Educational (but fun) Gift Ideas

If you are looking at the calendar and watching Christmas creep closer while wondering what to purchase for the child in your life, please consider these ideas for products we own and love.

For your mathmetician ~

If it is time for a board game, Qwirkle is always a first choice because it combines everything: shapes, colors, matching, strategy. Most of the time, we play without even keeping score just because it is so much fun. It certainly is a fun game for all ages.

We gave Rush Hour by ThinkFun to our nephew this year and he was so excited because they had one in a school he previously attended. I had him teach me how to play and I can see how it would be addictive. The strategy it requires is amazing. I really enjoyed it and will consider it for Lira next year.

For your future novelist ~

These story cubes are so much fun that we have yet to use them for homeschool. Instead, we pass them around the dinner table and take turns making up stories. It is a tiny little package but packed with potential for creativity. A perfect stocking stuffer!

For your little chef ~

My children love to be in the kitchen and this Paula Dean cookbook for kids is perfect. A mix of super simple and slightly more complicated recipes, Lira loves to pick our new items to try, which is great encouragement for a picky eater. Put it together with some kid-friendly kitchen tools for a perfect gift.

TIP: Got a reluctant reader? How about tossing the chapter books and pulling out a cookbook?

For your young scientist ~

The Backyard Safari Mega Magnifier is perfect for younger children. I will admit that it is not a perfect product as the image can be a bit warped but it works very well for turning the children loose out in the yard to go and find whatever they can. For more precise investigations, we have the SE Glass lens magnifying glass.

This year, we are giving our homeschool a gift. I purchased the Backyard Birds field guide and the Bushnell Powerview Binoculars to give us the opportunity of viewing nature “up close.”