We used the following to build our child's STEM development and the family's healthy living. We hope they serve you well as we raise our children to the best of their ability. More to come!
Benefits: Soft, squeezable pillow provides an impressionistic look at the "big picture." Printed with over 600 countries, continents, seas, and more. Cotton shell Filled with all new materials is machine washable.
My Story: A great way to introduce geography and geology. Teach little kids where we are and where other people are. Use it as a pillow or toss and catch like a ball game to make it fun. The velcro opening is great to explain the geology and how the earth is made. My parents and I always had a globe in the house, and we often referred to find new places and understand time, climates, weather, and colors. This one is very portable compared to the traditional globes. Received Oppenheim Toy Portfolio and Parents' Choice awards. Use books and stories to explain.
Warning: None.
Benefits: Instead of getting simple teethers, this will help the child's imagination and mortar skills be active. The dynamic web of rods, balls, and beads suspended on a strong elastic cord fascinate babies; the open design makes it easy for little fingers to manipulate the piece and keep a grip on the line.
My Story: It is a ball and rattle, pops back into shape no matter how you squeeze it. It has replenishable rubberwood with a non-toxic, water-based finish that won the Parents' Choice Award. 5½" dia makes it a great on-the-go or in-house toy to occupy the child—a great gift item.
Warning: None.
Benefits: Count, sequence, stack, balance, build, creative thinking, spatial reasoning, and motor skills. Each side has beautifully illustrated blocks with different themes: counting/numbers, animals, animal babies, and a tree that grows as the blocks are stacked and aligned. As the child gets older, the understanding of the images will grow.
My Story: Our daughter had one at school and one at home. She loved building and knocking it down, then building it again. Kids this age love repetition, and this one will occupy them for a long time. Cubes range from 1½"–5¼" nest nicely into a storage box is easy to take on vacation. Great way to learn the numbers with visuals vs. literals so the kids can understand what the number means.
Warning: None.
Benefits: Hypnotic flip-flopping racers appeal to ears, hands, and eyes. Well-made wood is safe for young children. These cars zip and flip down the ramps over and over again, keeping them curious. Gives them a sense of gravity. The eco-friendly toy is finished with watercolor-based paints. For every tree used, the manufacturer plants three more.
My Story: I got it due to Dad's car fantasy. But the daughter loved it the most. Simplified the racing, and she was figuring out how it was working. It is well made. I still have it for other kids to play with. A great time to introduce the concept of gravity and speed.
Warning: None.
My Story: Builds curiosity and occupies all day.
My Story: My husband is an automotive engineer, and my father was a civil engineer. My daughter and I learned to do everything around the house through them. Although we now hire some help, we can do most household fixer-uppers. My daughter now helps out in putting together electronics from the boxes. Watching others and doing it yourself helps eliminate the fears of doing more complex tasks. Encourage adults to get kids involved in handy work as much as possible.
My Story: The sky is accessible to everyone. Kids get fascinated by the stars. Why not teach them. Our responsibility is to teach the findings of science and the infinite universe. My father was fascinated by Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who predicted space and technology advancements before they happened. We lived close to Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Science Education, and we used to visit to see his student's work and watch every talk he gave. It was fun to watch my cousins work who studied there. Space science has enabled many technologies and satellites to do things faster and connect with more people on earth and out of the earth. It has advanced beliefs, science, and technology. I was surprised when my daughter knew more details of the solar system at age three than I can recall.
My Story: Children are curious and have many questions at this age. These books provide many answers. When they see these activities in real life, explain them further. My father and husband both fixed machines and vehicles; we were exposed to many of these activities. My father took us to construction sites since he worked there. Watching the equipment and what they do makes the understanding deeper, resulting in new challenges achievable during the day-to-day, academic, and professional settings. Get the kids involved in fixing and exploring the equipment as much as possible.
My Story: A walk around the world, and the kids will not stop playing it. It is very entertaining and learning for adults as we explain the countries the faces came from. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award.
My Story: My daughter imitated me when I was busy in the kitchen. As she got comfortable, I got her involved in the actual food-making process. #1 parent recommended for creativity and learning. Doctors recommended that inspire hands-on imaginative thinking.
Benefits: Children can create endless designs and patterns with this 200+ piece set. They can bend, twist, thread, weave, and lace the various components together, making something new every time, all while developing fine motor skills. Spark creativity and celebrate the process of making art. This kit is a great collaborative activity.
My Story: My daughter and her friends can spend an entire day on it. Once, she did an activity for school through a role-play on making puppets with these. She still has it after playing with it countless times. The best gift she got. Can create architectural designs.
Warning: Don’t let the little kids put the pieces in the mouth—clean up after playing.
Age: 3 years and up. Begin when motor skills start to develop.
Benefits: (Physical, Mental, and Psychological): Improves fine motor skills, manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, cognitive performance, develops patience, social and communication skills, responsive learning, sensory learning, and non-verbal reasoning. Relieves stress, aids in family/community bonding, develops precision, develops structural awareness, passes the time, can be played anytime anywhere, educational enrichment, and fun.
My Story: We got to know our daughter on a different level and her unique creativity to replicate monuments and develop innovative structures. Color blocks are great for sorting designs and when needed to split with others. We used it to make structures as well.
Warning: Don’t let the little kids put the colored wood in the mouth.
When you are ready to begin, go online to redeem your voucher for five live caterpillar larvae (requires an additional $7.95 shipping fee). Please note the butterfly larvae cannot be shipped outside the continental U.S.A. and Alaska.
My Story: Our daughter sees the entire lifecycle of these butterflies in our backyard. The kit was helpful to explain as a fun activity—an introduction to the circle of life and biology. Keep the kids' minds intrigued and help them understand how the biology of everyday things work. Explain further through books. Winner of Parents' Choice Award and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award
Age: 7 years and up. Feel free to introduce early if the kids are interested.
Benefits: Fun and easy sequencing card game. Players use skill and strategy to create sequential stacks of cards. Enhances math and critical thinking skills.
How to play: The players in the game look to discard all the cards in their stack as quickly as possible. The first player to do so wins the game. Skip-Bo card is a wild card that can be played to start a building pile or any other number.
My Story: The bright colors are attractive to the younger kids. Our daughter was introduced at age seven and would not stop playing. I wish I had introduced this to her earlier. We taught her the strategy tricks from the adults who win—team up to make the kids win, so they feel empowered. Kept the little kids next to the game, so they enjoy and learn at their pace. Excellent family game to teach kids how to gracefully lose and try again until they win. We also use it when traveling. Added by the request of our daughter.
Warning: We did not play the online version to limit the screen time.
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