Educational Toys are Wholesome Fun

Educational toys and games - Which ones would your child's teacher recommend?

Yeah! We know that average attention span is somewhere around 10 minutes by now (we hope). And we all know that games have to be fun, fun, and more fun, or else...

Trash that!

Who said that there is no educational toy that is fun, fun, and more fun? Perhaps you haven't seen those creative lego sets, gps toys, and other electronic gadgets.

By educational toys, we don't necessarily mean a calculus machine. It's something that is entertaining and educationally rewarding at the same time.

Categories of educational toys

Here is a list of favorite educational toys:

Rubik cubes - strategy and pattern recognition development

Mimic master - see how good you are are memorizing flashing light sequences and sounds

Lab microscope and science kits - these often come with prepared slides ready for viewing. The experiment kits vary depending on educational level, and provide safe micro-chemistry and other science activities

Car and truck kits - these construction kits come in various skill levels and teach kids a whole lot about how an automobile is made and assembled

Train sets - especially those that come with modular tracks that need to be assembled before they work

Multimedia game toys such as VTech, LeapFrog, and DiscoveryKids learning toys and games

There are many other toys that fall into the educational category. They vary by age ranges. Kids and parents usually benefit more from these than the popular Power Ranger type gadgets that pose no real intellectual or kinesthetic challenge.

Selecting educational toys? Here are 5 things to consider

When buying learning-enhancing toys and games, consider these important points so as to provide maximum enjoyment and learning simultaneously.

Educational toys must be appropriate for the age of the child. Educational toys such as the Newton's cradle teach real science principles It makes no sense giving a three year-old a Newton's cradle since he can't under momentum transfer or the science of collisions - unless he is a real wiz-kid.

Select toys that target definite skills for development. A Rubik cube puzzle will help develop problem solving skills, concentration, and logical processing.

Aim for an appropriate balance of challenge and satisfaction to be derived from use of the toy. If there is too much challenge, the kid might become discouraged and just neglect to use the toy. If there is no challenge, he might just loose interest in it.

Parents and teachers should give guidance and assistance for the use of educational toys. If you give a 10-year-old boy a Styrofoam glider that he has to assemble, it would be good to make sure he learns the basic aerodynamics of flight - lift, drag, thrust, weight - and how the design and operation of the glider can be adjusted to obtain longer flights.

Where possible arrange for group play and competition with the use of educational toys, especially for grown kids. Since they will usually want to choose their toys based on what might be current and popular, it is good to get their friends in on the action too. Have a model rocket launching competition. Get kids to cooperate on building an electronic fiber optic transmitter-receiver intercom. Have a pinewood car derby.