DIY Homeschooler

Over the years we tried to purchase meaningful gifts for our children — useful gifts that would last longer than before the wrapping paper had been thrown in the trash! If you are looking for Christmas gift ideas for your students, here are 25 ideas!

Over the years these are the gifts that have stood the test of time. Maybe this list will spark a few ideas for your own Christmas giving list.

In no particular order:

1. Globe

Good-sized so the text is easy to see, and in relief for those who use their fingers to learn.

2. Digital camera

We started small on these and let them grow with the child. The link is for the one by Canon that has had the most life, room for growth, and best pictures!

3. Plain Kindle or other eReader

You’ll often find Kindles for kids on sale for $10–$20 off after Christmas. Easy way to read all of those free eBooks!

4. Easel

5. Art supplies.

In particular, a Primacolor set that has become a favorite. (One caveat — they do tend to break more easily than a cheaper set.)

6. Gardening tools

7. Apples to Apples game

Great fun…still playing.

8. Tool kit

Pink for girls or red for boys.

9. Musical instruments

10. Music stand

Dad handcrafted a beautiful wooden stand, but there are many nice music stands out there.

11. Pen tablet

A must for the digital artist.

12. OneNote

Must-have for the serious student. (Some prefer EverNote.)

13. Birdwatching guides

Too many options to list here, but check out our bird pages for recommendations.

14. Book carrying case

Again, Dad handcrafted a wooden holder with a handle for each of us, but it is a great idea for easily carrying much-used books from place to place.

15. Electronic dictionary

These were invaluable before Kindles, which have a dictionary built in, but still find a place today when reading a “real” book. Although somewhat pricey, the better models not only include the definitions, but also the etymology of the word. Most also come with a built-in thesaurus and other tools. (Be careful what you buy as some models only contain words that are already familiar to most adults. Look for the Concise Oxford Dictionary.)

16. Graphing calculator

If you want to just buy one get the TI-84. It comes in all kinds of varieties but will serve a student through college. A plugin keyboard is also available.

17. Electronic circuit kits

We’ve gone through several of these. Read our full reviews for more options.

18. Binoculars

19. Bulletin board

20. Building plank set

21. K’Nex

Great for building or higher education!

22. Wooden train set

Big and chunky for the littlest fingers.

23. Coupon books

These really are among our family favorites. What would someone in the family love for someone else to do for them? A chore? Or perhaps a special treat? Really the gift is one of time! You’ll find ideas to get you started at DLTK.

24. MP3 player

Think books for the ears.

25. Books, and books, and books, and books

Books on a current interest, books from a favorite series, or classic favorites to build a library.

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If you read between the lines, you’ll notice that most of the gifts our children received were aimed at fueling a current interest. You’ll find great kits, books, and other ideas for fueling the interests of your own children at Timberdoodle and Nature’s Workshop Plus.