Christmas parents for new home educator

[ReallyTired]

I have a friend who has been pushed into home education for her ten year old daughter. The little girl possibly has aspergers and have been severely bullied. The mother has chosen to withdraw her daughter from school because there are not other school places and the poor little girl is suicidal. The intention is to home educate for two terms until the girl starts secondary school.

What sort of christmas present around the £10 mark so you think would be good. Her family are on a low income and struggling to pay for the resources needed for home education. Are there any good work books that I could buy the little girl? I was thinking about getting some of these WHSmith work books, or would they be too boring?

I'd go for something more fun. They sound like they need cheering up. If they do want workbooks they probably ought to choose it themselves so as to get the level right and make sure it appeals to her learning style. Lots of home ed families have a pile of unused workbooks they didn't get on with, and it can be demoralising to have them sitting on the shelf staring at you reproachfully.

How well do you know the girl? Would she like a chemistry set? Admission vouchers for a local museum or historic site? Craft supplies e.g. for making Christmas cards? Ant farm (maybe the wrong time of year for that, I don't know)?

I agree, work books sound a bit of a dull present to receive when you're ten. Maybe some nice art supplies? Or a science kit? Or an educational computer game? Can you talk to her parents and ask what would suit?

I agree with the above.

Something educational come fun, like a Wild Science kit....you can get a slime lab, a bath bomb factory, perfume making kit, and others.

You might need to pay a bit more than £10, argos and other places have them.

Or maybe something arty...sequin art, or something ?

The problem with going above £10 is that it will embrass the parents as they will not be able to reciprocate. The family is desperately short of money because the mother is disabled and the father has a minimum wage job. Trips out are difficult because of lack of a car.

I take your point that workbooks are boring. Do you think a book voucher would be useful?

THis is absolutely fab:

www.amazon.co.uk/Brainstorm-SmartLab-Explore-Human-Insides/dp/B001TH79DY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354483709&sr=8-1

A bit more expensive than you wanted, but I'd be inclined to just brazen it out and claim you got it in a sale :)

NB it's pretty small - sort of "small world" experience pulling all the innards out and putting them in again :)

Could you stretch to £12? If so, you could buy her a year's subscription to the Woodland Trust Nature Detective's Club. I subscribe for my younger son and it's brilliant - you get a fantastic poster to put up, then the Trust send you a 'mission' every week and every time you complete a mission, you add a sticker to the poster. There are also lots of freebies on the website. Really worth having a look.

The girl will get a nice big pack of goodies just in time for Christmas. It's fun and educational too.

Subscription page is here.

Reallytired.

First of all how thoughful of you to think of this little girl. It sounds like the poor thing has been through alot.
My dd is coming up to 9 after xmas and I have got the bath bomb, perfume making and arty things for xmas. There are lots of science things too like crystal making, volcanos. I also got a box containing body parts that make a skeleton. All of these are sold at Argos, other toy shops, most of mine were bought through Amazon as hard to xmas shop with dd being at home. Oh also a light up globe is a good idea, for Geography.
I would also second the passes for day trips to museums etc.
Good luck and what a lovely thought.