Educational Gifts for Homeschoolers

Find Learning Toys and Educational Presents for K-12 Kids

Nov 2, 2008 Lisa Russell

Kids educational toys make learning fun. Homeschooling families appreciate educational gifts and developmental toys for learning. Shop for kids educational toys online.

Shopping for gifts for homeschoolers can be a tricky proposition. Some parents place restrictions on their children's playthings, and disallow electronic toys, toys with characters, or even plastic toys altogether. There are still plenty of developmental toys available for children with educationally-minded families.

Playing Versus Programming

Start with a clear discussion about toy philosophies with the parents. Buying a toy they aren't happy with can mean it gets stuck up in a box or otherwise disappears from the house. Some parents feel very strongly about the toys their children play with and won't tolerate the presence of objectionable playthings.

Electronic Learning Toys

Electronic toys are on the naughty list for parents with a preference for Waldorf Toys or natural materials. In addition to being entirely plastic and possessing an electromagnetic field, these toys don't allow for imaginative play. Some parents, however, enjoy the fact that these educational toys provide an entertaining way of helping children memorize school facts and can help improve grades in spelling, math and many other subjects.

Developmental Toys

Children enjoy role-playing, and the learning toys that allow for that kind of play are often warmly received. Dress-up clothes, doll houses, play farm sets, and wooden kitchens are great gifts for homeschoolers. K-12 kids' educational toys haven't changed much over the years, and wooden blocks are still popular, allowing for children to build almost any structure they want. Educational supply catalogs offer school-sized sets of wooden blocks for reasonable rates, that can keep children busy and using their imaginations for days on end. Blocks remain one of the most popular toys for learning.

Educational Toys for Older Kids

When they grow out of wooden blocks and dress up scarves, consider buying real items to “play” with. Instead of a pink plastic easy-bake oven, consider buying a Willow Toys wooden kitchen, like the one pictured. Or, achildren's cook book and personalized apron. Instead of a play plastic doctor's kid, consider purchasing a real stethoscope, an electronic thermometer and a first aid handbook, with a few ace bandages and a roll of medical tape. Musical Instruments are popular for children of all ages. Instead of a pretend gardening kit, consider getting the child started with her very own backyard composting kit. Tools of the grown up world are treasured learning toys and children feel respected and valued when they are gifted with real “things” instead of silly dumbed-down versions.

Whether you're looking for Christmas gifts for homeschoolers or educational birthday presents, there are many ways to choose kids educational toys. Start by discussing the parents' philosophies about developmental toys and go from there. Quality educational gifts can be the very best gift of all.

The copyright of the article Educational Gifts for Homeschoolers in Homeschooling is owned by Lisa Russell. Permission to republish Educational Gifts for Homeschoolers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Wooden Dollhouses are Learning Toys