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Today I want to share with you some of my favorite educational toys that I use in my classroom.
Each year when I set-up my center rotations, I always include some centers that are toy based. The intrigue of toys is an instant engagement tool to a world of learning. I am very intentional in my toy selections and for each one I have an educational goal. Today I want to share you with some of my favorite educational toys that are perfect for the classroom! Not only do I love all of these toys but they are loved by my students too.
1. Hands-on Science
This magnetic marble run is a wonderful way for your students to put science into action. Without realizing that they are learning about the laws of physics your students will be putting physics into action! I love that this is magnetic because it can be used on our magnetic whiteboard or any magnetic surface. It also makes it less bulky than a more traditional Marble Run.
Don’t have a magnet board in your classroom? No worries! Just run to Wal-Mart or your local automotive store and grab a metal oil pan and some Command Strips. Voila! An easy to make magnet board. I have a teacher friend who has this exact set-up tucked away behind the classroom door.
It takes up no space and becomes and instant center to use with Magnetic Letters and Numbers or Tumble Trax!
2. Toys that Help with Fine Motor
Oh man – the giggles that come from this center are great! This frog themed game is a super way to work fine motor skills with your students. Students work on number and color recognition all while fine tuning their fine motor skills. A Win-Win for sure!
Another classroom favorite for fine motor is Play-Doh! It’s no secret that kids of all ages love Play-Doh! We use this all the time in my class. Sometimes we use it as part of a lesson and other times I put it in a center with learning mats. These learning mats allow the students to use Play-Doh to build letters, numbers, objects, add to pictures and so much more.
I also really love these stringing beads. With my combination Pre-K / Kindergarten class these beads are useful all year long. We use the beads for counting, color recognition, pattern making and more.
3. Imaginary Play Toys
I love having at least 1 center that involves imaginary play. But don’t get me wrong – these centers can be just as education as a math or literacy center. I try to connect our imaginary play center to a topic we are learning in social studies or science. This gives my students the opportunity to talk about concepts they are learning during their play.
During our study of space (sun, moon, and stars) this Spaceship is a hit in the imaginary play center.
During our community unit our grocery store imaginary play center uses this play cash register. The students love counting money and paying for their purchases. This cash register even has a built in solar calculator too!
I hope that some of my favorite educational toys find their way into your classroom too. There are many wonderful educational toys out there. When deciding what to add to your classroom you will have no shortage of toys to choose from. If you’d like to see more of my classroom favorites – you can visit The Kinderhearted Classroom Amazon Page. I’m always adding to it!