Tech Savvy Mama

Parenting in the Digital Age

Gifts for 7-9 Year Olds

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Second and third graders have reached an age where all of their knowledge from their younger years is coming together but in no way is the learning over.  At the end of the day, their brains have been taxed and they need activities other than what they do during the normal school day.  Here are my gift picks for ages 7-9.
Personalized pencils ($7.98 for a set of 12 from Lillian Vernon)— Let your child stake a claim to their pencils by putting their name on them.  Personalized pencils are crazy cool gifts for the 2nd and 3rd grade set because it helps put an end to “borrowed” pencils that never make their way back to the owner and pencils that seem to disappear from pencil boxes that live in desks everywhere. Not very tech savvy, I know, but pencils never go out of style!  Lillian Vernon is currently running a promotion to buy one set and get another half off. In case you’re wondering who to buy the second set for, get one for your child’s teacher and they’ll be thankful to have pencils that they can claim as their own!
GIVEAWAY: Fashion Playtes ($8 and up)— Budding fashion designers will love creating their own looks.  Personalize tops, bottoms, dresses, outwear, loungewear, accesorries, and even doll clothes for your 18” doll by selecting the color, embellishments (appliqués, rhinestones, lace, and more), and then adding a personalized label saying who it was made by.  A gift certificate would make a wonderful gift for the young fashionista since items are affordably priced even after customization! Little Miss Techie recently tried the site and found the site easy to use. She loved making custom clothes for her American Girl Doll and easily navigated through the choices that were plentiful but not overwhelming.  We were able to get 2 dresses for just over $25 with shipping!  Little Miss Techie has a video that she will be sharing about her experience soon!  Win a $50 gift certificate to Fashion Playtes by leaving a comment below.
 
Wilson Junior Tennis racquets (under $20)— Wilson has reinvented tennis for the 10 & under set thanks to specialized equipment tailored to their age and size.  Kids get into the game immediately thanks to smaller racquets, starter balls made of foam and “starter play” ones that feature less rebound bounce, and unbelievably affordable equipment!  Youth racquets are under $20 each through the 10 and Under USTA Program!  Plus grownups who used to play (like myself- ahem) will find that getting back into the groove is a fun way to spend some family time and enjoy being outside even on chilly winter days.
Snap Circuits ($31.99 from Amazon)— Budding engineers and those curious about the inner workings of a circuit board will enjoy Snap Circuits.  Kids will learn about how currents work through hands-on play as they create over 305 electronic projects using items like snap wires, slide switch, resistor, microphone, and capacitors.  Captain Computer received a set last year for Christmas and later received additional sets that included a flying saucer ($14.99) and musical recorder($24.95).  I’m eyeing the Alternative Energy Kit ($74.95) and the RC Rover ($74.99) as possible gifts for this holiday season!
20Q ($19.99)— The favorite classic game you always played on road trips went electronic a couple years ago and is new and improved to be even smarter than it was before.  20Q asks players to think of an animal, vegetable, mineral, or other object and uses its super mind reading powers to figure out the answer in twenty questions or less based on pressing the yes, no, sometimes or rarely buttons. Its eerie accuracy makes game play quite it addictive!
Simon Flash ($24.99)— The round Simon of yesteryear is now in cube form- 4 cubes to be exact!  Simon still flashes hence the new name Simon Flash, but features multiple games besides the original Simon Classic that requires brain power to remember the sequence of colors and tap them in the right order as more and more are added.  Games in addition to Simon Classic include Simon Lights Off, Simon Shuffle, and Simon Secret Color, all of which are activated by touching a different color cube.  Cubes come in a handy green case which makes them easy to transport for on-the-go play.
Knock Your Blocks Off ($16.99)— In this game, 2-4 players race to make a matching pattern on their blocks before an opponent can roll the die and knock off your crown when the boulders, ogre, and dragon come up.  Each pattern is worth a token and the person with the most tokens wins!  I love that this game helps reinforce math through visual patterning in games that only takes about 15 minutes to play.
City Square Off ($19.99)— Spatial relations, logic, and strategic thinking are challenged through this game where 2 teams or 2 players draw a shape card and fit the tile into city grids to create their city.  Being able to envision the space and plan is key since there always needs to be room for the next piece since the city always needs to fit within its limits.  Game play takes about 15 minutes.
 Draw the DC Universe ($19.99)— This draw-right-in-it book comes with everything need to learn how to draw the entire universe of DC heroes and villains.  It includes a sketching pencil, drawing marker, artist pencils in 6 colors, and a big block eraser.  It also features stencils and translucent overlays, expert tips, and tons of practice space for kids to perfect drawings of their favorite DC Comics characters.
 Stamp Art ($21.99)— Who doesn’t love stamps?  Stamp Art allows creative minds to create their own unique stamps. Just stick the shapes on the acrylic block and stamp away! Art work and instructions are included to help teach how to create animals, flowers, aliens, and anything else kids can think of!
Kinect Sports Season Two ($49.99)— Tennis, golf, football, baseball, skiing, and darts are part of the newest season of Kinect Sports.  Full body game play and the ability to use voice commands makes you feel like you’re immersed in the game whether you’re engaging in a one to one showdown or connecting with friends via Xbox Live.  A note about Xbox Live and any gaming system- be sure to check your privacy settings through the parental dashboard and ensure your kids know the screen names of their friends before engaging in online game play. Rated “E”
Just Dance Kids 2 for Wii ($29.99)— Just Dance Kids 2 appeals to a wide range of age ranges because it includes songs that are today’s hits, favorites from movies and TV shows, and classic kid tunes.  40 dance routines and easy to navigate screens gets kids and parents up and dancing!  Game play is for up to 4 players.  Rated “E”
Fluent readers need a variety of different content to hold their interests.  Mix it up by supplying magazines and books, both fictional and fact-based, to keep those reading skills sharp!
Disclosure: Product samples were received to facilitate the above reviews.  Relationships with clients have been disclosed above and do not influence my opinion of the product.  Amazon Affiliate links are included in this post. All images courtesy of the companies.

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Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Stimey says

    I love your gift guides. I found two things here I’m going to buy. Snap Circuits is definitely for Jack. He’s going to LOVE it. And I think I’ll get Knock Your Blocks Off for a bunch of people too! Thanks!

  52. Eileen says

    My child’s favorite xtra cirricular activity is playing organized sports like soccer and basketball. She also just started playing the clarinet. My 6 year old grand daughter is more into artsy stuff like jewelry making and dancing and LOVES to read.

    All of the kids love to play street tennis so the racket is an idea I will think about for gifting for sure! (never thought about as it’s winter here but playing in snow with a neon ball would be fun too). I was happy to see the Stamp kit and the Knock Your Blocks Off game–have not seen them before AND the Wii Dance is a PERFECT idea for the 6 yr old and great to keep active inside when so frigid!

    thank you!
    ejrichter60 at gmail dot com

  55. Eileen says

    I also entered your Kindergarten and 1st Grade gift guide giveaways!
    So many great ones there that both my 4 year old and 6 year old grandkids would love!

    thanks!
    ejrichter60 at gmail dot com

  58. Erika says

    My son loves Snap Circuits and we are waiting for our first outfit from Fashion Playtes. The 20Q game is also a lot of fun in the car.

    I just liked you on FB and am now following you on Twitter. Unfortunately not sure how to tweet.

    I hope to win the GC. My daughter had so much fun using the first GC from her uncle.

  59. Kim W says

    My oldest daughter (7 yrs) is blind so she reads in Braille. But, reading and crafts are her favorite past times. My twins (6 yrs) love crafting, playing outside and reading. They all love watching Cupcake Wars.