What do you recommend for kids age 6 that are educational.
Educational Toys/Games for 6 Year Olds
ribenaboy on 19/01/2023 - 16:30
Comments
Yeah, nah
Any specific examples that wouldn't be?
@jv: Interesting classification.
TBH, the page loaded with:
- flutes
- coloured markers
- something called "Science Toy Newtonian Learning Non Fluid Experiment Classroom Teaching Prop"
- puzzle games
- DIY science toys
- Montessori puzzle
and on and on.
All look educational to me.
Off the top of my head, stuffed toys, stickers, a lot of game apps
@John Kimble: Thanks.
For stuffed toys, apparently, "From about five years old, games often reflect kids' preoccupation with new structures and people in their lives. Stuffed toys can become a whole class of students, the audience for a puppet show, or a gang of pirates. At the same time, kids may be strongly attached to these toys, still sleeping with them and possibly creating new clothes or constructing items to expand on earlier games." Life skill enhancement?For stickers, at the very worse kids might learn that some won't come off some materials.
I imagine that game apps probably promote some level of critical thinking, technology use, etc.
@GG57: Almost anything in a birthday party goody/favour bag?!
Usually cheap plastic toys for landfill.
Xbox Series X 1TB
GTA
Any specific skill you're wanting to improve?
Otherwise Id start with age appropriate board games which will teach skills such as turn taking, reciprocity, literacy, numeracy (especially probability) and expand the imagination.
Junior Monopoly fits the bill
check amazon for thinkfun games.
I enjoy katamino with my 6 year old.
There's solo activities and dual activities.
Ipad
Some of the things we have for our kids (younger and similar age):
- Loose parts - e.g. short bamboo ladder picked up; they leaned against tree and built tree house; pulley; ropes - they attached buckets to and pull up groceries for their house
- Bulk Lego - they use their imagination to build whatever takes their fancy at the time - houses, towers, volcanoes, soccer pitch
- Bulk Lego I build actual Lego models with them - great for young one to learn to count - that's a 2x10 tile, etc, pattern recognition, mechanics - our next project is to build a tower crane using Technic pieces - young one knows we need this for structural integrity
- Lots of free/near free different types of toys - marble runs, gears, e.g. a Discoveroo construction set they build animals with the instruction cards, but then built a tower crane, attached cable and then determined they needed a counterweght for balance; Laser Maze - what are the functions of these pieces, etc.
- Variety of Smart Games, many too difficult at this stage
- Tangrams - as I work through a book of puzzles every now and then, they have a go, sometimes omitting a piece, etc.
- Heaps of books, especially given older one is very early reader & speed reader
- Cuisenaire rods, Base 10, Fractional Formula, abacus, cards, to learn numbers
- Scrabble and related for vocabulary building
- Also we are starting to introduce them to more advanced games with the adults playing and the kids part of the team: chess, Blokus, etc. E.g. the little one amazed me with his strategic understanding of a move and then proceeded to throw a tantrum when I declined his suggestion for the next move and explained why.
- Wife likes to do craft and chemistry type science experiments with the kids
- I like to do construction, mechanics, electronics, physics experiments and puzzles with the kids
- Think about thinking/learning vs tutoring/rote memory - a lot of the thinking and learning is in understanding and then mastering a new game/puzzle well vs playing it over and over again - e.g. Monopoly.
I would have thought that almost any toys or games aimed at 6y.o. children would be educational in some way or another.