I generally steer clear of toy stores.
The magnitude of toys is absolutely mind-boggling.
There are a million brands, and every single one has a bajillion options. Especially around the holidays!
But there comes a time in one’s life, when she must throw caution to the wind and bravely walk the aisles of these wild stores.
- Won’t get neglected after it’s first week of use
- Doesn’t turn the “gifts” budget line into a small mortgage payment
- Will teach my child something they didn’t know before
3 Important Tips For Choosing The Best Educational Toys For Kids
1. Choose “open-ended” toys to build creativity
If you have been around children playing long enough, you’ll know that they can turn ANYTHING into a toy.
Give them a kitchen funnel, they’ll make a spinning top.
Give them a soccer ball pump, they’ll make paper rocket launchers.
This incredible creativity is the reason why open-ended toys are the best toys to have around your home.
Open-ended toys are essentially toys that can be built into anything, torn apart, and rebuilt into something new.
It’s no secret that Lego and Duplo blocks score high on the hit list for many children. It’s incredible to see what they can build.
My personal favourite open-ended toys are magnetic tiles.
I often say, “If I had to sell ALL the toys and only keep one, it would be magnet tiles hands-down!”
They click together magnetically and can be created into an endless list of designs.
(It is worth noting that the cleanup of these toys is a breeze. The magnets actually make tidying them up kind of fun!)
They are also great for a variety of age groups.
While my 6 year olds design intricate ships and well-engineered castles, my 3 year old is learning that 2 triangles can make a square (because the 6 year olds have all the squares again…).
He also loves to sort them by colour and make garages for all his hot wheel race cars. Even when he was 1 year old, he loved sticking them onto the fridge and taking them off again (an excellent “while making dinner” activity for any busy baby!)
2. Choose a skill you would like them to learn, and then choose a toy that fits (not the other way around!)
For example, let’s say your goal for your 3 year old is to have them learn their letter names and letter sounds.
Your job at the toy-store then, is to find an educational toy for kids that has accurate letter-sound pictures.
I have come across many alphabet puzzles, games and toys that do not help your child learn what letters actually sound like (which is the most important building block for learning to read!) See if you can spot the wrong one in each set below.
Do you see how using the giraffe for the letter G does not help your child learn the most consistent sound of the letter G?
Preschoolers who don’t have a strong letter-sound understanding are not ready to learn “ow” for “owl” which SO many games tend to use.
An (o)ctopus, or an (o)strich would be a much better choice for their reading development!
So when hunting for a great educational toy, start with the goal in mind, and then use your toy-store time to make sure that the skills being taught are accurate and intentionally designed.
And if you are looking for an educational toy for 3 year old kids that DOES have excellent sound-letter association, here are some ideas!
(G is ‘goat’, ‘O’ is octopus, ‘I’ is inchworm)
Learning Resources: AlphaBlasters
(G is ‘goat’, ‘O’ is octopus, ‘I’ is igloo)
3. Choose educational toys for kids that are STEM/STEAM based
What is a STEM game?
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (and STEAM includes Art).
These educational toys for kids are designed to intentionally focus on growing a child’s knowledge in one of these subject areas.
However, this label is thrown (sometimes carelessly) onto many toys these days.
Sometimes it seems the only requirement to call it a “STEM” toy is that at least two pieces must be fit together.
So how do you KNOW if it’s really STEM or not?
First, if it is authenticated by a STEM organization, then bonus points! Because it’s already gone through some rigorous checks to get the stamp of approval.
If not, asking yourself these 6 questions will help you decide if it stands up to the name “STEM/STEAM”.
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- Are there real problem-solving opportunities when using
the game/toy? Does the child need to think critically to solve the problem (this will look different for different ages, but there should be some form of critical thinking to solve a problem).
For example, ThinkFun Gravity Maze (8+) requires kids to re-think their marble-run design when the marble doesn’t end up where it should. As the challenges get harder, the more critical thinking required. - Is there a hands-on aspect to the toy that requires the child to physically manipulate it?
- Does it allow the child to gradually grow in the targeted skill? This may be through built in levels (beginner and advanced versions etc). It may also be simply in how basic or intricate the designs can become (in the case of open-ended building toys like lego, or magnetic tiles).
For example, this Botley 2.0 Coding Robot has levels of coding built into it from beginner to advanced. It also has a “free play” element where your child can design their own code to see what happens. Having both of these options built in makes it an excellent (T)echnology option for learning coding. - How many different ways can the toy be used and re-used? Or is it a one-and-done type toy? Sometimes children are enamored by a new toy, but after “figuring it out”, they set it aside for months because it no longer challenges them. Is there creative potential beyond a single-intended use?
- Does it give your child a real-world learning experience in order to develop a real-life skill?
For example, Elenco’s Snap Circuits gives kids the real opportunity to learn the basics of electrical work. They absolutely love the real-life circuit creation that results in a light turning on, or a fan blowing. - Does it enhance muscle control in fine motor skills? Not all STEM-based educational toys for kids will enhance fine motor skills, but it’s always a bonus when they do. If children are learning to put together small pieces, or do experiments with specific measuring etc, you’ll be allowing them opportunities to develop muscles that are often neglected on screen-based activities.
- Are there real problem-solving opportunities when using
Science
Technology
Engineering
Math