2019 holiday gift guide for toddlers through teens
It’s officially December, which not only means holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel and hot cocoa but it’s also time to tackle that seemingly never-ending shopping list. Although money towards either college savings accounts or experiences are amazing gifts for the children in our lives, there is nothing that compares to watching them open up a new toy. As both a mother of two and former teacher though, I do my best to find toys that are not only fun but also educational.
For children ages two through four, I’d suggest...
Best for two through four-year-olds, this 12-piece toy can be purchased for either girls or boys. Not only does it promote color and shape recognition, but it also encourages problem-solving skills.
2. Skoolzy Rainbow Counting Bears with Matching Sorting Cups, Bear Counters and Dice
This 71-piece toddler and preschool-intended game includes STEM educational math manipulatives, such as color sorting and addition activities, and also offers fine motor skill practice.
3. Educational Insights’ Design & Drill Activity
Also a STEM learning toy, this one was created for children to practice sorting and counting colorful bolts, following a pattern or creating one’s own design and developing critical preschool math skills.
Check out these three options for children ages four through six
4. Melissa & Doug See & Spell Learning Toy
Not only does this 50-plus wooden piece toy develop vocabulary and spelling skills but is also a great option to take along while on the go instead of an iPad or tablet.
5. Boom! Fun with Science – Jumbo Science Kit
For those five and up, this science kit includes over 60 experiments, as well as a DVD and manual that guides users through each of them, so parents and guardians do not have to worry about injuries.
Yet another STEM option that develops spatial intelligence and thinking for either boys or girls, this is an educational alternative to building blocks for those around the age of five. It makes a great independent or collaborative group activity for this age group.
Here are a few ideas for six, seven and eight-year-olds
Developed with early learning consultants, this toy uses fun puzzle pieces to help children construct proper (yet potentially silly) sentences with nouns, verbs, adjectives and more.
Through building a marble track that twists, turns and spins marbles, children can practice problem solving and fine motor skills while simultaneously fostering curiosity.
Through playing this game, children will practice adding and making correct change while, at the same time, learning the value of money.
We can’t forget about those ages eight through 10
10. NPW-USA ANI-Mate Clay Animation Movie Maker Kit
This clay animation kit comes with a collection of props, sets and materials that allows children to make their own movies from still images taken with a smartphone app.
11. Snap Circuits Classic SC-300 Electronics Exploration Kit
If your little one eight or older would enjoy making a photosensitive electronic organ, a lie detector or a two-finger touch lamp, I would definitely check out this toy, which is “designed for young engineers and makers” and gives children the option of building over 300 experiments.
12. Head Full of Numbers Math Game
Children will set the sand timer and record the number of correct equations another player makes using the numbers rolled on the dice. Equations can use simple addition or subtraction or include multiplication and division for a more challenging game.
And yes, children ages 11 through 14 can still play with toys
13. Intermediate Dissection Kit
With this dissection kit, children and/or teens can learn the anatomy of seven different animals and see how each animal’s internal organs fit together.
14. Indie Boards and Cards Terraforming Mars Board Game
Designed for ages 12 and up, this game has players pretend to be a giant corporation that is working to make the environment on the planet Mars habitable. Each player will receive a unique project card, such as introducing plant life or animals, hurling asteroids at the surface, building cities or even establishing greenhouse gas industries to heat up the atmosphere, competing for the best places for city, ocean and greenery tiles. The player with the most victory points wins.
15. Little Dipper Roller Coaster
While practicing fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, logic, creativity and engineering skills, children and/or teens will have an easy time snapping together sturdy frames and support towers, unraveling the plastic tracks, snapping the tracks into the track holders and attaching the whole thing onto towers; they can create the Little Dipper build or rearrange it in any way they’d like to. The gear-powered chain lets players pull the included coaster cars up the big hill before it goes down and then up the winding slopes.
Freelance writer Danielle Alexander is the managing editor for Detroit Mom and editorial coordinator for West Bloomfield Lifestyle and Birmingham Life magazines. She wishes the Chaldean community a very Merry Christmas. Happy (online) shopping!