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Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended, Screen-Free Gift Ideas for Every Tween & Teen!

November 27, 2021

Super Fun, Opened Ended, Screen-Free Gift Ideas for Every Tween & Teen!

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!

Raising Generation Nourished…

It’s more than just the food, though that is typically the focus around here! Today, I thought I’d take a little step aside from the recipes, and focus on another aspect of raising a nourished generation. A generation that is creative, focused, and content. A generation that has just so much good ahead of them. Their future is so bright.

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!

Contented kids

Not long ago I received a private message on my Instagram asking how I’ve raised kids that are so “content.” She mentioned it always felt like my kids found joy in the simplest of things – digging in the sand at the beach, stirring a pot of soup, taking a hike…simple childhood. She was curious how a 12 year old could be happy with such simplicity. We aren’t a completely screen free home – we definitely enjoy a good movie! And my kids have their favorite shows. We even play the occasional educational computer game. But over 12 years into this thing, I do think that part of my kids’ joy in simple childhood play has to do with limited screens. They aren’t the enemy, but open-ended play is vital to kids that don’t need to be constantly entertained with a screen. Contented kids that are ok with being “bored” because those are always the moments where creativity shines the brightest. I have seen it with my own eyes, and I would go back and do it all over again to see that in my kids.

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!

You do you momma!

I am most definitely not here to mom shame. Every household has a different rhythm, and every child has different needs. If you have video games in the house, and that is working for you, great! If your kids have tablets, and that is working in your home – totally fine! What I am here to do, is give you some ideas for under the Christmas tree that my upper elementary/tween/middle school aged kids have enjoyed and are enjoying right now, that I really think any kid will have fun with, whether they are into screens or not. I hope to give you some ideas to put something different under the tree next to the other items.

Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended, Screen-Free Gift Ideas for Every Tween & Teen!

Tweens & Middle School ages

Years back I created a Montessori Inspired gift guide for younger children when my kids were little, and I thought it was time to do an update! My older two are 12 and 10 and this list was so fun to put together with them. They helped me pick out their favorite activities in our home now, and we messaged with friends of both boys and girls of this age group to find out what their favorite screen-free activities were too. I hope you find something fun to put under the tree for the kids this year that will stimulate the child that is within them, foster creativity, and give them purpose!

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!

STEM/Science/Building

The number one thing my children along with every momma that I texted said for this age group was…LEGOS! Every last one of them. My 12 year old still asks for Legos every holiday and birthday, and she pulls them out all the time. This age is literally built for STEM mindset, and it is why so many schools focus on innovation days, science fairs, and STEM clubs from 4th grade through middle school. There are so many to list – I would love to hear your tween and teens favorite STEM items to add to this list – please comment below if you do!

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!
The solar robots became a favorite sometimes even over Legos over the last year (age 12)

Crafts

Our crafting collection started around my oldest’s 6 year old year, and has become such a staple inside activity in our home over the years. Those “I’m bored” moments almost always land in the Rainbow Loom box, Perler bead bin, or with a sketch pad and markers.

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!
Rainbow Loom bracelets she made to sell!
Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!
All the perler beads, all the time!

Board Games & Puzzles

This is definitely not an inclusive list! Please comment below with other favorite board games – we are always looking to add to our collection too!

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!

Outdoors/Movement

No matter the weather where you live, fresh air is an important part of childhood. It will create habits that will last into adulthood, and that, my friends is where raising a nourished generation starts. I would love to know what your tweens and teens like to do outside so I can add to the list for our readers! Use the comment box below!

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!

Safe Skin Care/Self Care

I started putting little self care things in the girls’ stockings starting pretty young. A new bar of soap or a fun nail polish to start, and as they are getting older it is getting even more fun. You can do the teen girl stuff in a safe, non-toxic way so easily these days too! Use the EWG Skin Deep website to check ingredient safety, but for the most part, these are the brands we love and use in our house.

Books

This was the hardest list to tailor down when I asked the girls’ their favorites. I do have a household of very big readers, and I am here to tell you I really do think it is because when I get the “I’m bored” look, if they aren’t pulling a craft out, they are pulling out a book because we don’t have tablets around. I will often say on a rainy day “go get sucked into a book” and they haul up in a beanbag for hours! Here are some of our favorites both in our home and ones the girls have had to read in school at the upper elementary and middle school ages so far. Please let me know what your tweens are reading! I have one adventure lover that needs action and Harry Potter-like books, and another that prefers more imagination, and less thriller like books!

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!
Fun lights to make a cozy reading nook is a great gift idea too!

Cooking & Baking

Of course this is near and dear to my heart, but I literally haven’t met a tween that doesn’t like to bake or do something in the kitchen. It is part science/STEM, part mess, and right up their alley! I’d love to know what your tween and teens are making in the kitchen and what tools they love the most that would make great gifts! Please comment below!

Screen Free Tween & Middle School Gift Guide! :: Super Fun, Opened Ended Ideas for Every Kid!
Natural Play

Batteries NOT Needed Gift Guide :: 25 Montessori Inspired Gift Ideas For Kids

December 9, 2015

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

MAIN IMAGE FOR BATTERIES NOT NEEDEDNatural, child directed toys and activities inspired by the Montessori Method!

I’m joining up with some blogging friends to bring you a multi-blog “Batteries NOT Needed” gift guide filled with loads of gifting ideas for children that do *not* need batteries or cords! After you check out these Montessori Inspired ideas be sure to check out the rest of the blog focuses at the bottom!

I promise my blog focus isn’t changing sweet friends! I get a lot of interest on my Instagram when readers see my girls playing with certain toys, or doing certain activities and I am really excited to have a spot to share some of the Montessori inspired toys we enjoy in our home. Obviously your children don’t need to be in a Montessori school to benefit from these toys! These open-ended, self directed activities are so fun…and possibly the best part is there are no batteries needed!


Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Montessori Sand Tray

A great way to introduce not only letters but handwriting letting them focus on the shapes of the letters before having to grip a pencil at the same time! I give them blocks or cards with words or just a letter  day to practice. The handles on this one make it easy for them to be independent in taking it out and putting it away as well.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Farmer’s Market Color Sorting Set

Obviously I am in love with a toy filled with veggies and fruit! My toddler loves filling the baskets and it is so fun to see the light go off when they finally figure out how to sort them by color!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

60-Piece Standard Unit Blocks

Blocks are the ultimate open ended play toy! My girls use their blocks everyday from the 2 year old to my oldest!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Classic Montessori Shapes

This shape sorting and fitting is a classic activity in Montessori rooms and is a fun, different puzzle to keep on hand to play with. They can also be used as stencils!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Montessori Cylinder Socket Set

Another classic Montessori activity, this size awareness socket set is simple but keeps toddlers and young elementary kids busy and engaged.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Little Helper Stander

By FAR my most used piece in my house – by far! We have 2 little helper standers and having a way for the little ones to safely help with washing, food prep, or even crafts at the counter is SO helpful! This is a GREAT gift idea if you have a baby or small toddler – they don’t know any differently if you have gotten them a toy or not – this will be used for literally years. My girls start using it around age 1, and my 6 year old still uses it when I’ve got a taller stock pot at the stovetop – it puts her right above it so she can safely stir.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Musical Instruments

Yes they can be noisy but I love using musical instruments to show rhythm, count numbers, and just have a fun dance party!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Cutting Fruit Set

The Montessori environment facilitates children in the use of real/regular cutting utensils at young ages to most standards. As early as Kindergarten you will find real apple slicers and regular knives being used to teach children how to properly prep food. This is a fun set to start with for the toddlers to introduce the concept!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

3D Feel & Find Play Set

This is a great game for developing the ability to feel something and be able to match it to a shape. This game can really be adapted to any age. Babies love to look at the shapes, toddlers love to work on putting the shapes in the right spots, and older children can play the game where you pick a tile and then find the shape to match it in the bag without looking at it.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Montessori Wood Math Blocks

A fun way to introduce math concepts!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Classic Wooden Abacus

I love how this grows with the kids. Babies love to look at the colors and watch the beads move and older children can use it for counting, sorting, spacing, and learning the value of 10. My oldest uses it still often.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

World Map Floor Puzzle

We love this big floor puzzle! Montessori starts at the youngest of ages teaching a sense of community and taking care of more than just themselves. They start with learning about the world and then move down to the countries, etc. so they use world puzzles to start the learning process of this.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Little Helper Broom Set

Practical life skills are one of my favorite aspects of the Montessori Method because they are things that not only will help you as the parent now, but they are skills that the children will use for a lifetime. Toddlers specifically are in this open window of time where they love to help so setting the stage for cleaning help is a great idea! This is another skill that brings kids a sense of accomplishment and pride as well.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Practical Life Puzzle Boards

We have gotten a LOT of use out of this Latches and Locks board and Basic Skills board. A great way to practice very useful, practical functions like sliding latches, clips, zippers, and buttons!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Montessori Basic Children’s Pouring Kit

This is another classic activity in a Montessori classroom. Toddlers and even big kids *love* to pour! It seems so simple, but it is even relaxing. They are learning so much during this activity too from steadiness to the science of how a sponge works and how to clean up if something spills.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Pattern Blocks and Boards

This is one of my girls’ favorite puzzles. Not only because the patterns are really neat – but because the blocks can be very open ended if you want. She often takes the shapes off the boards and makes her own creations!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Threading Buttons & Spools

Sewing is a practical life skill for all kids to have and this is a great way to introduce this concept!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Magnetic Chalk and Dry Erase Board

This is another toy the girls use daily! Open ended use from drawing pictures to practicing letters and numbers!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Classic Storybooks

The gift of a story seems so simple but it is really the gift of spending time with the children. Even toddlers and early readers who may not be able to sound the words out of these classic books will enjoy the timeless stories when someone they love is reading to them. I am always surprised the “older kid books” that my 2 year old just loves to listen to! And there is just something about holding a real book in your hand versus a tablet in my *humble* opinion!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Montessori Cards & Counters

This one can adapt from the very young just learning to count, to the older kids learning how to add and subtract. There is something about having those concrete objects in front of them to see the numbers while they learn.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Super Sorting Pie

Lots of different skills all in one little toy! The tweezers are great for my older girls while my 2 year old uses just her hands. My older girls work on adding and subtracting and my 2 year old works on fitting things into spaces and colors. It is a great toy!

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Slotted Bolt Board

I love the use of practical life activities for developing motor skills and this fun task is so good for those fine motor hand muscles needed for writing. Kids are mesmerized with this work! It seems so simple but every time I am in the classroom the children have this one out to work on.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

See & Spell

Another toy that can grow with your kids, these see and spell puzzle boards can be more than matching up the letters and early reading, my older kids also practice spelling and writing each word after they do the puzzles.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Scissor Skills Activity Pad

I have gotten this workbook for my older girls every Christmas for the last couple years! They love all of the activities so much, and while my oldest is beyond having to learn how to use the scissors, she loves cutting everything out to put the pieces together and do the activities.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Montessori Phonetic Reading Blocks

Seeing this concrete picture of how words rhyme is a simple step toward your brand new reader taking on words to read. I love these to pack in the car, or keep in a basket at home to explore while they wait for dinner or during quiet time.

Raising Generation Nourished's Montessori Gift Guide!

Don’t forget to “hop” to the next blog to check out their electronics free gift ideas!