With the holidays upon us, I wanted to find some educational gift ideas for kids this year. With my home schooling Henry, I am always on the lookout for new ideas for fun stuff that he can learn from. We use puzzles, computer games, board games and a lot of other tools for learning. For Christmas this year, I wanted to find some toys that he could have a great time with and not even realize he was learning from it!! It reminds me of my mom telling me she would puree vegetables and put it in spaghetti sauce in order for us to get our RDA of veggies! Here are some really cool and different ideas for this season:
Educational Gift Ideas
- Science Kits: There are a lot of really cool science kits for kids of all ages. They can make magnetic silly putty, color changing lava, or a volcano that grows in size. For the older kids, you can find some great eco systems your kids put together or a light that turns the ceiling into a planetarium. You just can’t go wrong with this category.
- Games and Puzzles: This is a wide open category because there is just so much to choose from. You can go on a treasure hunt following clues to find US states and cities, you can find waterproof playing cards the kids can play with in the tub or color in the countries on a blank globe. You can also fall back on the old stand-by games like scrabble for language arts or chess for strategy.
- Manipulatives: For the younger crowd, manipulatives are always a big hit. What I love about this category is that you are helping you child develop their motor skills, tactile and visual learning, all while having fun! You can find great math and reading manipulatives for all ages. If you have a younger child, I have found the perfect place for good old fashioned wooden toys and manipulatives. Tree Hopper Toys is a company that understands quality, safety, sustainability and most of all…FUN!!
Wooden Toys For Young Children
Tree Hopper Toys makes the highest quality wooden toys for young children I have seen. This family owned business that resides in the Chicago area, has been making their toys since 2010. All the toys are made in the USA with sustainable lumber that is stained by organic home-made finish and to top it all…the energy they use is wind powered!! We received the MATCH STACKS™ – Zoo Animals ($19.99), which is a matching game for the little ones. The wooden discs are nice and chunky for little hands and the colorful animals stand out nicely for easy recognition. We also received the Yo! The Yo-Yo™ ($9.99), which Henry absolutely loves. The Yo! Is made with the same beautiful wood that Tree Hopper Toys has become known for and the string is nice and strong, so you know it will not unravel on you. The Hopper Jalopy™ ($15.99) is by far the cutest wooden car on wheels! This is the toy that you can picture a chubby little hand learning to roll the car across the kitchen floor saying “Vroom Vroom”. Absolutely precious! If you are looking for a lovely gift for that special child on your list, you will brighten their day with a toy from Tree Hopper Toys.
One reader will win a MATCH STACKS™ of their choice, one Yo! The Yo-Yo™ and The Hopper Jalopy™ of their choice. Total prize $45.97
…
I like the bear jalopie
I like the match stacks zoo animals 🙂
matchstacks
(melissa connie)
I like the Match Stacks 🙂
Zoo animal match sticks is our vote.
I like the MATCH STACKS™ – In The Garden.
My students would love MATCH STACKS™ – Monster Match
the wooden toys. easy to hold for little ones
Monster Squeeze – Wooden Yo-Yo
match stacks zoo animals
bear jalopy.. love all the toys.. they are great thank you
Match Stack Zoo Animals, thanks
i love the classic wooden yo-yos
Monster Squeeze – Wooden Yo-Yo
Match Stacks–Zoo Animals is the best!
i love the personalized signs
Match Stacks Zoo Animals are the best!
Match Stacks–Zoo Animals is the best!
Match Stacks–Zoo Animals is the best!
MATCH STACKS™ – Camping Trip
the animal shapes are really cool
I like the personalized signs and wooden yo-yos. 🙂
nice
i like the match stacks best
i think i like the personalized signs the most…you can do so much with that
the coach jalopie
I love the science kits! My nephew and i would have a blast making volcanos together 🙂
I like the yo-yo, and psonalized signs
Jalopies – 6 Pack
I like the Monster Squeeze – Wooden Yo-Yo!
the personalized signs
my little brother would love the volcano
ilie the wooden toy they look like they could not get destroyed
I like the volcano
match stacks zoo animals
Match stacks zoo animals
I like the wooden yoyo’s
I love the Monster Squeeze Wooden Yo-Yo.
My fav is the monster squeeze yo-yo
My favorite product is Yo the yoyo.
I like the Monster Squeeze – Wooden Yo-Yo
I like the Shelly Hopper Jalopie. Thank you for the giveaway.
the personalized signs
“Spud”
I like the whole collection of Hopper Jalopies
i like the personalized signs
Personilized signs is favorite.
I like the “spud” .. so simple but so cool! but I’d get two so my girls don’t fight over them!!
the yoyo
the zoo animals
The Match Stacks – zoo animals, woud be fun for all of us to play!
I love the personalized signs.
i’d like shelly!!
the yo-yo
love wilbert the worm wooden toy
love wilbert the worm wooden tou
The Hopper Jalopy, Shelly, is my favorite.
LOOOOVE the yoyos!!!
I like the Personalized Signs. What a nice addition to a child’s room.
yo yo
the match stacks zoo animals
I like the Monster Squeeze – Wooden Yo-Yo.
I like the Hedge Jalopy
Yo Yo
I like the MATCH STACKS™ – In The Garden!
perfect, i was looking for a educational gift idea.
I love the Shelly Jalopie!
i like the personalized sign ty
I love your MATCH STACKS™ – Zoo Animals. I would love to give my 3 little nephews such a lovely toy for Christmas. Thanks for the chance to win. Happy Holidays.
Monster yo yo
The yo=yo
Yo! The Yo-Yo™
The Match Stacks.
The Airplane Wooden Yo-Yo looks great.