Publications Top 10 Toys for Gifted Toddlers Article Courtesy of http://giftedkids.about.com Top 10 Toys for Gifted Toddlers From Carol Bainbridge, Your Guide to Gifted Children. Like all gifted children, gifted toddlers need plenty of intellectual stimulation, and they can get quite cranky when they don't get it. The world is new to them, so they need opportunities to explore all that is in it. That means that these children should be able to learn about not just letters and numbers, but about art, music, geography, science, and every other part of the world and universe! Since toddlers tend to be active, they need ways to expend some of their energy! These toys will provide everything your gifted toddler needs! 1) Mini Play Cube The Mini Play Cube by Anatex allows curious toddlers to learn or practice with counting, letter identification, color recognition, eye-hand coordination, visual tracking and other cognitive skills. The 12" x 12" cube, which features a mini-coaster, a pathfinder, gears, spinning alpha-numeric tiles, and an abacus, can be placed on a tabletop or the floor. The recommended age is 3 and up, but younger gifted children will find it fun and entertaining. It will also give them needed practice with fine motor skill development. 2) Folding Trampoline for Children This children's trampoline is great for those active gifted toddlers and preschoolers. Its weatherproof mat and coated steel frame make it prefect for both indoor and outdoor use. It also features a padded cover which prevents jumpers from accidentally stepping through the bungee cords, making it safe for young children. Recommended ages are 1 1/2 years and up. The younger children should be supervised by an adult. 3) Baby Trampoline Here is another trampoline to give toddlers a chance to safely jump to their heart's content. It has these safety features: the trampoline mat is only 12 cm from the floor, the metal frame has a rubber cover, and the supporting handles have a foam cover, protecting the jumper's teeth and face. Not only are trampolines good for letting active gifted toddlers release some energy, they also promote muscle strength and increase endurance (not that our gifted kids need much of that!) This trampoline is for children ages 1 1/2 to 4 years old. ) Musical Hands Mat The Musical Mat is a flat 45" long keyboard-like mat that children can play with their hands. With eight brightly colored handprints that function as piano keys, this mat features the sounds of a piano, bell, dog, chick and cat. It is recommended for children aged 2 and up, but slightly younger children may enjoy it as well. Buy Direct 5) Math Mat Challenge Game This toy is perfect for the active, mathematically gifted older toddler. It is a circular mat with numbers around the outside. Kids listen to an equation and then solve it by jumping on the correct numbers. The game has six different games and two levels of difficulty, reinforcing skills with numbers, counting, adding, and subtracting. Although the recommended age for this toy is ages four through seven, younger gifted children who love numbers will certainly love this game. 6) Mozart Magic Music Cube This durable toy is a great way to introduce music to young toddlers. They can learn the sounds of music and although the sound quality is not like a real orchestra, the approximations allow toddlers recognize the sounds of five different instruments--harp, French horn, piano, flute, and violin. With the touch of a button, children can "compose" and arrange Mozart masterpieces. They can start with a violin, then add piano. Or they can start with the flute and piano and add the french horn and violin. The options are endless! 7) Foam Letters and Numbers Set Bath time with these colorful foam letters and numbers will provide plenty of opportunity for fun and learning. These letters and numbers will float in the bath water, where your toddler can pick them out and make words by sticking the pieces to the walls. (They stick on just with the water and don't hurt the walls.) They can pick out the numbers and put them in order or combine them to make bigger numbers. You might want a couple of packages so your word-loving toddler can build words that require more than one of each letter! 8) Geometric Stacker This sorter/stacker will provide endless hours of bliss for those gifted toddlers who love to sort things. Twenty-five brightly colored pieces can sorted and stacked according not just to color and size, but geometric shape as well! The pieces are smooth solid wood, each with the same size hole allowing the pieces to be placed on one of three wooden pegs on the stand -- in any size order! The recommended age for this stacker is 2 and up, but younger gifted toddlers who love to sort will enjoy it as well. 9) Toddler Paint Easel This two-sided easel measures 20" wide by 31" high. The legs are relatively short, making it the perfect size for toddlers. At the bottom of each leg is a suction cup which holds the easel to the floor. When a toddler (or someone else) bumps into it, it won't move or tip over. Each side of the easel also has a paint cup tray which holds four paint cups (sold separately). This is a great way to introduce toddlers to painting and artistic creativity. 10) Step 2 WaterWheel Play Table This sturdy plastic water table has a waterwheel, a wide funnel, boats, and a cup. Children can pour water into the funnel, activating the water wheel, which in turn spills water into the inner and outer "harbors." The table encourages creative play and stimulates cause and effect learning. The table, which holds as many as four gallons of water, requires some adult assembly. Disclaimer from www.kidslearningtree.com: 1. Always exercise good judgement when buying learning toys. 2. Make sure you follow the safety and supervision instructions for the product/s. 3. When you are not sure, be sure you have researched your purchase before deciding to buy it. 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