Fun and Educational Holiday Gifts

Mary Margaret Pingree, from Utah Idaho Supply, outlines some of the things to look for when picking out an educational gift.

There are so many choices out there that it can be overwhelming. How can you choose a great educational gift for your child? A gift a child can love and learn from? We’ve listed five tips that will help you select fun AND educational products that both you and your child will love.

1. Look for interactive products. Playing and learning go hand in hand when you can find a toy or game that kids love to touch, feel and spend time with. For little ones, toys with buttons that make sounds and light up make learning a game. For older kids, building sets and games that get their bodies as well as their minds involved make learning fun and engaging. An interactive product we love is Magformers. It is a set of magnetic building shapes that allows kids to design and build things in three dimensions. Not only do kids get to build and design their own creations, but they begin to understand the properties of magnets and basic physics. What a great way to learn!

2. Consider choosing a gift that can be shared. Educational toys are more likely to be a favorite if a child can use them with friends. Games, puzzles or puzzle books, and craft books, like origami books, are examples of sharable gifts.

3. Pick a product that capitalizes on an existing interest. Subscribing to a children’s magazine that specializes in an area that interests your child is the perfect way to encourage their enthusiasm. Kids love to get mail and with this gift they look forward to something interesting and exciting every month. There are many magazines that are colorful, exciting and tailored to the interests of kids. For example, if your child loves animals, Ranger Rick and My Big Backyard put out by the National Wildlife Federation are a wonderful gift.

4. Don’t dismiss the arts. Creative gifts are education, too. An easel or drawing instruction book are good choices. Another wonderful idea is a journal. There is no better way to get a child writing than to give them their very own journal. Complete the gift with fun, colorful pens and stickers, and your child won’t be able to resist the urge to write. You can help them get started by asking them to write about something funny that happened to them that day, the favorite thing they did at recess or an act of kindness they witnessed. The added benefit–creativity helps kids do better in academic subjects and fosters problem-solving skills.