift cards to their favorite clothing stores, Amazon, Target, Walmart, or Visa cards.
- Insulated Water Bottle & Tumbler – Great for staying hydrated at school or college. S’well, Hydro Flask, and YETI make popular vacuum-insulated bottles to keep drinks cold.
- Laptop Case – Protect their new laptop with a padded case or sleeve. Opt for trendy patterns and colors.
- Wireless Charger – No more cables with a charging pad or stand to juice up their phone and other devices.
- College Essentials – For college-bound teens, essentials like bedding, storage bins, towels, lamps, and mini-fridges make practical gifts. Gift cards to Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, and Amazon help them pick their own dorm needs.
- Car Accessories – Teens with their license/permit will appreciate trendy accessories like phone holders, dash cams, Bluetooth transmitters, seat belt pillows, and more for their ride.
Experiential Gift Ideas for 17th Birthday
Gifting a memorable experience can be just as impactful as a tangible present. Here are experiential gifts to make your 17-year-old’s birthday special:
- Concert or Music Festival Tickets – Check their favorite artist’s tour schedule and upcoming shows. Sites like Ticketmaster and StubHub offer tickets.
- Trip to a Theme Park – Spend their birthday at an amusement park like Disney World, Universal Studios, Six Flags, or SeaWorld. Buy tickets and book any travel arrangements.
- Hot Air Balloon Ride – Take their birthday up, up, and away with an incredible balloon ride over scenic landscapes.
- Indoor Skydiving – They’ll defy gravity in one of these vertical wind tunnels. Look for spots near you.
- Adventure Park Visit – Let them get their adrenaline pumping at a park with zip lines, rope courses, climbing walls, and more outdoor challenges.
- Escape Room – Escape games are an exciting team activity where you’re “trapped” in a room and must uncover clues and solve puzzles to break out in time.
- Virtual Reality Experience – With VR goggles, hand controllers, and a headset, teens can immerse themselves in fascinating new worlds, games, and simulations.
- Behind-the-Scenes Tour – Many sports stadiums, TV studios, and companies offer cool behind-the-scenes tours your teen will love. Or visit museums after hours.
- Learn to Surf Lesson – Book a surfing lesson for teens eager to ride the waves. Beginner lessons teach them surfing basics in a safe environment.
- Trampoline Park Pass – Bounce the day away at an indoor park with wall-to-wall trampolines perfect for flipping, jumping, and just having fun.
Sentimental 17th Birthday Gift Ideas
While cool gadgets and experiences make great gifts, sometimes simple, sentimental presents can be the most meaningful. These thoughtful ideas will touch their heart:
- Photo Blanket – Make a custom photo blanket featuring special memories and pictures of friends, family, vacations, and more. Sites like Shutterfly offer lots of design options.
- Memory Journal – Fill a notebook with heartfelt letters from family and friends sharing their favorite memories and well-wishes for the birthday teen.
- Birthday Time Capsule – Have them fill a container with mementos, predictions for the future, goals, and current favorites to seal up and reopen years later.
- Engraved Jewelry – Choose a necklace, bracelet, watch, or other jewelry you can engrave with a loving message or their name and birthdate.
- Homemade Coupon Book – Make your own booklet with coupons good for things like a movie night, favorite meal cooked by you, getting out of chores, a shopping trip together, etc.
- Scrapbook – Gather old photos and make a scrapbook highlighting their life from birth to now. Include journaling about memories and milestones.
- Custom Mixtape Playlist – Create a Spotify playlist featuring songs from throughout their life and special to your relationship. Print a custom cover for the ultimate throwback gift.
- Ticket Stubs Shadow Box – If you’ve saved ticket stubs through the years, frame them in a shadow box with photos for a sentimental display.
Gift Basket Ideas for 17th Birthday
Gift baskets make wonderful presents by combining several smaller gifts together. Here are fun themes for 17-year-old gift baskets:
- Movie Night Basket – Popcorn, candy, DVDs, popcorn buckets, drink tumblers, and cozy blankets.
- Game Night Basket – Board games, playing cards, poker set, snacks, and gaming gear like headphones and controllers.
- Spa Relaxation Basket – Fuzzy slippers, scented lotions and soaps, face masks, bath bombs, candles, loofah, and other pampering treats.
- Car Care Basket – Cleaning supplies, emergency roadside kit, sun shades, Bluetooth FM transmitter, dash cam, seat organizer, air fresheners.
- College Survival Kit – School supplies, mini-toolkit, snacks, laundry bag, dorm cleaning supplies, shower tote, and gift cards for late-night pizza delivery.
- Sports Fan Basket – Jerseys, hats, sweatshirts, pennants, blankets, foam finger, stadium seat cushions, and game tickets for their favorite team.
- Candy Extravaganza Basket – Fill with all their favorite sweets and treats! Chocolate, candy bars, gummies, baked goods, and more.
Conclusion
Whatever you choose, the gift isn’t as important as celebrating your 17-year-old and making them feel special on their big day. Focus on spending quality time together, looking through old photos, sharing favorite memories, eating their preferred foods, and expressing how proud you are of them. Your love and recognition are the best gifts of all.
