Gift Guide: Math Gifts for Kids

For geeky kids, math gifts are a treat, but for kids who claim to dislike mathematics, the right game or activity has the potential to encourage them to think about the subject in new ways.

Long time readers of this blog (XOXO) will not be surprised to learn that my older son actually requests math games and books as gifts. His most recent request was for a new Math Perplexors workbook (see below).  You can find further items we love on our games for kids of all ages list or our 5 favorite math games.

Math Gifts for Kids:

Unless otherwise specified we’ve played with — or read — all the games, toys, puzzles and books below. I don’t like recommending products that I don’t have any first hand experience with. Nothing on this list is here “just because it looks cool.”  (Actually, there is one, read below to find out why.) {Note: I included affiliate links should you wish to learn more about a selection.)

Math Games and Toys:

Math ideas for kids 0-4:

I have only 2 recommendations for preschool kids: Unit blocks and a counting book. If a child doesn’t have these items, they are the first things to get.

Standard Unit Blocks. Unit blocks are classic, versatile, provide endless amounts of entertainment and teach everything from math concepts to physics all the while engaging a child’s imagination. They are the toy every kids should have. No question. This is a great, basic set. Colors can be appealing to grown-ups buying toys, but neutral, unfinished block are best (in my opinion).

Ten Black Dots is one of my favorite counting books because of its bold, retro graphic illustrations but also I like the division between the first part of the book, which shows the increasing number of black dots as they become part of objects and the end pages in which Crews lines ups the dots in rows. Toddlers can count the dots and preschoolers will start to understand the concept of quantity as they examine and count rows. Books are wonderful math tools because they encourage communication between parent and child.

Math toys for kids ages 5 and up:

After visiting the Museum of Math in NYC I couldn’t resist purchasing the X-Ball and the Ball of Whacks. It’s a rather amazing structure and really fun (and rather relaxing) to play around with it. There are several versions, like the star ball and the Y-ball. It’s recommended for ages 14 and up, which I think is odd. My 8 year old LOVES it, but I do not recommend it for young children because it is composed of small magnetic pieces.

Colorku. As the name implies, this is a giant version of Sudoku using colored wooden marbles instead of numbers. When your little genius has completed all the included puzzle cards, card extension deck are also available. My younger son can’t do the puzzles yet but he loves to exercise his fine motor skills by manipulating the marbles. Colorku was our game of the month in August of last year.

ThinkFun Rush Hour Jr. Long time readers (you’re the best) may be bored by hearing about how much I love this game. But seriously, I keep recommending it for a reason. It is my go-to gift for birthday parties and everyone loves it. The original Rush Hour is for kids ages 8 and up. It’s my #1 gift recommendation on my games for kids gift guide.

Sumoku. If Scrabble and Qwirkle had a math baby the result would  Sumoku. Shhh, don’t tell but it’s going to be my game of the month for November. If you can’t wait until next week, click on the image to learn more about its awesomeness now.

This IcoSoKu looks super challenging. We haven’t played it but it’s definitely on Kiddo’s wish list. According to the description, “Solve the puzzle by matching the dots to the numbers so that all of the dots touching a number add up to that amount. There are thousands of ways to play.”

 
Snap Circuits Alternative Energy Kit, Green. Hmm, maybe this is more science-y than math. But I think it’s math related! Anyway, we have green energy kit and it’s well loved. I’m seriously considering adding Snap Circuits Lights Physics Kit to our stash. It looks so awesome.

 
These are not your run of the mill workbooks? Remember those logic puzzles you did as a kid?  Math Perplexors are those classic grid logic puzzles but with a math twist. My 8 year old adores these books. He had several of them, including Logic Links and the more language oriented Analogy Challenges and Venn Perplexors. The great thing is that each series has books at different difficulty levels, so you can find one that’s just the right fit.

Need a stocking stuffer? Math Dice are perfect. We have the original Math Dice but I am now eyeing Math Dice Powers, which gets in exponential practice for my budding algebraist.

Kanoodle. This brain-twisting puzzle is also a terrific travel game.

Math Books for Kids:

If your kids love reading fiction, check out our list of math chapter books for kids. Eventually I’m going to do a list of nonfiction math books, but here are three I would definitely include:

How to Be a Math Genius. We’ve had this book checked out of the library forever. I’m thinking I might as well buy it…

The Book of Perfectly Perilous Math: 24 Death-Defying Challenges for Young Mathematicians. This was a surprise book I brought home one day for Kiddo because I couldn’t resist it in the bookstore. The projects are not for the faint of heart!

You Can Count on Monsters: The First 100 Numbers and Their Characters. Kiddo got this book when he was 6 and immediately began studying it constantly. Every number is given a visual representation based on its prime number components.

Are you planning on giving your kids any math gifts this year?

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