One holiday tradition I cherish as a mom is writing wish lists with my kids! I love looking back and reminiscing about how their interests—and handwriting—have evolved over the years. From decoding my preschooler’s adorable drawings and phonetic spelling to reading my oldest’s detailed paragraphs, these lists always become sweet reminders of their growth.
Did you know that crafting a holiday wish list is also a fun way to support early literacy while making lasting memories together? Grab a big piece of kraft paper or some festive stationery, some colorful markers or pens, and encourage your kids to dream up a few special items to add to their wish lists! As kids write down or draw their ideas, they are strengthening fine motor skills and practicing letter formation, word building, and vocabulary development.
Younger children might make their list by cutting and pasting images from a magazine- such a great fine motor and pre-writing activity! I like to label each picture with a simple word to show how letters come together to make words. My 4-year-old recently started preschool and after seeing how I labeled her cutouts, I noticed that she started trying to write the words on her own by copying my letters. Pre-writers can also draw pictures to express their ideas and then tell you all about it as you write it down, helping them see how their spoken words become written ones.
Big kids can practice more advanced writing skills like spelling and sentence structure while organizing their ideas. My kids LOVE to browse holiday toy catalogs; the reading format with its short blurbs and exciting descriptions keep them engaged while exposing them to new vocabulary that’s easily identifiable alongside images. As they write their lists, I encourage them to add more detailed descriptions or additional sentences to express why they would like certain items.
Writing a holiday wish list is a simple, festive activity that turns holiday excitement and anticipation into a learning experience! Be sure to snap plenty of pictures to capture these magical childhood moments.
Wish List Ideas That Will Inspire a Love of Reading & Writing:
My kids’ love for reading and writing has grown through fun activities like this, along with the help of the many LeapFrog toys we've had in our home over the years. LeapFrog is always a must on our wish lists because their toys make learning so much fun while supporting my children’s development. As your little ones are starting their own wish lists, I wanted to share some toy recommendations below that are sure to inspire excitement for reading and writing!
One wish list idea that will be finding its way under our own tree is the LeapFrog LeapReader Learn-to-Read 10-Book Mega Pack (ages 4-8 years). The innovative stylus interacts with the pages of the ten included books to support reading development. This will be perfect for both my 4-and 8-year-olds as they can read through the progressive set of books at their own pace and be supported in their individual learn-to-read journeys. With three different modes, kids can either hear the story read out loud, touch each word to explore and build vocabulary, or hear words sounded out and spelled to reinforce phonics skills.
LeapFrog My Pal Scout Smarty Paws(ages 6+ months) is a great gift for the little ones on your list! All of my kids have had a cuddly Scout or Violet friend from young ages. This cute little interactive friend encourages early language development with a variety of cute phrases and songs. It makes the sweetest gift that can be customized to say your child’s name, favorite animal, food, and color. I love that even years later, Scout and Violet are still special pals to my kiddos!
Another favorite for building a foundation for future reading success is the LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book (ages 18+ months). Little ones build their vocabulary in 12 different categories like foods, colors, opposites, and more as they explore the images on the touch-sensitive pages of this book. An extra fun feature of this book is that a simple slide of the language switch lets kids explore the pages in Spanish as well!
LeapFrog Get Ready for Phonics Spin & Learn (ages 18+ months) is a fun way to introduce letters and their sounds! This toy highlights the 44 sounds of the English language with phonics games and activities. With adorable illustrations and fun phrases, kids make connections between what they see and hear. My preschooler, who is always so excited about the letters she’s learning at school, will love exploring all the different sounds they make with this fun and engaging toy!
Another gift idea that we already own and love is the LeapFrog LeapStart Learning Success Bundle(ages 2-7 years)! Kids can explore the interactive touch-and-talk pages using an easy-to-hold stylus. Each book is filled with learning activities like stories, games, puzzles, and creative challenges. What I really appreciate about this system is that it grows with your child; the expansive library of content (sold separately) is designed for ages 2-7 and features beloved characters and interests, making learning even more enjoyable!
LeapFrog Mr. Pencil’s Scribble, Write & Read (ages 3+ years) has been a must-have as my kiddos reading and writing skills continue to grow. Kids can use the number and letter buttons to explore counting and different sounds. What I really love about this device, though, is that they can use their finger or the adorable Mr. Pencil stylus on the screen to trace dotted lines to practice drawing, letters, and number formation. My kids love the interactive animations like popping balloons to practice counting or seeing their own drawings move across the screen! There are also spelling and reading activities to help build and sound out words. This is another gift that can be made extra special with personalization; add your child’s name and it will help them to learn and write the letters!
The holidays are the perfect time to spark your little ones’ curiosity about reading and writing. From crafting a holiday wish list, to building literacy skills with LeapFrog toys, these engaging ideas will keep them excited about learning during the holiday season and into the new year ahead!
Wishing you a joyful holiday full of learning-fun and childhood magic!
Jessica Grant highlights a joyful and creative childhood, motherhood, and home on her Instagram @jessicagrant14 and blog, JessicaEtCetera.com. With a background in preschool education and now a mom to 3 young children, Jessica enjoys sharing all kinds of fun including crafts, DIY, and learning through play with the goal of creating a magical and memorable childhood!
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