2010 Homeschool Gift Guide

Need help thinking of something to give the kids for Christmas? It's also a good idea to have some things in mind to tell aunts and grandparents who inevitably ask what they can get for the kids this year. My mom doesn't like to waste money, and as a former teacher she is careful to buy quality gifts that will be educational and long-lasting. Of course, she always asks if I have any suggestions. Well, as a matter of fact I do. ;) Amazon links are included below for quick and easy ordering. If you find something that you like, please purchase directly through my links so I can earn a small commission for my efforts. See also the previous years’ recommendations:

2007 Best Christmas Gifts for Homeschoolers
2008 Best Christmas Gifts for Homeschoolers
2009 Best Christmas Gifts for Homeschoolers

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Preschool

Ready, Set, School Activity Box, Alex Little Hands Series
A variety of fun and educational activities for preschool children, all packed into a tidy storage box.

VeggieTales: It's a Meaningful Life
Two years before Pixar made a splash with Toy Story, Big Idea created the first ever computer animated series in the U.S. – the children’s series Veggie Tales, which debuted in 1993 and fulfilled Big Idea’s mission of promoting Sunday morning values with Saturday morning fun. Like Pixar movies, these are high quality children’s cartoons that contain enough clever references to pop culture and current events to make you laugh and smile no matter what your age. But Veggie Tales goes one step further in their purposeful promotion of uplifting Christian themes. Just in time for the holidays, their newest installment is based on the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. In the veggie version, Stewart (Larry the Cucumber) has a chance to win it all in the biggest football game of his life. But when he’s injured in one bad play, his hopes of playing in the Salad Bowl—and living a life of fame and fortune—are dashed forever. Years later, Stewart wonders “what if” things had been different. When he meets a mysterious train conductor who can turn back time, Stewart gets a chance to have the life he always wanted. Will he find all he’s been looking for? A wonderful lesson for the whole family!

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Ages 5-8

Little Librarian
The Little Librarian in your family will love this! It's a personal library kit just for kids, complete with book pockets, check out cards, library cards, bookmarks, etc.! It encourages reading and is powered by creativity and imagination, not batteries! (Books not included.)

Exploracise Gymathtics by Exploramania
When my oldest son was in 3rd grade, the only way we could keep him from being bored while reciting his math facts was to let him jump around the room getting his exercise at the same time--rather unconventional, but it worked and he did great in math! Well, what do you know, this DVD combines math skills with physical fitness!

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Ages 9-12

Jonny Quest - The Complete First Season
If your kids like Pixar’s The Incredibles, they will like the classic 1960’s animated series Jonny Quest. Brad Bird, director of The Incredibles, was a big fan of Jonny Quest, so The Incredibles contains quite a few similarities – volcanic islands, hovercraft, flying platforms, jazzy soundtrack, and the intro to the short subject “Jack Jack Attack” is almost an exact match to the music played at the start of Jonny Quest. Jonny is a brave and brainy 11-year-old boy who accompanies his scientist father on extraordinary adventures around the world. The characters in Jonny Quest use detective-style logic to solve mysteries and apprehend sophisticated villains. Viewers are transported to exotic locales as Jonny's dad Dr. Benton Quest tackles each new government assignment, aided by ex-agent “Race” Bannon, the Indian boy Hadji, and family bulldog Bandit. Along the way there's plenty of James Bond-style action violence. But the main characters demonstrate good values while displaying a charitable sense of decency toward others and respect for one another. This show isn't politically correct by modern standards (they have run-ins with savage natives, and the bad guys are usually inept Russians). But our boys love watching these and I love the fact that Jonny Quest is homeschooled. Yep, his bodyguard is also his personal tutor!

This year the LEGO company came out with a bunch of games, each with a different theme so there's something to please everybody. My favorites are the Pirate Code and Minotaur Maze, but Creationary would be a good choice for the whole family.

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Gifts for Teens

Mythbusters Game
Here's a fun gift for MythBusters fans of all ages! Packed with science trivia gone ballistic, this brain-busting game features a buddy-flinging catapult scoring device and 400 trivia cards. For two or more players, ages 10 and up.

Do Hard Things inspired thousands of young people around the world to make the most of their teen years. Now Alex and Brett Harris are back and ready to tackle the questions that Do Hard Things inspired: How do I get started? What do I do when I get discouraged? What’s the best way to inspire others? Filled with stories and insights from Alex, Brett, and other real-life rebelutionaries, Start Here is a powerful and practical guide to doing hard things, right where you are. If your teen hasn't already read them, these two books would make a great gift set.

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Gifts for the Whole Family

Toy Story 3 (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) Where were you when the first Toy Story movie came out? My husband and I had a 5-year-old and a 6-month old at the time. Our 5-year-old was fascinated by computer animation. We had a video called Imaginaria which was a collection of computer animated shorts made in the early 1990's, and he watched it over and over again. So we were excited to see the first feature-length film created entirely with computer-generated imagery! We’ve been big fans of Pixar and John Lasseter ever since. Toy Story was a huge success in the history of the film industry, and animation took on a whole new meaning from then on. Toy Story 2 was released in 1999, and reunited the voice talents of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in their roles as Woody and Buzz. Now in Toy Story 3, Andy’s all grown up and about to head off to college. So I think this movie trilogy parallels many of our own lives, at least for those of us who followed them from the beginning. As for which version of Toy Story 3 to buy, we like this combo set because it contains a Blu-Ray disc for watching at home, a DVD for watching at Gramma's house, as well as a digital copy to watch anywhere. The technology has sure come a long way in 15 years!

Jonathan Park: The Voyage Beyond (Jonathan Park Radio Drama)
In Jonathan Park’s latest adventure, The Voyage Beyond (album #7), Jonathan and the Creation Response Team meet an eccentric philanthropist-explorer named Alexander DeMarcus. Mr. DeMarcus appears to have a passion for marine life, exploring the ocean depths with his experimental electromagnetic submarine, The Manta. At first the CRT joins forces with Mr. DeMarcus, excited to learn more about God’s amazing creatures beneath the sea. But the team soon realizes that this mysterious explorer has something even bigger in mind. Discover his incredible secret in Jonathan Park and the Voyage Beyond! Jonathan Park’s fast-paced action stories, complete with radio theatre sound effects, are captivating for listeners of all ages from 6 to adult! We love to listen to these on long car trips. If you’re not familiar with the Jonathan Park series, be sure to read my review here.

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Gifts for Moms

Easy Homeschooling Series

This wonderful set of books by a veteran homeschool mom will provide a source of refreshing encouragement and practical motivation throughout the year.

3 Books for $30 - plus FREE shipping!

1. Easy Homeschooling Techniques
2. Easy Homeschooling Curriculum
3. Easy Homeschooling Companion

Click here for detailed book descriptions!

Get ALL 3 BOOKS (valued at $57) for ONLY $30!*
OR purchase one or more individual titles - also on sale!

*And don't forget the FREE SHIPPING!

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See also the previous year’s recommendations, all of which are still good!
2009 Best Christmas Gifts for Homeschoolers
2008 Best Christmas Gifts for Homeschoolers
2007 Best Christmas Gifts for Homeschoolers

If you still need more ideas, you may also be interested in the following:
Homemade Gifts from the Heart
Educational Toys
Smart Software
Computer Game Reviews
Easy Money Gifts
Gifts for all Occasions

And finally...

Usborne Books Make Great Gifts!

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