Educational Gifts to Inspire Creativity in Children Aged Eight to Twelve

Do you want to make a lasting difference in the lives of the children on your gift list? Why not consider giving an educational gift this holiday season? Turn their playtime into learning time.

This article identifies five gifts that will teach and inspire the youngsters who receive it. The article also provides information on where each gift may be purchased, and approximate cost information.

Lego® MindstormsTM NXT

Many have called this the best educational toy you can get a child. The set includes the NXT Intelligent Brick and LEGO TECHNIC® elements that your child will use to construct a robot. The NXT Intelligent Brick is a microprocessor that becomes the "brain" of the robot your child will create. The LEGO TECHNIC® elements include ultrasonic sound, light, and touch sensors that will allow the robot to respond to commands. The set does require that your child have access to a computer with Windows or MacIntosh operating system. Complete system requirements can be found here. The toy has won the 2006 Global Toy Innovation Award from the International Toy Fair The recommended ages for this toy are ten and up. Committee. I found it at Sears (www.sears.com/toys) for $249.99, or you can order it directly from LEGO (www.LEGO.com).

FLY Pentop Computer

This toy is the brainchild of the educational toy company, Leapfrog. This is an extra-wide ballpoint pen with a computer and speaker inside. The pen can correct a student as they do their math, be used to create music, or to play games. It does require a special type of writing paper to work properly. There are many accessories for this toy, and no doubt your child will want a few of those. Accessories include software packages, paper refills, face plates, backpacks, cases and more. Software available includes Math, Spelling, Spanish, or Games as well as journaling software. The recommended ages for this toy are nine and up. I found the Pentop Computer itself for $99.99 at Sears or at FLY Pentop site (http://flypentop.com). Software prices begin at about $5.00 for an expansion pack to about $35.00 for FLY Through™ Algebra.

Party Manners Planner Kit

Do you think that today's children don't understand proper etiquette? Do you want to reverse the trend? The Party Manners Planner Kit from HEARTHSONG is designed to do just that. Kids plan a party and practice using proper etiquette throughout the process. The child will learn how to properly introduce people, how to host an event, and the importance of saying thank-you. The recommended ages for this toy are eight and up. This toy is available for $19.95 through HEARTHSONG (www.hearthsong.com).

Improve Their Geography

A number of recent articles have bemoaned the fact that today's students have trouble with geography. A hands-on globe puzzle just may be the answer. As the child pieces together one of these accurate globes, they are actually learning the fundamentals of geography, piece by piece. Who can forget where Peru is once they've placed it on the puzzle? These toys are generally recommended for ages eight and up. I found several puzzle globes: $39.95 at HEARTHSONG (www.hearthsong.com), $19.90 at the Exploratorium Store (www.exploratoriumstore.com), and $21.99 at Amazon.com (www.amazon.com).

Character Dolls from American Girl

Each historical doll comes with an accompanying historical fiction book. (More books are available for an additional cost or may be checked out of most public libraries.) These dolls are designed to encourage a love of both reading and American history in young girls. Time periods currently represented include: 1760's (Kaya), 1770's (Felicity, Elizabeth), 1820's (Josefina), 1850's (Kirsten), 1860's (Addy), 1900's (Samantha, Nellie), 1930's (Kit), and 1940's (Molly, Emily). Many, many accessories are available for these dolls including clothing and doll-sized reproductions of antique furniture. The dolls are recommended for children ages eight and up. The cost of each doll and accompanying book is about $87.00 from the American Girl website (www.americangirl.com). An option to buying the individual dolls is to buy a complete set of the mini-dolls (6 ½ inches vs. 18 inches) and mini-books for $199.00.

Conclusion

Choosing an educational toy this holiday season provides the child on your list with benefits that last for years to come.