Christmas Gifts: Unique and Educational Toys for Kids

Whenever I have to purchase a gift for a child, I always try to find something unique and fun at the same time. I like to give a gift that I know they don't have and that will also expose the child to something they may not otherwise be exposed to. Here are a few suggestions for unique toys and gifts for children that will surely open them up to new and exciting worlds.

1. "Treasure Chest" with Foreign Coins. This year for Christmas, I am purchasing two of these unique treasure chests for my young cousins. They are available at seventhavenue.com for around $30 and include a wooden treasure chest filled with 100 authentic coins from all over the world. Some of the coins are no longer in circulation and some are historical currency. The chest even comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. This is surely a unique gift that will entice children young and old alike.

2. Eyeclops. For children too young for a microscope or even for those who aren't, the Eyeclops is a great toy to satisfy young curious minds. Available for about $60 at mindware.com, the Eyeclops magnifies anything in its viewer up to 200x and puts the image on your television screen via the A/V jack now conveniently placed on the front of most standard televisions. Children will enjoy searching for new things to explore with the Eyeclops, from bugs to hairs and anything else they can think of!

3. Discovery Rainbow in My Room. This amazing gadget found at shopping.discovery.com actually creates a real rainbow in your child's room. For about $30 this item will use LED light to create a real rainbow on any wall or ceiling. It even comes with a detailed instruction book full of facts about rainbows. Also available is the Moon in my Room found at shop.nationalgeographic.com. It's a light that hangs on the wall and looks just like the Moon. Also priced at $30, this Moon features a remote control, a timer setting and can be adjusted to depict any phase of the Moon.

4. Adopt an animal with the WWF. For a $50 donation to the World Wildlife Federation you can choose from over 80 endangered animals to adopt. The gift includes a soft plush version of the animal you choose to adopt, a photo, adoption certificate and more. The great thing about this gift is that your money goes to a good cause while teaching the child about endangered species.

In addition, the child may want to begin collecting the plush animals creating more opportunities for donation. If you are unsure of which animal the child might like, the WWF even offers a Gift Adoption card that is redeemed exactly like a standard store giftcard. This way the children can choose their own animal to adopt.

5. Fortamajig. This awesome product is simply a sheet of durable nylon with loop attachments to easily hang on chair corners, tree branches, anything! It creates tents and forts just like we used to do with sheets when we were kids only it stays in place better and has a mesh window, pockets and a door. For $70 at threewishesinperkasie.com it is sure to be a hit with young kids.

Thanks to the Internet, many more unique and educational gifts can be found for children. If these products don't interest you, check out the websites. They have tons of toys for children of all ages and interests. Happy shopping and remember, you can be creative in your purchases too!