Q: My kids' cousins, ages 6 to 11, will visit over the holidays, and I don't want them all glued to video games. We need some educational and inexpensive -- but fun -- things to do. Do you have any suggestions?

A: The following activities won't feel like school; they will make a batch of good memories and offer a lot of learning:

-- Plan family field trips. "Every corner of our nation has a few special spots kids love -- it might be a museum, a science center, historic area, or a natural area -- that are part of our heritage and worth knowing well," says Naples, N.Y., educator Greta Love.

"In our area, kids love places like the Corning Glass Museum, where they see glass made, the Rochester Museum and Science Center, or natural areas, such as the High Tor preserve to see bald eagles."

Noted Florida ornithologist Elizabeth Hailman says her grandkids love the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses more than 220 square miles of the Everglades.

"Visitors walking on dikes can see many water birds, some land birds and alligators," she says.

Family field trips represent informal learning at its best, says Jamie Stuve, president of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum in Jupiter, Fla. Kids who visit the iconic 1860 lighthouse get to know a site that has been inhabited for 5,000 years.

"They don't realize they're learning geography, history, anthropology, ecology ... The list goes on," Stuve says. "When they take this information back to their classrooms, it makes them more powerful readers and writers."

Field trips don't need to break the bank. Many government-run natural areas are free or charge by the car. Check online for free or "on sale" days for children at local museums and science centers.

-- Celebrate your family history, says Maryland educator Shirley Harden. With cousins visiting, it's a good time to "decorate the family tree. Have kids interview older family members to preserve traditions, anecdotes, recipes and cherished memories.

"Kids love to hear ancestor stories. It's important to remember that Great Aunt Mia immigrated to the U.S as a young woman with a handful of family recipes and started a successful restaurant. Publish a digital or paper archive to give to family members near and far as a New Year's gift."

-- Teach the joy of giving. Volunteering as a family develops a positive service habit that stays long into adulthood, says Karen Bantuveris, founder and CEO of VolunteerSpot, a resource that helps people coordinate volunteer opportunities.

Follow these guidelines: Choose volunteer activities kids can relate to, such as collecting blankets and food for a local animal shelter or raising money for a food pantry. Discuss why your effort will make a difference. Help kids see the impact of their work by delivering the blankets to the animal shelter or giving a check representing funds collected to the food pantry. Make sure children are welcome and can do the work. (This often rules out soup kitchens.)

Talk about your family's service experience, says Bantuveris. "Discuss what you did, why you did it, how it felt and what you learned. Build on your kids' enthusiasm and right then choose your next service project together."

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: Our school district discourages holiday gifts to teachers and bans any gifts costing more than $50. I think the policy is very "Grinch-y." My daughter loves her teacher, and we want to give her a spa day certificate. Should we?

A: No. It's a nice idea, but it may cause discomfort for the teacher. Spa services are very personal. A mani-pedi may be on your Christmas list, but what if the teacher hates having her feet scrubbed?

There's the district ban to consider, too. Unless a spa day in your town costs less than $50, which is unlikely, you'll violate the policy and put the teacher in the position of explaining why she can't accept.

While gift bans are appealing -- especially as many families struggle with household budgets -- they can stifle kids' holiday spirits. "Good teachers are beloved and kids want to show their appreciation, so many schools encourage a class-wide effort. A parent collects from those who wish to contribute and chooses a gift all students can put their name on so that no one is left out," says Sharon Paul, a Massachusetts elementary teacher and mother of three.

What do teachers want? A-Plus Advice Teacher Board members offer Santa some ideas:

-- Gift cards that will help teachers buy materials for their classrooms. Teachers spend an average of $500 out of pocket for books, teaching resources and supplies, such as tissues. They'll appreciate gift cards to office supply stores, bookstores or big-box stores such as Target or Wal-Mart.

-- A donation of time or money to a teacher's favorite charity. Involve your kids; design gift certificates that kids fill out and decorate. For example, "The Rodriguez Family volunteers to work three hours at the Happy Tails Animal Shelter during Christmas break in Ms. Rauch's honor."

-- Show genuine expressions of appreciation. Create a personalized memory book from your daughter or the whole class. (Conspire with a teacher's aide to obtain class pictures.) Include quotes or drawings from students. Add photos of the year's highlights, such as the day they made rockets. No time to create a class memory book? Craft a handmade card that holds your daughter's heartfelt message.

-- Host a holiday appreciation lunch or tea. Many parent-teacher organizations organize a buffet in schools with restrictive gift policies. "It's a festive way to thank teachers," says Tim Sullivan, president of online resource PTO Today (ptotoday.com). If you have the time and budget, add gift bags for each faculty and staff member. Local businesses, such as bookstores, grocers and coffee shops, often wish to chip in with gift cards.

"Personal gifts are only appropriate if you know the teacher well and have a unique opportunity," says Paul. "One year my daughter's teacher got a puppy, so parents chipped in for a bed, chew toys and other things she'd need. It was a big hit, and the kids were very captivated by the puppy's growth."

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: My holiday tradition is to give my grandkids books as stocking stuffers. Now most of them have tablets. Is the pleasure of choosing and wrapping books for them over? Please give me guidance on selecting e-books. How does the transaction work?

A: What a wonderful tradition! Studies by Clemson University reading expert Linda Gambrell show that having access to books outside of school and owning books both increase children's motivation to read.

You don't need to give up your tradition, says Carl Harvey, library media specialist at North Elementary School in Noblesville, Ind. "If there are early readers on your list, you can't go wrong choosing a classic print book. Most love a great picture book or chapter book. While they certainly enjoy digital/e-books, there still is something about having a book in your hand."

As young readers grow, they like to choose their leisure reading. "It's motivating to select books based on their interests or a series that really hooks them," says Harvey. If you want to add titles to their tablets, "know that devices are designed for individual use, so it is hard to buy for another user. The best route is gift cards. They allow the child or parent to load them onto the device and purchase as needed."

Before purchasing, learn what type of device your grandkids have, says Harvey. For example, iPads use the iBooks app, so books can be purchased through Apple's iTunes store. If your grandchild has a Nook, books can be purchased through Barnes and Noble. For a Kindle, they can be purchased through Amazon.

"Often gift cards work for other purchases on the device, such as games and other apps. If you want to focus on reading, make sure to let the child -- and parents -- know that you'd prefer it be used for books," suggests Harvey.

What makes e-books especially appealing to children is the ability to enjoy rich content. "Both Android and Apple iOS devices also have apps you can download for various books that expand the content. They have added features such as links, read-alouds and games. Again, gift cards allow children to buy the ones they want."

Annual publications, such as almanacs and atlases, are also available in e-book format. "It really is a personal preference whether to buy a print or an online version," says Harvey. "Come January, some children love to tote to school the almanac Santa brought. Others love the added features of the e-book, such as interactive maps and graphs and search functions that might make the online version preferable over the print."

When it comes to price, most e-books are the same or a little cheaper than print books.

If your grandkids are nearby, suggests Harvey, take them to a bookstore and browse together. "Family members don't realize that kids want the gift of your time. If they aren't nearby, arrange a Skype or FaceTime session where they read to you.

"Both will show your grandkids that you value reading. That's an important gift to give a child."

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)