Educational toys are an exciting way to encourage children’s development and learning. Whether you’re looking for fun ways to help your child learn a new skill or help them develop their problem-solving abilities, you’re in the right place.
We’ve searched for the best educational toys and games for a wide range of interests and skills.
Benefits of Educational Toys
Children learn best through play early on, and having the right educational toys can help accelerate and enhance their learning. Educational toys can significantly impact language skills, problem-solving skills, social understanding, and more.
As your kids get older, an innovative toy can spark their interest in robots, chemistry, physics, and STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). These toys allow them to explore areas they didn’t know were possible.
Another benefit is that this gets them away from the screen and onto learning something new, building skills that will help them throughout their lives.
Babies and Toddlers
As a parent, there’s nothing more exciting than watching your little one learn and grow. It can be challenging to find the perfect educational toys that help foster their early development in a fun and engaging way. Thankfully, we have found the best educational toys specifically designed for babies and toddlers that do just that! These will provide opportunities to develop language skills, problem-solving abilities, physical dexterity, sensory exploration, and more.
Magna-Tiles
Magna-Tiles are magnetic building sets that engage young minds by combining math, science, and art. These are some of the perfect STEM toys, which are great for all ages. You can think of them as a modern take on Legos. Kids can build anything and let their imaginations run wild!
As parents, we love that these build young kids’ confidence and fine motor skills. Even a four-year-old will have no problem building something interesting and exciting. Best of all, they are easy to clean up and never make a mess. Kids can pick these up and place them in storage containers in a few minutes.
There are a few different options for magnetic tiles. The two most popular brands are Magna-Tiles and Picasso Tiles. Here’s an article comparing the differences between the two.
KiwiCo
A list of educational toys is only complete if it mentions KiwiCo. They have subscriptions for all ages with several options, from babies to adults.
The KiwiCo Koala Crate is for kids 2 to 4 years old. It’s a monthly box that provides a fun and delightful way for parents to engage with their children through the power of play. Each crate is filled with hands-on activities, encouraging young minds to develop their creativity, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving capabilities. You can choose from multiple themes such as art, science, music, and more that align with your child’s interests and age level.
For more options, this is a great article to find the perfect kids’ education subscription.
Take Apart Toys
Is your toddler mechanically inclined? Are they always wondering how things work and want to take things apart? If so, these early learning Take Apart toys are perfect for them!
Take Apart toys are a fun, educational way to engage toddlers and foster their development. Not only do they help with the physical coordination of small hands, but they also offer the opportunity to promote problem-solving skills. With Take Apart Toys, toddlers can learn about cause and effect safely and happily.
Toddlers will love having their own drill to assemble and remove parts from these.
Kids 5 to 12 Educational Toys
It’s no mystery that kids love to learn and explore, and educational toys have come a long way in recent years. Kids between ages 5 and 12 can now access some of the newest, most cutting-edge learning toys available. Robotics has been one of the most exciting developments in this area, bringing the potential for learning to live with interactive technology.
Makeblock mBot Neo
The mBot Neo is a learning coding robot that your kids will get a kick out of. Not only is robotics a great way to introduce your kids to coding, they learn while playing.
mBot isn’t your standard robot in a box. It comes unassembled, so they can see how to assemble the robot. It comes with clear step-by-step illustrated instructions. Your kids don’t have to know how to code. It will come with pre-programmed instructions to get started.
As your kids get more comfortable with basic coding languages like Scratch coding, they will move on to more complex coding such as Python and Javascript. They won’t feel intimidated, as Makeblock walks them from beginning to end.
ClicBot Coding Robot
ClicBot is another coding robot with a twist. It’s modular, meaning it can be configured in hundreds of different ways, such as suction cups to climb windows, claws to grab, wheels to drive around, and many more!
You’ll feel the quality of ClicBot right away. This highly engineered robot will set your kids on a coding adventure while having fun.
After setting up the robot and getting a feel for some of the features, your kids will start coding with an integrated app on their smart devices. Clicbot will start them with the basics before moving on to more complex coding languages.
Mel Science
Mel Science has a wide range of subscription boxes for all ages, but we really recommend their science kids for older kids.
Each month you’ll receive a new box full of science experiments. This toy is more for a “science nut” kid who loves to learn how everything works. From a printing press, how we measure earthquakes, to making a hydraulic press. Mel Science has something for everyone.
Each kit comes with a theme as they build their project, with lessons on how and why everything works. With clear instructions and even videos, if they get stuck, Mel Science is a no-brainer if you’re looking for an educational toy.
For a full breakdown of Mel Science, be sure to check out this comprehensive guide.
Yellow Scope
Yellow Scope is chemistry and STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) for girls, but anyone can enjoy these science kits.
They focus on young girls and women to help jumpstart their STEM interests. This is an excellent way of getting girls interested in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Yellow Scope is not a subscription-like Mel Science or KiwiCo. They are one-off kits that you can purchase together or separately. Everything is included that you’ll need for all the exciting experiments. Your little lady will be separating DNA from fruit, testing different liquids to find out their pH, and performing the art and science of color paper chromatography.
Gravity Maze Marble Run
Gravity Maze is a combination logic game, marble run, and STEM toy for kids eight and up.
This challenging and unique marble run game comes with 60 unique challenges, ranging from beginner to expert level, so players of all ages and skill levels can join in on the fun. The goal of the game is to arrange the pieces correctly so you can create a path for the marble to travel from start to finish.
It’s generally a solo game, but multiple kids working together can help each other through challenging levels.
Educational Toys for Teens
As teenagers get older, they begin to explore their own interests and hobbies. Educational toys can be a great way for teens to keep learning while having fun. Not only do educational toys provide an enjoyable activity for them, but they also have the potential to teach valuable life lessons that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Snap Circuits
Snap Circuits is for anyone that loves to tinker around and solve puzzles.
Snap Circuits is an electrical project board with 75 different pieces to snap onto. You’ll build circuits to create over 500 exciting projects. Listening to the radio, making a fan rotate, lighting LEDs, and more.
So, where is the challenge in this? It’s like a puzzle that will train you to understand electricity and how electrical circuits work. It comes with clear instructions on how to build your first seven circuits, but after that, you’re free to explore!
The challenge comes as you try different configurations. If you want the light and the fan together, you’ll have to change the pieces on the board so the electricity flows the correct way. If not, you’ll have to figure out the correct path and why the fan is not spinning.
DIY Laptop
The DIY Laptop takes electronics to a new level. We see computers every day, but do we know how they work?
The Crowpi2 DIY Laptop from ELECROW comes with everything you need to start building. It has an 11-inch touchscreen, tons of sensors for tinkering, and a small led screen underneath the keyword. A lot of thought and preparation went into this second generation of DIY computers—small things like adding a detachable wireless keyboard to troubleshoot and test the laptop while it’s open.
Projects and experiments will be a snap with 22 included sensors and a breadboard for testing circuits.
Mel Med
Mel Med is made by Mel Science, well known for its science and technology subscription boxes. Mel Med is their newest subscription for teens and adults. With this, you’ll get hands-on and in-app experience performing medical procedures.
Each month you’ll get a new box in the mail with medical tools and lessons. Using the Mel Med app, you see virtual patience to diagnose their medical problems. Videos will guide you through surgical, dental, and medical procedures.
Mel Med is the only subscription of its kind. All the tools are safe to use, and doctors created the activities you’ll perform. If you know someone interested in medicine, this is the gift for them.
Wrapping Up Educational Toys
Educational toys offer parents and children a unique way to learn about something new and exciting every day. From learning about robotics, electronics, chemistry, and all STEM topics, these toys not only help kids develop skills but also provide a great way for them to have fun while doing so.
They can help children gain confidence in their abilities while simultaneously fostering an environment of exploration and discovery. Educational toys enable children to do more than just play; they encourage them to think critically and use their imaginations!
This article originally appeared on Hello Sensible and has been republished with permission by Mama Say What?!
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock /Lithiumphoto
