I’ve previously shared my gift guides for adults and teens in preparation for this Christmas, but it’s the younger children that I find more difficult to buy for. It’s hard to know what they’re into, and even if they were a fan of something last month, it’s likely that they’ve moved onto something new this month!
So, I like to stick with traditional gifts at this time of year – I’m talking board games and books. But not just any games and books – really fun, engaging and slightly educational ones too. I can be sure that these presents will be used and enjoyed throughout the year as they’ve got more longevity than the latest cartoon character or kids’ computer game fad.
Great Board Games
Although the classics are always a winner, it’s likely that children might already have some of the traditional games available. So, I’ve gone for some new releases that will be a great addition to their collection.
The first is Polar Adventure Disappearing Ice by Adventerra Games (above). It’s a board game that has an educational aspect, teaching children about climate change and polar animal conservation. There are wooden animal characters to show what animals live in polar regions (I’ve already learnt a new fact about arctic animals by choosing this game!) and a glacier finishing line, which makes it a fun 3D game to play.
Here’s a game that’s ideal for older children aged 8+ Inter-Galactic Plumber. As a big astronomy fan myself, I’m always keen to encourage my nieces and nephews to get enthusiastic about space. This game combines the concept of asteroid fields in the galaxy with a rather raucous plunging game. I’m already excited to play it myself and it can be enjoyed by 2-6 players so hopefully I’ll get a chance to join in the fun.
Back on the topic of sustainability is the Hungry Bins interactive sorting game. It’s an eco-inspired activity that’s suitable for ages 3-6 years and, because it’s all visual, it can be used by any child of any language. While playing, the game shows children the importance of recycling rubbish while developing their observation, memory and classification skills. Another practical aspect is that it can be played solo, so there’s no need to wait until friends are around to play.
Another one for the pre-school and primary-aged kids is Stink Bug. I personally love a matching game and can play them for hours and this is a great introduction to the genre. It’s a pack of oversized leaves, each with a different design on the back to pair up and collect. But there are bugs hiding under some of the leaves, which can completely turn the whole game around – loads of fun for ages 4+ (up to my age and beyond). Can you tell that I choose gifts based on what I’m happy to play alongside the little ones in my life?
Brilliant Books
Let’s kick off the books section with something fun for the little ones. This Big Book of 100 Outdoor Activities is full of ideas to keep young children both occupied and entertained. It encourages outdoor play so it can be used throughout the rest of the year and, while the weather is inclement in the winter, there are rainy day activities too. From dressing up to arts and crafts, it’s fabulous a boredom-busting collection of fun ideas.
I already shared a couple of Forest School books in my gift guide for teens so I was delighted to discover that there’s a version available for younger children too. This large book contains 100 activities that kids can enjoy doing as part of ‘forest school’ – a lovely idea for encouraging the family to enjoy woodland walks in the springtime. You can find the whole collection of Forest School books on the GMC Books website and the 100 Forest School Activities book here.
Another book that suits children of school age from 6-12 years is this hardback about building habitats for any wildlife in the garden. Ideal for young Springwatch fans, Bird, Bee & Bug Houses is full of educational information about garden wildlife and contains easy to follow step-by-step guides to make nesting boxes, beetle banks, mini wildlife gardens, butterfly and bird feeders and bee homes.
And the final book in my selection is Outdoor Science. If you’ve ever read any of my previous gift guides for kids, you’ll know how keen I am to incorporate STEM learning in any present I choose, so this book really jumped out at me – not least because it has a bright green cover! It encourages children aged 5-11 to be curious about science while enjoying creating some fun garden-based experiments.
You can buy any of these books from Gifts to Me for 20% off the usual RRP so visit giftstome.co.uk before Christmas to use the offer code R57XX. The code is valid until 30th January 2025 so you’ll certainly be able to get a great discount on your present-buying before Christmas – the last order date is 16th December by post.
A little friend
Of course, I couldn’t only include board games and books in this gift guide – especially when I saw the cute face of this little furry friend. However, this adorable Marshmallow Sloth isn’t just a cuddly toy, it’s from the ‘Warmie’ range, so it can be heated in the microwave to provide warmth – handy when it’s this chilly outside – and comfort to kids (and adults!) of all ages.
I hope this gift guide has given you some inspiration if you’re doing some festive shopping for the little ones in your life at the moment. Please drop me a message in the comments below if you have any other recommendations for educational games and books for youngsters, I’d love to hear what your own children have enjoyed. 🙂
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Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
