As video-game manufacturers continue to flood the market with highly stimulating fluff, many parents are looking for educational alternatives. If your kids are begging for a Nintendo Wii, but you prefer to buy something more mentally challenging, there are many electronic toys that keep children entertained while also engaging their minds. Many of today's electronic learning aids are designed to grow with your child, featuring a multitude of skill levels so that they stay relevant for years. Here are the most popular types of educational electronic toys and what to look for in each.
Learning Laptops
A learning laptop is a great choice for a child who wants to feel grown-up by playing on the computer. It resembles a real laptop computer, comes with a working keyboard and is preloaded with a variety of activities; expansion cards are sold separately. Learning laptops are available in popular themes and characters including Batman, Barbie and Disney Princesses. When shopping, look for a product that can withstand the normal amount of abuse from being dropped or played with too roughly. You'll also want to check your retailer's exchange policy in the event of a hardware malfunction.
 Barbie B-Book Learning Laptop |
Most learning laptops have tiny grayscale screens that are hard to see amidst the colorful surrounding plastic display. The small screens help keep cost down, but many children will become bored and frustrated if the graphics are too basic or are difficult to see. A laptop that has a larger, well-lit LCD screen and displays color graphics will cost more, but may keep your child engaged for longer periods. If your child is going to spend hours concentrating on a small screen while studying for school or riding in the car, you'll want a display that's as big and bright as possible. Check the visibility of the LCD screen in low light as well as bright sunlight.
Learning laptops are good choices for pre-school-age children. Look for a product with buttons and controls that are easy for your child to manipulate. Some laptops also have QWERTY keyboards that prepare children to work on real computers when they start school. Keep your child's current development level in mind, and don't necessarily let the suggested age range deter you from a product. Many parents find that their 2-year-olds, for example, are capable of playing and learning with a laptop recommended for ages 3 and up.
For school-age kids (5 to 9 years old), look for learning laptops that cover subjects including English, Spanish, math and science. They come preloaded with dozens of activities (usually 40 to 100), and some have bonus cartridges for more variety. Built-in customization technology helps keep the questions from being too easy or too hard as your child progresses through levels of expertise.
Interactive Book Systems
Interactive books target basic skill sets for little ones and cover the whole spectrum of subjects for elementary-school-aged children. Kids simply place the book on the player, snap in the cartridge and touch any page with the interactive pen to begin learning. Some systems also have additional writing functions or include a microphone so children can add their own voices to the story.
Children become frustrated when something is too hard, so look for books with pages that turn easily and buttons that are simple to find and push. Interactive books feature tear-resistant pages, but they may be too delicate for toddlers, who will need parental supervision. The toy should be able to stand up to a certain amount of abuse without ripping or breaking. You'll also want to make sure that the books you buy will complement and challenge the skills your child already has. For example, if your toddler already counts well, she will be bored by books that teach counting. Look instead for books that offer elementary math problems or books that focus on recognizing shapes or letters.
Book systems cost between $20 and $40, and the books themselves cost between $10 and $15 each. When assessing cost, you'll want to think about the lifespan of the toy relative to your child's attention span. Do you anticipate buying additional books to keep your child interested in the system, or will he grow out of it in a year? Children that already enjoy reading or being read to are more likely to stick with interactive books. For more active kids that don't like to sit still that long, this might be a gift that's only played with on long car trips.
Interactive TV Systems
Time spent in front of the television doesn't have to be time spent "vegging out." As an educational alternative to video game consoles, VTech and InteracTV make learning systems that plug directly into your TV. Check the list of compatible TVs and/or DVD players to be sure that the device will work with your home entertainment center. Then, hook up the system and try it out before presenting it to your child. Be sure to purchase an AC adapter if one is not included. Other upgrades you may want to consider are a wireless controller and an additional controller for multiplayer games.
Graphics on interactive TV systems tend to fall short of the standard set by Nintendo and PlayStation. Nonetheless, they need to be clear and bright enough for children to be able to identify the items pictured on screen. If you find the picture quality substandard and you have a hard time making out what's happening, your child will as well. For best results, look for games that tackle a variety of skill sets and/or have multiple skill levels. This will ensure your child is challenged and will extend the playable life of the game.
VTech V.Smile
Aimed at children ages 3 to 8, VTech's interactive game console, the V.Smile, combines video game technology with educational content that connects directly to your TV. V.Smile games help kids learn and practice skills in areas such as language, spelling, math, science, social studies, problem solving and music. For kids ages 5 and up, the V.Smile Pocket is a portable learning system that operates on AA batteries for on-the-road play and can also be connected directly to the TV at home. All VTech game cartridges, called Smartridges, are compatible with both the V.Smile home system and the V.Smile Pocket.
Handheld Games and Study Aids
Multimedia learning systems are more-educational versions of portable video game devices such as the Game Boy. LeapFrog makes the Leapster and the L-MAX, and Fisher-Price offers the Pixter. Multimedia game systems help children learn about all kinds of subjects from spelling to music, and using the stylus and controls can help them develop fine motor skills. Despite their small size, handhelds can be pricey. For maximum enjoyment, get a device that is adaptable with multi-level games so your child will not become bored once he or she has mastered the basics. Padded cases, sold separately for most products, protect the device when traveling and provide storage for the game cards.
For older children (grades 5 to 8), LeapFrog makes the iQuest. Compatible with a variety of subject-specific cartridges, it helps students prepare for tests and quizzes and also works as a personal organizer to keep track of homework assignments.
http://products.howstuffworks.com/educational-electronic-toys-article.htm
