Ideas for Christmas Gifts for Fourth-Graders

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If your favorite fourth grader enjoys sports, tailor your gift to her needs, such as a new volleyball to practice with at home; a net for practicing baseball or softball pitches in the backyard; or a snorkel, mask and fins for adventures under water. If fitness isn't her forte, inspire her to be more active with fitness- and sports-themed games for a video-game system that has wireless sports controllers such as tennis rackets. Outdoor games and toys such as ring toss, disc-golf, Hula Hoops or an air-powered rocket set provide entertainment and physical activity at the same time.

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Craft sets such as bracelet-making kits or origami books with instructions and decorative paper offer hours of creative playtime with friends or alone. Construction toy sets such as plastic interlocking blocks offer options suited to just about any interest, such as spacecraft, robotics and pirate ships. If the child doodles comic book or superhero characters, purchase a set of markers and a book on drawing superheroes or cartoon images.

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Give your favorite avid reader a classic collection of humorous stories or poems geared toward children. For a budding magician, a book of simple magic tricks inspires the imagination. Kitchen-table science experiments show the inquisitive child how to make stretchy putty and bouncing balls out of everyday household materials. If she enjoys writing, a diary or journal in her favorite color offers her a means to express feelings or creative musings.

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A backpack designed for comfort helps him carry books to and from school each day with ease. Washable lunch bags with a food storage set that fits inside reduces spills and smashed sandwiches for lunch at school. For a young camping enthusiast, give a bedroll to put beneath a sleeping bag during a backyard tent slumber party.