Last week when searching for some last minute Christmas add-ons for Kenny, I found two different items I thought would make great stocking stuffers. And then, as it typically goes when one succumbs to the time warp that is GOOGLE, I found several other interesting things that wouldn’t exactly shove inside a stocking. So, I edited my post title from “7 Smart Stocking Stuffers” to “7 Smart Suggestions for Santa.”
Then? I did a jig in the living/dining/breakfast/school room (it’s a small place y’all) when I was able to keep the alliteration alive.
It’s amazing the things I can find to dance about.
SMART MASS THINKING PUTTY
So, my first find, and an item that I already ordered and will place in Kenny’s stocking is Smart Mass Thinking Putty. This particular branding is only available via ThinkGeek, but the same product is available for purchase in different “flavors” at Amazon; it’s called Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty.
Smart Mass does all the things your dollar store putty will do, like bouncing, stretching, contorting, squishing, and lifting comics. BUT! It also shears and tears, shatters, and can “drip” from ceilings.
Non-toxic, Smart Mass Thinking Putty promises not to leave any gooey residue. There was an FAQ asking how to get it out of hair though (olive oil or peanut butter if you’re interested), so apparently it does come with some potential for mess.
BUBBLE WRAP CALENDAR
This Bubble Wrap Calendar is one of the primary reasons I couldn’t just write about stocking stuffers. Who doesn’t like Bubble Wrap? I ask that, and now multiple people are going to loudly and proudly proclaim their disdain for bubble wrap, which is okay–I don’t like carrots. We all have something, right?
According to a 2012 survey, one minute of popping bubble wrap provides stress relief equivalent to a 33 minute massage. If that’s the case, dollar for dollar, investing in a roll makes for great savings. Also, if that’s true, teachers everywhere need to make sure to take advantage of January 26, 2015, which just so happens to be Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day.
I kid you not.
Back to the calendar. I think it is self-explanatory. I’m pretty sure popping one bubble a day won’t prove to be a great stress reliever, but it’s a fun gimmick and it’s a pretty decent poster for a kids’ room. That is, if there isn’t concern of younger siblings “helping” Bubba get to Friday faster.
Siblings are helpful that way.
There’s also a FREE BubbleWrap app that I’ve read is addictive and provides the same measure of satisfaction. I’m a bit too tactile to believe it, but hey…it’s free.
PERIODIC TABLE BUILDING BLOCKS
Let’s stop for a moment to remember Chemistry.
That’s long enough for me since Chemistry is the one and only “C” I ever made in high school–and that was WITH after school tutorials and studying.
Now, consider the effect of purchasing these 20 solid wood building blocks with all the elements of the periodic table printed on them YEARS BEFORE your child needs to know them.
Think any of the elements would stick?
“Oh hey, I remember Einsteinium! Wasn’t it hot pink, with Es as the symbol and an atomic number of 99?”
Or maybe not, but I love wooden blocks, and these geek blocks, at the very least, would have made it easier to study as I held the blocks in my hand.
SPOT IT!
Almost two years ago I reviewed Spot It!, and it remains a family favorite. The tin is small enough to fit in a stocking, but big enough fun to purchase as a stand-alone gift.
I have recommended this game over and over. I have purchased it as gifts for other families. This year, I included one in our family’s Christmas bag to Tule, the young man (14 now) we sponsor in Uganda.
Produced by Blue Orange Games, there are several different versions of Spot it! available now, from ABCs to basic English, French, and Spanish games. There are NHL and MLB versions, Disney/Pixar, and even Holidays, to name a few more.
Spot it! is a fast-paced visual game designed to challenge mental processing and sharpen memory and matching skills.
And drive you batty because you KNOW there is a match on the circular card and yet, you cannot see it fast enough.
Yep. Get it.
You won’t regret it.
WORLD SCRUNCH MAP
Maps. Neatly accordion-folded into the glove box, right? That is NOT the idea behind the World Scrunch Map. Made to wad-up and shove into an equally scrunchy, drawstring bag, this may prove an exercise in “letting go” by neat freaks.
The World Scrunch Map will outlive a typical paper map, making it a viable option for teachers who want an interactive map that can easily get passed around a room full of kids without worrying about it tearing. Plus, it’s a hands-on map. No more pinning to the wall. Lay it out across your lap, drape it across your body, chair or couch and when it isn’t needed, put it back in its bag to shove in a bag or backpack.
Practical, but fun–two great options when it comes to gifting.
BRAINBOWS
You know those little sponge animals you can submerge in water and they double or triple their size? Well, Brainbows are somewhat similar, except cooler; plus, they grow up to 100 times their original size when immersed in water.
These colorful water suckers can be bounced, thrown, and smashed. And they aren’t for single use either–reuse repeatedly. As in, over and over and over.
Gotta love a gift that keeps giving.
I could talk about the chemistry and the “extraordinary range of properties of polymeric materials” but I’ve already made it clear that Chemistry wasn’t my strong subject. So instead, I’ll explain that after 2-3 hours of submersion in water, Brainbows grow to multi-colored marble-sized spheres.
If you like the Brainbows, you may be interested in the full “Brainpack” demonstration here.
SOLAR PRINT KIT
When the kids were younger I was drawn to every single kit that used the words “fun” and “educational” in their description. Needless to say, I came across a number of activities that were neither fun or educational, and as a result, my kids fell into “kit burn-out.” It may even be a diagnosable disorder in our family.
However, I’ve been looking at this solar print kit because if nothing else, I want to do this activity!
Who doesn’t want to spend a day leisurely walking around collecting interesting leaves and other objects with their kids, and then letting the sun create a masterpiece from their arrangements atop the light-sensitive solar print paper?
And while a kit is convenient, from what I can tell it isn’t necessary. You could just purchase your kids some solar print paper. However, this kit does come with 12 pieces of solar paper (5″ x 7″), two print frame holders, and three blank notecards with envelopes.
AND THAT’S A WRAP!
So, tell me…what gifts are you particularly proud of this year? Any stocking stuffer ideas for a 12-year-old boy? I still have a little budget left for Kenny.
Heather Sanders is a leading homeschooling journalist who inspires homeschooling families to live, love and learn. Married to Jeff, Heather lives in the East Texas Piney Woods where she currently home schools two of her three kids.