Kids learn and use so much information in their daily lives. What we have learned is that much of the information they retain is from playing with toys. Of course, in this case, toys are not just play things and more for educational purposes. Still, making use of toys as a way to help children learn is a time tested way to get our kids involved in education and make it fun for us as parents or teachers, to help them enjoy learning so that they can hopefully have a good relationship with education.
With that being said, here are some excellent educational toys for children:
Building Blocks/Toys
Building blocks and toys are a great way to teach kids about the importance of design. These toys can be used for fun to build interesting structures or creations that are very useful for aspiring engineers or architects. Building blocks come in many different shapes and sizes which are suitable for almost any age of child. Toys like legos, k’nex and other types of building toys are great for developing problem solving skills for children that prove to be both fun and functional.
Video Games
Surprisingly, video games are becoming a very easy way to help teach children in a fun way. There are tons of educational based games on the internet that are web browser based which means they are free. What could be better than a free tool to help your kid learn? Not much. There are other options for games that are more interactive, include more features and generally lean more towards the fun aspect of video games. Resources like minecraft are more traditionally thought of as games for pleasure but they teach children a lot about building (a cheaper alternative to building blocks!), hand eye coordination, and problem solving. Do not be fooled, video games can be a wonderful way to get your kid to learn important skills.
Science and Chemistry Sets
Time honoured tradition of education toys is the chemistry or science kit. These have been a popular toy for parents to buy for their kids because they are highly informative about a specific topic, in this case, chemistry. Teaching kids about STEM topics at a young age is a good way to get them interested in that career path before they decide on their future. The article 6 Best Chemistry Sets For Kids in 2019 – The High Tech Society talks about the variety of options for kids who loves chemistry. There is a wide range of age groups for these chemistry kits so keep in mind they increase in complexity and materials provided for older kids. Chemistry kits make it fun for children to experiment with chemical formulas to make fun and safe experiments that will open their future possibilities.
Ant and Worm Farms
Now this is even more traditional than a chemistry kit. Ant and worm farms are very cheap but very effective for teaching kids about things like biology, another STEM field that they may consider going into with a little bit of help from this fun toy. Although it is not necessarily a toy in the same way that the other items on this list are, it still requires them to practice patience to watch their colony or cluster of worms grow and make a difference. So, this cheap toy not only teaches an important lesson in animal and insect biology, but it also teaches important life lessons like patience and caring for others.
Abacus
Sometimes known as a Chinese calculator, this game is a perfect way to teach youngsters about math. Simple to use, the abacus is pretty recognizable. Colorful beads on sideways poles are moved to count. This toy gives kids a visual representation of the numbers they’re adding or subtracting which goes a long way in making brain associations with numbers, more so than having them write it out on paper. Math is an always present part of our life so it is a good idea to get kids working efficiently with it at a young age.
Programmable Robots
This is a very popular toy for kids. Programmable robots have become a great option as a balance of fun and educational. With the surge in coding and computer science jobs, programmable robots allow kids to create simple code to make their little robotic companion come to life. Coding is one of the hottest fields today so it’s a great little toy to let your kid fool around with and see if they like it. Even if they do not enjoy coding, most kids love robots. There’s a huge variety in what kinds of robots there are. There are voice recognition software capable ones and even a color programmable unicorn. It’s a great toy for boys and girls alike.
There you have it, a list of educational toys to help shape your child’s future! There are so many options available for kids to get their hands on. Toys that range from simple and traditional, to more modern and complex that require some serious brainpower. Helping your kid figure out their possible future career has never been easier when there are so many options. Fun and educational toys can be hard to come by but this list is just a few of the best.
There are cheaper options like ant and worm farms or the abacus, which are timeless but not as inventive. While the chemistry kits and programmable robots are heavily STEM based toys that are new and exciting, sure to catch a kids eye and imagination. Video games can serve their educational purposes depending on which ones you look for. There are a lot of web based games that are entirely free and easily accessible because they won’t require you to buy a gaming console or upgrade your computer if it’s a little slower. They are even playable on phones too. Last but not least, chemistry kits are one of the best educational toys that are very hands on.
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