Some things never change, and you may be surprised to find that the same things that intrigued you as a child are interesting for today’s children as well. Science toys, while sometimes not on the top of our gift lists, are educational and fun, and may prove to be the best buy of the season.
1. Nothing is as fascinating as the universe, the stars, the moon, and constellations. Today, telescopes come in all styles and sizes for every age group, so that your child can be an astronomer all on their own. Not only is this fun, it will encourage them to investigate some of what they are seeing, and probably lead them to identify many heavenly bodies.
2. Once your child become acquainted with the heavens, you can give them a planetarium right in their own room, with a projector, that projects the heavens on their ceiling.
3. The opposite attraction for kids, when not looking at the vastness of the universe, is investigating anything small. What better way to do this than through a microscope. These come in varieties that are less complicated than the adult version, and give children the opportunity to view the unseen world.
4. Since the beginning of the age of electricity and electronics, older kids have wanted to create electricity, or make their own radio. Kits are available to create everything and anything. Not only will they be able to create something, they learn how electricity is made, or about the workings of radio signals. In fact, these kits for older children have evolved so that they will be designing actual working models.
5. Chemistry sets have been around for a long time, but these too have become more and more complex. For the older child, the idea that you can do science experiments in your own kitchen is fascinating.
6. For the much older child, working model kits, such as planes, vehicles, and boats that will actually operate, are a lesson in the mechanics of propulsion.
7. A potato clock is an experiment in producing your very own power using a vegetable. When complete, it will produce enough power to operate the clock.
8. Give your child the experience of watching things grow with their very own seed starter set and mini greenhouse. Kids love to plant and watch the progress of their favorite plants or vegetables.
With a little luck, your child will find science and educational toys as interesting as video games. Maybe even more so.
