Having fun with your kids at home may also mean that sometimes you need to play with their toys.
In the past year I have learned more about Transformers and Star Wars than I ever did in my childhood. I still do not find the toys as fascinating as my husband does, but I do find the role playing and scenarios my children make up captivating. I am always looking for toys that are educational or can teach my children valuable skills.
Christmas is just around the corner and like most young children my boys’ wish lists consist of 90% toys and 10% other stuff. While I am guilty of always doing my Christmas shopping at the last minute (try December 23rd), I usually have good intentions and start thinking about gift ideas early.
These are some of the things I think are great gift ideas and while they are educational, your child will still love playing with them. You may also enjoy these toys with your child as they are fun for any age.
LEGO
LEGO is the classic toy for building things. You can find LEGO for all ages from infants (LEGO Duplo) all the way up to adulthood (I know my husband still plays with his). While the basic blocks are great for teaching children numerous skills, like creative problem solving, concentration, designing, planning, organization, and independent thinking, there are many other LEGO products available that are also educational.
Recently, LEGO has redesigned their LEGO board games collection. All parts of the games are LEGO pieces that can be altered to change the game. It is an interesting concept and one I think I would like to try with my kids.
My boys’ latest craze is Star Wars LEGO (just like dad). They have already planned out their wish list to optimize the pieces they get so they can build all the Star Wars scenarios they want to role play. It’s serious business in this household!
Leapster and Didj
With the whole craze over handheld games I decided to try out the Leapfrog Leapster with the boys and was pleasantly surprised. It is a small handheld gaming device, which has numerous different games you can play.
The games are all educational and involve math, reading, language, number recognition, etc. The games are all based on movies and cartoons that the kids will enjoy, like Dora and Diego, Sponge Bob SquarePants, Star Wars, Wall-E, and many more. The child is not able to advance from level to level or win points without answering or solving a question related to the areas I mentioned earlier.
The boys enjoyed the Leapsters. In the beginning they played with them daily. They’re interest in them has since calmed down a bit and been replaced with LEGO, but on long car drives and trips, it’s a great toy to bring along.
Webkinz
Webkinz are little plush toys that look like animals and become a child’s virtual pet. The unique thing about Webkinz is the tag they come with which has a secret code that can be used online for children to join the Webkinz World with their virtual pet. In this online world, kids take care of their pet by feeding them, brushing their teeth, bathing them, grooming them, and many other daily activities. The Webkinz World includes educational games online.
Now that you have a few ideas I hope you enjoy starting your Christmas shopping. Be better than me, and get out there soon. It’s nice to be able to sit back and relax with a cup of tea the day before Christmas and not have to rush to the store or do any last minute wrapping.
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