Are you ready for the holidays, or looking for some ideas? And here are some of the some of the pieces that were new to our family, or that the kids were particularly drawn to this year
9+ Years: Gift Ideas
My oldest turns 9 this year, so as much as anything this is a list of ideas I am considering rather than things we’ve purchased.
E9 got this catapult kit for his 9th birthday, and it has been a raging success. He did 93% of the work unaided (tying the knots was really the only needed help), and it works great–without being TOOO powerful. This one looks identical in components, and is less $$, but I haven’t tried it to compare.
This looks like a weird one–but hear me out. Flameless candles are amazing for lighting up small world play, or for turning on and setting all over a room for a cozy or spooky atmosphere. They feel *so* grown up, but are safe.
We’ve been so happy with the 3-wheeled Globber that E5 has, that for E8’s next birthday i’d like to upgrade his 30-year old Rasor to one of these Globber 2-wheelers
The Gravitrax marble run system is really remarkable. E8 got this last year, and I’d agree with their age ranking. I’m deffinately contemplating more accessories this coming holiday season!
E8 is fascinated with elements: their purity, rarity, weight, value, and has a goal of collecting as many elements as possible. I love this version for Copper!
The Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series is SO much fun and teaches US history effectively along the way. E8 and I both enjoy reading them. He’ll be getting the newest in the series for his birthday.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang–I LOVED this book as a kid and cannot wait for E8 to get it! Thrilling but without too much intensity–you could absolutely read aloud with younger sibs too.
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At first glance, the Bauspiel Giant Rainbow looks familiar and perhaps similar to other sets, but on closer inspection, the size and proportions reveal that really it plays more like a remarkable set of blocks than the typical rainbow stacker.
Each year as earth day rolls around the kids and I talk about changes we can make to live more responsibly. Sometimes it means using less of things, sometimes using different things, sometimes it means looking for ways to use things longer, and other times it means making new choices next time you shop. Here are a few of our favorites.