Parent Suggestions and Resources
Book Lender
Book Lender is a rental service where parents can obtain unlimited access to children's books. This is like Netflix for books! More than 28,000 children's books can be rented for a flat monthly fee. When a child is finished reading the books, just mail them back and the next books on your queue will be automatically mailed to you. Shipping is free both ways and there are no late fees.
Suggestions for Home (if age appropriate)
Jigsaw Puzzles
Squzzle and Triazzle Puzzles
Three-dimensional Puzzles
Brain Teaser Puzzles and Books
Reference Materials/Books
Video Games (great for quick thinking/problem solving/strategic planning and hand-eye coordination, but monitored and limited)
Problem Solving Puzzles
Conversation (high level with advanced vocabulary)
Cause/Effect Toys or Games
Strategy Games
Design Manipulatives
Well-written Well-crafted Literature and Nonfiction (age appropriate)
Opportunities for Writing (fiction and nonfiction)
Suggestions for Parents
Listen to your child
Encourage your child
Advocate for your child
Provide enrichment opportunities/experiences
Useful Resources for Parents
Materials
Engine-Uity
Publishers of materials for use in a gifted classroom.
MindWare
Great source for challenging brain teasers and games!
https://www.mindware.orientaltrading.com/
Tin Man Press
Publisher of gifted resource materials.
Mensa Select Games
Each year (except 2020), Mensa has a competition to choose five games for the Mensa Select Seal. Past winners have included Trivial Pursuit, Finish Lines, SET game, Apples to Apples, Scattergories, and Taboo. You can also look through previous years' winners.
https://www.mensamindgames.com/about/winning-games/
Mensa Recommended Games
Each year (except 2020), Mensa also chooses ten to fifteen games to recommend for play. You can also look through recommendations from previous years.
https://www.mensamindgames.com/about/mensa-recommended-games/
Gifted Organizations and Gifted Information Sites
The Texas Education Agency
The Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented
The National Association for Gifted Children
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
The College Board's Advanced Placement page
http://www.collegeboard.com/ap/
The Gifted Development Center
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/
The Davidson Institute for Talent Development
Top Ten Books on Giftedness
by Noreen H. Joslyn, LISW, ACSW
Bringing Out the Best: A Resource Guide for Parents of Young Gifted Children by Jacqulyn Saunders with Pamela Espelund. Free Spirit Publishing
A highly practical book. Gives suggestions for enriching home learning plus advice on choosing preschools.
The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids by Sally Y. Walker. Free Spirit Publishing
Good advice written with a sense of humor. I've read it many times over!
The Gifted Kids Survival Guide: For Ages 10 and Under by Judy Galbraith. Free Spirit Publishing
Written for the younger gifted student, this helpful book explains giftedness clearly. Gives many suggestions to help make the school experience more positive.
The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook by Judy Galbraith and Jim Delisle, PhD.
Free Spirit Publishing
Recently updated, this valuable book covers topics such as how to relate with peers, devising your own
curriculum, and college planning. An important chapter covers depression and suicide risks.
Keys to Parenting the Gifted Child
by Sylvia Rimm, PhD. Barron's Publishing
Part of the Barron's Parenting Keys Series, this helpful book examines questions many parents of gifted
children have, such as when to start school, grade-skipping, and homework habits. Very readable.
Perfectionism: What's Bad About Being Too Good? By Miriam Adderholdt-Elliot, PhD. Free Spirit Publishing
The title says it all. Though directed towards any perfectionist you know -- older middle-school age
and up -- this book will also help parents understand
nd cope with their own gifted perfectionist child.
The Roller-Coaster Years: Raising Your Child through the Maddening yet Magical Middle School Years by Charlene Gianetti and Margaret Sagarese. Broadway Books
Though not written specifically for parents of gifted kids, this is a very helpful book for parents of an often
overlooked age group. There is also a comprehensive list of resources for every chapter!
College Planning for Gifted Students by Sandra L. Berger. The Council for Exceptional Children
A book that takes you from choosing middle-school courses to the college-application process. Recently updated, it also includes data on gifted-teen summer programs and state gifted associations.
The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap by Alvin Rosenfeld, MD and Nicole Wise. St. Martin's Griffen Press
Gifted kids often want to put themselves in too many activities. Though not specifically directed at parents of gifted, this book examines this concern and makes recommendations for putting on the brakes.
The Gifted Adult: A Revolutionary Guide for Liberating Everyday Genius by Mary-Elaine Jacobsen, PsyD. Ballentine Books
You didn't think you stopped being gifted when you grew up, did you? Insightful writing examines issues that gifted adults may face if they don't successfully incorporate their"differentness" into their personality. Since many parents of gifted kids are gifted themselves, this book is highly recommended.
Source: Family Education Network
Books on Time and Perfectionism
Here are some great books for gifted kids of all ages, dealing with time management and perfectionism.
Time Management for Unmanageable People by Ann McGee-Cooper and Duane Trammell
Provides a "right-brain" method for work/study skills and time management. Suggestions include "reward yourself first and then do your assignments."
Becoming a Master Student: Tools, Techniques, Hints, Ideas, Illustrations, Examples, Methods, Procedures, Processes, Skills, Resources, and Suggestionsby David Ellis
Written primarily for college students, this book provides dynamic ways of teaching study skills, time management, and goal setting. Students are encouraged to try innovative approaches to academic and life-management skills.
Perfectionism: What's Bad About Being Too Good? by Miriam Adderholdt-Elliott and Jan Goldberg
Explores the problem of perfectionism, explains the differences between healthy ambition and unhealthy perfectionism, and gives strategies for getting out of the perfectionist trap.
The Skills of Encouragement: Bringing Out the Best in Yourself & Others by Don Dinkmeyer and Lewis Losoncy
Provides a plan, strategies, hints, and tips for helping discouraged students.
I May Not Be Totally Perfect, but Parts of Me Are Excellent, and Other Brilliant Thoughts by Ashleigh Brilliant
The Gifted Kids Survival Guide, Ages 10 and Under by Judy Galbraith, Pamela Espeland, and Albert Molnar
Support and practical suggestions for gifted youngsters who are struggling with typical problems, such as school work, peer relationships, and community expectations.
The Gifted Kids Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook by Judy Galbraith, James R. Delisle, Pamela Espeland (Editor), and Jim Delisle
Helps students understand the meaning of giftedness, how to take charge of their own education, how to handle other people's expectations, and how to make and keep friends.
Tales for the Perfect Child by Florence Parry Heide and Victoria Chess
Written for 9- to 12-year-olds, this book presents a funny look at what would happen if children were perfect.
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days by Stephen Manes
A funny book for 9- to 12-year-olds about a student who decides that he wants to be perfect and finds a book on the topic.
Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers from Preschool to High School by Judith Wynn Halsted
A guide to using bibliotherapy and an excellent annotated list of books to use with gifted students.
Brought to you by the Council for Exceptional Children
Source: Family Education Network
Books for Parents
Beyond ADD: Hunting for Reasons in the Past & Present by Thom Hartmann
Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward
Dreamers, Discoverers, & Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored, and Having Problems in
School by Lucy Jo Palladino
Gifted Children: Myths and Realities
Keys To Parenting the Gifted Child by Sylvia Rimm.
Parents' Guide to Raising a Gifted Child by James Alvino and the editors of Gifted Children Monthly
Pretenders: Gifted People Who Have Difficulty Learning by Barbara P. Guyer
The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids
Why Bright Kids Get Poor Grades: And What You Can Do About It by Sylvia Rimm.
Your Gifted Child: How To Recognize and Develop the Special Talents In Your Child From Birth to Age Seven
by Joan Franklim Smutny
Books for Kids
Alphabet Workbook for gifted preschoolers by Martha Cheney and Karol Kaminsky.
Extraordinary Young People by Marlene Targ Brill
The Gifted Kid's Survival Guide: For Ages 10 and Under
Gifted Kids Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook
More Questions & Answers: For Ages 6 to 8 by Bailey Kennedy and Larry Nolte
Story Starters: Stories About Animals by Julie Koerner and Leo Abbett
Source: Family Education Network