Great Christmas Gift Ideas
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Finding the perfect gift for a child can be a fun, yet challenging experience. With so many options available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. To help you navigate this process, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of teacher-recommended gifts that cater to various interests and skills. Teachers spend their days educating children; therefore, they have a firsthand understanding of their developmental needs. Teachers are an invaluable resource when it comes to selecting meaningful gifts. They know what captivates children’s attention and sparks their curiosity and creativity.
This list includes manipulatives that enhance hands-on learning, memory games that sharpen cognitive abilities, engaging fine motor activities that develop essential skills, books that expand horizons, puzzles that challenge young minds, art supplies that encourage creativity and imagination, and outdoor activities that promote physical health and exploration. Each of these gifts can easily play a crucial role in enriching a child’s learning and development, making them thoughtful choices for any gift giving holiday or occasion.
Please Note: The items listed below covers a wide range of age groups and has the perspective from Teachers of all ages and developmental levels and needs. Please only select items that are developmentally appropriate for your child or the recipient of your gifts.
Manipulatives is a term popular in the teaching world which basically means physical objects or materials that a child can move and “manipulate” to create new forms from it. This can entail many objects but for our purposes we will reference building type materials. Manipulatives are essential for helping children grasp complex concepts through hands-on exploration. Children can use their critical thinking skills as well as their fine motor skills. Teachers highly recommend a variety of manipulatives especially starting at a younger age and increase difficulty as children age or develop. Here are a few popular choices.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set – 100 Blocks in 4 Colors and 9 Shapes – FSC Certified
Magnet Toys for 3 Year Old Boys & Girls, Montessori Toys for Toddlers Kids, Magnetic Blocks Building DIY Learning Educational Toys Gift- Starter Set
LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box 10698 Building Toy Set. Toy Storage Solution for Home or Classrooms, Interactive Building Toy for Kids, Boys, and Girls
PicassoTiles 100 Piece Set 100pcs Magnet Building Tiles Clear Magnetic 3D Blocks Construction Playboards, Creativity Beyond Imagination, Inspirational, Recreational, Educational Conventional
LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds 76419 Building Set, Gift Idea for Adults, Buildable Display Model, Collectible Harry Potter Playset, Recreate Iconic Scenes from The Wizarding World
Memory Games are a fun way to enhance a child’s memory skills. It also helps focus, concentration, and increases cognitive abilities. Memory games come in a variety of forms, from card games to board games. It is easy to find a memory game that matches your child’s interest. Tip: Card games are great stocking stuffers and are great for travel activities since they are easy to transport. Here are a few Teacher Recommended Gift Ideas.
Wonder Forge Eric Carle Matching Game For Boys & Girls Age 3 To 5 – A Fun & Fast Animal Memory Game
Spot It! Classic – Award-Winning Card Game with Endless Playability, Fast-Paced Observation Game for the Whole Family! Ages 6+, 2-8 Players, 15 Minute Playtime, Made by Zygomatic
Imaginative play is when a child uses their imagination to role-play scenarios and create characters and new worlds. It’s pretending and make-believe. Imaginative play is unstructured play, that is usually open-ended allowing for personality and character to grow. It helps with social skills, problem solving skills and language development. Children can pretend to be a character in a book, a person they have met or a character they have created. Giving them props to help spark their imagination is always a great gift idea. Here are a few Techer Recommended Gift ideas.
Melissa & Doug Examine and Treat Pet Vet Play Set (24 pcs) – Kids Veterinary Play Set, Veterinarian Kit For Kids, STEAM Toy, Pretend Play Doctor Set For Kids Ages 3+
KidKraft Wooden Farm to Table Play Kitchen with EZ Kraft Assembly™, Lights & Sounds, Ice Maker and 17 Accessories
Step2 Big Builders Pro Kids Workbench – Includes 45 Toy Workbench Accessories, Interactive Features for Realistic Pretend Play – Indoor/Outdoor Kids Tool Bench – Dimensions 34″ H x 38.5″ W x 27.5″ D
Born Toys Dress Up & Pretend Play Kids Costumes Set Ages 3-7, Washable Kids Dress Up Clothes for Play
Learning Resources Pretend & Play Teaching Cash Register, 73 Piece Set, Ages 3+, Talking Register, Counting Activities, Money Management
Writing activities and fine motor tasks are crucial for developing literacy skills. These activities improve communication skills and fine motor abilities, laying the foundation for future reading and writing success. Writing becomes an outlet for social emotional skills, especially when journaling for older children.
Children’s My Book Tracker Journal Tracking 25 Books is a Keepsake Journal for the student reader, that memorializes your reading journey in a personalized and creative way. The Children’s My Book Tracker Journal has 120 pages broken down into several different tracking methods.
Books are a collection of imagination memories that are inspired by talented authors.
This is the basis behind using a Book tracking journal. It is a fun and creative way to gather your reading collection and memorialize them for years to come. Utilizing your own creativity to personalize the tracker makes it your individualized journey tracker. A one of a kind keepsake journal.
Books are a collection of imagination memories that are inspired by talented authors.
This is the basis behind using a Book tracking journal. It is a fun and creative way to gather your reading collection and memorialize them for years to come. Utilizing your own creativity to personalize the tracker makes it your individualized journey tracker. A one of a kind keepsake journal.
Children can be their own author and illustrator! These themed Keepsake Books are perfect for encouraging creativity and practicing writing skills. They are a great educational and early learning tools. Teachers Love them! It helps create a love of learning, by personalizing the outcome. Create your own personalized stories with these early learning journals and storybooks. They make great gifts in two different ways, (1) it can be given as a blank book, that is ready to be completed and filled with individualized stories to create a keepsake, or (2) have your child or beginning learner complete the book by writing their own stories to give as a gift. Grandparents and relatives that live a distance away love getting these personalized stories!!
Erasable Gel Pens, 26 Colors Retractable Erasable Pens Clicker, Fine Point, Make Mistakes Disappear, Assorted Color Inks for Drawing Writing Planner and Crossword Puzzles
120 Pack Glitter Gel Pens Set, ZSCM 60 Colors Pens Include 48 Glitter Pens, 12Classic Pen With 60 Matching Color Refills, Canvas Bag For Adults Coloring Books Drawing Journaling Scrapbook
Books are timeless gifts that can ignite a love for reading and learning. It is a gift that not everyone thinks about immediately but is always appreciated. Most people remember a favorite book from their childhood. Reading enhances vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills, fostering creativity and imagination. It is easy to see why Books are always very popular on every Teachers gift giving list. In fact it was easily the most popular item mentioned of all the Teachers that we asked. There is a large variety of books available, so we will only touch on a few that you may have not thought about.
At One Million and One we have an entire section dedicated to Books and Journals that we have created, feel free to stop by. We have also written a Blog post about giving Books as Christmas gifts. Great Christmas Gift for Beginning Readers
From frogs to foxes, scorpions and sharks, The Fascinating Animal Book for Kids has it all! This animal encyclopedia includes 500 amazing facts about animals that offer hours of engaging learning everyone will love.
Linking to a popular feature in the super successful National Geographic Little Kids magazine, this book brings the browsable fun of the bestselling National Geographic Kids Almanac to a new audience: preschoolers! Using an interactive question-and-answer format and content grounded in a child’s immediate world, the Big Book of Why delivers lively information, hands-on games, simple recipes, crafts, and more.
Christmas Themed Books
Teachers love Books as gifts. Below are a few classics and a few newer publications. All are teacher recommended. Books are the one item that every teacher had on their gift guide list, reminding us that any way to instill a love of reading is truly priceless! The classics are great books to have in your home and will definitely take you back to your childhood. Try to find one of your favorites. However your child may be excited about Christmas stories that include some of today’s characters that they are familiar with. Here are a few of todays favorite Christmas books.
(Tip: If your child attends school or daycare, ask your child’s teacher for book recommendations)
Puzzles offer an excellent way to develop problem-solving skills and concentration. They promote patience and perseverance, logic and strategy They encourage cognitive development, critical thinking, and the ability to tackle challenges. Puzzles are great for individual or group activities. Puzzles have always been a teachers secret, especially for early learners. Here are a few Teacher Recommended Puzzles.
Dreampark Wooden Puzzles for Toddlers Ages 1-3, Montessori Toys for 1 2 3 Years Old Girls Boys Baby Kids Puzzle Learning Educational Christmas Birthday Gifts Toys 6 Pack Animal Jigsaw Puzzle
SYNARRY Wooden Puzzles for Kids Ages 4-6, 6 Packs 60 PCs Jigsaw Puzzles Preschool Educational Toys Gifts for Children Ages 4-8, Kids Puzzles for 4+ Year Olds Boys Girls, Wood Puzzles Ages 3 4 5 6 7 8
PUZZLES For Older Children and Family Activity
MYS Aurora Wooden Puzzles, Sea Turtle Jigsaw Puzzles 300 Pieces, Unique Shaped Wooden Puzzle for Adults and Kids, Family Game 11.3 x 13.8 Inch
Educational Insights Kanoodle 3D Brain Teaser Puzzle for Ages 7+ Brain Games for Kids and Adults, Travel Games, Stocking Stuffers for Kids, Teens and Adults
Puzzle Table 1500pcs,Jigsaw Puzzle Table Metal,Puzzle Table with Drawers,Puzzle Board with Legs,Grey and Black Color,Puzzle Tables for Adults with Drawers,Jigsaw Puzzle Board with Drawers
GREAT STORAGE IDEA FOR UNFINISHED PUZZLES
Art allows children to express themselves and explore their creative side. Basic art supply items such as crayons, markers, watercolors, colored pencils, coloring books, sketchbooks, and craft supplies encourage creativity and artistic expression. Art supplies for gift giving is a great idea, especially since it promotes creativity and personal expression. Teacher Tip: Art activities can be great for improving fine motor skills also. Here are a few Teacher recommended gift ideas.
Crayola Crayon Tub (240ct), Bulk Crayon Set, Kids Coloring & Art Supplies, Crayons for Kids, Holiday Gifts, Ages 3, 4, 5 [Amazon Exclusive]
Crayola Inspiration Art Case Coloring Set – Space (140ct), Art Kit For Kids, Toys for Girls & Boys, Art Set, Holiday Gift for Kids [Amazon Exclusive]
KidKraft Wooden Storage Easel with Dry Erase and Chalkboard Surfaces, Children’s Art Furniture – Espresso, Gift for Ages 3+
U.S. Art Supply 10 Piece Children’s No Spill Paint Cups with Colored Lids and 10 Piece Large Round Brush Set with Plastic Handles
Soucolor 9″ x 12″ Sketch Book, 1-Pack 100 Sheets Spiral Bound Art Sketchbook, Acid Free (68lb/100gsm) Artist Drawing Book Paper Painting Sketching Pad
This wonderfully large sketch pad is Perfect for kids, art students and professional artists to create artwork and practice skills. Great gift for back-to-school supplies, Christmas art supplies, craft painting drawing supplies.
Crayola Brush & Detail Dual Tip Marker Set, 16 Markers, 32 Colors, Adult Coloring Markers, Gifts for Teens & Adults
Physical activity is crucial for a child’s health and well-being. There are many benefits to physical health including cardiovascular health, improving coordination, balance, and encourages endurance and strength development. Gross Motor Activities builds muscle strength. Many outdoor gross motor activities promote health, teamwork, and improve social skills. Here are a few teachers recommended options.
- Examples of outdoor activities:
- Playgrounds: Climbing, Slides, Swings etc
- Ball games: Soccer, Kickball, Catch, Organized Sports Teams
- Bikes: Scooters, Tricycles
- Walking, Hiking, Running
- Water Play: Swimming, Sprinklers etc..
- Obstacle Courses: Setting up challenges with different obstacles to climb, crawl, and jump over
Space Ball, Extreme High Bouncing Ball, Super High Bouncing Space Ball, Children’s Sensory Ball, Athlete Training Ball
Light Up Soccer Ball – Glow in the Dark – NO 5 – Sports Gear Gifts for Boys & Girls 8-15+ Year Old – Kids, Teens Gift Ideas – Cool Boy Toys Ages 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Glowing Night Activit
WOWmazing Giant Bubble Wands Kit: (4-Piece Set) | Incl. Wand, Big Bubble Concentrate and Tips & Trick Booklet | Outdoor Toy for Kids, Boys, Girls | Bubbles Made in The USA
Porayhut Pop up Soccer Goal and Ball Sets, Portable Soccer Net for Training,Set of 2, Easy Assembly with Compact Carrying Bag,Gift for Kids with Pump and 8 Stakes
The educational side of science and exploration can be included in your gift list. There are many activities that will encourage their curiosity and thought processes. From astrology to nature and gardening, exploration can be a fun adventure at all age levels. Think geology, astronomy, volcanos, nature, microscopes, magnets, terrariums and so much more. (Teacher Tip: there are many science themed books that are great gifts and great learning tools, ie: Astronomy, Rocks, Insects, Weather, Nature, Fun Facts etc.) Here are a few teacher recommended gift ideas.
Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope Featuring Bindi Irwin: Microscope for Kids, STEM & Science Toy, Interactive Learning, Ages 3+
Mini Microscope for Kids, Kids Microscope Handheld Mini Microscope for Kids, Kids Microscope Handheld Mini Scope Portable Microscope for Kids (White)
Gskyer Telescope, 70mm Aperture 400mm AZ Mount Astronomical Refracting Telescope for Kids Beginners – Travel Telescope with Carry Bag, Phone Adapter and Wireless Remote.
There are many benefits to family activities which include all members at various learning levels and skills. For us, we had a Friday night Pizza-Game-Movie night and we made memories, had some great laughs and we learned a lot along the way. Teachers will tell you that there are many advantages to group activities, especially families. Board Games and outdoor activities are great examples. Here are a few teacher favorites, you may recognize a few of the classics.
Hasbro Gaming Connect 4 Strategy Board Game for Kids | 2 Players for Boys & Girls | Ages 6+ (Amazon Exclusive)
ThinkFun Zingo Bingo – Unique Pre-Reading Game for Kids | Boosts Language & Matching Skills | Fun for Classroom & Home | Amazon Exclusive with Extra Zingo Card
Hasbro Gaming Jenga Classic Game with Genuine Hardwood Blocks,Stacking Tower Game for 1 or More Players,Kids Ages 6 and Up
Mattel Uno Original and Uno Flip Card Games, Combo Pack of 2
Shut The Box Game, 4-Player Wooden Dice Game That’s Perfect for Parties and Gatherings. It enhances Math and Decision-Making Skills While Providing Endless Entertainment.
Choosing gifts for children can be a rewarding experience, especially with insights from teachers who understand the importance of developmentally appropriate toys and activities. By selecting manipulatives, memory games, writing and fine motor activities, books, puzzles, art supplies, and outdoor equipment, you can provide gifts that inspire learning and creativity. These thoughtful presents not only bring joy but also support children’s growth, ensuring they have a fun and enriching experience. So next time you’re on the hunt for the perfect gift, keep these teacher-recommended ideas in mind—they’re sure to make a lasting impact!
