Outschool Holiday Gift Guide: Best Online Classes to Gift According to Age

For Parents • Oct 29, 2021

Am I the only paranoid parent starting their Christmas shopping before Halloween? Maybe, but hear me out. The predicted shipping delays and dropping temperatures have forced me to ask myself a crucial question: what new, fun activities can my kid try that doesn't require freezing my fingers off, or involve a continuous Netflix loop?

If you’re asking yourself the same thing or are just looking to take some stress out of the holidays by gifting simply, you’ve come to the right place. This blog covers a gift guide of fun and affordable online enrichment classes, for any kid. Including everything from a Frozen-inspired dance class, to a step-by-step guide on how to build a gaming console.

You can gift these classes to your loved ones or have your own learner try them. They’re flexible, high quality, and best of all, they’re easy. Plus, they don’t require shipping.

Shopping guidelines
Gift guides for 3-5 year-olds
Gift guide for 6-9 year-olds
Gift guide for 10-13 year-olds
Gift guide for 14-18 year-olds

Shopping Guidelines: How to Find the Right Online Enrichment Class

Outschool offers over 150,000 incredible online enrichment classes from terrific teachers across the world, so there is no way we could narrow down which are best, but below are a few of our most popular and highest-rated classes, organized by age.

Please note, if the class you want is sold out, be sure to check back. Instructors add and update courses frequently. Many instructors teach multiple things, so be sure to check out their additional offerings. You can also click on instructors and “follow them” to stay tuned.

And if you don’t see the class you want, try searching and filtering. You can organize results by age, scheduling, and format preferences.

Pro tip: Create a free Outschool account now to save some money on the class!

How to Gift

You can enroll kids into a specific course if you know the exact day and time of the class they want to take. Otherwise, you can give them a gift card which counts towards any enrollment.

Gift Guide for 3-5-year-olds: Great Online Winter Classes for Toddlers

Why these classes are great for this age group: Developing social and cooperation skills is crucial for toddlers! With Outschool, kids get to stay in the familiar comfort of home while growing their confidence. Some of our most popular online toddler classes are our ongoing Pre-K and Circle Time classes.

Frozen Freeze Dance!

Perfect for kids who love a mystery and want a fun way to get the wiggles out.

Ages: 4-6 | $10 per class | Class rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once per week as an ongoing course
Part mystery-solving, part dance class! All to Frozen-themed music.

Directed Drawing for Preschool & Kindergarten

Give a little direction and inspiration to the budding artist in your life.

Ages: 3-6-year-olds | $8 per class | Class rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once per week every week

Your child will create a unique piece of wonderful art in each class with active teacher support and guidance.

Superhero Fitness + Weekly

Learners do a series of exercises inspired by superheroes!

Ages: 4-7 | $12 per class | Class rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
Includes everyone from Marvel to DC, to Ninja Turtles, and Avatar the Last Airbender!

Pre-K & Kindergarten Circle Time Mania

Pre-K & kindergarten curriculum taught by a certified early childhood education teacher.

Ages: 3-6 | $10 per class / $50 per week | Class rating: 4.9 stars
Meets 5x per week every week
Covers the alphabet, phonics, sight words, reading, early math skills, and more.

Pup Party!

A fun, one-time class where kids can explore and share their love of Paw Patrol.

Ages 3-8 | $11 | Class rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once / one-time class
Your child will talk about our favorite Paw Patrol pups and lend a paw to help the pups patrol the bay!

Perfect for young Minecraft lovers and builders!

Ages 3-7 | $12 | Class Rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
This ongoing class is a great opportunity to discuss and share your appreciation for Minecraft.

Sing and Move with Miss Cassie!

An easy outlet for your child to sing, laugh, and play with other kids.

Ages 3-6 | $5 | Class Rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
Let's sing! In this 15-minute music class, students enjoy singing and movement through traditional favorites, silly songs, and fingerplays.

It’s a high-energy class that teaches social and emotional awareness and more.

Ages 4-6 | $12 | Class Rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
Students will gain confidence by brainstorming, problem-solving, and working together to discuss social skills and character topics.

Check out more classes for 3-5-year-olds.

Gift Guide for 6-9-year-olds: Great Online Winter Classes for Elementary Kids

Why these classes are great for this age group: Research shows self-expression is a big motivator at these ages – they want direction but not constraints. They can also be more shy and self-conscious, so online classes and clubs are a great way to try new things and connect with others in a low-pressure environment.

Beginner Gymnastics Skills

Perfect for kids who love to move and need to burn off some energy.

Ages 5-9 | $ | Class Rating 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
In this ongoing class, students will learn stretching, conditioning, and basic beginner gymnastics skills.

Perfect for any kid who loves to build with LEGO Bricks and make some new friends.

Ages 5-8 | $16 | Class Rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
Open to all building levels. Learners will enjoy participating in timed-building challenges.

Princess Drawing Club

Some fun, regal art time for your little creative!

Ages 5-9 | $10 | Class Rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
Students will learn how to draw a Disney Princess in this weekly class, with a step-by-step demonstration!

Weekly Writers Workshop: Minecraft Edition

This unique creative writing course includes exciting Minecraft-themed prompts that will motivate even the most reluctant writer to create a story.

Ages 7-10 | $ | Class Rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
Each week, students will be given new Minecraft-themed prompts in this ongoing creative writing course and learn valuable writing strategies.

Video Game Design

Your child can create and code their own video game!

Ages 7-10 | $15 per class / $90 for the course | Class Rating: 4.9
Meets once a week for six weeks
No experience is required. Kids will learn to make games via a simple visual programming language.

Get Fit With a Former Marine!

Need a PE class? Don’t know where to begin? This class is for you.

Ages 7-12 | $10 | Class Rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
This class starts easy and works up to high levels of physical fitness—the way Marines do! No equipment necessary.

Let's Explore the Wonders of the Ancient & Natural World!

Learners travel to a wonder of the ancient or natural world and explore its importance in science, geology, history, geography, and culture.

Ages 6-10 | $10 | Class Rating: 4.9 stars
Meets once a week every week
Travel across the globe, and explore the Pyramids of Egypt, The Great Wall of China, Uluru, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, among many others.

Pokémon Go: Team Raid

Kids get to battle and catch 5 star and mega evolution Pokemon on a weekly or biweekly basis.

Ages 6-11 | $18 | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week every week
This social event will get your trainers the opportunity to catch Mega evolved and 5 star Pokémon.

Check out more classes for 6-9-year-olds.

Gift Guide for 10-13-year-olds: Great Online Winter Classes for Tweens

Why these classes are great for this age group: At this point, kids have more defined interests and are motivated to hone them and sharpen their skills. Hobbies are quickly becoming a bigger part of their identity, as are peer relationships. Interest-based online classes are an excellent way for teens to build mastery and belonging by sharing those passions.

Private Guitar or Ukulele Lessons

A one-on-one lesson tailored to your learner!

Ages 8-16 | $34 per class $136 per course | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week for four weeks
Your child will learn from a graduate of Berklee College of Music with 20+ years of music experience.

Anime Academy Camp!

An ongoing course where students learn how to draw different people from popular manga and anime shows in the anime style.

Ages 7-12 | $20 | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week every week
Students practice drawing anime characters in various styles, pulling different expressions, poses, and changing outfits.

Dungeons & Dragons Adventure: Defenders of Hope!

An ongoing Dungeons and Dragons adventure where the players’ challenges and choices will shape the realms themselves.

Ages 10-15 | $35 | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week every week
An ongoing Dungeons & Dragons campaign that uses the 5th Edition rules. It incorporates situations that require critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, communication, role-playing, and imagination.

Finishing School for Young Ladies

Experience a virtual finishing school taught by an English Lady.

Ages 11-16 | $75 | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week every week
Your child will learn the art of social self-defense, poise, etiquette, and more.

Slingin' Ink - Drawing in Procreate

An ongoing class where your learner will create amazing works of art in the Procreate App for iPad.

Ages 10-14 | $15 | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week every week
Come and sling some ink with some fellow artists! Kids use their skills in the Procreate iPad App to Draw awesome pictures!

Professional Basketball Skills Course

Athletes will take a deep look into how to improve their ball handling, hand-eye coordination, defensive/offensive footwork, and more.

Ages 11-16 | $18 per class / $55 per week | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets 3x a week every week
An ongoing course that breaks down the advanced skills of basketball. Taught by a professional athlete!

Teen Minecraft Nights: Java 1.17.1 Edition

Join a weekly private Minecraft Server where teens collaborate and create.

Ages 12-17 | $15 | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week every week
A teen-specific, private Minecraft server where your child will focus not only on building structures but on growing their community.

Middle School Speech & Debate Camp Level II

A two-month-long course where students learn intermediate and advanced debate & speech skills.

Ages 10-15 | $19 per class / $150 per course | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week for 8 weeks
Students will learn how to research and write a speech. Plus, a review on the fundamentals of speech and debate.

Check out more classes for 10-13-year-olds.

Gift Guide for 14-18-year-olds: Great Online Winter Classes for Teens

Why these classes are great for this age group: Interests continue to be a strong motivator, as is increasing self-reliance. Online classes are an easy way to add specialized, hard-to-find extracurricular activities like teen entrepreneurship classes. And online life skills classes like cooking, money management, and college prep classes are perfect for teens to develop their independence.

College Prep Research and Writing Basics

Teens learn everything they need to write successfully in college, including grammar, research papers, analyzing sources – all from a college professor!

Ages 14-18 | $25 per class / $250 per course | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once per week for 10 weeks
In this class, students will develop their writing skills through weekly lectures and assignments to prepare them for the level of writing expected in the college classroom.

How to Design and Build Custom Gaming Computer

Teens learn to build a computer, save money on parts, and gain the confidence to upgrade/ build their new gaming rig.

Ages 11-16 | $15 | Class Rating 4.8 stars
Meets once / one-time class
Students will learn how to design a computer online, and how to configure a computer that is compatible with their favorite games, and much more.

Ongoing Dinner Cooking Class

Students will learn how to make yummy dinners that everyone will enjoy.

Ages 11-16 | $12 | Class Rating: 5 star
Meets once a week every week
In this ongoing class, learners will learn basic knife and cooking skills while having a shared conversation. No previous cooking experience is needed.

Biology Veterinarian Club

This vet course is specially designed for high school students wishing to pursue a career in the veterinary sciences.

Ages 13-18 | $16 | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week every week
This class is an in-depth look at veterinary medicine, filled to the brim with not only how vet medicine works but why certain topics are important.

Become a Master of Drawing and Sketching

An ongoing art class that teaches new sketching and drawing techniques each week.

Ages 12-17 | $15 | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once a week every week
The class will cover lighting, shadows, perspective, foreshortening, and more.

ADHD and Executive Function Skills for Success

Weekly check-in class for teens with ADHD, plus mini-lessons to support skills development.

Ages 12-17 | $17 | Class Rating: 4.8 stars
Meets once a week every week
This class provides weekly executive function coaching and support to preteens and teens with ADHD and other learning differences.

Personal Finance for Teens: Ways to Earn Money

Learn about the different part-time jobs for teens and how they can start earning money now as a young entrepreneur.

Ages 12-17 | $15 | Class Rating: 5 stars
Meets once / one-time class
This course is perfect for students interested in earning income by creating their own business, using their talents, interests, and skills.

Private SAT/ACT Tutoring

One-to-one sessions with an experienced tutor and test prep author.

Ages 13-18 | $100 | Class Rating 5 stars
Meets once a week every week
Sessions can cover any combination of Reading, Writing, Math, and Science as requested by the student.

Check out more classes for 14-18 year-olds.

I hope that whatever the holidays bring your family this year, they’re filled with a little less stress and a little bit more wonder. And that the children in your life get to discover something new – something that surprises and delights them.

In the meantime, may your cocoa be rich, and may all your packages arrive on time.