Every year I try to pick out gifts that I am fairly confident my children will actually use and enjoy for more than a few days.
It's hard. Several times I think I've made good choices, and then a week after Christmas, one or more of the gifts sits sadly on a shelf, rarely to be played with again.
So, this year I've spent a lot of time narrowing down my kids' lists and wading through toy ads and "top toy" lists to bring you my Ultimate Gift Guide for Elementary School Kids. (Note- my kids are NOT getting all of these- I just think they are awesome enough to buy for my own kids!)
Now, a disclaimer- my kids are 9, 7, and 5. We run the gamut from K-4th grade, but I'm sure many of these ideas will work with those in the upper elementary levels as well.
1. Kindle Fire- I thought about getting a kids-themed tablet, but since it is for my almost-10-year-old, I wanted something that will grow with her. Look for some great deals at Staples and Best Buy as well as Amazon this Black Friday!
2. Frozen Ice Castle- this is a HOT toy indeed! This one is a castle for the larger sized dolls, though they also have a smaller version for the "Magi-clip" size dolls as well. If you have Frozen fans, you can't go wrong with a playset so they can re-enact the movie!
3. New LEGO Jungle Rescue Sets- we love LEGOs in our house, and these new rescue sets send a great message to the girls: you don't just have to hang out with your friends and shop! Putting the girls into action is a welcome step forward for LEGO.
4. Harry Potter Paperback Set- my kids LOVE Harry Potter. My daughter has just about ruined my hardcover copies from the original release- so I thought I'd get the kids their own set to destroy read.
5. Imaginext- both my boys already have several Imaginext playsets, so it makes a great gift that keeps on giving! Once you have a set or two, you can supplement with additional figures, vehicles or coordinating sets.
6. Stomp Rocket- you stomp, a rocket flies. What's not to love? This one is loved by all my kids!
7. Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet- Do you have a doodler? Kids that practice spelling words? Math facts? The Boogie Board is perfect for them! They get to write or draw, and you get to stop wasting paper! That's a win for everyone.
8. Kinetic Sand- There are many varieties, but so far I like the feel and lack of mess in the original. My youngest plays with this every time we pass a sample tray in the store, so I know he is interested in it . He begs to pull out the Play-doh but most of the time I just don't want the mess. This will be a great replacement!
9. Pictopia- of all the board games I've seen this one looks like the winner for our family. We are all Disney freaks, and it has just the right amount of challenge for the whole family! My kids will be able to play it without a grownups help as well (which is a huge plus, am I right?)
10. LEGO Batman 3- We have almost all of the LEGO games- we are missing only the Hobbit/LOTR games. I love these games because no one dies- the bricks just fall apart and come back together. Any "scariness" in the movies or stories is lightened up so they are perfect for kids. The LEGO games entertain them for hours and hours, so it is well worth the cost of the games. LEGO Batman 3 is the newest release and is sure to be a hit for any LEGO lovers. (PS- my husband loves them too!)
Now:
I've teamed up with 8 other bloggers to bring you the Ultimate Gift Guide Round Up! Click on each image to get more details. Let the shopping begin!
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