Toys that are both fun and educational are the preferred toys of most parents. Finding these toys can be very simple to do if you know what to look for and the age ranges of the children you are buying for.
Babies are the easiest to buy educational toys for. Any toy that has bright colors, textures and sounds improves baby’s brain development. Teaching baby to focus his eyes, control his hands and feet, sensory development, and gross motor development, just to name a few. Look for bright, interactive toys that are safe to chew on, lay on, toss, and most importantly, easy to clean!
Toddler/preschool toys can also be easy to find. Toys that require counting, stacking, building, sorting, color knowledge, letter knowledge, or number knowledge. The best ones are toys that can be used to entertain the child while the child learns “accidentally”. Then, as the child grows a little older, it can be used to reinforce knowledge. For example, the toy can “accidentally” teach the child the ABC song, then when the child knows the song, the toy can then be used to teach each individual letter and sound. Most toddler toys have multiple modes to them. In the first mode, it sings the alphabet song, second mode it sings the letter sounds, then in the third mode it asks the child to press the button with the correct letter on it. The child learns the alphabet without realizing it!
School aged children’s educational toys are usually in the form of games or electronic/computer games and hand held devices. However, there are some “oldie but a goodie” games and toys out there! An old fashioned game of cards can be used to teach memory skills. There are other games that require critical thinking and strategy, such as chess or checkers. There are computer or video games that teach, again, “accidentally”. Video games that require mental math to accomplish the task or to point the angle of the tank just right to blow up the other tank teaches basic physics/geometry without the child realizing it. Video games of golf or tennis where the player must factor in the wind speed and direction encourage critical thinking. Board games that use paper money help with math and money counting. Word board games help with spelling and vocabulary, while other word games help with creative thoughts and puns and riddles. Other ideas might be larger scale building toys. Building a roller coaster that requires that child to follow the “blueprints” teach discipline, spatial reasoning, and fine motor skills.
In all of this, don’t discredit pretend play toys for all ages. Pretending to be the parent of a baby doll, or cooking with play food or play-dough, or pretending to set up a store or be a super hero encourages imagination. Using pretend play also teaches children how to behave appropriately society, how to be a grown-up.
Educational and fun do not have to be separate from each other. There are many toy options for all the children in your life.