Editor's note: This post was originally published on December 23, 2013.
Stocking stuffers are a super way to add a little reading fun to the holiday excitement. The long winter break following the holidays is the perfect time -- between sledding, trying out new toys, and caroling – for kids to cozy up with a new book or with one of these cool reading-related stocking stuffers.
Here are 8 smaller, easy-on-the-wallet, must-have gifts that bring books, reading, and literacy into the mix in ways that kids will love--just in time for the holidays!
- Book Collections on DVD: Really! Kids love watching their favorite books come to life on the big screen. With dozens of favorite books to choose from, books on DVD are a great addition to stockings and will certainly become "go-to" favorites for all families.
- Songs and Stories: Not full-fledged stories and not all songs, these classic favorites are paired with songs and a short version of the story on CDs. They are super for building listening skills and for just about any time of the day.
- Gift Cards: Perfectly perfect for stockings, gift cards can be purchased from just about anywhere and can be used to allow children to choose their very own books—either eBooks or hard copies!
- Rory's Story Cubes: Created by The Creativity Hub, these little dice are complete with objects or drawings on each side that inspire creativity and story-telling. These tiny treasures are perfect for stockings, and you never know what your creative kids will come up with with each roll of the dice!
- Audio Books: Audio books are a perfect stocking stuffer. Especially for keeping kids occupied during lengthy holiday travel, books on CD are a wonderful way of bringing together families and celebrating books and literacy.
- Hand Pointers: Kids totally dig Hand Pointers. For one-to-one correspondence when learning to read or for playing school and using them as classroom pointers, these are fun for kids and perfect for stockings.
- Early Literacy Learning Puzzles: Small enough for a stocking but big enough to help kids master those ever-important early literacy skills.
- Learning Mats: Roll up one of these learning mats, tie it with a ribbon, and it's a perfect addition to any stocking! With so many choices for every age group, there's bound to be a learning mat for your child. Eating and reading? Great combination.
What other small reading-related gifts would work as stocking stuffers?
Let us know!
Share your thoughts on the Scholastic Parents Facebook page, or find Amy on twitter, @teachmama, and let's continue the conversation!
Read all posts by Amy Mascott.
