Educational Gifts for Kids
Presents for children should be fun, interesting, and engaging! Kids do so much learning outside of school. Giving them choices for fun activities and games can really open up their minds to new things. Luckily there are so many gift choices available that are both enjoyable and educational for kids. Keep their minds busy this year with some of these ideas.
Science Kits
Generally, the gooeyer (is that a word?) the better! Kids love mixing things up, making messes, and seeing things bubble and drip. You may want to pair this type of gift with some helpful clean-up supplies such as tablecloths or trays to work on. Many kids also enjoy science kits that have to do with digging out rocks or exploring nature. Anything hands-on can really inspire a love of learning science.
Journals and Sketchbooks
Get your kids writing with their very own journals and diaries. Children especially love it when their journals come with a lock so they can be top secret! It is also fun to find journals with their favorite character, animal, or decoration on the cover. Sketchbooks are also great for encouraging your child’s creative side. They can either have blank pages or have simple prompts that give kids ideas of what to draw next. It is fun to see their skills develop from the first page to the last.
Musical Instruments
With the permission of the kids’ parents, of course, introduce them to the joy of music with their very own instruments. These can be simple, such as a harmonica, or complex - such as a keyboard or a guitar. Kids of all ages enjoy making music and sharing that music with others.
Board and Card Games
Want to teach your child math, reasoning, and critical thinking - without them even knowing? Board and card games are your answer! Games are a fun way to learn logic skills while still having a lot of fun. Playing games also helps children learn social skills such as taking turns and losing gracefully.
Building Toys
Building toys are definitely a favorite and the best thing is that they are often played with for years. Wooden blocks, interlocking plastic bricks, fort kits, magnetic shapes, dominoes, and more make for years of fun. These collections can also be added to over the years so that kids can create truly impressive structures.
Books
Children’s lives are often shaped by really great stories. From picture books to thick novels, books open up new worlds to kids. Reading and listening to books improve kids’ writing abilities, vocabulary, and general knowledge of the universe.
Art Supplies
Help your children explore their creative sides with a wide variety of art supplies. This includes not only markers and pencils, but also clay and other materials.
Memberships
Memberships or passes to places like local museums, parks, and zoos make wonderful gifts. These help kids get excited about new things and build their background knowledge.
Classes and Activities
Is your child interested in learning something new? Why not give them a class on that topic? Classes can be in person, live online, or pre-recorded. Popular topics include things like cooking, coding, and art projects.
Think outside the box!
If your child has unique interests, think about what they may enjoy playing around with - even if it isn’t designed as a toy. (Remember to not give small children anything that could be a choking hazard and watch out for other safety issues of course!) For example, a child interested in the human body may enjoy a real stethoscope. A child who is interested in dinosaurs may love a real fossil. Children are learning all the time, so encourage their interests the next time you are picking out a gift!