Toy recomendations for young Scientists, Engineers, and aspiring geeks

[Ben]

Hi All,

Olivia is just passing 9 months and it is time for me to start spoiling her. I see a future scientist in her so I would like to learn from the rest of you about toys that you recomend for their educational quality or their ability to keep the kid interested.

I'd like to start by asking Darin,

I am concidering getting one of those activty tables Julia is sitting behind in that picture you posted of her.

 

Do you recomend it?

To All,

Please feel free to tell me about other widgets errr toys that are good. Please try to mention what age the toys are good for.

Trying to be a good Grandpa,

Ben

[Darin.K]

First of all, what she finds more interesting than the table in that picture is not exactly a ringing endorsement.   Aside from that, that table is one of those items that spends about a month as the greatest toy ever invented followed by several months as a stumbling block.  My daughter would use it as intended until the first time she saw me change the batteries.  From then on, she started flipping the thing over and wanting to play with my screwdriver and the batteries.  At the cruising stage, however, it was a big hit.

She has future engineer potential (), she has always been interested in books (first word), tools, phones, remotes, batteries and computers.  She does not fall for the fake toy imitations either.  She loved my cellphone, figured out how to flip it open and turn it on and call people.  When I replaced it and gave it to her to play with, she was bored in about 30 seconds when she figured out it no longer turned on.  

I recommend:  a cheapo calculator with big buttons (keeps her away from my 11C), the most realistic looking fake tools you can find,  a set of fake Dr. instruments (she really liked them), books and more books.  More will probably come to mind.

[Intaris]

Hi Ben,

as the father of a 1-year old the thing which caught my eye is the foam ring around the base of your (Darin's?) television.... Self-made or bought?  I tried something like that with my first child but it never stayed on.....  Giving me some ideas for home.

Regarding toys my one-year old loves Laptops.  This is, as Darin pointed out, reserved for the ones which DO something.  We have an old laptop which doesn't work properly any more but it's only interesting when turned on.

Whatever you do, don't buy a toy laptop, get an XO instead.  That way they can do things with it when they get older.

On the OTHER hand, loty of poeple recommend NOT exposing kids to computers TOO early because it apparently hampers certain aspects of development.

The advantage of being a grandfather is that you're kind of exempted from the usual rules of what you're allowed and not allowed to give to the kids as a present.  Make the most of it.  

Shane.

Message Edited by Intaris on 09-28-2009 03:52 AM

[Intaris]

OH,

and of course Cardboard boxes.  Kids LOVE cardboard boxes.  Many a time some expensive present has been left sitting while kids played with the packaging.........

You can never go wrong with a cardboard box.  Just make sure to put something mildly expensive in it so that nodoby can call you a cheapskate....

Shane.

PS without wanting to state the obvious, LEGO (the big blocks) are pretty much always a good idea.  When the kids are young they're colourful and can be thrown around without breaking and as they get older they stick together!!!  I grew up with LEGO and played with it for over a decade.  If I still had some of my own I'd probably STILL be playing with it (Sending a Mindstorms email to my wife) ......

Message Edited by Intaris on 09-28-2009 03:56 AM

[Henrik_Volkers]

Ben,

I second Shane with LEGO  (And don't start with the Mindstorm 😉  Keep that for yourself and hand it out next year later 😄

Sand, Stones and sticks and other kids

(the modern indoor version is LEGO;-)  exept for the kids 

My personal view: The best thing for creativity is not what you give them, it's what you you shouldn't give them: TV!

>> Parents of intelligent childs willingly belief (in?)to genetics !!     

so, Ben is going to be a fan of Mendel 😉  😄

[Darin.K]

Intaris wrote: 

as the father of a 1-year old the thing which caught my eye is the foam ring around the base of your (Darin's?) television.... Self-made or bought?  I tried something like that with my first child but it never stayed on.....  Giving me some ideas for home.

---

That foam ring was bought from a big-box retail store, great stuff and has saved my head a few times.  What you don't see is the plexiglass button cover for the TV, an equally important device.  I  was happy to find it, it was that rare occasion where I imagined what I would want, and found the exact thing at the store.  It even came with little rubber standoffs so no pushing through it.

One other device which I now recommend to everyone is a battery-powered snot-sucker.  When I bought it, my wife thought it was a joke and my insane love for power tools had finally gone too far.  Now we couldn't live without it.  You may not think it is a toy, try taking it out of my daughter's hands.

[Ben]

I should have seen it myself but the "real toys" are a hit with Olivia. She has figured out how to get into the stero cabinet and has an a tlent for finding the switch to flip speaker sets. I think I saw a sheepish grin when she flipped that switch. And the tuner (an old Pioneer with a fly-wheel built into tht tuner) always has to be adjusted.

She also seems to get a kick out book avalanches in the library. Now if I could keep her out of the middle of the pile. Maybe I should let entropy have its way so she can climb through the stacks*.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I'm headed back to the store and "to hell" with the age appropriate lableling! 

Ben

* Pun intended

[F._Schubert]

I've a 1 1/2 year old girl myself, so I step in. If you have time (and that's a grandfathers job...) you should study her playing. It is really amazing how they discover the world and gives a new idea what all this around us is all about. After studying the domain, it's time to write down the specs of the toys you want to design.

One very interesting game is to put something into a container object via opening A and take it out via opening B. Every household has things that already fullfill these requirenments.

Also a nice thing are these Tuppertoys .

And cellphones are nice, as are tools (but remove the cutting knife...).

One thing about TV, I recently read a small interview with a neuroscientist from MIT that stated, that at age 0-3 the kids (their brain actually) have difficulties with 2D moving scenes. They don't know anything for the age 3-7 and know that they can handle this at age 7. As a laptop desctop screen isn't moving like a movie, it won't be that bad.

But as I suggested above, they are exploring the 3D world at that age. And CAD skills are really important for engeneers!

Well, recently my daughter is more intersted in animals of all kind, not so much about mechanics...

Felix 

[Wayne.C]

Ben,

As a father of 2 I learned the hard way that the simple things get played with the most.  Large cardboard box turned into a play house complete with windows and door has survived for over 3 years now.  Pick a lower drawer in the kitchen and stock it with a variety of spare tuperware, large spoons and perennial favorite the metal pie pan.  ( When combined with a large spoon makes a rocking drum set. )  Colored building blocks were also a big hit.  Any thing that aids mobility/speed usually goes over well.  The exception being the time by daughter Isabel rode the scooter down the basement steps and landed in a heap at the bottom.  Fortunately no permanent marks from that one.

[Intaris]

---

Darin.K wrote:

One other device which I now recommend to everyone is a battery-powered snot-sucker.

---

I think only people with Kids will realise this is NOT a joke....

Oh, the things you never knew about Parenthood when you were younger......

Shane