When searching for cool and fun toys that kids really love, look no further than Lakeshore educational toys. These toys are unique in that they have a “science toys” kind of twist.
The popularity of toys by Lakeshore is that they hit on the key ingredients kids love, like robots and interactive play, all the while prepping the little ones to go on and shine in preschool and beyond. Another bonus is that the kids will choose to play with these educational toys all the time, thereby reinforcing basic skills such as number/letter recognition and real brain stimulation.
Kids learn best by doing, so when they can touch, feel and explore while playing with their toys, the lessons seem to register at a deeper level.
Here are some great educational toys for one- to three-year olds and preschoolers.
Lakeshore What’s Inside Soft Feely Box
This is a wonderful educational toy for babies and toddlers. Made of a safe, soft plastic, it’s easy for the kids to grab on to the different objects included. The objects are different shapes, sizes and colors of sweet little things like animals, a flower, ball and airplane just to name a few.
Your children will love to stuff these little pals into the soft, square cube and pull them out again. They can squeeze, hold and touch the different textures and shapes, which invite hours of independent and creative play. Some of the pieces even make sounds. STEM tested and approved, this is one educational toy that will stand out from the rest!
Lakeshore What’s Inside Soft Feely Box works well for children as young as 9 months and older.
Upsides:
- Soft, safe toy with different textures
- Promotes hand/eye coordination and manual dexterity
- Easy cleaning and storage
Downsides:
- Not recommended for babies under 6 months; parental supervision required
- Frequent cleaning needed as pieces will more than likely be placed in the mouth
Lakeshore Play and Explore Rocket
The toy includes 2 astronauts and a “rolling space rover” for exploring. When the astronauts are ready to turn in for the night, your children will have a blast playing with them in the furnished living room. There is also another little room that works as both a bedroom and garage for the rover.
Once it’s time to pack up, all the goods can be stored in the rocket’s hatch, which closes securely for easy clean up and traveling.
This toy will hold your child’s attention for hours…whether “flying” the rocket around the room or playing with the astronauts in their living space. The open/close feature of the rocket’s hatch is another feature kids will love. Built with high quality materials, it is durable to withstand a lot of use.
The Lakeshore Play and Explore Rocket achieves excellence in educational toys for children ages 3-7.
Upsides:
- Encourages creativity and independent play
- Encourages physical activity, imagination
- Improves hand/eye coordination
Downsides:
- Small parts not recommended for children under the age of 3
Lakeshore Number-Bots
With the goal of teaching toddlers and preschoolers number sequences and identification in addition to recognition, this toy makes learning too fun and too easy. Here’s the secret. Each number (1-10) turns into a robot! After each brightly colored Number-Bot (each about 2” high) is transformed into a robot, it opens a whole other world for your child to play with them in a very hands-on and creative way. This helps learning numbers and counting a breeze for your preschooler.
Lakeshore Number-Bots are superior educational toys for ages 3-8. If the kids love these, which they probably will, also check out the Lakeshore Alpha-Bots.
Upsides:
- Teaches number recognition and counting
- Promotes manual dexterity, hand/eye coordination
Downsides:
- Some parts may be stiff, hard to move at first
- Not recommended for children under the age of 3
Lakeshore Real Bugs Discovery Kit
The Lakeshore Real Bugs Discovery Kit is one of the best educational toys for children interested in learning about arachnids, insects and bugs. Best for ages 3-8.
Upsides:
- Good condition of bugs/insects for inspection and observation
- Promotes research and general learning skills
- Encourages interest in science and ecology
Downsides:
- Encased insects fall out of collection tray when tilted
- Nice feature would be to label each individual bug
- Some bugs could be bigger and more colorful
Conclusion
Out of all these very cool Lakeshore educational toys, my pick is for the Lakeshore Play & Explore Rocket. I know how much my son enjoyed opening and closing doors and playing with figurines, creating his own little adventure story around them. This toy just has all the makings of a fun yet educational toy with so many play options and possibilities.
Lakeshore educational tools, toys and games are exceptional choices for preschoolers and children because they offer such value and education while at the same time being cool and fun. Visit the Lakeshore Toy Store on Amazonfor all your educational toy needs for children of all ages.
