Educational Gifts for Toddlers
So you want to give your favorite toddler a gift that not only entertains but educates as well but you don't know where to start? One thing to keep in mind is that educational gifts need not be limited to physical objects.
The better you know the family you are buying gifts for, the easier it is to tailor your gift to the individual toddler. Keep in mind, if the parents don't allow their child to watch TV or videos, it's inappropriate to give those as a gift. If the child already has so many toys that the parents complain they don't have room for them all, a better gift might be a gift certificate to a class of some kind or a trip to a children' museum.
For instance, a gift certificate to a few sessions of a preschool oriented music class can be incredibly beneficial and fun for parent and child alike. Studies have shown that classes such as Kindermusik help children to learn better and to excel in areas such as mathematics later in life.
As the mother of a two year old, I would to receive this as a gift, but I would advise gift givers to check with parents first to make sure they have the time to attend classes. Local classes can be found on the Kindermusik website at http://www.kindermusik.com/
Another educational option is to buy a gift certificate to classes at a gym for preschoolers. Most areas have childhood gyms that cater to kids from four months of age to five years old. They help to develop self esteem, balance, coordination, and help with learning and concentration as well. Classes are usually an opportunity for parent and child to bond and spend enjoyable quality time together as well.
If you want to buy a physical gift, I feel that there are two kinds of gifts to consider: The electronic and the simple old fashioned gifts. I believe that my daughter has benefited from both types of toys and that it's important that children be exposed to both.
The best technological educational toys she has received have been made by Leapfrog. Her favorite toy of all is the Leapfrog Phonics Bus. This toy is three toys in one. It is a bus that can be pushed around, it has letters of the alphabet on the side that the child pushes to hear what sound each letter makes, and it comes with three frog figures that can be put in the bus to start different songs playing. She sits for long periods of time (Ok, long for her) pushing the buttons and listening to the noises that each letter makes.She's only two, and she already can name the sounds that letters make when she sees them on signs or people's shirts!
Learning tables are also a great way to go. There are lots of learning tables out there, but I did research and asked other moms and found that again, Leap Frog had the best one. The musical sounds it plays are real recordings of real instruments instead of the synthesized sounds most toys play. It has two modes: one for music and one for learning the alphabet, shapes and numbers. It has lights that light up, and a banjo that plays over forty different songs. She really loves it, and I am able to get things done for five minutes while she plays with it.
In terms of simple non-electronic toys, I think that puzzles are a great way to go. Simple wooden block puzzles with handles on the pieces are always a hit with toddlers, and help them to develop spacial relation skills and to learn the names of the pictures on the puzzles.
Another hit with my daughter and the kids I see playing at our library are wire-bead toys. Some are small and just have a series of wires with beads that be moved up and down the wires, and some are more complicated. We have one that is on top of a wooden box, where each side has a different activity for the child to play and learn with. She seems to like that one the best, and it's helping her to learn shapes and colors in addition to spacial relationships.
If you are buying for a toddler who's parents allow them to watch videos, in my opinion as a parent, the best two educational shows out there are Sesame Street and Between the Lions. My daughter has been entranced by the little known show Between the Lions since she was a baby. Hardly a minute goes by on this show without letters or words on the screen. The puppets are adorable, and it teaches kids phonics and a love of reading and libraries. If you can find a collection of the episodes on DVD, it would make a great gift.
And everyone knows Sesame Street! There is a wide variety of Sesame Street DVD's out there, including episodes from the premier of the show in the 70's. They also have separate Elmo videos which have been a huge hit with my daughter. We take Elmo DVDs with us on long car trips and it keeps her entertained for hours!
Hopefully whatever you choose, the toddler you give it to will love it, but don't be disappointed if the child likes the wrapping paper and the box more than the gift at first. Sometimes it takes them a while to get involved in toys. Just because they don't start playing with it right away doesn't mean that it won't become one of their favorite toys in a few days.
