Whether your child or grandchild is a toddler or a teenager, it’s a great idea to include educational gifts that promote reading and learning in your holiday gift exchange. While children need to choose the gifts they want, the value of reading and learning is immeasurable and will last a lifetime. Children may not realize they enjoy these activities if they are never allowed to try them, and, let’s face it, they will be excited to open a few extra gifts. Holidays are the perfect time to take advantage of learning opportunities, and most children will not even realize that the gifts are educational; this is the Elven secret.
Here are some gifts and ideas to encourage your child to read during the holiday.
I am obsessed with the Fire tablets for kids. I love the whimsical way they look in the rugged pink and blue cases. Amazon has gone to great lengths to ensure that all kids’ tablets are safe and restricted; some reviewers feel the restrictions might be too rigid. Online safety is paramount, and kids’ tablets should never be used for browsing.
Kids’ models come with a free one-year Amazon Unlimited Free Time subscription. This service provides access to many e-books, applications, movies, and games, ensuring children have endless activities to explore. What’s not to like? A tablet is an incredible gift.
To encourage reading, add reading apps such as Homer, Mee Genius, and Scholastic to the tablet. Setting up weekly storytelling sessions can help your child learn to read along with the story. Storytelling is also a great way to calm younger children at bedtime, making it easier for them to fall asleep and giving parents a much-needed break. Fire tablets come in a variety of age ranges. Be sure to purchase the one created for your child’s age group.
Nothing says quiet time, like coloring books and puzzles strewn across the floor while eating a snack. These inexpensive yet convenient gifts provide more benefits than improving fine motor skills. They can reduce anxiety, boost brain function, and spark creativity. Remember, not all books need to have words; sometimes, a picture says a lot more.
Children colour or engage with picture puzzles and create their own stories. To enhance the learning experience with colouring books, encourage your child to create a story for each page or combine coloured pages into a single storyline.
With various designs available today, it’s easy to find colouring books catering to a child’s interests. Be sure to include books with words, letters, and numbers for an added educational benefit. Activity books containing mazes, puzzles, and stickers are an excellent option for older children.
- Reading and Spelling Games
Learning to read begins with recognizing letters and words. Using flashcards and playing spelling games makes learning fun, and children are more willing to participate.
Scrabble is one of the most popular spelling and word games, suitable for older children and adults. If you’re looking for a similar game for younger children, consider the Gojmzo wood spelling game.
A popular strategy game for school-aged children is Taco vs Burrito. The two- to four-player game promotes communication and imagination, which are essential skills for writing. Interestingly, a 7-year-old named Alex is the mastermind behind the game, and it is one of the bestselling games of the year.
Whatever gift you buy a child, from tablets to colouring books, will be unique because it comes from the heart. That is the true magic of the holidays. But you can add some magic by customizing the items with cool designs such as paw patrol stickers, Harry Potter wrapping paper or jellied gift boxes. After all, adults should use their imagination too!
Image by Михаил Мингазов from Pixabay
Writing has always been her passion and a voice for those who cannot speak. She considers herself fortunate to write every day and says her mantra is, “I drink coffee, write, and I know about people and technology.” Her writing is diverse and can be found online on websites like LifeHack, You Have a Calling, Medium, TechCrunch and, She Knows.
