Although students do plenty of learning in the classroom, they can extend their education into the home. Learning can happen anywhere, and it can be fun. If your children share the information they learned during a Common Core State Standards lesson, or if they simply enjoy gathering new knowledge, then you may want to find an educational gift this holiday season. Giving your children such a present would help them stay mentally active over winter break and come back to school ready to dive right in.
The Common Core attempts to help kids become college and career ready, and you can aid that effort at home. Here are some educational gift ideas that may help your children find interest in various school subjects:
DVDs
Blockbuster hits, like "Frozen," may be fun films, but you can also get your children movies that stimulate their brains. Scout out TV shows like "Cosmos," "MythBusters," etc., and purchase a DVD collection for your kids. Such shows teach about scientific topics in a fun and engaging way. For instance, "Cosmos" features stories about the formation of earth and space, all told by the energetic and entertaining Neil deGrasse Tyson. In "MythBusters," a group of people test common myths to see if they're true. You'll be able to find a variety of educational shows that cover science, math, literacy and so on, that are age appropriate for your children.
Science kits
Science kits are prepackaged projects that help your children learn some new scientific information. Some might guide your kids through building a solar-powered robot, while others teach them to identify minerals. Think about a topic or project your kids would like, and get them a kit that fits their interests. Again, be sure to pick a kit that's age-appropriate, and consider supervising while your children build.
Coding games
As gamification becomes increasingly popular, a new genre of video games has emerged: educational. These games are designed to teach people a skill set, including programming. If your kids like computers and video games, help them learn to create games instead of just play them. Kodable, Robozzle, Lightbot and many more video games teach kids to code in a fun way. Each game was created with a certain age group in mind, and makes understanding the process of coding easier.
Telescope
Science is all about observation, and what better way to teach that skill than through stargazing? Telescopes allow your kids to observe and chart the stars. If you go the telescope route, consider also giving books on beginner astronomy. Such books will cover constellations and basic movement of the earth – knowledge all amateur astronomers need.
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