Educational toys are so important!  Do you remember the Little Professor Calculator? I sure do! I remember I was in Kindergarten when my dad took me to a garage sale. I saw this yellow machine with a sticker on the front that looked like a man’s face. I picked the first level of addition and was thrilled to figure out most of the problems. I even remember  that when I got it wrong it showed an EEE then the correct answer.

It was an exciting piece of technology for me as a child. I could teach myself and get an instant reward.

Educational games might be fancier, and noisier, these days but they are no less useful in helping your child learn. I know there is some debate about what games are useful and which aren’t. There is also argument about how much is too much, but I see educational games as one tool I can use to make learning fun for my kids.

When my girls were little, maybe 4 or 5, they got a Disney game for Christmas. The tree had ten apples [the buttons] and in the middle was an LED screen with Winnie the Pooh’s face. When the child pushed a button pooh would disappear and his voice said the name of that number. My kids played with it for hours. Discovering and naming numbers was fun for them. The game made car rides more enjoyable for them as well.

I encourage parents to not be afraid to use educational games as an addition to their homeschool. A child who is easily distracted may find the affirmation the music or game voice provides as something motivating. I also believe there is real value in using a variety of different tools to teach each skill. I used Baby Einstein to teach my young children about Art and Music. Then when they were in elementary we ‘rediscovered’ these classics they’d known as a child. Rather than music appreciation being drudgery, they were excited to learn more about the songs they heard as a child.

Additional Resources we found for you.

Kapla Toys provides games that can assist children in strategic thinking, spatial reasoning, geometry and concentration. This includes a set of blocks that allow children to experiment with building the blocks in different ways.
Lego Education provides a combination of imagination with toys for learning. This includes an educational center that helps children to learn about spatial relationships, geometry and provides them with Legos to begin building their imagination through structures and mathematical concepts.
Frik-n-Frak's Curio Shack offers an easy, fast and safe way to shop for fine quality Wooden Puzzles, Tavern Puzzles, Brain Teasers, Family Games, Mechanical Puzzles, Educational Toys, Secret Puzzle Boxes and a ever growing variety of intriguing novelties, collectibles, wood and iron gifts and interesting products that will entertain and delight anyone of any age!
Brainathonemporium of books, software, manipulatives, classroom supplies, games, kits, and programs that will empower your children to be successful in academics and in LIFE!
S&S Worldwide has an extensive online selection of over 12,000 products for arts and crafts, physical education equipment, party supplies and holiday decorations, Christian themed crafts and activities, early childhood toys and games, educational supplies and more.
Fisher Scientific is an Online Science Source which covers Scientific research, laboratory testing and life science research with the latest equipment and instrumentation on Life Science, Research and Analytical, Safety, First Responder, HealthCare, and all Science Education for elementary, secondary and college classrooms.

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