I love watching the kids get excited about their gifts, but sometimes the amount of toys and clutter in the house can feel overwhelming.  This can be especially true after birthdays or holidays, when the kids receive presents from multiple people.

Instead of junk toys that will soon be forgotten,  we love educational gifts for kids the family can enjoy together.

Sneak in a little learning with these fun Lesson Plans for Disney Movies.  

If you are looking for some awesome educational gifts for children this year, you’ve come to the right spot.   

I’ve asked some of my favorite fellow homeschool families what their favorite presents have been, and used their responses to create a list of the best gift ideas.   

Whether you’re looking for gifts for homeschoolers, or present ideas for all the kids in your life, you’ll find something for everyone below. 

Affiliate links have been used below, meaning I may receive a small commission.  See my full disclosure for more details. 

Educational Gifts for Kids

Microscope

Microscope Slides—  Check out the pre-made slides for viewing things like a bee’s wing and a cross-section of a flower stem.  Blank slides are great for older kids who are ready to prepare their own slides.  

Telescope

Binoculars

Robotics Kits—  Know a child that loves robots?  Give them some hands-on fun with one of these kits.  

Solar Power Car— Can the sun power a car?  Discover just how power the sun is with this kit.  

Magnatiles—  Kids of all ages will have fun builting with these colorful tiles.  

Snap Circuits—  These are a great way to introduce circuits, while letting kids get hands-on experience with electricity.  Working doorbells, lights, and other features make them lots of fun.  

Monthly Subscription Kits —  Check out  MyTek Bot Kit, Raddish Cooking Club for Kids, Little Passports, or Steve Spangler Science Box .

Scrambled States of America —  Kids will have fun learning basic American geography with this quirky game.  

Perplexus Puzzle Balls — These 3-D mazes are so much fun!  The small ones make great stocking stuffers.

Fun Math Board Games—  Who says math isn’t fun?  These games will leave kids laughing as they work on math facts, counting, and money skills. 

Lego Chain Reactions  —  This 80 page STEM book is the perfect gift for Lego fans.  It comes with 30+ Lego pieces to combine with the bricks you already own to build 10 different machines.   

Genius Lego Inventions   —  This awesome book shows kids how to turn their bricks into a wind up car, pinball game, and more.  Complete with full directions and colored illustrations.  

Legos—  Whether you buy a kit with directions, or just a tub of the colorful building bricks, Legos are always a popular gift for kids.  

K’Nex Roller Coaster Building Kit —  Kids will learn plenty of physics as they engineer their very own miniature roller coaster.  

Logic Games (Try Qwirkle, Blokus, Gravity Maze, Dr. Eureka, or IQ Twist.)

Catapults and Crossbows Science Kit—  Kids will have a blast learning about the energy, motion, and force while making their own catapults, crossbows, and trebuchets.  

Klutz Craft Kits— You just can’t beat the Klutz brand when it comes to craft kits.   And they have such a wide variety, such as making soap, sewing mini stuffed animals, and making bracelets.

Chemistry Set—  Seriously, there are so many fun ones to choose from out there.  You can get kits that grow crystals, ones that do a variety of fizzing experiments, and, of course, your standard set with booklet that walks you through several experiments to try at home.  

Make Your Own Bubble Gum Kit—  What a fun way to explore chemistry! 

Mr. Root Beer Home Brewing Kit

Sewing Machine —  I suggest a real sewing machine, not one of those “kids sewing machines” which don’t really sew.  (Trust me, they are a disappointment.)  

Butterfly Growing Kit—  Kids will be fascinated as they watch their caterpillars turn into butterflies that you can then release into the wild.  

Story Cubes— These are a fun way to get kids writing and telling stories.  

Metal Detector —  A good metal detector doesn’t have to be expensive.   There are lots of good ones that are the perfect size for kids.  

Kindle Fire (or other reader) — Encourage reading with a bit of technology.  A tablet makes it easy to always have a book (or 2 or 3) with you, wherever you go.  

Kids Cookbooks  —  Even preschoolers can help in the kitchen.  Older kids can start learning to cook simple meals on their own, a necessary life skill everyone should learn.  

Fort Building Kit—  Take that blanket fort further with this building kit.  This is awesome on snow days.  

Slack Line Kit—  Get kids outside and working on balance, concentration, and coordination.  

Plasma Car—  No pedals, just wiggle power to get this moving.  And since it holds up to 150 pounds, it’s perfect for big kids, too, and those of us that are kids at heart. 

More Gifts for Homeschool Families

Nice Globe

Large White Board and Dry Erase Markers  

Boogie Board— Better than a white board, because the ink won’t smudge.  These are perfect for doing math problems on, practicing spelling words, and doodling without wasting paper.  

Ink Cartridges for the Printer  —  Homeschool families go through a lot of printer ink.  This is one gift that will definitely be appreciated.

Museum or Zoo Membership  —  Membership to a local museum or zoo is a wonderful gift for the whole family.  

Planetarium Tickets 

Subscription to a Child’s Magazine (We love Highlights and Ranger Rick!)

Gift Card to a Local Book Store

Art Classes (Check your local YMCA or Fine Arts Groups.)

Music Classes —  Check local high schools for opportunities when it comes to learning an instrument.  There are also online piano and guitar lessons that are perfect for busy homeschoolers.  

Tickets to Children’s Theater

Tickets to the  Symphony

Subscription to Netflix

Subscription to Amazon Prime

Whether you are looking for gifts for homeschool families, or you just want some educational gifts for kids this list is the perfect place to start for birthdays and holidays. 

You’ll also like:

• Awesome DIY Gifts for Kids
• Mermaid Gifts for Girls
• STEM Supplies for a STEM Lab at Home

Originally published November 2, 2017.

The post 50 of the Best Educational Gift Ideas for Homeschooling Families first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

After going through the line, she asked if we could go back because “it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”  Of course I took her again.

Her love for all things mermaid inspired this mermaid gift guide, packed full of the perfect mermaid gifts for girls that love mermaids.  You may also want to check out these 15 homemade gifts for kids.

Mermaid Gifts for Girls

Whether your child is a toddler or a tween, this list will help you find the perfect mermaid gifts for kids of all ages.

Affiliate links to the products have been provided for your convenience.  See my full disclosure for more details. 

Mermaid  Stuff for Kids 

Tail Blanket —  Beautiful crocheted blanket that looks like a mermaid tale.

Mermaid Blanket with Matching Doll Blanket — Kids will love snuggling into this soft, sleeping bag-styled blanket.  I love that their favorite doll can snuggle into her own matching tale.

Mermaid Swimwear — Let her live out her fantasy and be a mermaid with this fun swim set.

Mermaid Hooded Towel — This towel is more than just a way to dry off after bath time.

Monofin Flipper — The swim flipper that lets them swim like a mermaid.

Mermaid Pendant Necklace — With the rainbow colored stones on the tale, this necklace is sure to be a hit with that special little girl.

Seashell Locket — Perfect necklace for any little mermaid.

Mermaid Dolls

Rainbow Colored Mermaid Barbie — She will love the colors on this rainbow mermaid doll.

Ariel Doll — Every girl needs their own Little Mermaid to play with.

Magic Swim Mermaid — This doll magically swims when placed in water.

Mermaid Plush — This doll is perfect for snuggling.

Favorite Moments Mermaid Pack — 7 miniature mermaids with color-changing tops, including Ariel and her sisters, perfect for water play.

Mermaid Books

Three Little Mermaids — A beautiful board book with moving parts that toddlers and preschoolers will adore.

Pinkalicious and Aqua, the Mini-Mermaid — Pinkalicious meets Aqua in a beautiful cove full of rainbow colored shells.  With gorgeous pictures and all the fun that Pinkalicious books contain.  (Grade level 1-3)

Lacey the Little Mermaid Fairy — We love the fairies in the Rainbow Magic books series, and this one was an extra special hit.  A chapter book that will keep mermaid fans reading.  (Grade level 2-5)

Disney Princess Ariel:  The Birthday Surprise — A fun chapter book for girls that love Ariel.  (Grade level 1-3)

Mermaid Tales Sparkling Collection — The perfect book collection to get reluctant readers excited about reading.  5 exciting undersea adventures.  (Grade level 1-4)

The Tail of Emily Windsnap — When 12 year-old Emily’s mom finally lets her take swimming lessons she makes a startling discovery.  This book is perfect for every girl that ever dreamed of being a mermaid.  (Grade level 3-7)

Mermaid Arts & Crafts

Mermaid Paper Doll Kit — With 6 beautiful mermaids, 3 seahorse friends, and over 200 punch-out fashions, this paper doll kit is perfect for mermaid fans.

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Mermaid — You just can’t beat the quality of Melissa & Doug toys.

Glitter Mermaid Paper Doll — Small enough to toss in a purse for your child to enjoy when stuck at the doctor’s office or at a restaurant.  Perfect for a stocking stuffer.

Paint Your Own Wooden Mermaid — What’s better than mermaids?  One that you get to decorate yourself!

Shrinky Dink Mermaids — Your child can have the fun of decorating their own Shrinky Dink mermaids to display.

Scratch and Sketch Mermaid Adventure — Using the stylus reveals a rainbow of colors in this twist to a coloring book.

Mermaid Coloring Book — Simple mermaids to color for the youngest of fans.

Puffy Mermaid Stickers — Reusable puffy sticker play set with 65 colorful stickers.

Mermaid Jewelry Kit — Create your own sparkling jewelry with plenty of sea-themed beads, such as starfish and dolphins.

Mermaid Doll Making Kit — Give your child the chance to make her own cuddly mermaid without having to sew.

Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle — This is a 48 piece heavy duty puzzle with storage case.

100 Piece Mermaid Puzzle — This puzzle has a beautiful scene with a mermaid surrounded by fish, perfect for ages 6 and up.

I will always treasure the memory of taking our daughter to see the mermaids.

She was right, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  After all, I know she won’t always believe they are real.

This year I’m going to keep some of that youthful innocence alive with a few of these mermaid gifts for girls.

You may also like:

• Gifts to Keep Them Learning
• How to Make a Teapot Cake
• The Best Preschooler Games

Originally published November 13, 2016. 

The post Magical Mermaid Gifts for Girls of All Ages first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

With all the Dr. Seuss activities I’ve shared, it’s no secret that Dr. Seuss is a favorite of mine.  

Some of his most beloved “Seuss-isms” go well beyond those early childhood years.  In fact, there are quite a few fun Dr. Seuss graduation gift ideas that are perfect for high school graduates as well as college grads.

Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience, at no extra cost to you.

Dr. Seuss Graduation Gift Ideas

Oh, the Places You’ll Go  —  This Dr. Seuss book has long been a favorite graduation gift.  Tuck a few dollar bills between the pages — much more fun than just putting the money into a card.

Seuss-isms:  A Guide to Life for Those Just Starting Out…And Those Already on Their Way — With over 60 pages of cherished Dr. Seuss artwork and inspiring and humorous quotes, this book makes a fun graduation gift.

The Dr. Seuss Coloring Book —  With intricate illustrations,  patterns, and images based on pages from some of the most loved books, now you can color Dr. Seuss’s work any way you want!

Oh, the Places I’ve Been! Journal — With 160 pages, it’s the perfect place for reflecting on life and all the places you’ve been.

Dr. Seuss Wall Clock — This stunning wall clock features the Dr. Seuss quote:  “Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”

Oh, the Places You’ll Go  Graduation Bracelet — This simple bracelet would make a lovely graduation gift.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go  Mug Set — Featuring the classic Dr. Seuss quote, this is a colorful coffee and travel mug set.

Dr. Seuss Stainless Steel Travel Mug — This one is simple and classic in looks with the quote, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

Working Compass Necklace with Dr. Seuss Quote — This fun necklace has a working compass to help guide the young graduate on their journeys.

Pendant Necklace with Map and Dr. Seuss Quote — With the quote, “You’re off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way,” and the background map, this necklace speaks of all the future adventures that await the graduate.

Whether you’re looking for a fun high school graduation gift or something for a college grad, these Dr. Seuss graduation gift ideas are guaranteed to make them smile. 

You may also enjoy:

• 15 Homemade Gifts Kids Will Love
• The Ultimate Gift Guide for Girls That Love Mermaids
• Gifts to Keep Them Learning This Summer

The post Fun Dr. Seuss Graduation Gift Ideas first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Remember the feeling of joy you had as a child when summer break finally came?  Freedom!

As a parent, though, you might be worried about the “summer slide.”

This year surprise your child with these summer gift ideas for kids that they will not only enjoy, but will also help avoid the summer slide and keep them learning over summer break.

And be sure to check out our summer crafts and activities for more fun ideas for summer.

Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience.  

Your child has worked hard all school year.  They deserve a break from worksheets and spelling quizzes, but you also don’t want them to lose all those skills they’ve worked so hard on.

These gifts will keep them thinking and learning all summer so they are ready when school resumes in the fall.  

For more fun educational gift ideas, check out these gifts for homeschool families.

End of the Year Gifts for Kids

Journal:  A blank writing journal and some colorful pens (or pencils) is perfect for inspiring your child to practice writing skills this summer.

Buy a new journal before that family vacation and collect ticket stubs and pictures to add to the journal as they write about the places you visit.

Or, use the journal to write letters back and forth with your child.  Leave a short note thanking them for helping clean up the dishes (or for playing nicely with siblings) and be sure to ask a few questions for them to answer in their next journal entry.

Games and Puzzles:  There are so many fun and educational board games available.   Check out Brain Quest Smart Game .  It has questions that that focus on science, math, art, reading and the world.

Work on spelling and vocabulary with Scrabble or similar game.   And we love these math games; so fun they won’t even know they are learning.

For preschool-aged children, check out my list of preschool games they will love.   Plan a weekly family game night (even if it’s just half an hour) and make memories this summer having fun and learning together.

Kids Cookbook:  Cooking together is a great opportunity to work on reading skills, following directions, fractions and more.

Let your child choose a recipe early in the week and write out a grocery list together for the ingredients needed. (Sneaking in a bit of writing and spelling.)  Then have fun creating a yummy dish for the family to enjoy.

Magazine Subscription:  Kids love getting mail!  Imagine the smile on their face when they see their name on their very own magazine.  Not only will they be working on reading skills, but most kids magazines also have a variety of puzzles to solve and keep them thinking.

S.T.E.M. Toys:  There are so many great toys on the market that foster science, technology, engineering, and math skills.

• Younger children will love exploring how gears work.
• Remember Tinker Toys?  Your child can design all kinds of things, take them apart, and build again.  Both of mine love the set of Tinker Toys we have that belonged to my husband as a child.
• HexBugs are super affordable and are a great introduction to simple robotics.   Your child will can spend hours engineering hex bug mazes for them, all the while learning.  
• Snap Circuits  give your child a chance to learn about basic circuitry while building things like flashlights, sirens and other fun simple technology.

STEM Kit:  Going along with the whole S.T.E.M. idea, your child will love their own STEM kit you can create with items for the dollar store .

For close to $20 you can gather the supplies to do tons of fun science experiments with your child. Put the items in a plastic tub, stick a bow on it, and watch their face light up as they try their hand at some kitchen science.

Tinkering Kit:  By gathering up items you probably already have in the house and storing them together in one spot, you will be providing them endless hours to build and get creative.   Not sure what to include?  I love the ideas provided in this DIY Tinkering Kit.

Summer break is coming.  

These end of the school year summer gifts for kids will keep your child learning while having lots of fun, too. 

You may also like:

• DIY Gifts Kids Will Love
• Awesome Gifts for Kids That Love Mermaids
• Make Your Mark — Encourage Your Child’s Love of Writing

The post Gift Ideas to Keep Kids Learning This Summer first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.