10 Easy Education Preschool Gift Ideas!
These days everyone is following trends, and preschoolers are no exception. Last week they were all about the dinosaurs, this week everything is Paw Patrol, and next week might be Frozen or Moana. It can be easy to purchase these trendy gifts for your preschooler at Christmas time, and they will probably be very excited about it today, but, as I’m sure many of you know, the trend shifts and the trendy toys get buried at the bottom of the toy box or lost in the basement, never to be played with again. If we are bold enough to step away from the trends, we can find countless high quality Christmas gift Ideas that not only engage preschoolers for months and years, but also encourage and support their learning and development.
Hi, and welcome to nat’s nook. My name is Natasha and I am an early childhood educator. I have a master’s degree in early childhood education and years of experience working with hundreds of preschoolers. I would love to share all that I have learned and experienced in hopes of improving the early childhood experience and promote positive early learning experiences for young children. In this article I will share with you 10 Easy educational Christmas Gift Ideas for Preschoolers that will have your preschooler engaged and learning while they play.
10 Easy Educational Preschool Gift Ideas!
1.
This simple toy is actually very versatile and opens up so many opportunities to help your preschooler practice number sense as they develop early math skills. This particular set comes with six color coded types of dinosaurs and six small bowls to practice sorting by color. That is just one of the ways this toy can be used for learning. The counters can also be mixed and matched to create pattern, practice counting and quantifying, and even supporting with early addition and subtraction into the early grade school age. You can even get then in deferent fun shapes like farm animals or teddy bears depending on what your preschooler is interested in.
2.
This fine motor tool set contains items that I always have on my classroom wish list. These fun tools help young preschoolers practice their fine motor skills which better prepares them for cutting, lacing, and writing. These are so fun to toss into a sensory bin and let the preschoolers explore. Each tool is specially designed to fit comfortably in small hands and to encourage movements that strengthen wrist, hand and finger muscles.
3.
An all time preschool classroom favorite! Marble run is engaging in a new way for most preschoolers. Children can work independently or in small groups to design and construct deferent pathways. They will often run into obstacles offering them a perfect opportunity to practice problem solving. This activity is requested so often by my preschoolers, particularly in the morning during drop off. It offers just the right amount of challenge and success that makes watching the marble roll successfully through the track so satisfying, and every time you play it has the potential to be new and exciting.
4.
This is actually a new one for me. I discovered this toy when I was opening new classrooms about a year ago and I was browsing Amazon.com for toys and materials. When I first introduced these building straws to my preschoolers I was not entirely sure what they would think of it. I was quite different from any other toys they had in their classroom, but I loved how simple and open ended it is. I suspected that they would like the toy but to my surprise they actually loved it. These building straws encouraged so much creativity, problem solving, cooperative and collaborative play, and more. It is definitely on my preschool classroom must have list from now on.
5.
I hear you’ve got an artist in the making. This painter’s kit is the perfect gift for the preschooler who loves to get messy and creative with paints. The variety of tools offers opportunities to practice different grips and strokes, each creating a different impression on the canvas. Art can be a wonderful tool for expression or even for calming and self regulation. This kit also comes with a long sleeve smock to protect your preschooler’s clothing, as well as small dip trays to contain the paint. It even comes with foam letters to help incorporate literacy. I like to use these to help children “sign their work” by printing their name or initials.
6.
I have found this toy in almost every preschool classroom I have worked in. Pattern blocks offer endless opportunities for learning and definitely have the potential to grow with your child well into elementary school. They offer opportunity to discover and explore slightly more complex geometric shapes, such as trapezoid, hexagon, rhombus and diamond. Preschoolers can also explore how these shapes relate to one another, for example, two trapezoids can come together to make a hexagon. This particular kit is often found in classrooms because it is made of durable wood. Another characteristic I like about this kit in particular is that it offers opportunity for both open and closed ended play. I have seen so many of my preschoolers use the pattern pictures provided or build with their own imagination depending on how they feel that day.
7.
Children are born scientists. They learn best through curiosity and exploration. That is why a preschool science kit is a great gift for a preschooler. We always have a science kit in our preschool classrooms. Sometimes it is used for dramatic play, where the children pretend to be scientists conducting an experiment. Other times we pull out the tools to conduct actual experiments. Once we have practice a few experiments, I find that many preschoolers are able to gather the materials and conduct their own experiments independently. What better way to discover the world then through curiosity and exploration.
8.
This one is likely going to be for our slightly older preschoolers, however, there is no harm in exploring these concepts with younger preschoolers as well. This CVC phonics pack is great for language, literacy and reading practice. CVC words which are made up of Consonant- Vowel- Consonant, and are some of the first words that children will learn to read and write. What I love about this toy is that it helps make the abstract concept of CVC words and word families very concrete and hands on. This is a great tool for review, reinforcement, or gently introduction to reading.
9.
An absolute must have! I have yet to meet a preschooler who did not enjoy playing with magnetic tiles. They’re cool, colorful, open ended, and so different from other building toys. My preschoolers can play with this toy every day without getting bored of it. They build trains, rockets, houses, garages, zoos, castles, and more. The possibilities are quite literally endless. When my preschoolers play with magnetic tiles the play nearly always fluctuates between construction and dramatic play. They essentially have an idea, build that idea, and imagine how it would be in the world. Then, when they run into a problem, they rethink, re imagine, and recreate to problem solve. It is truly magnificent!
10.
I had a play tea set on my list of 10 Easy Educational Gift Ideas for Toddlers. We are going to step it up a little with this Kitchen Appliance Play Set. Dramatic play is the primary way that young children process their experiences and develop their understanding of the world. When they see adults brewing coffee, baking cakes, or blending smoothies, they typically want to do that too. It is nice to allow your preschooler to help you in the kitchen, I would recommend this set of Kid safe real cooking tools for such activities, but it’s not always possible to have your preschooler in the kitchen every time you are making something. This kitchen appliance play set allows preschoolers to play and explore to their heart’s content as they continue to practice and develop the skills and understanding they need.
Bonus.
Reusable Christmas Sticker Book
This one is not too fancy but it’s a fun little Christmas themed gift to keep the Christmas spirit strong. This is a reusable sticker book. The stickers can be placed and moved wherever your preschooler wants in the Christmas scene. I find this to be a great toy for on the go. It can be used to keep children engaged on car drives or plane rides during holiday trips. I love this activity because it is like a well contained on the go dramatic play experience for preschoolers.
I hope your preschoolers love some these Christmas gift Ideas! If you want more advice or inspiration for helping your preschooler become a great learner, follow me on Instagram. Let me know which of these preschool gift ideas you use for your little learner by sending a message in the section below or messaging me on Instagram. Happy Holidays! See you next time!
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