I need educational toy/game ideas please

Allie and Ashley will be 7 on October 15. My whole family buys gifts for them as do my husband and I. I really want them to get educational but fun gifts. Board games, computer games, DVDs, etc. They have a lot of Barbies and baby dolls, Webkinz, and other toys. I would love to hear some fun educational gift ideas. Thanks!

 

We play Trouble, Sorry and UNO. Touble & Sorry reinforce counting and teach "life lessons". UNO helps with numbers and following directions. There are junior editions of Monopoly and Life but we haven't started playing those yet. I really like playing these "older" board games. Candyland was getting old.

Christy

 

If you can play with them, I would go for regular Monopoly and Scrabble. My boys are 6 and get Monopoly--but need help with the bank, and they are enjoying learning to play Scrabble.

 

How about a magazine subscription to National Geographic kids? My friend just gave me that idea as a Christmas gift for my girls. I know--not too exciting to open, but educational and a very fun kids magazine.

 

I&I just started to play monopoly, and Isidra really enjoys it, plus she's getting the hang of the money and houses.

 

We love the Jr Monopoly we have (I can not stand regular Monopoly). It works with lemonade stands instead of houses etc (and a game can actually be completed after dinner, before bed time!!!!).

Funny, when I read this I was thinking educational? Nope got nothing but now that I have read the responses, we have Sorry, Trouble, Jr Monopoly etc etc. I just think of them as games though.

 

I LOVE the Mindware catalog. I have purchased several toys and games from them and they are awesome!
Some favorites are:
Rush hour
Gobblet
Perplexors (and any of their other awesome logic books or other workbooks)
Tangoes
Maze kept my oldest son intrigued for weeks! I'm not sure he's ever figured out the solution. I'll have to ask him!


Everything I've ever ordered from them has been a hit - particularly with my smarty pants 10 year old!

 

How about Cranium CaDoo. It's great if they like more interactive games as they have to make things (with the cranium clay) and find things from around the house as well as answering questions. Also your older kids could easily join in too.