We researched the best picks for gifted children from puzzles to robot kits, considering each pick’s recommended age, safety features, and educational value. Based on our research, Educational Insight’s Kanoodle took our top spot. Kids work to solve over 300 puzzles in this educational and engaging game. Below, find our picks for the best toys for gifted and intelligent children. All you have to do is set up the puzzle and place the remaining pieces into the puzzle, but the more complex arrangements will leave you scratching your brain! It’s a great exercise in spatial awareness and critical thinking. The box is small and portable, which makes it perfect for taking on roadtrips and vacations, but reviewers noted it is best played on a flat surface. While there are four levels to choose from, be sure to choose the one appropriate for the age of your child to avoid frustration. Fourth-grade teacher Kelsey Kovacs explains the significance of purchasing age-appropriate toys for gifted children. “Sometimes keeping things age-appropriate is tougher for gifted children if they are seemingly more mature,” she says. Still, stay around their age range to ensure a successful while still challenging toy.
Safety
It goes without saying that it’s always important to make sure that your child is safe as they play. The top things to look for and consider are small parts, non-toxic materials, and required tools that may pose a pinching hazard. Toys that include electrical parts or chemical solutions should be handled with care to make sure that kids aren’t accidentally put at risk.
Educational Value
Toys and activities that help children create something new are excellent ways to challenge their imaginations. Chuck English, Virginia STEM Coordinator at the Science Museum of Virginia, recommends going beyond consuming media to actually creating it. Many toys can build on specific skills or talents that gifted children already excel in. Kovacs recommends introducing a new skill through play. “Games that involve coding or designing something new allows kids to be very creative and build something from scratch,” she says. “They can then apply these new skills to different concepts and continue to build on them.”
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This article was written and researched by Julie Evans, a writer and editor whose work covers topics including health and wellness, parenting, and technology. Her writing has appeared on USA Today, Realtor.com, Brit + Co, and CafeMom, among others. Additional research was done by Julia Fields, a lifestyle writer for The Spruce and The Spruce Crafts, covering all things surrounding toys, gifts, crafts, and the holidays. Kovacs recommends gifts that promote higher thinking. “Toys that specifically prompt children to use higher thinking skills and more analysis and critical problem-solving could benefit someone who is gifted,” she says. Based on her own experiences, she suggests toys that have patterns and puzzles to solve. “Using memory skills and completing patterns and building on these certain skills are great to look for in toys for gifted children,” she continues. Expert advice was provided by fourth-grade teacher Kelsey Kovacs and Chuck English, Virginia STEM Coordinator at the Science Museum of Virginia.
