Shop educational gifts both parents and kids will love
When it comes to holiday shopping, it can be hard to find gifts that kids will enjoy and parents will approve of.
That's why we reached out to the American Academy of Pediatrics to answer our questions about educational toys.
What makes something an educational toy?
"An educational toy implies that the child is doing some sort of work and not just passively engaging with an object," Dr. Aleeya Healey, spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, told "Good Morning America." "It will tend to have them engage a number of their senses, use their imagination, and learn and/or practice skills that are at or just above their developmental age range."
She added, "While toy packaging generally comes with some age suggestion guidance, knowing the child's skill level provides a better assessment for what they will be able to use and enjoy."
What types of educational toys do experts recommend?
"I am a big supporter of imaginative and make-believe play toys, particularly at young ages," Healey said. "It allows them to observe the world around them and re-create it in their own way."
Healey noted that blocks, arts and crafts, and building toys "are great at eliciting fine motor development, persistence, and creativity."
"What some may classify as non-educational toys (such as dolls) may be more educational than they may think," she added. "It is all about how the toy is used, and at times, with whom the toy is used."
For help finding the best toys to shop, "GMA" also reached out to parenting expert Amanda Mushro.
As a mom of three, Mushro has firsthand experience when it comes to gifting.
"I think you really need to think about what the child's interest is and what's going to spark creativity and the desire to play with the toy, instead of just what is the hot new toy of the season that might not be [of] any interest to them," Mushro said.
Scroll below to shop Mushro's gift picks and more by age range.
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Infants
Boon BUNDLE Building Toddler Bath Tub Toy with Pipes, Cogs and Tubes for Kids Aged 12 Months and Up, Multicolor (Pack of 13)
- $27.16
- $29.99
- Amazon
Follies The Baby Bauhaus Set - Award Winning Soft Baby Blocks and Shapes from 0 to 18 Months
- $49
- Amazon
Toddlers
Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Ultimate Ice Cream Truck Toy Playset
Ages 3 and up.
- $66.49
- $94.99
- Amazon
Theodora S.T.E.A.M. Girls - Silla The Sensational Scientist: 15-inch Plush Doll with Sticker Activity Book
Ages 3 and up.
- $59.99
- Amazon
Magformers Vehicle Wow Set (16-pieces) Magnetic Building Blocks
Ages 3 and up.
- $31.45
- $45.99
- Amazon
Kids
Tweens and teens
