Don't Break The Bank...5 Gifts that Inspire for $25 or Less

Finding the perfect gift for your child doesn't have to mean breaking the bank.  There are so many wonderful gift ideas that can help inspire creativity or curiosity in children of any age.   For the start of the holiday season, I would like to share with you five gift ideas for your child that are priced at $25 dollars or less.  These are items that I think provide quality entertainment at a great value.

Kwik Stix Solid Tempera Paint Sticks

First up on my list for great holiday gifts for children of all ages is Kwik Stix paint sticks.  I had the opportunity to review these as part of the Review Crew and they quickly became one of our favorite household items. I wasn't the only one as The Homeschool Review Crew also awarded Kwik Stix their Blue Ribbon Award for Best Preschool Product.  It was also one of Ashleigh's favorite products that we reviewed for the 2016 Crew Year. 

 Kwik Stix are solid tempera paint sticks in bright colors that require no water or paint brushes to use.  Much like fat crayons or makers, kids simply draw or color with them.  The colors are very creamy and the paint glides on smoothly and they dry quickly (about 90 seconds).   The stick themselves work similar to a glue stick, as more paint is needed the student simply twists the bottom to expose more of the paint stick.  The paint itself is a semi-solid, also similar to a glue stick.   The colors themselves are very bold and provide full coverage to the project they are being used on.   And the best part is that there is little to no mess at all.  What little cleanup that may be needed is easy with simple soap and water.  Kwik Stix are available through The Pencil Grip, Inc. website or can be found at your local Target shopping center.  They are available in a 12 pack of basic colors ($11.99), 6 packs of either Neon or Metallic colors ($5.99), or as a 24 pack that contains all available colors ($24.99).  Kwik Stix are available for purchase at The Pencil Grip, Inc. website or at Target. 

The Wind in the Willows (Sterling Illustrated Classic)

For bedtime story time, I highly recommend the hardcover copy of The Wind in the Willows by

Kenneth Grahame and illustrated by Robert Ingpen.  First published in 1908, this classic story of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Mr Toad is endearing to children more than 100 years later.   

While there are many versions of this classic, the addition of Ingpen's beautiful full color illustrations with this particular edition really helps to bring the characters to life.  This particular version, Sterling Illustrated Classic, is unabridged. The pages are thicker than average book pages, more like a thin cardstock rather than paper which will stand the test of time, making this book a great keepsake to pass on to later generations. 

The hardcover Sterling Illustrated Classics version is available at Amazon for $13.36 with free shipping for Prime Members, making it an excellent gift to share with your family. 

Dixit Board Game

Every picture tells a story – but what story will your picture tell? Dixit is the lovingly illustrated game of creative guesswork, where your imagination unlocks the tale. In this award-winning board game, players will use the beautiful imagery on their cards to bluff their opponents and guess which image matches the story. Guessing right is only half the battle – to really succeed, you’ll have to get your friends to decide that your card tells the story! Every turn, the storyteller will call out a short phrase or word to match the image on his card. Then each player will choose the card that most closely matches that phrase, and then everyone must guess which card the storyteller saw when he invented his brief tale. Correctly guess the storyteller’s card, and you’ll move ahead. Convince everyone else that your card is best, and you’ll do even better. Dixit is a wonderfully simple game, playable by nearly anyone with whom you share a common language. With a fantastic range of beautiful illustrations and rules that can be understood by children and adults alike, Dixit will appeal to anyone with an imagination.

Dixit can be played by 3-6 players and is recommended for ages 8-12 years old available from Amazon for $25.99 with free shipping available for Prime Members.  

Fisher-Price Little Peoples Noah's Ark

For the younger members of your family, this Noah's Ark is absolutely adorable. Recommended for ages

12months to 4 Years, children can re-enact the story of Noah and the Ark as Zebras, Giraffes, Elephants, and lions come 2 by 2 to join Noah on this high quality plastic ark.  The upper deck of the Ark is removable for easy access to the inside for those who are working on their motor skills. 

The animals are really adorable but are not so "cutsy" to appeal to only little girls, making this a great gift for both boys and girls. 

Fisher-Price Little Peoples Noah's Ark is available from Amazon for $20.78 with free shipping for Prime Members. A larger version with more animals (hippos, leopards, pandas and turtles) is also available at Toys R Us for $28.49. 



The Complete National Geographic - 125 Years (1888-2012)

I love National Geographic Magazine and we subscribe to it for our family. Nothing brings the world to the minds of both young and old like the vivid photographs and articles of this best selling magazine and it has been doing so for nearly 130 years.  

This affordable software, available both for Windows and Mac, brings every issue of National Geographic that was published during the magazines first 125 year history.  Search tools within the program allows for quick searching for particular subjects of interest which is perfect for children who are more "delight driven learners".   Also included with this software is a trivia based game where users can test their knowledge on a vast array of subjects.

The Complete National Geographic - 125 Years Software is available at Amazon for $15.03 with free shipping available for Prime Members.