Older Kids-Educational "Toy"

[LittleD]

Ok, so I looked at the thread about educational toys, seems more designed for the littles. I am wondering what to get a ten yr old creative girl, who likes to read and watch discovery channel. Her mom is looking for gift ideas, and she is thinking an e-reader. Beyond that she is stumped. Our daughters are the same age, and I told her I was thinking about getting my kids a microscope, maybe a chemistry set, and either an ant/worm farm. What other things can you get for the older kids that encourage them in learning? Any good websites I can order from?

[Solandia]

My 9yo loves legos, sketching/drawing....and American Girl doll stuff. She loves to read the books that go along with the dolls...and the Care&Keeping of You book is awesome for this age group. i always poo-poo'd the overpriced dolls, until my dd loved them. She does actually 'play dolls', which is awesome, as well as learn thing. It is the ONLY doll in that is not considered 'babyish' with her age-mates. Which is just sad, I think 10yo should be able to play dolls w/o being considered immature.

Unless the child had a specific interest in a particular area of science, I wouldn't bother with a microscope or telescope. And even then, i would rather get a quality(not necessarily over the board expensive) one, the cheapies in stores are very frustrating to use....& then the child loses that interest.

I would lean toward strategic thinking games...like Pente, Othello, Quirkle, Blokus, Ticket To Ride, Risk, Stratego, HeroScape, Carcassonne, Chess, Fluxx(it is a card game).

My favorites are Blokus, Ticket to Ride, and No Stress Chess. They are easier to play with multi-level or multi-aged players. These are AWESOME games to prep the mind for thinking beyond just the next move.

[laundrymom]

Ok, so I looked at the thread about educational toys, seems more designed for the littles. I am wondering what to get a ten yr old creative girl, who likes to read and watch discovery channel. Her mom is looking for gift ideas, and she is thinking an e-reader. Beyond that she is stumped. Our daughters are the same age, and I told her I was thinking about getting my kids a microscope, maybe a chemistry set, and either an ant/worm farm. What other things can you get for the older kids that encourage them in learning? Any good websites I can order from?

My daughter is 10 and she loves the build your own crystal kits. Also origami books and paper. She loves playing with my voice recorder, she uses it to sing into, read into, etc. she also plays guitar ukelele and. Piano and loves picks, she has a really cool capo and I try to make sure she has plenty of notebooks, to write stories and songs in.

[VTMom]

Maybe a jewelry kit? Always a big hit with my crowd. I've purchased quite a few for gifts at walmart with additional beads, charms, etc.

[laundrymom]

Also. The diary of a wimpy kid do it yourself book.

My daughter loves it

[Meyou]

What about a sewing machine? My dd is 12 and loves to sew. There are lots of books now geared for kid's sewing that have fun and easy projects. Her favorite is a book that shows her how to make stuffed animals from odd socks.

[erinalexmom]

I would go with some "real life" things. Like teaching her to cook or do some crafts that are "real" like make a blanket kits or something. These are valuable things she can use later in life. For my 6 yr old I am giving her an apron with her name on it, a set of cooking utensils that are real but child sized, and a kids cookbook. I had to learn how to cook as an adult and believe me that makes for a hard row to hoe!

[Solandia]

On the same vein with practical life stuff....

Around that age I gave my oldest dd a cake decorating set. She had been asking one for a while, and has been cooking since she was about 7-8yo.

Latch hook kits are entertaining. My oldest started cross stitch at 10yo, my younger doesn't like it, but does love to cook. She has her own cooking set.

We just recently started teaching my 12yo to crochet...it is a little harder than she expected, so she doesn't like it yet (I must have made it look too easy, ). A 10yo I would not expect to enjoy it too much as a gift, I dont' like gifts that "push" them, I want them to be enjoyable. Sewing is good activity to do together, at 10yo it would be stretching it to do that independently, imo. But the fleece blanket & pillow sets are no-sew, just cut & tie. I think they are fun, I have made them for all my daycare kids I have had since babies. My 9yo loves to make friendship bracelets...my dh is wearing one right now, .

[Blackcat31]

My DS was a science type kid too..... his favorite gift ever was a rock tumbler. I can see it working for either a girl or boy.

[rosieteddy]

My daughter works for the Brain store.There are a lot of fun and interesting items for older kids.Abig hit this year was the retro Fashion Plates,where you desighn dresses andd outfits. I know you can look online for this store.

[Josiegirl]

Butterfly or ladybug house?
Doodle journal(I got several as Christmas gifts for girls ages 7-10 and they all loved them)

[Thriftylady]

If you have a half price books near, then a gift card there! Since she likes to read she can get all kinds of books, including some of the chemistry sets and such. They have tons of great stuff! And mom could look there for a used ereader I saw one at mine I was swooning over last week. It was a nook color HD with a case for $49.99, My nook is broken and I really thought about it .