10 Great Gifts For Elementary Age Boys

Sometimes it can be really difficult to shop for elementary age boys. Having one of my own I know how hard it is. He has things he loves but I don't want to get him the same type of gift every single holiday. I also want to get him things that are fun, but will require using his imagination and his brain while he plays.

1) Kinex Sets

Kinex sets are an amazing gift for elementary boys. My son got his first set around the age of 5 and has loved them ever since. He now builds complicated projects and all kinds of simple machines with them. There are a wide variety of Kinex sets from simple sets to fancy sets that allow you to build roller coasters.
You can buy Kinex Sets here for $17 and up.

2) Lego Sets 

We all know kids love Legos and there are some amazing and fancy Lego sets out there. There are also some really great inexpensive Lego sets. Kids can sit and play with Legos for hours building all kinds of fancy and imaginative creations. We really love the Lego Creator sets because they have instructions to build 3 different things from one set of Legos.
You can buy Lego sets here for $4 and up.

3) Books

There are so many books that are great for elementary school kids. My son has loved The Indian in the Cupboard, Pippi Longstocking, many of Beverly Cleary's and Roald Dahl's books, The Magic Treehouse series, and so much more. Reading opens the doors to the world. It gives children insights to the world and how things work, as well as teaching them fact and fiction. The world of books opened my eyes and my imagination so much as a child. 

You can buy books on amazon.com new and used for $4 and up. 

4) Sticky Slugs

We have all had sticky hands and enjoyed them, but sticky slugs are even better. They are fun. They are sticky and they are just plain awesome.
You can buy a pack of sticky slugs here for about $7.

5) Nerf Guns

This Nerf N-Strike Elite Target Set comes with a Nerf gun and a target. I love this set because of the target. I love a good old fashioned Nerf gun fight, but frankly, as a mom, it is nice when my kiddo has something else to shoot at.
You can buy this Nerf gun set here for approximately $20.  

6) Science Kits

This Mindblowing Science Kit is pretty awesome. It comes with everything you need for several experiments. The kit has great directions. It does recommend adult supervision, but they are really fun experiments to do with younger children and older kids will enjoy them, too.

You can buy the science kit here for about $10.

7) Stomp Rocket 

Stomp Rocket is awesome. My son has a blast with it. He can play with it for a long time by himself until he gets all the rockets stuck on the roof or in a tree. The wind always blows them off so he can play and have more fun. 

You can buy stomp rocket here for about $15. 

8) Minecraft

Minecraft is a fantastic game, even though it can quickly become an obsession for kids. It requires, skill, critical thinking, imagination, and logic to make things work properly. My son LOVES Minecraft. In the last year, he has become a huge fan and would play all the time if we would let him. It can be played on numerous platforms including PC, Xbox, and Playstation.
You can buy Minecraft here for  $13 and up.

9) Art Kit

If you have a little artist in your life, an art kit and some paper is a great gift. Most art kits come with a huge variety of mediums, including paints, colored pencils, markers, and pastels. These give kids a variety fo tools to work with to create their own masterpieces.
You can buy a great art kit here for around $30. 

10) SnapTite Model Kits

SnapTite makes great models for both beginners and more advanced model builders. One of the best things is they have some really great models that kids will love. They have Star Wars models, cars, planes, trucks, ships and more.

You can buy SnapTite Models here for $10 and up.

10 Gift Ideas for Herb Lovers

We all know someone or are someone that people could call crunchy or hippie. (I really hate those terms, especially since I can sort of fall into those categories) I mean someone that loves whole foods, herbal and natural remedies. I love herbs, home remedies, aromatherapy, and homemade beauty products. I know my husband can find that my hobbies make it hard to shop for me so here are 10 great ideas.

1) Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health 

This book by Rosemary Gladstar is one of my favorite herb books. It has recipes for everything. The information in this book gives you a wealth of knowledge that can be carried into so many other applications. This book has recipes for more than you can imagine. It has recipes for adults and children both. You can buy this book here for under $15. 

2) Aromatherapy for Vibrant Health by Roberta Wilson

This book by Roberta Wilson is a great book for aromatherapy. It has recipes for a plethora of issues from A to Z. It is laid out in an easy to follow format. This is one of my go-to books for essential oils. There is a newer edition of this book, but this one is typically the one I grab first. If used books are okay with the person you are shopping for buying this book used is a very inexpensive and useful gift.
You can buy this book here for under $15 new and under $5 used.

3) Essential Oils and Blends 

Essential oils are essential for many home remedies. They can be diluted and used topically, used in baths, and used in an aromatherapy diffuser. They can also be added to soaps and other beauty products. Lots of people have favorites. Some of my favorites are Plant Therapy's KidSafe line. Their Germ Destroyer blend is used all the time in my home. It has helped us survive cold and flu season, mostly unscathed, the last couple of years.  I also love lavender and tea tree because these oils have many uses in the home. 

You can buy Plant Therapy Essential Oils here. Prices are from $6.95 and up depending on the essential oil and the size. 

4) Aromatherapy Diffusers

An aromatherapy diffuser is a great gift. They are easy to use. You add water, a few drops of essential oils and they are ready to go. A good diffuser can run for around eight hours. Most aromatherapy diffusers are ultrasonic cool mist diffusers. You may not always smell the essential oils in the air but that does not mean they are not working. The essential oils healing properties will be dispersed in the air whether or not you can smell them.  Many aromatherapy diffusers have colored LED lights and different mist settings.
You can buy a diffuser here for under $20. 

5) Stainless Steel Aromatherapy Diffuser Necklace 

Stainless Steel aromatherapy diffuser necklaces are both beautiful and beneficial to your health. The necklaces come with felt pads. You place 1-3 drops of your favorite essential oil on the necklace then put it on. You can put calming essential oils like lavender or germ fighting blends. The possibilities are endless. This gift of jewelry is a great idea to bring beauty and aromatherapy together. 

You can find a stunning diffuser necklace here for under $10. 

6) Elderberries

Elderberries are a great addition to any herbalist's pantry. They are great to make elderberry syrup and other cold and flu remedies with. Elderberry syrup is an easy thing to make. Elderberry syrup can then be added to other recipes to make elderberry gummies, cough syrup, and more. Elderberries can also be a great ingredient in herbal teas to help the immune system. 

You can buy elderberries here from $2.50 and up.  

7) Calendula Flowers

Calendula is an excellent herb for bruises, sunburns, eczema, and many other skin problems. The dried calendula flowers can be infused in oil. The oil can later be used in salves, lotions, and more. The dried flowers can be used as an addition to soaps and bath teas. 

You can buy dried calendula flowers here.  

8) Beeswax Pastilles 

Beeswax is an essential ingredient in many herbal preparations. It is used in soaps, lotions, salves, lip balms, and more. Beeswax can be found in large blocks and in pastilles. These little pastilles are much easier to use than the blocks of beeswax, which are difficult to cut or grate. 

You can buy beeswax pastilles here for $17 and up.  

9) Amber Roller Bottles

Good roller bottles are essential for making many topical essential oil preparations. These roller bottles need to be a dark color such as amber. This keeps your essential oils from going bad quickly. A clear bottle can ruin the integrity of your essential oils. 

You can buy amber roller bottles here for around $10. 

10) Dropper Bottles

Another important bottle aromatherapy tool is good dropper bottles. They also need to be dark colors. They work perfectly for blending your own essential oils. The droppers make it perfect for dropping into carrier oils or diffusers. 
You can buy a 6 pack of dropper bottles here for around $10. 

 

A Book Lover's Gift Guide

Images from Amazon.com

Every year my sweet Popeye has a hard time shopping for me. A couple of years ago I started making wishlists on Amazon to help him out a little. Since then I have gotten some really great gifts. Some purchased from my wish list and others that are just items based off of things I put on my list. Having a gift guide can be a huge help to people that feel lost when shopping. Lately, I have been reading up a storm so here are ten gifts for book lovers.

1) Reading Journal 

This little journal is a hardcover journal that has pages inside to fill with information about the books you read. You can write in here about your favorite book current books you are reading. There are pages to list the title, author, and other information about each book. Each of these is accompanied by sections that you can record your thoughts and feelings about the book. 

You can buy the journal here for under $10.

2) First Lines of Literature Coffee Mug 

This coffee mug is awesome. Most of the book lovers I know, including myself, love to sit and read with a cup of coffee or a cup of tea. This mug is covered with amazing first lines from classic literature. Best of all it is a huge mug that holds a whopping 16 oz of your favorite drink.

You can buy the mug here for around $15. 

3) Antiquarian Bookplates

For book lovers like me who love to have actual books, these bookplates can be a wonderful addition to their home library. This set comes with 53 bookplates in a variety of sizes. Many of these bookplates have nice quotes and beautiful images on them. 

You can buy bookplates here for under $10. 

4) The Book was Better T-shirt

We all know book lovers say "the book was better" regularly. Let's face it, the book is usually better. What book lover would not love a t-shirt that says it for them? These shirts come in a variety of colors. The best thing about these shirts is they come in men's, women's, and youth sizes. 

You can buy the t-shirt here for $20 and up. 

5) Book Tissue Box Cover 

This tissue box cover is perfect for all the times a tissue is needed while reading. This means the times when a beloved character dies and it feels like you've lost a friend. Don't deny it... All true book lovers have been there. 

You can buy the tissue box cover here for around $15.

6) Book Light 

Lots of book lovers enjoy reading in bed, long past the time they should be asleep. I know my husband hates when I leave the big lamp on my nightstand on so I can read while he saws logs. This little book light will give just enough light to read a book without illuminating the entire room. It is small and lightweight, also, which makes it easy to take when you travel.
You can buy this book light here for around $10.

7) Bookends

Bookends can come in really handy sometimes, like the times when you just got a new bookshelf and haven't had a chance to buy more books yet. They are also great when you have books on top of a shelf and want to decoratively display them. Bookends can be really simple or extremely ornate. This set is simply lovely. 

You can buy these bookends here for about $15. 

8) Kindle Paperwhite

If your book lover does not have room for a million books, a Kindle Paperwhite may be the perfect solution. It can hold hordes of books and is lightweight and easy to carry around. Kindle Paperwhites have the option of a black or white tablet. They are great for reading on the go.
You can buy a Kindle Paperwhite here for $119.99 and up. 

9) A Great Book Set 

Everyone who loves books has a series or an author they really like. Many times these books can be bought in a beautiful box set. Whether their fancy is Jane Austen or "The Lord of the Rings" or Harry Potter a nice looking box set can be a fantastic gift.   

10) Amazon Gift Card 

I know gift cards are often seen as a lazy person's gift, but for a book lover they can be an amazing gift. They can buy many real books or kindle books. Amazon's gift cards can be bought for any amount you chose. They can be sent as an actual gift card or via email making these a great easy gift for someone who lives far away. 

Amazon gift cards can be bought here for any amount you chose. 

A Book Lover's Confession

I have a confession to make. I am a book hoarder. I love books. I cannot help it. I am pretty sure it was bred into me and it is part of my genetic makeup. It is also one of the things my husband hates. If it was up to him we would get rid of every book as soon as we have read it once. It's not the way I roll. I keep my books. I read them over and over. Some of them are like childhood friends, reading them is like going home again.

We have 6 overflowing bookcases. I have gotten rid of some books over the years. Only because I was forced to. We move, more often than I would like, and books are heavy. I have purged a few here and there, but we still have tons of books.

My husband doesn't realize yet, but Little Bear is a book hoarder like his mama. He has two bookshelves in his room that are full of books. We have passed some on to his cousins and friends over the last couple of years, but he hates to give up books. He loves to read and he has a lot of interests and a high reading level for his age.

Recently I surprised Little Bear by taking him to one of my special places. Our local used book store. I usually go while he is at school so I can browse. Our local book store, they call it a book mine, it is HUGE (and yes it is truly so big that HUGE does need to be capitalized)! When I go during the school day I have to set an alarm on my phone to remind me to leave in time to pick up Little Bear from the bus stop. I have accidentally missed lunch on days I went there because I forgot to leave time for food between browsing and driving home. So, anyway, I took Little Bear to the book mine. On the way I told him about it and he had no idea what to expect. When we walked in his eyes lit up and his smile was huge. The kids books are all the way in the back corner of the labyrinth like store. So, we headed back there, weaving in and out through shelves and stacks of books. We finally made it back to the children's section and Little Bear was overjoyed.

He wanted everything. We started with the classics, with The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, from there we moved to biographies and found Lewis and Clark. Next we were on to non-fiction where we discovered Pandas, Everything Reptile, and Pet Bugs A Kid's Guide to Catching & Keeping Touchable Insects. His father is going to hate that one. He is not a fan of insects, especially catching and keeping them. We then found my favorite section of kid's books, fairytales, myths, and legends. I don't know why, but I have always loved these stories. This is where we got some great books to read together. We brought home beautifully illustrated classic myths and legends with rich text that is not too watered down. We ended up deciding on three, The Iliad and the Odyssey, The Legend of King Arthur, and The Saga of Erik the Viking. Last we ended up picking up two fun books, a Dr. Seuss classic, There's a Wocket in My Pocket, and a book about Little Bear's new obsession, Minecraft.

As we were paying the cashier told Little Bear that he could bring the books back and trade them in for new books when he was done reading them. He looked at the woman like she was nuts and sadly asks, "I have to bring them back?" I laughed as he looks at me and says, "Mom I thought this was a store not the library?" We explained that you can bring your used books back and sell them for credit to buy more books. He responds with "No way. These books are mine now. I'm keeping them."

Although, much like normal, I went in planning to buy three books and came home with nine. In my humble opinion, I am training Little Bear right. He is part of the book lover clan and well on his way to being a book hoarder. Poor Papa Bear may be dismayed when he realizes how many books we bought in one trip to the bookstore and he may ban us from going again without supervision, but we will stay true to our book hoarding roots.