Best Educational Toys, Activities & More!

iQuest (LeapFrog) According to our tester, "the iQuest is great!"  Her mother loved that when her daughter is finished with her homework she wants to "play " with the iQuest. She also said that it is very easy for her daughter to navigate. She felt that the Math section is a great reinforcement for the skills that she needs help with and liked the fact that information is presented in such a way that she thinks it is a game -- constantly trying to get a better score. According to her mother, "if she had to do things over and over for school, she would view it as a chore.  However with the iQuest it's fun!"   Much of the information is in keeping with what she is learning at school. According to her mother "we absolutely love it and would definitely recommend it to others!" Ages 10 - 13, $59.99

Ginko Tree-To-Be (Potting Shed Creations, Ltd) I'll admit it, I'm a gardener, so to me there is nothing better than to give a live gift.  It's a lot less work than a pet and causes far less trouble!  If you give a kit like this one, your grandchild can do the whole thing, maintain it and then plant it in the garden.  Every time they look at it they will be reminded of their grandparent!  Now how cool is that?  Mind you not every grandchild will be thrilled about getting a plant, but if you get them interested in gardening early (not just raking leaves) then perhaps they'll be interested in it for the rest of their lives!  This kit includes everything you need to successfully start and grow a ginkgo tree. An aluminum tag is provided for a personalized inscription to be placed on the tree. $20.00

Polaroid One Instant Camera (Polaroid)  All kids seem to love Polaroid's.  Although there is the iZone for tweens, at $39.99 this camera is a blast.  It takes full size Polaroid pictures using their 600 film and is light and compact.  The pictures are clear and instant!  Our tween tester had a blast with this camera.  The only downside is the cost of the film at about $1.00 per picture it's not cheap.  You can however buy it in bulk at a discount from places like Costco and Amazon.

Mandala Mosaic (Quercetti and International Playthings) Mandala Mosaic consists of 85 magnetic mosaic tiles in 9 different shapes. The special shapes of these tiles allow the composition of beautiful and unique mosaics. Once assembled this toy/craft was wonderfully stimulating creatively, promoted great concentration, and had the potential to really relax the mind! Both adults and children (from 8 years) can be challenged by this creative toy. Whether you reproduce the 22 examples provided in the manual that comes with it, or invent original designs this toy can keep you busy and interested for hours. Our 8-year-old tester and her mother spent hours creating and playing with this awesome craft. The only complaint that they had was that it took about 45 minutes to glue the magnets onto each tile. If this toy came with magnets already assembled it would be near perfection! A great toy for the whole family! Ages 8 +, $24.99

Dread Pirate (Front Porch Classics) If you think Pirates of the Caribbean was big, wait until your grandchild gets a hold of this game!  It was already rated by FamilyFun magazine as the overall winner for children ages 10-12 in it's 2003 Toy of the Year Awards (T.O.Y.) and was the number four toy overall in this year’s list of top 10 toys of the year! The set is amazing to look at, before you even begin to play.  There is a treasure chest, map, "gold coins & jewels", the pieces are heavy metal ships, there are wooden die and more!  The game seems simple at first, collect every type of treasure and win, they there is the possibility of disasters such as mutiny! It's a strategic and inventive game! Ages 8+, $99.99  

River Crossing  (ThinkFun) This is a great brainteaser puzzle and is super challenging.  My father insisted he didn't see the point in this until he tried to play it.  There are forty cards ranging from beginner-to-expert.  Each card shows you where to place stumps and planks to start each game, and a magnet in our Hiker's feet makes planks move. Just try and find your way across! Ages 8 and up, $14.99. Other great games by ThinkFun include Railroad Rush Hour Game,  Safari Rush Hour Game and the simpler Rush Hour Junior for ages 6 and up. (Note: Keep this away from children under 3, who might put the small pieces in their mouths!) 

Old Century Baseball (Front Porch Classics) This game may look too good to be played with, but it's not!  Although its detailed in wood with tiny little flags it is very sturdy and really well made.  Just like in pinball there is a flipper, but this one is a bat and you try to score singles, doubles, triples and home runs for players.  This is a fun game that will have the family huddled around the coffee table well past the 7th inning stretch!