I love it when my kids love a gift that’s also educational! We’ve combed the web and combined our top picks of the best educational gifts for kids.
Best Educational Gift Ideas
2020 has been a difficult year. For a large number of children in the US, school looks a bit different these days. It's a great time to give children a few educational gifts to keep the learning going while spending more time at home.
Check out all of these great educational gift ideas!
Check out the affordable new KIBO Home Edition which introduces young children to coding and robotics.
This fun STEAM kit is inspiring parents, children, and siblings to engage and collaborate. With KIBO, children ages 4–7 create, design, decorate, and bring their own robot to life.
Kids build onto KIBO with familiar arts and crafts materials, engaging in imaginative play and storytelling that motivates and guides their learning. They can tell stories, choreograph dances, create a robotic vehicle to explore a cardboard town, create an animal habitat, and more.
It's screen free fun at its best!
This year, spark some educational fun with Customized Rainbow Name Crayons from The Crayon House.
These unique crayons are made to order (and shipped within two business days!) They make learning extra fun as you can practice sounds, letters, and spelling with your child's name.
Your special gift will come in carefully packaged in a kraft gift box, tied with red and white bakers twine. For the perfect finishing touch, you'll even find the personalized name or word on the front of each box too.
Teach My designs award-winning learning kits for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. These kits present an opportunity to give your child a head start in life, with just 20 minutes per day. The products inside aim to teach basic skills, geared for the level of each individual kit.
From the ABCs, colors, and counting to reading, printing, and math; your mini scholar can master skills that will benefit them for their entire lifetime!
The best part is that each kit is super affordable too!
Give a toy that will challenge as well as offer a way to practice fine motor skills, critical thinking, and build confidence with this Funstruction Take Apart Crane Set.
This Tow Truck Crane Construction Toy is one of the best kids building toys around! Build it, imagine and play, take it apart, mix the pieces up, and do it all over again!
Included in the tool kit is:
- a toy electric drill,
- toy screwdriver
- three bits to use with both tools
- full set of nut and bolts too
The physical and digital worlds collide in one exciting adventure with MindLabs: Energy and Circuits.
This kit offers a magical new way to teach children circuitry, an essential element of STEM. MindLabs uniquely pairs digital and physical worlds, by combining an app, tabletop playing cards, and the excitement of augmented reality, for an affordable price.
With MindLabs, kids not only can create circuits in 3D, but can also share the playing experience with friends – either in person or remotely.
Combines the fun of tabletop games with the excitement of Augmented Reality!• Designed for self-directed learning, in homes and schools
• Aligned with STEM standards
• Includes FREE app and circuit cards
• For ages 8+• For 1 to 4 players
With so many kids schooling at home this year, have you been on the hunt for educational, online classes? If so, Young Art is a children's art studio who offers live virtual art lessons, 7 days a week! This makes it easy to find classes that will fit your schedule.
The Unlimited Pass allows your family access to unlimited virtual classes for a month for just $30. That comes to just $1 a day!
Young Art's instructors will lead LIVE virtual classes 7 days per week, including after school and on weekends. Students will experience a variety of skill-building lessons using multiple modalities!
The Young Art Mission:Young Art is on a mission to serve students, families, and the community by providing meaningful learning experiences through the virtual classroom. Their team is committed to inspiring the next generation of young inventors, artists, designers, and entrepreneurs to be bold innovators by providing creative and enriching experiences through hands-on learning.
Now Introducing...the Tanoshi Scholar computer for kids between the ages of 6-12. The Tanoshi Scholar is a real computer and not a toy!
The Scholar includes all of the features of the Tanoshi 2-in-1 PLUS:
✅ Greater durability
✅ Splash proof
✅ Dust proof
✅ Webcam privacy filter
✅ Runs on Android 10
✅ Compatible with Zoom
✅ Blue light filter
✅ Additional pre-loaded apps by award-winning educators
✅ Available in blue or purple
This awesome computer runs Android 10 and can run millions of apps available in the Play Store. Google apps and kids coding apps come pre-installed, as well as Google Family Link for parental controls.
This Bio-Organic STEAM kit called Just Add Egg will inspire the artists and scientists in your life!
Get ready to make your own dinosaur egg, experiment with disappearing eggs, and experiment with getting an egg in and out of a bottle.
This fun kit leads you through more than 10 science experiments and art activities, with most ingredients needed, included inside.
The Atomic Force Board Game works to teach children fundamental chemistry concepts.
Each player gets an avatar and rolls dice on a mission to cross the board from start to finish. Along the way, collect Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons and solve different challenges to build simple elements and compounds.
Chemistry is fun!Because atomic chemistry describes the building blocks of existence, it’s an important subject to introduce early on!
Get ready to take your child on a a mathematical safari adventure! Theses Inchimals are incredibly effective math blocks that teach measurement, number concepts, addition, subtraction, and pre-algebra! It's ideal, educational fun for all ages of children.
Beautifully crafted and thoughtfully designed, Inchimals features 12 wooden animal blocks measuring 1 inch (the tiny ladybug) to 12 inches (the towering giraffe). With exact inch segments, written numerals, representative dots, and cute animals to boot - this learning toy is a sure winner all around!
Encourage your child to learn through building moving mechanisms using Geomag Mechanics Megnetic Motion construction platform that combines the force of magnetism with mechanical construction.
This Geomag Mechanics Magnetic Motion 86 piece set stimulates children's creativity while also offering hands on fun.
The inventiveness and a hands-on approach to problem-solving is what keeps kids engaged and encourages further exploration.
In addition to magnetic rods and steel spheres, this set adds mechanical elements within the construction platform that allows for expanded play possibilities.
Puzzles are a great tool to channel restless mental energy (and make social distancing more bearable too!) They are a great option for all ages to check out Lemonade Pursuits unique and beautiful puzzle options.
“Botanical Song” is designed by the talented Susan (you can call her "Suse") Nethercote. This piece is inspired by the structural blooms commonly found in Australia and are a beloved subject in Suse's art.
More than your typical puzzle, these pieces are unique shapes, which make puzzling more fun than your standard pieces. Lemonade Pursuits pride themselves on the high quality, soft-touch finish of our pieces, which is also anti-glare so no more ducking and dodging around lamp light.

The Smarty PAD interactive tablet is an awesome gadget that gives preschoolers a fun, new way to play and learn!
It features 12 smart games and an age-appropriate, educator-vetted curriculum. The motion sensors give the lightweight tablet an innovative spin, encouraging unique sensory play along with small motor development and critical thinking.
Kids love the colorful LED visuals that help complement activities; including colors, coding, ABCs, and numbers up to 25.
With over 100 different responses, Smarty PAD never plays the same way twice! And guess what!? Smarty PAD™ is also bi-lingual so kids can toggle between two languages in both explore and play game modes.
Geared for ages 3-5, this interactive tablet is a great gift to help boost learning.
Get ready to give a unique gift that starts the learning young as Codi, the Storytelling Robot is geared for ages 12 months and up!
Entertain and educate your child without a screen!Codi is a storyteller - it tells 130 classic stories that stimulate the imagination without a screen (voiced by engaging voice actors!).
Codi is a DJ - it plays 100 classic songs to get your child moving.
Codi builds good routines - it makes tooth brushing or clean up time a breeze with content you can only find on Codi!
Codi includes a free parent app (iOs and Android) where you have full control and visibility to:- Control what you want or do not want your child to listen to
- See what your child has been playing
- Set volume controls
- Set guided routines when it's time to clean up, brush their teeth
- And you can send voice messages back and forth no matter how far you are - a parent favorite!
Although Wi-Fi is required for all of Codi's functionality, Codi can play all saved songs and stories offline.
In a very strange time in our world, a couple of things remain as constants - coffee and games.
So enjoy both with JABUKA, the rotating letter word game with a coffee theme. JABUKA is like no other word game, it’s so much more! Most word games require you to use your bean, but the way to win JABUKA is to use the most beans in a spontaneous, fast-paced, and creative way.
The innovative twist to JABUKA is that the coffee bean-shaped pieces with yellow characters can be twisted and turned to form different letters, magically transforming J's into r's, M's into E’s and many more!
Use these alphabet chameleons to form new words or to hijack and transform existing words made by another player or team. Whoever has the most beans from making and taking words, wins the game.
There's nothing quite like the feeling children get when they see their own name carved out of high quality wood, painted with stunning colors, and displayed for all to see. That's why a Personalized Name Puzzle from Fat Brain Toys is a great gift idea!
With their new and improved Name Puzzle, Fat Brain Toys has updated the color palette to a fresh, modern collection that both girls and boys will love. Plus, all the puzzles are now made in-house - which means every puzzle ships FAST!
Encourage logic abilities, fine motor skills, letter recognition, name spelling, and early self esteem with a personalized name puzzle for a child you can’t resist. It’s a personal gift that will be kept and valued for years to come!
Kids can decorate their rooms with this new and improved dreamy color-changing GoldieBlox cloud light. It’s a fun arts & crafts activity that will make any bedroom brighter and more colorful!
The DIY Floating LED Cloud Light helps kids learn how a circuit functions, while also teaching your child about condensation, evaporation, cirrus clouds, and more. Also learn why scientists believe that humans are attracted to glitter!
Give the gift of reading and exploring into worlds unknown through an Owl Crate Jr. Subscription! Geared for boys and girls ages 8-12; subscriptions are available in monthly, 3-month, and 6-month options.
Inside each box, you'll find:
- A brand new middle grade hardcover novel plus an exclusive letter and signed bookplate from the author!
- Fun and unique items based on the theme of the month!
- Second book, activity, or game in every box!
- Collectible monthly sticker and magazine
Miranda's daughter has gotten the Owl Crate Jr. Subscription in the past and absolutely LOVED it! Truly a great way to encourage reading and branch out to books you haven't read yet.
The Original Magnatab was designed with the Montessori learning style in mind, creating a sensory-based creative play experience.
Kids can use the magnetic stylus to pull the beads up to the surface and draw pictures, letters, numbers, and shapes. In doing this, they feel the pull of the magnets, hear their clicking sound, and see what they are drawing. They love seeing their picture appear right before their eyes!
The beads are magically “erased” when pushed down by the tip of a finger or the swipe of the side of the stylus.
The tablet features easy storage for the magnetic stylus, which clicks securely into place.
This is a great tool for use at home or in the classroom!
Check out this fun memory game that the entire family can enjoy!
In Brainwaves: The Wise Whale; After trying to memorize which creatures are on which cards, players lay their nine cards face down.
During your turn, reveal a new card from the deck. Then, you must reveal a card that matches either the creature or the color on this new card.
If you are able to do it, claim this card, and then lay out a new card face down in its place. Whoever collects the most cards wins!
Kiwico is a subscription box company that offers age-appropriate, stem-based learning crates send directly to your doorstep. The Kiwi Crate is perfect for kids ages 5-8 years old.
The Kiwi Crate was created to celebrate kids' natural creativity and curiosity while helping parents who want to bring enriching experiences to their children. Chose to send one box, or sign up for a full year subscription. Give a gift that lasts all year long with Kiwico.
The Kiwi Crate is perfect for young elementary students. These crates are designed to utilize your child's natural creativity and curiosity. Sample crates have including things like building and then playing with a working arcade claw or building and flying a kite. These crates have everything your child needs to make and then use the STEM-based experiment.
Two in one means twice the fun! Stephen Joseph offers a variety of colorful two-side magnetic puzzles that kids LOVE.
Each side completes a whimsical scene and the added challenge of imagery on both sides helps your little one work on their problem solving skills.
Features Include:
- SIZED FOR TRAVEL: Keep one of these awesome puzzles in the car at all times. At 8.5” x 7” assembled, it’s easy to store in the back of a seat pocket.
- PIECES STAY PUT: The magnetic pieces won’t slip and slide around, making this puzzle perfect for restaurants, travel, in waiting rooms, and on-the-go.
- GET MOVING: The puzzle board has a handle, making travel and carrying easy for even the smallest of hands.
- WORK IT OUT: Having imagery printed on both size adds difficulty, helping your child develop problem solving skills.
Geared for ages 7 and up, check out Recycle Rally for a game with a purpose!
Players can drive recycling trucks around town and maximize their scores by collecting higher-value materials. But sort carefully! If too many recyclables are left behind, useful stuff is incinerated and the whole town could be in trouble.
This game is a fun way to get your family talking about what happens to your trash as well as why some materials (like plastic) are less valuable on the recycling market than others (like metal or paper).
Future scientists and artists agree that this "Just Add Baking Soda Kit" from Griddly Games is explosive!
This fun STEAM based kit is the perfect mix of science and art for all creative kids.
Inside, you'll find more than 20 science and arts activities including Bath Bombs, Ornaments, Baking Soda Volcano, and so much more!
It's a transformative kit that helps kids discover chemical reactions, states of matter, and alkaline. Geared for ages 8+, it's the perfect way to spend a day learning!
The Jambo Book Club sends members 2-3 age-appropriate books each month that will feature children of color as the stars of their own stories.
Jambo Books show children of color in situations where children’s literature rarely places them – making friends, raising pets, loving grandparents, and fighting dragons. These books arrive with a personalized letter in JambArt boxes beautifully decorated with art that celebrates the joy of childhood.
They offer six different book subscriptions for kids ages 0-13 so you can choose the monthly book selections that are just right for your budding reader. So give the gift of reading this year!
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Did you enjoy this guide with the best educational gifts for kids? I’d love to hear which items were your favorites! You may also enjoy this guide full of the best gifts for teens.
monique s
Saturday 16th of January 2021
I love the mind labs. So looking to support STEM learning with the kids
Christina Nawn
Tuesday 29th of December 2020
Thank you for including the KIBO robot as part of your amazing list. The screen-free, hands-on robot is a fun gift for little ones who are excited to learn about coding, robotics and STEM in a tangible way. Thank you for sharing it with your readership!
monique s
Monday 28th of December 2020
I love the robotics gift for the older kids and the crayon one for the younger ones
Blanca Solache
Monday 21st of December 2020
I love the crane apart because my son loves to take stuff apart and put them together again. And the mindLabs is cool as well as my 2nd oldest loves anything that has to do with hands on and he's homeschooling with his other 4 siblings! They love hands on activities that have anything to do with STEM and STEAM. Thanks for the opportunity ThriftyNiftyMommy! Good luck everyone
Laurie Nykaza
Monday 21st of December 2020
Teach My Baby Learning Kit would be wonderful for my friends kids such great learning tools. They make great gifts to give.