Gift giving can be stressful, especially when you’re bound by a budget. If you’re stuck on what to bring to the next birthday party or holiday gift exchange for the kids, think educational! Our roundup of Amazon Prime-friendly gift ideas give the gift of knowledge, and all for under $25 a piece.
Brain Flakes
Kids don't just use their imagination when they play with brain flakes ($15), they are enhancing their spatial thinking, too! With over 500 pieces per container, there is no end to the creations your kiddos will come up with. It's a perfect STEM activity for future engineers!
USA Toyz Stem Building Toys
You get a ton of bang for your buck with USA Toyz STEM Building Toys ($20). The 101-piece set comes with interlocking gears and plastic building blocks that lets kids build basic or complex STEM creations and is great for kids as young as three.
Kanoodle
Perfect for kids 7 and up, Kanoodle ($7) is great for puzzle lovers. Kanoodle comes with 12 puzzle pieces, 200 puzzle challenges in a 48-page illustrated puzzle book, and a carrying case which means it's perfect for taking on the go. Kids will stretch their brains as they strive to make both 2D and 3D puzzles with brightly colored pieces.
Plus-Plus Open Play Construction Set
Plus-Plus bricks are a great building toy, and this open play construction set ($24) comes with 300 Basic pieces, 100 Neon pieces, a Baseplate, and Step-by-Step Idea Guide to get your kids started! This educational toy encourages fine motor skills, logic, creativity and imagination and is a great STEM-based activity.
Learning Resources Beaker Creatures Liquid Reactor Super Lab
The 15-piece Beaker Creatures Liquid Reactor Super Lab ($25) from Learning Resources is part toy, part science lab! When kids play with this set, they'll try to extract the Beaker Creatures from their science reactor pods and try to collect all 35. This is a great gift to encourage discovery, exploration and finding the excitement in science.
Disgusting Science Kit
Science is fun, but it can be disgusting, too! Let your 8 and older kiddos learn all about their bodies with the hilarious Disgusting Science Kit ($11) that includes 4 petri dishes, magnifier, 4 cotton swabs, gelatin, sugar, baking yeast, red and green coloring, rubber balloon, plastic bag and guide. Kids can create an intestine, snot, fake blood and grow mold and bacteria.
Match It! Mathematics Memory Game
Give kiddos an early start on basic math with the Match It! Mathematics Memory game ($7). When kids play, they enhance skills like number recognition and basic addition and subtraction, along with boosting memory and social skills, in addition to improved focus.
Learning Resources Playground Engineering & Design STEM Set
Kids will build major skills by playing with the Learning Resources Playground Engineering & Design Stem Set ($25). The 104 piece kit includes 10 challenge cards to build a twisty slide, tire swing or seesaw and two people. This set fosters critical thinking and STEAM skills, all while being tons of fun.
Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Exploration Kit
Let kids learn about electronics without the mess of soldering! The Snap Circuits Jr. Electronics Exploration Kit ($22) comes with enough pieces to make over 100 STEM projects, 30+ electronic components and snap features that click together to form solid electrical connections. This set is also compatible with bigger kits so kids have no limit to their imaginations!
Crystal Growing Experimental Kit
Encourage your little geologist with this Amazon best selling crystal growing kit ($12). It comes with enough supplies to grow 7 crystals, and encourages patience (crystals aren't made in a day!) as kids learn about crystal compounds and the complexity of the growing process.
Highlights Big Fun Activity Workbooks
Learning can be fun, especially when you have a Highlights Big Fun Activity Workbook ($12). Each book comes with over 200 pages of activities, including puzzles and games on numbers, shapes and colors. You can find books starting at Kindergarten through 2nd grade.
Grow 'n Glow Terrarium
Kids will learn all about plant life cycles when they have a Grow 'N Glow Terranium ($15), which comes with plastic mason-style jar, decorative lid, potting mix, organic chia and wheat grass seeds, garden figurines, decorative sand, river stones and a plant mister to keep your terrarium watered! Habitats can grow in as little as 3 days when they have fun with this STEAM activity that is the perfect combo of science and art.
Mathlink Cubes
Give the gift of math with mathlink cubes ($13) which help with grouping, and counting by ones and tens. This simple set is made with 10 different colors and several geometric shapes to make learning math a breeze.
Educational Insights Brainbolt
Up your memory with Educational Insights Brainbolt ($22), a handheld light up game. It's great for on-the-go fun and also has a two-player mode so kids can go head to head. It's a perfect alternative to screen time, and has tons of advanced game options for kids of all ages.
