Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Elementary School

As kids enter their elementary school years, they have achieved many (if not all) of their developmental milestones. They feel confident enough in their skills to test their limits, try new things, make new friends, and seek more independence.

This must be the largest list we’ve made to date since there are so many good toys, games, and activities out there that our kids can benefit from.

Here’s our top picks for 2023 for elementary kids, 4 years and up:

CoolToys Build-A-Track Brain Teaser Puzzle

Why We Love It:
We enjoy a good brain teaser. Logic building puzzles and games engage your kid’s executive functions, developing their problem solving and reasoning skills. With this build-a-track puzzle, your child is tasked to build a track to help the bulldozer push a ball to its end point. It comes with 118 challenges to solve across 4 difficulty levels with various shapes and bright colored tracks to foster haptic perception as well as fine and visual motor skills.

Turtle Steps Obstacle Course

Why We Love It:
Stepping stones are perfect way to challenge balance, coordination, and motor planning. But what makes this one stand out from all the rest is how they incorporated the social factor by turning it into a game. The set includes not only the turtle shell stepping stones, but also 24 activity cards (with turtle facts), and a spinner. The turtle shells are stackable (easy storage), made of durable plastic (can hold up to 195lbs), and non-slip edging, making it a great toy for both indoor and outdoor play.

4-in-1 Multi Game Table

Why We Love It:
There’s nothing wrong in a little friendly competition, especially on a rainy day. Designed with kids in mind, this 4-in-1 table game set includes everything needed to play a round of table tennis, billiards, foosball, and air hockey. Its design lets them switch between games by stacking the play surfaces on top of each other for easy setup and storage.

100+ Experiments Science Kit

Why We Love It:
Kids are curious. They ask questions. They need to know the answers to their questions, and sometimes they need to find out for themselves. What makes this science kit cool is the extensive amount of experiments your child can do (over 100), from fizzy reactions to growing a magic crystal tree. The set is equipped with all the required scientific lab tools, materials, and substances to learn, live, and apply the scientific method.

ThinkPsych Dive in

Why We Love It:
As kids get older, it may be harder to talk to them about, well, anything. Build and maintain lines of communication with this conversation-based game. Created by psychologists, it’s designed to stimulate thought-provoking discussions with over 400 unique and unexpected questions. These prompts foster deeper connections among players, allowing kids, teens, and adults to engage, express themselves, and learn from one another.

Big Purchase Item: Playground Equipment

Playgrounds and swing sets are awesome for so many reasons, and this is the perfect age for this type of go-big-or-go-home gift if you have the budget and the space. It helps build and refine their motor skills, provides sensory input to organize their system, and encourages risky play. There are a ton of options and brands for home playgrounds, so here are few things to consider:

Number and age of children it’s intended for. This helps determine the size and what features to look for.
Space available in the backyard. It needs to be big enough to accommodate both the play set and the kids using it, plus anything else that needs to be in the backyard.
Kid’s interests. Are they climbers? Do they like swings? How about slides? Would they prefer areas for pretend play and hideouts?
Safety. Playground structures that have been professionally engineered and rigorously tested may cost more, but it’s worth it.
Longevity. It’s better to find features that can be used at different stages of childhood. Look for a unit with multiple features that can be swapped, expanded, or upgraded as your child grows.
Ease of installation. It’s important to keep in mind that the assembly and installation process can be more challenging and time-consuming than originally expected. Some playground equipment can be simple to put together while others can be more complicated depending on the tools and hands you have available. Delivery and installation can sometimes match the price of the playground structure itself, but at least you’ll feel confident knowing it was put together correctly.

Finally, for this age group, experience gifts are a perennial favorite: Tickets to movies or sporting events, Season passes or memberships to parks and museums, or Classes/lessons for a new sport or hobby. This is a good way to be creative and support local.

Magazine or activity box subscriptions are also really popular. We’ve listed a few below.
Highlights Magazine
Chickadee Magazine
Anorak Magazine
KiwiCo Subscription Crates
Raddish Kids Subscription Cooking & Baking Kits
Bitsbox – Coding for Kids
Our only suggestion with these is that they should be done or read with a parent. Magazine reading especially is a lifestyle habit, so if they don’t see you reading, chances are they won’t either. Subscription boxes are also more of a guided activity.

Stocking Stuffers:
Melissa & Doug Scissor Skills Activity Book
Kanoodle Jr.
The Hero’s Journal SideQuest Deck
AHCo. Friendship Bracelet Kit
Slapburger

Tomorrow, the gift guides continue with our Child(ish) Reads recommendations.

Most of the linked items can also be found on our Child(ish) Advice Holiday Gift Guide Amazon List.
We do not receive a commission through these links. We’re just really big fans!

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