Gift ideas for 12 year old going on first trip to Britain/Ireland

If she doesn't already have one, her own small digital camera so she can start using it now and learn all its features before she goes over and takes her own photos. Maybe to go with the camera, some scrapbooking supplies like a nicely bound book, some cool travel themed stickers, glitter/paint pens and scissors with fancy edging so she can create her own memory book when she gets home and develops all her photos.

In addition to the camera (great idea), get her a nice journal and pen for the trip. Or maybe get her a nice day pack (check out the bags on this site and in stores). A wallet filled with a few British Pounds (get from your bank or AAA) would be fun. A book about the sites/places you will visit,too. Or a gift certificate for luggage (we gave our kids Rick's carry on bag as a gift prior to their first trips).
If there is a British pub/resturant in your area, take her there for dinner for her birthday- let her try some typical British dishes.

I am taking my grandson to Turkey & Greece and I custom made a journal for him. A daily trip log for him to fill out every day, where we will stay, what we saw, restaurants, etc. I put quotes on each page appropriate to travel and art. Pages at the end for additional journaling and sketches. I also asked on this site for reading material to suggest for him.
If she is a Harry Potter fan she might like to look up some of the websites that tell where parts of the movies were filmed. Also, I always make cds of music appropriate to where we are traveling... she might enjoy some Beatles, Enya, the Cranberries( I see you are going to Ireland too) And for sure the number one, as already suggested, a good camera.

Forgot to add: Books on Irish/English ghosts, hauntings, myths, legends, folklore, faeries, etc. are also fun things to read for most 12 year olds. Makes it more meaningful if they read about some castle or ruin that is supposedly haunted & then they may get to visit some of the places during the trip. @Terrykathryn: Enya? For a 12yo kid? My nieces & nephews would fall asleep in the car and miss half of Ireland if I broke out the Enya playlist on the iPod. Maybe something a little more upbeat for a 12yo like Snow Patrol, The Pogues or U2. But if your goal is to make kids relax and go to sleep quickly, then add some Clannad to that Enya playlist since they are sisters anyways and both their CDs are in heavy rotation at the spa where I get massages. The spa owner seems to know Enya is the musical equivalent of popping an Ambien as even I am snoring into the face cradle after listening for 10 minutes.

I was also going to suggest the idea of getting her a guidebook to read so that she can have some background info and have more suggestions for the trip beyond the British Museum. A journal is a fantastic idea. She can cut and paste info into the journal from the guidebook prior to the trip and add to it as she goes along with blurbs, etc. This may sound silly, but prior to the trips, I always like to get one article of clothing that doesn't stand out with the flag of the place I'm going to. A pair of socks, a belt, even underwear. I wear it in anticipation of the trip.

If she is a good reader , maybe she would be interested in a book on British architecture, (eg describing Norman, georgian etc) or hiistory (something that she can look out for when she is here). Or some other interest of hers that ties in with what you will (or could ) be seeing. or even a book similar to Michael woods on the origins of the British landscvape 9why they have hedges around farms etc).

I would second the suggestion for the DK Eyewitness books. We bought two for our teens to read for our upcoming UK trip, and they really do enjoy the books! We do too :) There are great pictures, and lots of information on the history and architecture of the areas.

Well, if she falls asleep during one Enya song I would guess the Cranberries would wake her up.... I am suggesting a mix of music, current and traditional as a musial 'veggie soup.' I include all types of music as well as buy new music when I travel. I google the place I am going and purchase music on itunes or amazon and make up my own new cd.... that becomes our Italy cd, or French cd,
etc. When that cd is played after we get home it brings up a lot of memories and feeling of the trip. I then use some of those songs to put together a slideshow of our trip. (and yes, Bocelli made its way to our Italy and the 9 year old ended up liking it)

You can pick up cheap photo books of travel destinations, and that would help her be more familiar with the sights she'll see. And I didn't do a search, but I would bet good money that there are books detailing Harry Potter locations. I think a messenger day bag that fits her well would be great, because she should carry her own stuff through the day. She should have her own money belt as well.

Thanks for these great ideas! She actually has a camera (and is much better at using all the bells and whistles than I will ever be!) but I love the journal idea, as well as the music. I think we will download some music directly to her ipod. I've been trying to interest her in historical fiction, but it's not her favorite genre. Still, I'd love any ideas (she's a super reader, so I'm not necessarily looking for "kids" books, but books with younger heroes/heroines).

Any pre-teen who is a good student and a good reader might like either one of the DK "Eyewitness" travel guides to London or Britain, etc.. They are travel guides, sure, but they also contain just enough history and plenty of illustrations to keep it interesting. Any illustrated guide to the kings and queens of England might also get her attention and she'll come to recognize the "characters" from the book when she visits the sites in Britain. I also second the music suggestion, but with a caveat on suggesting The Pogues for Irish music. I'm a huge Pogues fan, but I know many parents who wouldn't want their 12-year-olds hearing the lyrics of some of their songs. Not all, just some.

There are movies that also might be fun for her...there is a site called the International Movie Data Base where you can search filming locations. I had a hard time finding it so I will give you dire3ctions.... Go to Movies..then Site Index...Search-Advanced...Title/Text and in the drop down box 'filming locations' You can find movies filmed in that country, so you can find the spot where you put in a particular movie and it will give you filming locations... kind of a fun thing to do. There was a wonderful movie filmed in Ireland called The Secret of Roan Inish (I think its okay for kids... can't remember everything)

Does your daughter like contemporary realistic fiction? Two books that are popular with my junior high readers are "The London Eye Mystery" and "Numbers". Both are for mature teens and a little bit "edgy". Has she read any of the books by Louise Rennison, also very contemporary, more in the chick lit genre and popular with mature junior high girls. There is also a series about Sherlock Holmes as a young boy by Shane Peacock. My 8 year old granddaughter, whom we took London last summer, couldn't get enough of the dark, humorous British series called "Horrible Histories".

The camera is a good idea. If she's like my daughter, she will get a lot of use out of it. If she doesn't have a waterproof rainshell, this is a great time to get her one - she will need it in the British Isles regardless of time of year.

How about Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights or Pride and Prejudice? Or All Creatures Great and Small?

I'm not sure if anyone suggested getting her a Kindle for the trip?

I love reading great fiction about places before I see them. The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling is a great Young Adult book if she's at all into Irish mythology (I loved it when I was her age). "It follows two teenage cousins, Gwen and Findabhair, as they backpack around Ireland in search of the country's magical past. But the girls go too far when they dare to spend the night in a known fairy mound. Finn is stolen away by the dark king of Faerie to become his bride..."
http://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Faerie-Hunters-Moon/dp/0810992140