Spark their Minds: Unwrapping the Best Tech Gifts for Kids!

After a full month of birthday parties filling up the weekends between TBall games, family visits, and other adventures, a list of gifts was the obvious choice. 
Tech gifts are very popular right now! They incorporate the categories of entertaining and educational while either getting away from screen time or making it easy to say "YES!" because the time on the screen is interactive. Here are some top picks for elementary age:

1. STEAM Kits: Look for STEAM kits that are age-appropriate and cover various aspects of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. These kits often include building materials and instructions for fun projects like building robots, circuits, or simple machines.
2. Educational Apps: There are numerous educational apps available for tablets and smartphones that cater to different age groups. Look for apps that teach math, reading, coding, or other subjects in a fun and engaging way. Many apps have gift cards so special levels can be unlocked.  (Easter Egg for the next post…)
3. Kid-Friendly Tablets: Several companies offer tablets specifically designed for children with built-in parental controls and curated content. These tablets often come pre-loaded with educational games, videos, and e-books.
4. Coding Toys: Toys that teach basic coding concepts in a playful manner are becoming increasingly popular. Products like Osmo Coding Starter Kit, Learning Resources, or LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox allow kids to learn coding through hands-on activities. 
5. Interactive Globes or Maps: Interactive globes or maps that provide information about geography, history, and culture can be both educational and entertaining for elementary-aged children.
6. Digital Cameras: Giving kids a digital camera can encourage creativity and exploration. Look for cameras designed for children that are durable and easy to use. VTech has a durable camera to start off the preschool and young elementary photog! This camera also incorporates math games and fun filters. 
7. DIY Electronics Kits: DIY electronics kits allow children to build their own gadgets like alarm systems, FM radios, or LED displays while learning about electronics and circuits.
8. Augmented Reality (AR) Toys: AR toys combine physical toys with digital experiences, creating an interactive and immersive playtime. Products like Merge Cube or AR-enabled storybooks bring objects and characters to life through a smartphone or tablet.
9. Microscopes or Telescopes: For budding scientists or astronomers, a microscope or telescope can be an exciting gift. There are kid-friendly versions available with simplified features and sturdy designs.
10. Music Instruments: Introducing children to music at an early age can have numerous benefits. Learning an instrument helps with discipline, confidence,  sharpening memory, and develops the areas of the brain for reasoning and language. Consider gifting musical instruments like keyboards, ukuleles, or electronic drums that are designed with children in mind.

When choosing a tech gift for elementary-aged children, it's essential to consider their interests, skill level, and developmental stage to ensure the gift is both enjoyable and beneficial for their learning and growth. Additionally, always prioritize safety and consider any parental controls or supervision that may be necessary.


(**Great Mom Hack: start a gift closet when you see popular toys on sale. This helps when there just isn’t time because of other parties, TBall games, & adventures.)


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Take real digital photographs! This kid-friendly camera includes all the tools budding photog want to use: turn the camera to take a picture of yourself and it will automatically detect faces for a perfect selfie! Take photos in a variety of exciting templates to create your own photo collages. Explore your creativity by using static and animated photo effects to enhance your pictures. The Camera Pix™ also has a video recorder, voice recorder, 4 built-in games and more that add to the fun. Explore your creativity! Click image to check it out.

Screen-free coding toys can be the gateway for your child into learning the language of the 21st century! Learning Resources covers a wide range of ages; from STEAM coding toys for toddlers all the way up to programming kids toys for 8+. Click Image to check out their award winning Botley the Coding Robot and Coding Critters for the younger future programmers!

Elenco's Snap Circuits® makes learning electronics easy and fun! Just follow the colorful pictures in each manual and build exciting projects such as FM radios, digital voice, recorders, AM radios, burglar alarms, doorbells, and much more! You can even play electronic games with your friends. All parts are mounted on plastic modules and snap together with ease. Enjoy hours of educational fun while learning about electronics. Click image to check out the fun! Snap Circuits® are endorsed by educators worldwide and used in schools, libraries, museums, STEAM programs and at home. The Circuit Safe® patented safety device unique to Snap Circuits® branded products makes learning circuitry safe. No tools required. Uses "AA" batteries, unless otherwise indicated. Snap Circuits® products have won many awards, including Toy of the Year (TOTY), ASTRA'S Best Toys for Kids, Parent's Choice Recommended, Good Housekeeping's Best Toy, Family Choice, National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA Gold), Children's Choice, Dr. Toy (100 Best Children's Products, 10 best Educational Products, Green Toy Company), The inaugural Seriously STEM award & KAPi Award.