These educational toys for children can take some of the pressure off of homeschooling!
Check out this list of educational toys for children – and let me know which ones you already own or would add to the list!
I’ll admit it: I’ve been feeling burned out with homeschool lately. Homeschooling burnout is real – and it happens to most homeschooling moms.
This isn’t to scare you, rather it’s helpful to know that you are normal, and there are things you can do about it!
When homeschool burnout sets in, I know it’s time to take a short break from science or history (or both!) and schedule some fun time with my kids.
But I don’t want it to be just fun – I always feel better if I know they’re learning something too.
This is when I tend to turn to our collection of educational toys for children, as well our educational games for kids too.
(And if homeschool burnout is anywhere on your radar – check out this article here about how to avoid it!)
Free Resource Library
In addition to this list of educational toys and games for kids to help you with homeschool, there’s also a great Free Resource Library here at the Reluctant Homeschool Mama to make homeschooling easier!
You’ll find everything from book report and field trip forms, to curriculum reports, and more. Click right here or on the image below to get access!
Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that I may make a small commission if you click through or purchase at no cost to you. For more information, click here.
Okay, now onto the list of the best educational toys for children!
These are the toys and games you’ll want to have on hand when you need to take an extra afternoon off from homeschool (and keep your kids learning).
Please note, each of the items listed below are things we’ve actually owned and feel really comfortable recommending to you and your family.
Educational Toys for Children
Picasso Tiles
These awesome magnetic tiles are suitable for ages three and up, but at our house it’s not unusual for my older kids to help with the building projects also.
Teaching colors, shapes, angles, construction, and so much more these tiles are great to pull out when you study magnetism too!
Melissa & Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle
This 48-piece floor puzzle is great for young elementary ages with an interest in all things outer space.
The fully built dimensions of 2 feet by 3 feet make this puzzle extra special.
Marble Genius Marble Run
A marble run is always a great way to teach advanced physics concepts in an easily understandable way.
This set is particularly cool because it comes with several see-through pieces and twelve different action pieces. On those afternoons when you need a break and you want your kids to be occupied and learning all at once – give this cool educational toy a try!
Snap Circuits Electronic Exploration Kit
This incredible kit is a fantastic toy for any of your STEM-loving kiddos! With 60 pieces and an awesome manual with over 300 projects, your kids can have fun and learning combined for hours on end.
If you have kids under the age of eight, check out the Snap Circuits Jr too!
LEGO Chain Reactions Kit
LEGO Chain Reactions is another great STEM toy for your kids! The instructions are easy to follow and having all the pieces that you need in one designated place make this a fun way to spend a couple hours!
(Because you know if you needed to find all the pieces from your current LEGO bin, it would literally take all day, right!?!)
World GeoPuzzle
This isn’t your average puzzle, I promise! GeoPuzzles are super sturdy and well-made – we’ve had ours for almost ten years!
Many of the countries are their own unique piece, which helps kids learn the country’s shape and geography in a very detailed way.
The other versions of GeoPuzzles feature:
They are also well worth adding to your collection of educational toys for children too (or you can always buy the set of all six here and save some money!)!
Laser Maze Logic Game
Okay, so this has always been more of a toy than a game at our house because only one person uses it at a time – but it’s a great time for the person playing with it!
Using mirrors to reflect the laser and complete different challenge cards, kids are able to test and grow their logic skills.
Perplexus 3D Maze
This 3D maze game is a unique visual learning experience that kids really enjoy!
Teaching educational concepts like spatial awareness, reasoning, and cause and effect, this toy is a long-lasting favorite in our home.
Educational Games for Kids
Zingo Word Builder
Perfect for early spellers from kindergarten to 2nd grade, this game is a favorite! With the easy to use Zinger that kids love, this game teaching spelling patterns and word recognition.
There are several other awesome versions of Zingo to collect, including:
- Zingo 1-2-3 Number Bingo, which teaches numbers and counting
- Zingo Sight Words, for helping new readers learn essential sight words
- and Zingo Classic, which helps kids pair words and pictures to increase reading ability
Sequence: Letters
This game is ideal for pre-emergent and beginning readers who are learning their letter sounds!
Played in the format of traditional Sequence, kids playing this are likely to forget that their practice their letters at the same time.
Qwirkle Board Game
One of the best things about Qwirkle is that it’s very simple to explain and can be played by kids of all ages!
This game teaches basic skills such as color and shape recognition, as well as spatial awareness and planning.
To increase the functionality of this game, grab the bonus pack with a scoring pad and tile racks right here.
SET: The Family Game of Visual Perception
This is another fantastic game for kids and adults that teaches visual recognition of patterns, shapes, and colors.
A winner of over 35 best game awards, this game is easy to learn and takes lots of practice to master.
Plus, it takes up only a little storage space and can be played in small increments of time.
Quiddler Word Game
Created by the makers of SET, Quiddler is an awesome game for teaching both spelling and vocabulary.
Best for second grade and up, this game can have up to eight players, so no one has to be left out.
You can also add the Quiddler Short Word Dictionary to help you increase your short word score in a hurry!
Blokus
If you have any Tetris lovers at your house, Blokus is a great, screen-free alternative!
Requiring lots of focused thinking, planning, and spatial awareness, this simple strategy game can be played by almost all ages.
To help younger kids learn the game and develop some great strategies, check out Blokus Junior too!
Tenzi Dice Game Bundle
This rapid style dice game is a lot of fast-paced fun for the entire family!
It is perfect for helping kids become highly confident in number recognition, patterns, and more.
One small recommendation: Keep the dice all together and use them ONLY for Tenzi – otherwise they’ll scatter faster than your kids at the local park!
Final thoughts on educational toys for children that actually help with homeschool:
Remember, it’s okay to take a break from your curriculum from time to time.
In fact, I highly recommend it to prevent you and your kids from falling into homeschool burnout!
With a few of these fun educational toys and games for kids on hand, you’ll have some great alternatives to your regular curriculum when you need them!
Related articles about homeschool help:
–How to Create an Amazing Personalized Homeschool Mom Daily Schedule
–How to Easily Create an Amazing Homeschool Calendar for Next Year
–Dealing with Homeschool Burnout? You Need These 7 Great Tips!
Do you own any of these great educational toys for children?
