Are you busy getting all of your Christmas gifts purchased? If so, you won’t want to miss this list!
This post contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, I may make a few pennies, but not enough for a latte.
Give gifts that will increase the fun factor in school, help colleges appreciate your student, allow you to maintain your sanity, or save enough time or money to help you afford the cost of college.
- Gifts to encourage specialization
- Gifts to fuel a love of learning
- Gifts to encourage reading and writing
- Gifts that help you homeschool efficiently
- Gifts that decrease college costs
- Gifts to help prove academic rigor
- Gifts that increase income
Check out these articles and gift suggestions, so that you can give great gifts that will help pay for college in the future!
Gifts to Encourage Specialization
High School Electives for Homeschoolers – Learn about how to include the most interesting, fun electives, not limited by the whims of teachers, or the preferences of principals or the school district.
Delight Directed Learning in High School – Learn to recognize areas of passion learning in your homeschool and how to foster it AND earn credits!
The Great Courses – Find courses on any era of history, cooking classes, language studies, music classes, wellness courses, and so much more! Anything your child is passionate about learning can be furthered here.
“How to Listen to and Understand Great Music” – Music history and appreciation course in one. If you have a music lover, this might be for them!
“Calculus Made Clear” – Learners of all ages can learn calculus with this amazing tool!
Home Science Tools – Budding scientists of all ages will find something here! Microscopes, science kits, and subject-specific experiments will get your science lover buzzing.
Gifts to Fuel a Love of Learning by Subject Area
Impressionist Artists, Go Fish for Art Card Game – Instead of numbers, art by Renoir and more famous artists are featured!
Masterpiece Art Auction Game – Cards feature paintings from the Art Institute of Chicago.
The 15 Minute Artist: The Quick and Easy Way to Draw Almost Anything – From all-star sneakers to elephants, you can learn to draw anything . . . in just 15 minutes!
Famous Paintings Coloring Book – Copy the masters in a of study color theory or make your own masterpieces.
Brick Shakespeare – Shakespeare’s plays depicted in LEGO bricks. Fun for LEGO and Shakespeare lovers alike!
Scrabble – This classic witty crossword game will turn up the competition to see who can come up with the best words!
Banana Grams – Race to see who can use all their letter tiles and make the most words first!
Rummy Roots – Teaches Greek and Latin roots and increases word understanding.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation – Humor and grammar come together in this hilariously informative book.
Take Off! – A geographical board game wherein players race jets around the world.
Ticket to Ride – Race around America and build a railway empire.
Avalon Hill Diplomacy – A game of international intrigue, trust, and treachery.
Chess – Strategy and thinking ahead combine in this classic game.
Sudoku – If numbers work well in your brain, these puzzles are for you!
Rummikub – Run out of tiles first and learn sequencing, patterns, and planning ahead in the meantime!
Sequence – Strategy game with cards and tiles that teaches quick thinking and planning ahead.
Covalence – Chemistry card game where strategy pairs with learning about the elements.
Student Microscope Gift Package – Includes project and activity book, microscope tools, slides, lenses, and much more!
LEGO Mindstorms – Learn to program the robot to talk, play games, or even complete tasks!
Children’s DVDs (like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles) – Many popular movies nowadays have subtitles in multiple different languages or the option to change the dialogue to these other languages. Learn with your favorite characters!
Comic books in the language (Les Aventures de Tintin: Tintin en Amerique (French Edition))
Cook books like Not Just Tacos A Journey into the World of Authentic Latin American Cuisine – Learn about cultures around the world through food!
Homeschool Physical Education Outside the Box – Discover all the ways you can be creative with PE credits in my article!
Dumbbell Sets – Encourage strength training and achieve lifting goals! Adjustable weights.
Yoga Equipment – Encourage flexibility and mental awareness with these tools. Everything you need to get started. Yoga with Adriene has some wonderful beginners’ courses!
Nerf guns or Water squirters – Perfect for summertime and competitive families!
Exercise Dice – Randomize your home workout with these workout dice. With 36 different activities, this is sure to get your heart pumping and keep your workouts interesting.
Games Teens Love
Carcassonne – Develop the land one tile at a time, using strategy and cunning to beat your opponents.
Blokus – Take turns placing pieces to claim the largest territory while blocking your opponents.
Apples to Apples – Classic game of outrageous comparisons!
Gifts to Encourage Reading
Classic Christmas Literature for High School Students – My top recommendations for Christmas-themed reading. Relax and smell the peppermint mocha!
7 Ways to Encourage Reading in Middle School with Reading List – Learn how to make middle school reading fun with these 7 brilliant (if I do say so myself) ideas.
Kindle Paperwhite – A personalized, portable library! Take your books with you wherever you go.
Gifts to Help You Homeschool Efficiently
Home Management: Plain and Simple – This how-to manual is filled with systematic procedures, easy-to-understand organizational advice, written in a way that honors God and builds family relationships.
How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind – Learn exactly where to start, which habits to focus on, and practical decluttering tips.
Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook – 1400 slow cooker recipes!
Super Easy Slow Cooker Cookbook: 115 No-Fuss Hands-Off Recipes – 115 healthy recipes, beginner-friendly guidance, and batch cooking staples.
The Freezer Cooking Manual from 30 Day Gourmet – Teaches busy cooks how to fill their freezers with nutritious and great-tasting foods!
The Complete Autumn and Winter Cookbook – 550+ recipes for warming dinners, holiday roasts, seasonal desserts, breads, food gifts, and more.
Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day – Learn to maximize every ingredient and discover tips on shopping smartly; plus, the recipes of course!
Gifts that Decrease College Costs
Total Transcript Solution or Comprehensive Record Solution – Create winning homeschool records that help earn college admission and scholarships with these 2 amazing resources!
The HomeScholar Guide to College Admission and Scholarships: Homeschool Secrets to Getting Ready, Getting In and Getting Paid – Learn college admission and scholarship essentials, get my best tips and tricks, and cancel out confusion.
How to Homeschool College: Save Time, Reduce Stress, Eliminate Debt – Easier college admittance, outside documentation, and avoidance of college debt are all benefits of homeschooling college.
College Packing List – Give things that are typically college expenses as gifts! Get the full list (and gift ideas) here.
Gifts that Increase Income
Foundations in Personal Finance High School Edition for Homeschool by Dave Ramsey – This fantastic financial course will teach everything from staying out of debt, setting up a security fund, how to budget, the ins and outs of insurance, and so much more.
The Richest Man in Babylon – Timeless classic that teaches financial planning and personal wealth in an easy-to-follow story format. Learn 5 key lessons to become rich.
The 4-Hour Work-Week – Learn how to work more efficiently to gain free time and read true stories of people who have doubled their income.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad – This book explores the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you.
