Toys That Teach 2003
As the holiday season quickly approaches so does the frequency of commercials advertising the latest and greatest toys to hit the market. But just when you thought you would not find a toy that entertains and challenges your child, Curious Parents brings you Toys that Teach, a holiday survival guide to the best educational toys of the season.
Open our toy guide and find toys that challenge your child, from the new Trading Spaces Design House to the classic Etch-A-Sketch. And don’t forget stocking stuffers! We have those, too.
Ages 0-3
Stack N’ Build Activity Table
(Fisher-Price $24.99) Ages 9 months to 3 years
The brightly colored table not only encourages small children to stand, but it also helps to develop fine motor and problem solving skills. And as your child grows, the Stack N’ Build Activity Table can be extended by flipping the center tray over to expose a template for more elaborate building block fun.
The Leap Start™ Learning Table
(Leap Frog $34.99) Ages 6 months to 2 years
Because music plays such an important part in baby’s development, Leap Frog has created a product that transforms musical discoveries into learning activities. The Leap Start™ Learning Table uses songs and melodies to introduce infants to the alphabet, counting, shapes, colors and more. It’s a symphony of fun and learning.
Photo Fun Learning Smart Screen Intelli-Table
(Microsoft $69.99) Ages 9 months to 3 years
See the dog? What does the doggy say? When baby sees actual pictures, it’s easier to relate to a real live dog—to make connections between image and object, and to start understanding the world. That’s why real photographic images are the focus of Photo Fun Learning toys. To keep baby intrigued while learning, the photos feature everyday things from baby’s world, with lots of fun activities and related sounds! The Smart Screen Intelli-Table brings learning to life with a light-up screen that displays 26 realistic images (one for each letter of the alphabet!) while appropriate sounds and lively music play.
Ages 4-7
T-INKWorks Color ‘N Learn Activity Series
(T-ink, Inc. $6.99-17.99) Ages 4+
A unique way to learn in which conductive ink is used to stimulate active learning. T-INKWORKS products use a conductive ink technology that responds to touch - it replaces wires, switches and buttons with a flat printed ink of any color-teaching children spelling and math through the act of coloring.
Product line includes:
- Color ‘N Learn Activity Series - teaches children spelling and math through the act of coloring the ink on the page to elicit an audio response
- Color ‘N Drive - children control a remote control car just by coloring
- Airwavez Radio - a real working inflatable blow-up FM radio which you control just by touching the clear plastic
MagnaPhonics™
(Neurosmith $49.99) Ages 4+
MagnaPhonics™ is a fun, interactive, and portable new way for children to learn to read. Children use a magical letter wand to manipulate 26 magnetic letter tiles, learn letter names and sounds, build new words and play challenging spelling games.
atollo™ Construction
(atollo™, $4.99-$19.99) Ages 5+
atollo™ Construction has applied an architect’s “defining component” to create a dynamic, totally unique and flexible construction toy that can be used to make an amazing variety of objects, creatures and vehicles that bend, twist, turn and flex.
Children five years old and up simply snap the hinge and socket pieces together to create crazy creatures, vehicles, geometric figures, bridges, rockets, dragons or just about anything that can move. In a variety of sets ranging from 24 to 240 pieces, the atollo™ Construction set makes a great stocking stuffer or gift.
Dora the Explorer Electronic Talking Bingo
(Mattel $20.99) Ages 4+
Calling out animals and colors in both Spanish and English, Dora the Explorer’s Electronic Talking Bingo game teaches children how to match colors and animals in not one, but two languages!
Scholastic Root-Vue Farm
(Scholastic $19.99) Ages 5+
Scholastic Root-Vue Farm takes the classic ant farm to the next level. Children plant seeds then wait and watch as the seeds turn from sprouts to large plants with roots viewable through the Plexiglas side. An accompanying booklet provides additional science “experiments” to keep children informed and entertained.
Hoberman Designs Transforming Spheres®
(Hoberman, Prices range from $12.99 to $79.99) Ages 5+
There is a new generation of Hoberman Transforming Spheres® that come alive with magic, motion and metamorphosis. “The Year of the Sphere” product line features awe-inspiring action, music, shapes, and colors that will amaze, amuse and entertain people of all ages.
Ages 7 & up
Gears! Gears! Gears! Dizzy Fun Land
(Learning Resources $37.99) Ages 7+
Building something has never been so much fun. The Gears! Gears! Gears! Dizzy Fun Land 120-piece set contains everything needed to construct amusement park rides such as a roller coasters, carousel and Ferris wheel. Once complete, the rides can be set into motion with the flip of a battery-operated switch. A challenging toy, Dizzy Fun Land encourages children to create and build their favorite rides.
The Trading Spaces Design and Redesign House
(Design Line $99.99) Ages 7+
The Trading Spaces House is perfect for the child who watches and loves the TLC show and dreams about the day when they can redo a room of her very own. The show, which has grown in popularity among adults, now sees younger fans tuning in for Trading Spaces Family on TLC and Trading Spaces Kids on Discovery Kids Network.
The house includes paint, paint roller, stencils, stickers, stamps, yarn and modeling dough. Also included are six plug-in working lights and reversible floors. Individual rooms are interchangeable and can be purchased separately. Rooms include a nursery, teen bedroom, kitchen, living room, bathroom and master bedroom.
Nostalgia:Classic Toys with a New Twist: Magnetic Alphabet Desk
(Fun Years $10.99) Ages 3+
Rediscover the days when you would discover new letters and spell out words on your refrigerator. This classic concept finds its way from fridge to table top with the Magnetic Alphabet Desk. The magnetic chalkboard can be positioned like an easel and can be packed up and taken on the go. All magnetic letters, numbers, chalk and erasers fit securely in the case for easy storage and travel.
Barbie Mixin’ Magic Real Food Kitchen
(Mattel $29.99) Ages 5+
A new twist on a classic toy, the Barbie Mixin’ Magic Real Food Kitchen, teaches your child the cooking fundamentals. The working kitchen items such as water dispenser and mixer, as well as the no-bake treats get children excited about cooking and maybe even cleaning up!
Heart Shaped Etch-a-Sketch
(Ohio Art $17.99) Ages 6+
Etch-a-Sketch is a classic toy that teaches children the fundamentals of drawing and even Geometry. Enjoy hours of fun with this classic toy in a new shape
Rippin’ Rocket Roller Coaster
(K’nex $89.99) Ages 10+
Take architecture and design to the next level with this new spin on a classic toy. With the K’Nex Rippin’ Rocket Roller Coaster set, you can build an awesome high performance coaster, and then bring it to life with turbo boosters and gravity-defying action. It’s building excitement for the whole family.
Stocking Stuffers
Looking for something to fill the little red stocking adorning your fireplace? Try some of these stocking stuffers—both educational and fun!
Mozart Magic Cube
(Munchkin $34.99) Ages 6 months+
Music stimulates the brain and encourages early learning skills.
Polaroid i-Zone Camera
(Polaroid $19.99) Ages 8+
Taking pictures is more than just a way to preserve memories it is an artistic expression.
Hug and Learn Baby Tad
(Leap Frog $26.99) Ages 6 months to 4 years
Baby Tad is fun and easy. Helps your preschooler learn shapes, colors, activities and songs.
Brain Quest
(Workman $10.95) Ages 3+
No matter what grade, age, or subject, BRAIN QUEST challenges kids on the stuff they need to know, when they need to know it.
My world and globe
(Workman $13.95) Ages 6+
This great product helps children learn about their world from the Seven Seas to the Seven Continents!
Portions of product excerpts have been borrowed from promotional websites and brochures.
Holiday Toy Buying Guide for Differently-Abled Children
Top ten tips on buying toys for disabled children
- Select toys that have multi-sensory appeal.
- Toys should provide challenges without frustration, which can discourage disabled children.
- Be sure the toys cannot only be stored easily, but played with easily as well.
- Is there opportunity for success? Can play be open-ended, with no right or wrong?
- Consider toys that are “popular” among all children.
- Select toys that encourage self-expression.
- Be sure the toy adjusts to the particular needs of the child.
- The toy should provide educational challenges for children, while catering to the child’s individual abilities.
- Is the toy safe and durable?
- What is the potential for interaction? Can a child play with the toy long after the holidays have ended?
For assistance in selecting toys or play activities for a child with disabilities, call the Lekotek Toy Resource Helpline at 1-800-366-PLAY or visit
www.Lekotek.org.
List provided by the Toys R Us Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids
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