Top Ten Educational Gifts for Kids

Creative toys allow kids to use their imagination during play. It’s been said that a child’s work is their play. Children can learn a lot from the things they play with. Providing your child with educational toys is a great way to help them develop social and developmental skills that will lay a foundation for a life of learning.

1. Super Marble Works: Super Marble Works, from Discovery Toys is made up of brightly colored ramps and shoots, funnels and other obstacles. With this construction toy, your child is the chief architect. Kids can learn about gravity, cause and effect, and even trouble shooting as they build their structure to get their marbles from top to bottom. This toy is best for children 5 years old and up since some of the parts can be difficult for little hands to put together.

2. Wooden Blocks: Unit blocks are often a staple of a quality pre-school or children’s museum. The only limit on wooden blocks is a child’s imagination. Melissa and Doug make a relatively inexpensive set of unit blocks. A 60 block set costs $49.95 and are made out of Rubberwood. Building blocks allow kids to make their ideas into reality, stimulate imagination and exercise small motor skills.

3. Leap Frog Fridge Phonics: This clever product from Leap Frog brings learning phonics to the kitchen. Magnetic letters and letter reader magnetically attach to your fridge. Kids can put a letter into the reader to hear it’s name, it’s sound and a little song. Kids quickly begin to learn their letters and their sounds.

4. Hammer Away: Hammer Away is another great Discovery Toy. This darling ball pounder is shaped like a ship, complete with “Discovery Toy” flag and made in the bright primary colors. Kids can practice and develop hand eye coordination by hammering balls until they fall through the holes. The ball then makes its way down a ramp and ends up at the base on the bottom, where the child can take the ball and place it back on the hole. There are 4 colors with matching holes, so color recognition is another skill kids can develop using this toy.