What Teachers Are Getting Their Own Kids for the Holidays

Samantha, a learning specialist in Greenwich, Connecticut, is a big fan of this Clixo magnetic building set for both her preschool-age children and her husband. (She has gifted this to my daughter, in fact, and I agree that it’s a winner.) It’s easy to travel with and extremely open-ended, so it never gets old.

Cosima, a lower-school administrator in Brooklyn, is getting her kindergartener his own set of Standard Unit Blocks. “Blocks aren’t just for the classroom,” she says, “and they deserve a place in every child’s home.” Not just any blocks will do, though, according to Cosima —unit blocks are specifically designed to tap into a child’s early number sense through spatial reasoning, fractional relationships, and geometry. “The potential for long-term use and imaginative play is enormous with the added bonus of building fine motor skills,” she says. I can co-sign this one; both my children love to build obstacle courses, homes for stuffed animals, and marble runs with their set.

For my three-and-a-half-year-old, I’m getting this hobbyhorse. While children often need very little to enhance their imaginary play, I have a feeling this horse will take it to a whole new level. It even neighs! Giddyup.

Kinnon, a Boston-based school administrator, is planning ahead for time indoors during the New England winter. “When playgrounds freeze over, my kids love to build indoor obstacle courses, which can be tough in our city abode! This year I am getting them Stapelstein stepping stones. They’re great for balance and gross motor skills, and they’re easy to store. A more affordable version that we already own and love can be foundhere. Let the ‘Floor Is Lava’ game commence!”

[Editor’s note: This set is currently sold out across the internet; it will not arrive in time for the holidays.]

Kiersten, an elementary and middle-school STEM teacher in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has another great on-the-go gift idea: this busy board, which she wishes existed when her son was a toddler. Now 12, he also wishes he had one as a younger child.

Tori, an educational consultant and former teacher in Portland, Maine, is giving her toddler the Domino & Juliette letter puzzle. (I recommend you start with uppercase letters for toddlers and preschool-age children.) “This alphabet puzzle stands out for its thick silicone letters that make them perfect for chewing on, painting with, taking in the bath, and digging in the mud. When they get grimy, just throw them in the dishwasher,” she recommends.

Sarah’s Silkscame recommended by several teachers. Tori notes, “I’m starting a proper dress-up box for my child this year, and these rainbow wings were a first purchase.” There are many silks for children of all ages, but they’re particularly great for babies and toddlers.

Katie, a learning specialist and STEM lover in Buffalo, New York, plans to get Air Toobz for her3- and 7-year-old children. “Hours of fun and sneaky skill-building — practice of collaboration, compromise, cause-and-effect relationships, and trial and error,” she says. “Lots of fallen designs that lead to rebuilding.”

Taina, a Manhattan-based learning specialist and doctoral student with two elementary-age children, is delighted by MoMA’s Cat in Coin Bank and excited for her youngest to both learn about saving and spendingandhave fun watching the cat take her coins.

She also plans to get her eldest child a Mighty. This was a recommendation from several other educators who have elementary-age children as well. As Taina puts it: “My child loves music and doesn’t need any more screen time in their life.” The Mighty takes us back to iPod Shuffle days! The device plays Spotify and Amazon Music without a phone, screen, or internet connection.

This pot-holder loom is a frequent gift suggestion from educators, best for children 6-plus. The weaving builds fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination and gives children an opportunity to make gifts for their loved ones (lucky us).

Ian, an elementary teacher in New Haven, Connecticut, plans on getting OuiSi for his 5- and 7-year-olds. The photo-based association game is open-ended and accessible for young children. “There are lots of ways to play, both collaboratively and competitively. All of them help kids look closely, think flexibly, and verbally justify their thinking,” he says. “It also comes in a small box, so it’s easy to bring to a restaurant or on a trip.”

Katie in Buffalo also recommends a nifty switchboard kit for older children: Snap Circuits Jr. “A big hit for any child aged 6 to 10. The excitement when their circuit works — a light goes on; it makes a sound — is amazing,” she says. “There are endless ways to build them, and it never gets old.”

For Natalie, a special-education teacher and doctoral student in Nashville, Tennessee, one of her sons’ most-anticipated gifts is the House Ball. “Our kids love to play soccer and want to play inside, too. Soon, they’ll be able to dribble inside without fear of scuffing walls or breaking anything.”

My friend Bri, parent coach and special educator in Austin, Texas, is planning to give each of her ten nephews (zero nieces!) these light-up beanies. “We went camping last weekend, and the kids were absolutely obsessed with headlamps. Practical and fun!”

Tori is a big fan of giving personalized stationeryto your burgeoning, or prolific, writer. “Letters were a staple in my classroom for good reason: Everyone loves opening something written just for them,” she says. “Letter writing is also the perfect way to keep a connection with farther-away friends.”This personalized setcomes in a range of fun colors.

Jenna, an early-childhood administrator in Ventura, California, is getting her 9-year-old theDrawing From Memorygame.“We played it with friends recently and laughed until we cried — trying to draw an aardvark from memory was way harder than we expected,” she says.