Educational Toys are a great idea when buying christmas presents and they don't have to be boring either. The best educational toys are those that teach children something useful without them realising it. In other words, an educational toy is one that grabs and holds their attention and keeps children entertained so that they don't realise they're actually learning while they play, but they are.
We've had a look around at some of the best educational toys we can think of for christmas. Some of them might surprise you!
1. Nintendo DS or DSI. The Nintendo DS and indeed most video games, are seen as brain rotting rubbish by some older people. However, it's not so. There are loads of superb educational games for the Nintendo DS in particular. One could argue that even playing racing and shooting games helps children to improve their co-ordination and brain power. However, many DS games actually involve teaching them something useful in a fun and interactive way. Here are some of our favorite Nintendo DS educational games all of which are great xmas presents if you want to keep in with the kids but please their parents as well.
2. Science kits. Everyone is complaining that kids don't learn enough about science and it's hardly surprising that children find science hard to fathom when they don't really come into contact with it as younger children (unless of course they watch Nina and the Neurons on CBBC!) Therefore, science kits are really fun ways to make kids aware of the possibilities of science. Take a look at these ideas:
3. Building blocks. For younger kids, just building things is lots of fun and they can learn a lot about structures and simple physics just by playing on their own or with their friends making things. Building block type toys can (eventually) lead to an interest in all sorts of education based subjects including civil engineering and architecture. You may think that sounds silly when a five year old is playing with a pile of bricks, but it isn't. Best of all, there are building brick type kits for all ages from pre-school children right through to teenagers using Lego and Duplo. Here are a few ideas:
4. Leapster and V-Smile educational gaming systems. If you can't bring yourself to buy a Nintendo DS but you accept that there might be some sense in encouraging your kids to learn through video games then look at the Leapster 2 and V-Smile gaming systems because these specialise in educational video games. The graphics and sound certainly are not on a par with the Nintendo DS or Wii, but they are good for younger kids and there's no danger that they'll be diverted with 2 hours of Mario Kart when you're trying to get them to do something sensible. Here are some of the systems available:
5. Finally, how about a general maths or spelling geared game that tries to make these essential activities fun? Here is a selection of spelling and maths games including times tables, fractions, and other concepts that young children might find hard to grasp at school (though they all get there in the end!). Again, you might prefer to buy something like this for your loved ones rather than a doll or a gun!
We hope that these educational toys and games have given you some ideas for christmas 2010. Happy christmas shopping!
