Fun Things - Field Trips, Games, Creative Ideas, Tips for Homeschooling Mamas

Favorite Gift Ideas

It’s crunch time, and if you are a procrastinator like myself, you are still searching for a great, thoughtful, gift that will be used, loved, and not break the bank!  As kids get older, sometimes it’s difficult to find something they will like, that’s out of the ordinary, and not too expensive.  This year, my son wants a four-wheeler.  Not happening.  He’s getting braces soon, so……. Merry Christmas, son.  

Throughout the week, I’ve been posting some of our favorite things on my Facebook page, as to maybe give you some ideas of things that we have enjoyed.  So, here’s a quick recap in case you missed it, but first:

A note about the links:  the items below are affiliate links.  I had no idea what an affiliate link was until I recently started blogging.  In case you don’t know either, an affiliate link is a link to a website that has been encoded with a tracking cookie code unique to me.  If you make a purchase after you clicked on the link, I will then receive a commission for referring the sale. 
No one but the website you buy from sees any of your personal information, (not even me) and it doesn’t cost you anything extra.  I do not make huge amounts of money from this.  I’ve been at this a few months and have made less than $2.  I blog because I enjoy it.  I use links to help pay for my website. I would eventually like to use my profits to give my hard-working husband a break, travel the world, and so forth.  But for now,  to keep my links active, I have to make a few sales here and there.   So, just in case you are ever wondering, I have to make the information public by noting my links are affiliate links.  And, in case I do strike it rich, I’ll write amazing stories about my adventures to share with you!

Now that that information is out of the way, here are a few things we have found enjoyable, and maybe you will too:

  • Our LIME GREEN MICROSCOPE.  
    I love science, and this little microscope is fantastic!  Have you or your kids examined their hair?  How about an onion skin?  Or a fly’s wing?  Open up a whole new micro-world with your kids!  Easy to use, and comes in several colors!  We use it for school, as well as just for fun.  Be sure to get this book for more ideas on cool things to do with your microscope! 
  • A KAYAK!  What a fun surprise on Christmas morning!   The kayak is easy to set up, comfortable, and very stable!   I have a regular sit-on top kayak, and although I like it, I am more comfortable in this one.  This past summer, we even put the dog in the kayak –  she loved it!   I have taken over one of the ones I bought the kids, so perhaps I should get another one for myself this year.  

  • EXPLORE THE WORLD GEOGRAPHY GAME.  I’m always looking for new ways to make education fun, and this game is a hit!  It has easy as well as challenging questions, so you can use with a wide range of ages.  There are true/false questions, multiple choice, identify the flags, as well as physical challenges such as charades, balancing on one leg, and flying paper airplanes!  

  • INDOOR SNOWBALL FIGHT. We received these as a gift  and loved them!  I have also given them as gifts to families with multiple kids as a fun “together” gift.   Living on the NC coast, snow is not something that happens every season.  I think the meteorologist like to tease and get our hopes up, and it usually turns to rain.  These snowballs are so versatile!  We have used them for minute-to-win-it games, other games I have made up, and of course, the good ole’ snowball fight!  They even have a snow-type feel, without the coldness!  

  • MYSTERY ENVELOPES.  I’ve been seeing ideas all over the internet about this this year.  Experiences.  I feel that is much more valuable than “more things”.  My kids are almost 13 and 14, and we don’t have many more holidays left with them as children.  I want to make our time count.  I want to make memories with them,  not toys that will be forgotten by March.   We have not done this before, but I am looking forward to planning some of these to give this Christmas.  Some ideas are tickets to the zoo, a trampoline park, an evening bowling, or an overnight trip out of town.  


One more thing that I think is so important is the gift of literacy.  I wrote a post recently of my favorite Usborne books, so take a look there for more ideas as well. 

Thanks for checking out my post, and I hope I have given you some great ideas for the special ones on your list.  

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