Games for the start of school
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By
Katharina D.
Meaningful gifts for starting school
The first day of school is an exciting new beginning for many children - full of curiosity, anticipation and a little nervousness. And what would the start of school be without a lovingly filled school bag? In addition to classics such as lunch boxes, water bottles and pencils, many parents and grandparents also opt for playful, thoughtful gifts. Educational games are particularly in vogue: they are fun and promote important skills such as concentration, logic and language skills.
At Noris, we believe that a successful start to school should above all be fun - and that's exactly what we want to contribute to with our games.
This guide therefore contains lots of ideas on which games are really useful for starting school - and what is important when choosing them.
The most important things in a nutshell
If you want to get a quick overview, you will find a compact summary of the key points about useful games for starting school here.
School enrolment games combine fun and learning - they promote important skills such as concentration, language, logic and motor skills along the way.
Age-appropriate games motivate without overtaxing. Examples of games such as the ABC carousel meet children exactly where they are.
Safety and quality are crucial. Games with the CE mark, such as those offered by Noris, are robust, free of harmful substances and durable - ideal for the start of school.
Even small games have a big impact. Whether it's a children's quiz in the school bag or a Tricky Color Ball for on the go - even small things and a small budget can make a big difference.
The packaging makes all the difference. Creative ideas such as cloth bags, treasure chests or small boxes with a name tag turn the school enrollment gift into an experience.
Important tip: A good game is not only entertaining, but also tailored to the developmental stage of the schoolchild and teaches important skills along the way.
This turns a simple gift into a real companion for the start of a whole new phase of life.
Why choose games as gifts for starting school?
Games are a wonderful way to accompany the start of school with joy, curiosity and ease. They invite discovery, promote important skills and create valuable shared moments with family or friends. Especially at the beginning of the school years, games help to internalize initial learning content - without any pressure and with lots of fun. Educational games in particular offer a child-friendly approach to letters, numbers and logical thinking. Whether it's reading, arithmetic or concentration - all of these can be trained while playing. And perhaps the best thing is that many games are not only memorable, but stay with children for years. They are brought out again and again, grow with them or can be passed on to siblings. In this way, a gift for starting school becomes a companion on the new path of life.
Selection criteria for school enrollment games
To ensure that a game for school enrolment is both fun and useful, it is worth taking a closer look at some basic selection criteria. After all, not every game is suitable for every child - and this is precisely the key: a well-chosen game is geared towards the child's age, interests and stage of development.
Age and development stage
For children aged six to seven, games that combine clear, easy-to-understand rules with age-appropriate challenges are ideal. At this age, many children begin to recognize their first letters, understand numbers and develop simple strategies. A good game should pick them up right there: motivate them, but not overwhelm them - and at the same time leave room for their own discoveries.
Learning goals and topics
Games that deal specifically with topics such as letters, numbers, attention or cooperation offer a playful introduction to content and skills that play a role in everyday school life. This is not just about learning in the traditional sense, but also about the joy of trying things out and independently recognizing connections. Picking up on these topics creates a playful link to the new phase of life.
Safety & sustainability
School enrolment games should be well made, free of harmful substances and safe. Test seals such as the CE mark provide important guidance - especially for games that are used intensively and sometimes travel in the school bag or gym bag. Noris attaches great importance to tested materials and high-quality workmanship during development, so that parents don't have to worry when giving them as gifts. A good quality game is also durable and can often be passed on for years or to siblings - a great opportunity to think about sustainability. Materials such as wood or recycled cardboard and plastic-free packaging are not only environmentally friendly, but often look particularly high-quality.
Useful games for starting school from Noris
Noris games combine learning fun with high-quality workmanship and child-friendly design - ideal for starting school. They promote school-related skills and whet children's appetite for the new chapter in their lives. To make the selection easier, we have put together various educational games and recommended ideas from Noris that are ideal as a gift for starting school.
Math and number games
Numbers, quantities and arithmetic problems can be discovered particularly well through play - especially if the game is tailored to the learning level and interests of the children. Children who already have a little knowledge of arithmetic and want to practise further will find the right continuation with fun with multiplication tables. The game introduces the multiplication tables in the form of a varied game concept and provides routine mental arithmetic along the way. For all those who like to tinker and find technology exciting, Rechen-Electric offers an interactive learning opportunity: here the result is checked using an electrical answer system - a playful approach that is particularly motivating thanks to the direct feedback. In addition, the euro play money is ideal for linking initial arithmetic operations with a practical reference to everyday life. Schoolchildren learn how to handle coins and amounts in a playful way - a skill that conveys a feeling for the value of money from an early age. If you also want to encourage logical thinking, combining and creative problem solving while playing, you will find what you are looking for in logic and thinking games.
Logic and thinking games
When it comes to promoting logical thinking, games that challenge spatial imagination and strategic planning are ideal. Tricky Cube gets children to analyze and cleverly arrange different cube combinations - perfect for puzzling and tinkering.
Concentration and classic games with a learning effect
Concentration can also be trained wonderfully through games - especially if the game is fun at the same time. Classics such as four in a row strategic thinking and demand attention over several moves. Tip Tower is all about dexterity and foresight - a combination that not only promotes skill, but also calmness and overview. Other classics such as Double 6 Dominoes or Mau Mau are a good choice for starting school. They work with small numbers, promote concentration and memory - and also train social skills in a playful way. With simple rules, they are quickly explained and provide fun moments together.
Language development - learning to read and write
First-graders are particularly curious about letters, words and their first stories - and this motivation can be specifically supported with the right games. I can read offers an ideal introduction: Simple, child-friendly tasks provide a playful introduction to reading with meaning. Building on this, Fun with Reading deepens text comprehension with varied tasks that invite children to think and read along. Those who want to consolidate the alphabet even further will find a creative way to recognize and classify letters in a playful way in the ABC carousel.
Learning the clock - having fun with time skills
Reading, writing and arithmetic are not the only important basics in the first year of school - practical everyday skills such as understanding time also play a central role. This is exactly where learn the clock comes in: The game teaches children in a child-friendly way how times are structured and specifically practises the full, half and quarter hours. Visual aids and playful tasks make the abstract concept of the clock tangible - a helpful aid for everyday life in and out of school.
Knowledge games and quizzes
Anyone who knows how to read the clock will quickly realize how much fun it is to organize everyday life more independently - from getting up on time to ringing the break bell. It is just as exciting to discover the world beyond that: with games that arouse curiosity and quench the thirst for knowledge. Knowledge games and quiz formats provide the perfect framework for this. They combine exciting facts with puzzles and promote general knowledge in a playful way. Children with a wide range of interests are well advised to play formats such as the Children's Quiz 6+. This game picks up on a wide range of age-appropriate areas of knowledge - from animals and technology to everyday topics - and playfully promotes concentration, knowledge and memory. The Electric Animals & Nature and the Children's Quiz Animals & Nature are a particular highlight for nature lovers. Both games offer exciting insights into the animal world, plants and habitats - and playfully promote interest in nature and the environment.
Small gifts for school enrollment: mini-games & gifts
After all the varied learning and knowledge games, it's also worth taking a look at the small games. Because it doesn't always have to be the big game set for school enrolment - small, lovingly selected games can also make eyes light up. They look particularly good in the school bag. Mini puzzles, a tricky color ball or other small gifts provide a welcome break right after the first day of school - quickly unpacked, immediately played, uncomplicated and entertaining. Classics such as Hangman or City, Country, River are not only inexpensive, but also promote language, concentration and combination skills. Even a small set with play money can make a valuable contribution - it helps to understand the first relationships between quantities and develop a feel for numbers. Creative packaging is worthwhile to ensure that the small gifts don't get lost: in colorful fabric bags, with a name label or themed stickers, even the smallest game becomes a very personal school enrolment gift.
Outdoor games for active breaks
In addition to small games for in-between lessons, it is also good to get some exercise - especially because children are not yet used to sitting for long periods at school when they start school. Outdoor games are just the thing for this. They create variety, promote coordination through play and help to burn off energy - whether in the school playground, in the garden or out and about with friends. Classics such as Gummitwist, ball games or Flummis are simple, inexpensive and ideal for the school playground. This keeps the mind clear - and the start of school feels a little easier.
Tips for gift-giving and wrapping
Once all the presents for the first day of school have been chosen, all that's missing is the right packaging to set the scene for the big moment. After all, how something is presented is often just as important as the contents themselves. Traditionally, the gift finds its place in the school cone - as a festive highlight on the first day of school. But a surprise on the breakfast table or in a lovingly designed box can also make eyes light up. It will be especially beautiful if the packaging and presentation are designed creatively and according to the child's interests: Small treasure chests, bags with favorite motifs such as unicorns or dinosaurs or cloth bags with name banderoles turn the gift into a very personal experience. A handwritten card with good wishes for the start of school rounds off the whole thing.
At the end of the day, one thing counts above all: that the gift for starting school has been chosen with heart - whether big or small, playful or practical. If you take a little time and pay attention to the schoolchild's interests, you will be giving more than just an object - namely enthusiasm, curiosity and a great start to the coming chapter. Have fun choosing, wrapping and giving presents - and have an unforgettable first day at school! You can find more ideas and lovingly designed games directly in the Noris online store - just take a look and be inspired. ❤️✨🎁
School enrollment gifts - Frequently asked questions
What can you give as a school enrolment present?
The choice is huge - and that's a good thing. In addition to games, books, craft materials, first school supplies or experience vouchers are also great ideas. The important thing is that the gift fits the child, is age-appropriate and has been chosen with love.
At what age are educational games useful?
Even at pre-school age, many educational games can be useful as preparation for school. It is important that the content is conveyed in a playful way and is tailored to the child's stage of development - then learning is twice as much fun.
What inexpensive gift ideas under 10 euros are there for starting school?
Great ideas can be realized even on a small budget: A compact quiz game, a card game, a puzzle game or a classic like Flummis not only bring joy, but often also a small learning effect.
How many presents are ideal in a school bag?
Sometimes less is more. Three to five lovingly selected little things are completely sufficient - preferably a colorful mix of something useful, something playful and a small surprise that comes from the heart.