2010 Best Gifts for Six-Year-Olds

Six-year-olds are a fun groups to buy for. Six-year-olds have new reading, math and fine motor skills that make them better able to follow directions and try out new toys. These first-graders have a little more patience than when they were in preschool so they can participate in more long-term projects like butterflies and plants. They also have plenty of curiosity and energy so fun outdoor toys are great ideas for six-year-olds too. Whether you're looking for the perfect Christmas gifts or unique birthday gifts, this gift guide for six-year-olds offers excellent suggestions.

Hands On Activities

Strange Plant Collection: The Terrifyingly Terrific Terrarium

Six year olds love to grow things and what could be cooler than to have your own germination dome that grows "freaky flora." There are carnivorous plants that eat flies and insects along with blooms that look like brains, eyeballs and more.

The Strange Plant Collection comes with dome, stickers, seeds stakes, decorative gravel, germination mix and instructions for $24.95.

The Strange Plant Collection is:

*new for 2010

*educational

*available from Mindware.com

Insect Lore Butterfly Garden Kits

These butterfly habitats come with a certificate for kids to order there very own caterpillars and watch them turn into butterflies. This has been Mom tested with great results- in each family kids have released healthy butterflies.

Tip: Do not order your caterpillars until your weather is consistently at least 55 degrees.

There are actually two sizes available.

The first is called the Butterfly Garden. It's just a bit bigger than a small trashcan. It comes with a certificate for 3 to 5 caterpillars for $19.95.

The larger butterfly kit is called the Butterfly Pavilion. It's about the size of a hamper. It comes with a certificate for 6 to 10 caterpillars for $29.95.

These butterfly kits also include a guide and an eyedropper for feeding.

Insect Lore Butterfly Garden Kits are:

*great family gifts that kids can enjoy together

*great teaching toys

*reusable

* award winners; 2004 Teachers' Choice Awards, Opepenheim Best Toy Award

*available at Amazon.com or Toys R Us

Outdoor Toys

The SeaScope

The SeaScope is a great gift for the six year old that has everything. With the SeaScope kids can look underwater in ponds, creeks or even mud puddles to see what they can see. It has a light and a 4x telescope to reveal what's under the water.

In addition to a light and a telescope lens, The SeaScope also a built-in ruler for measuring specimens and a outdoor and underwater thermometer for $29.95. The SeaScope needs two AA batteries.

The SeaScope is:

*encouraging outdoor exploration

*educational

*available from MindWare.com

*new for 2010

DipStix Giant Bubble Maker

Kids love bubbles but six year olds really love HUGE bubbles. DipStix bubble kits have created world record bubbles. Kids can blow several bubbles with each dip too.

The bubble kit includes the magic wand with a super absorbent cotton wick, bubble solution made for bigger, more colorful and longer lasting bubbles and a zip lock to go for around $12.00. A refill pack with 5 four-ounce packs of bubble mix is $10.00.

DipStix Giant Bubble Maker:

*has been seen on the NBC Today Show

*is available from ExtremeBubbles.com

*won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award

Sources:
Amazon.com
Extremebubbles.com
Mindware.com