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Who’s ready for Black Friday!?
Oh boy, it’s that time of year again…Christmas gift shopping time! I know that many of you have probably already started (or even finished) your gift shopping, but there are many of you that haven’t started because you have no idea what to get your Children. There are many desirable toys out there right now, and trying to get your hands on the latest toy may be close to impossible.
As a mom, I understand how much you dread adding to your child’s already large collection of toys. Toys that make noise, toys they begged for and no longer play with, toys that they haven’t played with in months; but Heaven know if you dare try to throw them away or donate them, that will probably (definitely) start World War III!!!
Sound familiar?…I had this happen to me over and over again; year after year. Now that my girls are older, I don’t have to worry so much about this. I actually have to worry about getting them the higher ticket items now; laptops, new phones, etc…Sorry rant over!!!
As a mom and an educator, I tried to pick the best options that I would pick if my girls were still little. I hope you enjoy my choices!
**Brief descriptions under products are from Montessori Services®, used with permission**
Fun and educational gift idea
True-to-Life Human X-rays
Ages 5+
“Children can feel their bones from the outside through their skin and muscle. This x-ray set shows children what their bones actually look like. Showing the body’s outline around the skeleton, young children are able to relate the x-ray bones to visible body parts (arms, legs, etc.). Young children might assemble a 5′ 6″ skeleton with these x-rays or guess which body parts belong to which bones.” -Montessori Services®
Rock Science Kit
Ages 5+
“Children will learn to look for luster (the way a mineral reflects light) and hardness (measured on the Mohs scale), for example. This starter kit includes 15 numbered specimens that represent the full range of types of rocks, a small magnifier, and activity guide offering more test ideas for further study.”-Montessori Services®
Mineral Science Kit
Ages 5+
“Children will learn to look for luster, (the way a mineral reflects light), hardness (measured on the Mohs scale), and color (with a streak test) with this starter kit. This kit includes 15 numbered specimens that represent the full range of types of minerals, a small magnifier, a nail and tile for testing, and activity guide offering more test ideas for further study.”-Montessori Services®
Shape Sorting Box
Ages 2+
“Toddlers love matching these simple blocks to the cutout shapes in the lid of the box. In fact, they love it so much they do it over and over!”-Montessori Services®
Yoga Pretzels Card Deck
Ages 4+
“Pick a card from any of nine categories and find an imaginative way to start your children bending, breathing, and stretching with yoga. This mind/body practice develops children’s strength and flexibility, helps improve their concentration, and builds self-esteem. Engaging step-by-step illustrations show a playful, imaginative pose or activity on one side, with activity instructions or simple visualizations on the other. Try partner poses or choose a fun group game, such as “Yoga Pretzels.” The companion booklet helps any adult design a safe and fun practice for children.”-Montessori Services®
Beginner’s World Atlas
Ages 5-8
“Large, easy-to-read maps introduce youngsters to the world and each of its seven continents. Stunning photographs, carefully selected for their appeal, supplement the maps.” –Montessori Services®
Famous Paintings Cards
Ages 3+
“You’ll learn where Dali’s inspiration came from, why Magritte painted improbable scenes, how many dots are in a Seurat painting, and so much more. These cards beg to be lingered over—looking at the painting on one side, reading the interesting facts on the back. Young children will enjoy the pictures; older ones will love the stories of the paintings and the artists; adults will find them engaging, too.”-Montessori Services®
Classic Judy Clock
Ages 4+
“The Judy Clock has movable hands and large, clear hour numbers on the face. Grasp the knob on the minute hand to turn it and watch the visible, working gears simultaneously move the hour hand. Children clearly see that turning the minute hand one complete revolution causes the hour hand to move forward one hour.”-Montessori Services®
Sum Swamp
Ages 5+
“Take a skill-building journey through a whimsical land where adding and subtracting dice numbers determines your fate. Players will master basic operations and learn about number relationships such as even and odd or “less than” and “greater than.”-Montessori Services®
Count Your Chickens
Ages 3-5
“All 40 baby chicks are out and the fox is loose. Young children will be eager to work together to collect the chicks. Picture-based play makes it easy for everyone to participate. Spin the spinner, count the spaces together, and move the mother hen. Then return that many baby chicks to the safety of the coop. A very appealing way to learn and reinforce counting skills.”-Montessori Services®
Happy Hats Beginning Reading Game
Ages 4+
“Play and read with your favorite characters from the popular Bob Books® series. Children explore initial consonant and short vowel sounds as they form simple words. For each word they create, they collect a “Happy Hat.” Includes board, 44 hat token, 40 word ending cards, 4 characters & stands, spinner, a word list, and complete instructions.”-Montessori Services®
My First Dictionary
Ages 5-8
“A brilliant bridge between a picture dictionary and a text-only dictionary! Early readers will find a picture clue alongside the definitions for words selected with early readers in mind. Alphabetical listings help children look up and decipher unfamiliar words. Includes tips for parents and nine dictionary games.”-Montessori Services®
A few other great gift ideas…
Subscriptions make great gift ideas! Depending on what you child enjoys, there are many subscriptions to choose from that peak their interests! Check out a few of my favorites below!
Do you have a child that LOVES books? Well, Scholastic has a wide selection of books that any child will love!! Simply search by age, author, or title!
Scholastic Books
Do you have a younger child or infant? MontiKids provides quality, educational Montessori products for children birth to three years of age. Check out their toy timeline, which gets more challenging as your child works their way through each level! Materials sent directly to your home every three months!
MontiKids
These are some of my favorite products as an educator. Many of these products I have even used before in my classroom, so I have first hand knowledge of how awesome they are!! I hope that I helped you out with your shopping list for your littles, and I wish you a happy shopping season!!
