Holiday Gifts for Your Favorite Student

Whether mastering your ABC’s or getting your Master’s Degree, learning is hard work at any age. This holiday season, treat your favorite student to slick gifts that are both pleasing and practical.

The Younger Years (ages 2-12)

To the blossoming young student, everything is exciting and new. Encourage their growing minds with these smart gift ideas:

1. The newly reinvented Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition offers peace of mind with built-in parental controls, thousands of kid-friendly titles and a durable kid-proof case. Via PCWorld.com
2. Easy for little hands to carry, the LED Ultra-Bright Battery Operated Lantern is perfect for reading under a fort made out of bed sheets. Bonus! It doubles as a portable USB charger when the Kindle battery is running low!
3. LEGO’s can enhance creativity and problem solving skills. Get the LEGO City Starter set or use this handy LEGO Gift Finder to search for the best set for your little learner. Image source: Brickset.com
4. Battery operated night lights with built-in motion sensors help keep bad dreams away while providing a soft light for nighttime bathroom visits.
5. Blue Orange Games thrilled parents everywhere when it created card games that are not only fun, but build perception and focusing skills too. Be prepared to play this one for hours! Image source: aMuseToys

The Teen Years (ages 13-19)

Ah, now things begin to change. What used to be neat-o is now dorky. Practical gifts have to be cleverly disguised as cool. Avoid eye-rolls and OMG’s, with these covertly useful gift ideas:

1. Lots of research has been done on whether or not music helps kids study better. If your teenager is one of those that benefits from some background noise (but you don’t want to hear it), surprise them with high-quality headphones like these Beats by Dr. Dre. Note: Priced in the $200-500 range, you won’t find these listed on any budget-friendly holiday gift guides. Image source: Monster Studio on Flickr
2. The Emu Desk Lamp is a cool little light with a flexible neck to direct light where you need it. Perfect for a study area and available in black, white or teal.
3. Physical activity does a body (and brain) good. Let your teen take a study break with the SKLZ Glow in the Dark Pro Mini Hoop.
4. You’ve gotta feed your brain too, right? Double cheeseburgers and chocolate milkshakes aren’t at the top of the brain-food list, but a loaded up Subway gift card can give your hungry teen a quick, healthy meal at a moments notice.
5. Let your teen express herself with a remote-controlled RGB color changing tape light kit. She can even switch the colors with her mood.

The 20-Somethings & Beyond

Now encroaching into Post-Graduate territory, the 20+ year-old student has a more refined set of needs. Cool isn’t a requirement as much as function. The grad student is faced with the problem of desperately wanting to be a sophisticated adult, but is hindered by full schedules and mounting education costs. Be a hero by giving your favorite 20-something student a gift that acknowledges this new phase of their life:

1. Flashing dorm lights get a sophistication upgrade with these Amber Marble Globe String Lights
2. Make no mistake, your grad student needs coffee, and lots of it. Save them a trip to the coffeehouse with a high-quality single-serve coffee maker. Image source: CNET
3. The LED Glowing Keychain FOB emits a soft glow which makes it easy to find in a big purse or backpack. Increase the light with the push of a button to illuminate keyholes.
4. Just because laundry only gets done twice a month doesn’t mean your student has to look (or smell!) like it. Upgrade the old college wardrobe with this no-wrinkle, odor-resistant button down windowpane shirt that made Wool and Prince famous.
5. After long hours of research it’s great to curl up in bed … with more research. Make it more comfortable with a Warming Backrest Massaging Bed Lounger from Sharper Image.

This is the first blog post in this year’s Holiday Gift Guide series. Visit our Gift Ideas page for more great giving inspiration and be sure to check out our Holiday Specials!