Looking for toys that inspire learning as much as they inspire fun? Toy Insider Mom Laurie Schacht stopped by HLN to talk about the best toys that also teach. For more on the products featured in this segment, check out the items below, and for a full rundown of the best toys of the year, check out our complete holiday toy guide.
Crayola 3-in-1 Double Easel with Magnetic Letters (Grow’n Up Kids)
- Children will have endless hours of creative fun with the Crayola 3-in-1 Double Easel with Magnetic Letters.
- Sized just right for kids, it helps young artists discover their budding talents. This 3-in-1 easel gives children large surfaces that are easy to draw on, to create unique, original works of art.
- One side features a dry-erase board and the other side is a chalkboard. This Crayola 3-in-1 Double Easel with Magnetic Letters encourages boundless creativity.
- Each side comes with a clip to keep their paper in place. It also features a spacious storage tray conveniently housed between both easels for easy access no matter what side they use. It’s ideal for paints, markers, crayons, chalk, pencils, an eraser and other supplies. When not in use, it folds up for compact storage.
- The 3-in-1 easel set comes with 77 colorful magnetic letters and numbers, 12 pieces of colored Crayola chalk and one green Crayola eraser.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $39.99
- Cyber Monday Deal: Walmart.com
CogniToys Dino (Elemental Path)
- CogniToys are internet-connected smart toy Dinosaurs that are changing the way kids learn and play.
- The Dinosaurs are smart devices in toy form, tailored just for kids to provide an educational and entertaining experience without the need for a screen.
- Powered by Elemental Path’s “Friendgine” and IBM’s Watson technologies, CogniToys respond to thousands of questions across multiple topics with age appropriate answers.
- Additionally, the Dinos explore educational subjects like spelling, geography and math through games and stories designed to challenge kids’ problem-solving abilities.
- While other tech toys rely on pre-programmed responses, CogniToys listen to kids’ questions and adapt to their interests, creating a unique opportunity for interactive learning.
- The cute and curious 7-inch Dinos are Wi-Fi-enabled and Cloud-based and update regularly as new content becomes available.
- The toy explores favorite colors, animals, and more to customize engagement as well. Each toy comes with access to the CogniToys Parent Panel, a platform that provides analytics on a child’s progress across content modules for parents to review.
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: $99.99
- Cyber Monday Deal: 20% off on CogniToys.com and Amazon.
Barbie STEM Kit (Thames & Kosmos)
- Thames & Kosmos partners with Mattel for a science kit featuring Barbie and Nikki.
- This project kit includes plastic building pieces and science experiment materials, as well as a Barbie or Nikki doll, to create a complete experience based on the concept “You Dream It… You Make It!”
- Kids will build a washing machine, rotating closet, and more, all compatible with the Barbie Dreamhouse. Plus, design fashions for Barbie to wear.
- Learn about chromatics, engineering, and more.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $29.95
- Available: Target, Amazon
