Education Friendly Gift Ideas for the Holiday Season

I have posted this before. Since many families in the greater Saline community are giving gifts to their children (our students) over the next couple weeks, here is my shameless plug to consider items that support the Saline Area Schools’ learning targets.

Books – You can never go wrong with books. Consider non-fiction titles like biographies, autobiographies, travel/geography, how-to, and science/technology options. (Magazine subscriptions can also be a good fit for non-fiction reading.)

e-Readers – This is the same as above, but in Kindle, iPad, iPad Mini, or Surface format.

Saline Community Education Gift Certificates – You can use these to gift classes. Yoga, Cooking, Painting, Rec Sports, Robotics, and a lot more!

STE(A)M Toys – These types of toys are always popular and excellent for promoting and encouraging creativity. They can also help build dexterity and develop mathematics and patterning skills. The list is endless, but here is a start: Legos, Chain Reactions, Magnetic Block Tiles, Magna Tiles, and K’Nex. Don’t overlook the importance of the ‘A’ in the acronym. Passing along the gift of music or art instills a lifelong love of the arts. Plus, research shows that students who study music consistently score higher on the SAT. 

Osmos – These are fun games that go with an iPad and support learning in critical areas such as creative problem solving, art, and STE(A)M (science, technology, engineering, (art) and mathematics).

Technology – This area can be pricey. However, we are encouraging students at many grade levels to bring their laptops, tablets, and smartphones to class to use as a learning tool. Google Chromebooks are a relatively inexpensive option for laptops, and they work well on the school’s wifi network.

Hornet Gear – Okay, not educational – but kids and adults alike look good in Saline Hornet apparel. Stop by Saline High School at the Edge (school store) – the store is open from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on December 18th. If you can’t make it there – check out Junga’s ACE Hardware or www.salinespirit.com.

Some “Old School” gifts worth considering… science kit, art supplies, erector set, and telescope.

Feel free to comment if you have other educational gift ideas.