The best educational toys for kids of every age
Top picks for the best educational toys for each age group. Whether you're shopping for the holidays or a birthday, this blog is for you.
Every parent wants to find a magic formula that helps their child develop academic success, and that's one reason why the educational toy market continues to grow year after year. But with so many choices on shelves, which toys are the best to buy?
Today, we're highlighting some of the best educational toy choices for each age group. So, if you've ever felt overwhelmed in the toy aisle, this blog is for you!
What makes a toy educational?
If you browse a brick-and-mortar toy store or search an online shop for educational toys, you might be overwhelmed by the options. There are STEM sets, sensory boards, musical instruments, and a myriad of interactive electronics. As technology has changed, educational toys have become more and more sophisticated.
However, researchers say that sophistication doesn't always add up to educational value. Learning experts who study play say that toys designed for open-ended play are almost always the best option. These toys are effective because they encourage pretend play and help children discover how the world works on their own terms.
Toys for toddlers and preschoolers
A 10-year study led by researchers at Eastern Connecticut University found that simple is better when it comes to toys for toddlers and preschool-aged kids. Basic toys encourage young kids to explore their world in a way that is memorable and interesting. These five classic toys offer endless possibilities for imaginative play.
Building blocks
Do you want your kids to develop a basic grasp of physics while they're young? Bring out the wooden building blocks. These simple blocks help kids develop fine motor skills and explore how the physical world works.
Jumbo bricks
Preschoolers aren't quite old enough for traditional LEGOs, but there are plenty of jumbo-sized bricks in the toy aisle that offer them the same learning opportunities. Jumbo bricks are great for developing fine motor skills and encouraging creative expression.
Pretend shops and kitchens
Grocery store and kitchen playsets allow kids to exercise their imaginations while practicing real-world social skills. You can buy a premade playset or simply set up a 'shop' in your living room. These playsets are helpful for encouraging pretend play and can be used to teach kids about nutrition, household safety, and money.
Toys for elementary and middle schoolers
Kids between the ages of six and 12 have vivid imaginations, but they often lose interest in the pretend playsets that appeal to pre-k kids. Thankfully, there are still plenty of toys that give them opportunities for unstructured play and social learning. Online arts and crafts classes are also a great choice for this age group.
Big-kid building bricks
LEGOs and other interlocking building bricks are one of the most popular open-ended educational toys for this age group. It's okay if your kids want to make something other than what the set was 'intended' for. Let them be creative!
Outschool even has brick-building classes where students can show off their creations and learn new building techniques. Magnetic tiles are a popular alternative to bricks that offer the same creative advantages.
Jumbo-sized foam bricks
Your kids can create a play space that inspires creativity with their own jumbo-sized foam bricks and building pieces. Designed to make structures that kids can actually walk into — or walls to jump over—these bricks inspire hours of imaginative play.
Card games, board games, and video games
Games of all varieties help kids learn social skills. They're also a fun way to learn how to interpret and follow directions. Video games focused on creativity are especially popular with 21st-century learners.
If you're not sure how you feel about your kids playing video games by themselves, try out online Minecraft classes instead. Your kids will be able to explore imaginative worlds with the supervision of a caring teacher.
Toys for tweens, teens, and beyond
Researchers say that play is important for people of all ages, but it might be hard to convince tweens and teens to pick up toys marketed toward younger kids. Sophisticated building brick sets are a great choice for this age group, but the options don't stop there.
Interest-based science and STEM kits
Do your teens want to work in the tech or science worlds? Let them pick out STEM items like chemistry sets and robotics kits. These toys help tweens and teens build resilience while gaining real-world skills.
If you're not a tech person, you might feel out of your depth. Don't worry! You can sign your kids up for online STEM classes and robotics classes taught by subject experts.
Creator-centric video games
Video game designers are some of the most creative and technologically gifted people out there. You can encourage your game-loving teens to be creative by steering them towards design-oriented games. Common Sense Media has a great list of video games that help teach coding and design skills.
If your children are interested in video game design but aren't sure where to start, consider signing them up for online video game design classes.
Group games and challenge activities
Kids in this age group are refining the social and friendship skills that they'll use for the rest of their lives. Support them by providing plenty of opportunities to play games or do challenging activities like online escape rooms as a group.
Encourage educational play at home
One of the best things about educational play is that it lets you bond with your kids. It's true that unstructured play is vital, but take time to get creative with your kids, too. Have a brick-building contest, go shopping at their pretend grocery store, or try your hand at your teen's favorite video game. Let your kids lead the way—you'll show them that you're never too old to learn something new!
Signing your kids up for online classes is another great way to enable your kids to learn through play. Check out these game and activity classes for inspiration. We have tons of play-driven classes for learners of all levels here at Outschool.
