Are you looking for the perfect gift for a kid who doesn’t fit in with the social norms of what most young people do with their time? You’ve come to the right place! This is my gift guide for the nerdy homeschool kid: screen-free gift ideas for those awesome nerds who are growing up to be awesome people.
The kid who always has his nose in a book…
The boy whose favorite pastime is flipping over rocks looking for lizards…
The girl up to her elbows in art supplies, working on her next masterpiece…
As a second gen homeschool mama, I love and celebrate the nerdiness. Yes, we’re weird, and that’s okay. We embrace it and let them grow up to be unique individuals who don’t fit the typical cookie-cutter standards.
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The Gift of TIME
As homeschoolers, the main gift we have to offer our kids is the gift of TIME. They have so much time to pursue their passions! Cut out all the time that would be spent lining up, waiting for others to finish their work, waiting to ask a question, and doing busy work to fill 6-7 hours a day, and we’re left with a nice sized chunk of time to pursue what we love.
What are the Best Gifts for Homeschool Kids?
Today I want to share a selection of gift ideas that my family has loved the most. These materials, games, and books have kept my children busy and creative for hours on end. I’m emphasizing screen-free, simply because we try to keep screen time at a minimum to allow our kids to learn and be creative in how they use their time, instead of spending it on endless screen entertainment.
My Favorite Screen-free Gift Ideas for Kids
Yoto Player – The Yoto player is a huge favorite in my house. It is such a great screen-free option for kids. When I first looked at this audio player, I thought they didn’t offer enough quality literature choices on their cards to make it worth buying. They offer some classics, but a lot of their cards are Disney fluff that we avoid.
However, my very favorite thing about the Yoto Player is the Make Your Own Card option! It’s worth owning for this reason alone. You can put audio from many sources onto the cards: educational podcasts, quality audiobooks like Lamplighter books, books purchased through Audible, etc. There are also sites that offer classic books on audio that are free to download. After the kids listen to the card for a while, you can switch out what is on it! My kids all enjoy listening to stories and podcasts while drawing, building, or playing.
Keyboard Piano – Want to get your kids started with music? This is the keyboard is good quality, but not too fancy to have in a kid’s room. This stand is great to go with it.
Awesome Book Series
Books are always top of my list at Christmastime! My kids LOVE getting new books to read.
The Green Ember Series – This series has been my boys’ favorite from ages 6-10. The have read these books too many times to count!
Wingfeather Saga– Another wonderful series that my boys have read too many times to count. Dare I say better than Tolkien?
Lamplighter Books (or book club subscription)- We LOVE Lamplighter books. My son placed 3rd in their summer reading challenge this past summer for the literate elementary group. He read 51 books over the summer, plus the entire Bible. Individual Lamplighter books make beautiful gifts; I gave some to each of my boys last Christmas. See my son’s favorite titles in this post.
Little Pilgrim’s Big Journey – This set makes a beautiful gift. This series for kids is based on The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan (Did you know The Pilgrim’s Progress is in the top 5 most translated books of all time!?)
Gameschooling Gift Ideas
We love board games! That’s all my eldest son asks for each Christmas, a new board game or two. Board games can help a child learn strategic thinking, geography, math, and more!
Trekking the World – A fun strategy game featuring destinations around the world. (Shown in image above.)
Klask – this tabletop game was a huge hit with my family. We love having tournaments.
Wingspan – My favorite game to play with my kids! A very unique strategy game, very beautifully designed. We later added one of their expansions which makes it even more fun and interesting.
Trekking the National Parks – Another favorite of ours the past few years
Terraforming Mars – The only thing my 11-year-old has asked for this Christmas. He has played it with friends and loves it!
Wildcraft – great for the younger kids, this was one of the earliest board games that we owned. It teaches them the names of herbs and their uses.
Prime Climb – A fun game for kids who love math
Hiking/Exploring Gift Ideas
Homeschoolers have way more opportunities to be out in nature! It’s worth investing in good gear that will help you and your children feel comfortable getting outside no matter the weather. Some of our favorite memories are of rain hikes with friends!
Hydration Packs – I bought these hydration packs for my boys a few Christmases ago, and they use them every time they hike. They carry their own water, snacks, and whatever gear they want to bring on our adventures.
Rain Suits – Tuffo Rain suits are great for little ones! We like Kuling Rain suits for bigger kids, and another popular one is the Oaki Rain suits.
Rain Boots – This brand is my favorite because it holds up through multiple kids.
Butterfly Net House – Great for raising your own butterflies!
Walkie Talkies – A classic that kids love
Stocking Stuffer Gift Ideas
Rubik’s Cube – One son went through a speed-cubing obsession last year. This is a very smooth/fast cube. Consider trying a cheaper one if your kid is just getting started figuring it out.
Lizard Lights – These are a bit pricey for their size but have been such a favorite in my home for years!
Lemon Powered Clock Kit – A fun little science project stocking stuffer
National Park Playing Cards – I love playing cards that are educational and fun. Another great one is the Edible Wilderness set.
Quixx Game – We love this game so much I put extra scorecards in one son’s stocking every year.
Mad Libs – a classic fun and educational word game that is great for car rides or anytime.
Fun Science Gift Ideas
Kiwi Crates – these fun subscription boxes make a great gift! You can also buy individual kits from the Kiwi Co Store. My eldest loved the Self Scoring Basketball Hoop. Also, this pixel art lightbox is a favorite in our house. It is the only toy that keeps my 2-year-old busy for 30 minutes at a time, she loves it! (Just a warning it’s not recommended for that age. She doesn’t put things in her mouth anymore, but some 2-year-olds still would.)
Crunch Labs – An awesome science subscription box
National Geographic Dig Kits – these make a great gift. My kids have been crazy about them for a few years now.
Rock Tumbler – Does every kid go through a phase where they just love rocks? It’s super fun to tumble your own.
Snap Circuits – An entertaining/educational toy, no tools needed! Everything snaps together, and you can combine multiple kits to make all kinds of projects.
Happy Gifting!
I hope this gift guide for the nerdy homeschool kid helps you find thoughtful, screen-free gifts this year. Did you choose any of these? Do you have any favorites that you would add? Let me know in the comments below!
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