It's that time of year, the time of you, when you're going to look
crazy and probably spend more than you should on Christmas gifts.
I was thinking back to having children and how gift-giving sets a precedent.
How ever we start that's what our children and families come
to expect year after year.
When we set a precedent, I think it's a good idea to think
about how you wish to continue
once you start.
For my family, we always bought one gift, and then a few stocking fillers.
And that one gift was usually something of quality that would last.
In fact, some of those gifts like Lego and Schleich, I think that's how you say
it figurines, are still in huge tubs, waiting for our future grandchildren.
For me, it's quality over quantity all the way.
So instead of buying four or five cheaper gifts that you know, are going to end up
broken and in landfill, and usually kids are bored with them after 10 minutes.
Why not buy a gift that not only lasts, but actually teaches them something.
When you start them young and you nurture this concept of quality and the value
of education and learning and family, these become your children's values too.
In this episode, I have curated for you
my list of gifts for the lifelong learner.
Both for you as the adult educator and parent, and for
children that you are raising.
For me at the top of the list is always a good book.
Something you can curl up with and highlight the words and
put sticky notes in to mark the pages that you want to return to.
Books are definitely the gift that keeps giving.
They entertain, they inform and they unlock a whole world of imagination.
If you work with children, you need to keep learning.
You need to stay one step ahead and be sure that you're well-informed
about what's going on in education.
And dive into new strategies that are going to take your
teaching up to the next level.
As educators, we are actually academics.
And therefore reading is our number one superpower that will ensure
that we stay on top of our game.
And I've taken the liberty to list some of the top publications that I think every
teacher should have on their bookshelf.
And in fact, they, the books that on my bookshelf, I'll leave a link for you in
the show notes so that you can browse and purchase to your heart's content.
I've also curated a list of educational toys, books, and games that have
the sole purpose of providing children with hours of pleasure.
The items on the list will help develop skills and traits like persistence
and patience and language and critical thinking and problem solving skills.
And of course creativity.
Everything from books for the crafting kid, to the kid that loves bugs.
I've also got links to favorite children's games that I know
children have enjoyed over the years.
There's something for everyone.
The items I've listed are all things that my own children have enjoyed over the
years, and of course, things that I have used with my students in my classroom.
So I know the value of them and I know how much children have enjoyed them.
Also on my list, are homemade gifts.
If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, you'll know that
I'm a little bit of a sewer and I kinda know my way around a kitchen too.
And in years gone by, I have Shibori dyed fabric and I've made shopping bags.
I've made pretty bowl covers.
And I've also baked cookies, usually a traditional South African
biscuit called a Soet Koekie and of course, Italian biscotti.
I mean, you know, we wouldn't have this house where I live, if
it wasn't for Italian biscotti.
These I usually present in pretty cellophane bags, stick a, pretty
ribbon on, and that's it, gifts done.
I encourage you.
And if you have a talent, whatever, it might be, use it to
make homemade gifts for others.
I appreciate anything homemade because I know the time and the sacrifice it
takes, to create something by hand.
It's like the fabric Christmas tree decorations I've always
made with my students.
Not only do they learn a valuable skill they also create something that
will keep for many years and that will bring back memories every time
they hang it on that Christmas tree.
And of course, I also link it to the curriculum so that I simultaneously
meet multiple curriculum outcomes.
If you want to find out more about how you can use textile crafts, when kids
are making things to meet curriculum outcomes, you should listen to episode
48, when you finish listening to this one.
So that's it.
My top gift, giving ideas for the lifelong learner.
Go to the show notes, click on the link that will take you to the blog post.
And I leave a link to my shop too, so you can find it there also.
Thanks for listening to blooming curious today.
I so appreciated.
And if you like this very short and sweet episode, please share it with
someone, you know, and click the subscribe button so that you're alerted to a new
episode every week when it is published.
So I'll see you next week.
Same time, same place until then stay blooming, curious and happy shopping.