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Best fun AND educational gift ideas??


scootiepie
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I am searching for ideas for Christmas gifts that have a lot of longevity and usefulness for both fun and learning. I would love to know what your tried-and-true great finds have been! I homeschool on a tight budget and haven't bought much beyond the very basics, but I figured I could use Christmas gifts to supplement our homeschool. But it can't look like school, it has to be disguised as fun!! My son is 6, not really reading a lot, but loves science and is pretty good at math. Please share if you have found something "really cool"...thanks!

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I buy some models to build, this year a robot and a rocket. Puzzles and fun logic activities(strategy games), this year Blokus and maybe settlers of catan. Books are always included. I choose ones we have repeatedly gotten from the library and hate to give back. Science experiment kits that go along with our studies. A handicraft kit this year sew a pillow.

Have fun so many educational things can be snuck in as fun esp for a 6 yr old.

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I got my 6 year old Snap Circuits as well. I got a discount on them by buying from Amazon's "warehouse deals". They listed the product as "good" because the package was kinda old looking I guess. But it had never even been opened! I also found an MP3 player on clearance at Walgreens that I'm going to load audio books and memory work on.

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I definitely agree about Snap Circuits. And games...any and all games. :D Little card games make great stocking stuffers too. Set, Spot It, Story Cubes, etc. There are 1,001 of these that would make great choices. Don't forget books too.

 

My kids love Zoob and DS6 is getting the new Zoob Challenge that looks thought-provoking.

 

My kids narrate through play sometimes. They have wooden unit blocks and Citiblocs. For the money, Citiblocs are great for this, very versatile. What are you studying this year (for history, science, etc.)? You can probably find a toy for that theme. Schleich and Papo have figures from Greek mythology and Roman history that my boys are getting this year. Safari has some Civil War figures. (What I wouldn't give for someone to put out a full historic line!) They build countless different buildings, types of terrain, etc. with their blocks and use the figures to make them come to life. The blocks are great for math--covert math anyway. :D DD is getting clay and tools, plus how-to books. She always gets art supplies. She plays blocks and figures too, but is a major artaholic. Art supplies are great for Christmas gift giving.

 

A microscope, slides, and book on microscopes for science? My kids have a science/tinkering lab. Could you set something like that up for a surprise? This year I'm giving them a couple of new science books with a box of all the specific supplies they will need to do any experiment in the books. I know you said he isn't reading much yet, but maybe you could find something suitable? Maybe something you and/or dad could do with him?

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We also love Snap Circuits and Zoobs!

 

Around here, my boys really love construction type toys- Knex, Zoobs, Tinker Toys, Erector, Lego, etc. We like the more traditional sets as opposed to all of the little kits (especially the Lego ones).

 

I have also been shopping for my husband's siblings. They love board games and this website was so incredibly helpful in shopping for them this year.

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Good audiobooks, snap circuits, legos, good quality board games, puzzles, books.

 

Everyone thinks I am weird cause I don't buy the newest plastic garbage that is out every year, but my kids actually play with more educational toys more.

 

Depending on age art supplies are also awesome. Watercolor pencils, yarn, etc. Older kids could use a sewing machine or a kindle. My youngers have all worn out their leapsters.

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My son loves science, too. I plan to make my own science kit for him so I can include experiments that will coordinate with the topics we are studying in science. I plan to type up instructions and supply list as simply as possible and paste them in a composition book that will be his lab notes, leaving lots of room for his own drawings and notes. All of the supplies will be included and numbered as to what experiment they belong to so he can do the experiments as independently as possible. I might also find a cheap pair of googles and a lab coat for kicks.

 

Here is some inspiration:

http://kimboscrafts.blogspot.com/2012/01/science-box.html

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