How do you get a kid to eat healthy food? Don’t tell them its healthy. The best way to be sure you don’t waste your money on toys is don’t let them know that they are educational toys. So, how can you bring home that backdoor education without them realizing it? Here are a few suggestions.

Have you ever played with Legos. They’re great! Children as young as three can play with them and adults seem to like them too. Remember kids like to put everything in their mouth so be sure to keep an eye on the little pieces. Legos also come in assorted sizes and all different combination of accessories that go along with them that make them more fun for the older kids. Kids will play with these for hours.

Sing Along Books are a great item for kids. All children seem to like books from an early age, they encourage them to think and grow their imaginations. Sing alongs add even more fun for them because they are so interactive. The books actually have singing that starts when the child pushes a button. If you are planning a trip, these are a great way to keep the kids occupied.

Baby dolls are not usually considered educational toys but they really are. Little girls love to pretend they are mommies which actually helps to teach them about the real world. Little girls love to sleep with their dolls, even more so if they don’t have a sibling that sleeps with them. Taking care of a baby doll helps to teach them responsibility as well. They are also quite portable and can easily go anywhere, vacations, family visits, car rides, anywhere.

For the boys try bionicles. These things look very cool however the child has to build it. They have to follow explicit directions which can take anywhere from half an hour to an entire day depending on the complexity however the payoff is an awesome action figure. Tons of small parts can get behind and into couches or get sucked up into the vacuum if your not careful though.

Coloring books and crayons are a simple but very effective educational toy for kids. This helps teach children colors and also brings out their creativity. Learning how to stay in between the lines is excellent for helping them with their motor skills.

Another good one is puzzles. Puzzles really make them think and it helps them with learning shapes and objects to be able to make the picture. They are excellent because you can start with simpler ones and then graduate to more complex ones as the children get older. They even ones that are made of wood for really young children so they are more durable.

This is just a starter list, I’ll bet that if you put your mind to it you can see the educational value in many of the toys your kid already owns. Educational toys are easy to find as well, and due to their growing popularity with parents, educational aspects are finding their way into every category for many age groups.