#2017top25

When creator and MIT science writer Maia Weinstock proposed this set on the LEGO Ideas website, we were super excited. And now it's an instant classic: The LEGO Ideas Women of NASA Building Kit featuring astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, computer scientist Margaret Hamilton, and astronauts Sally Ride and Mae Jemison. An incredible present for girls and boys of all ages. 🚀

“A little spill could be a small mistake... or the start of a big idea.” My kids and I love The Book of Mistakes. Inventive, whimsical, smart and surprising, each page introduces an illustrator’s step-by-step process of creating a drawing as it grows and grows... and how each of the mistakes she makes—a blotch of ink, a really long leg, mismatched eyes or misplaced feet—a can be turned into something magic: a new idea.

Celebrate mistakes as opportunities to learn, to be persistent, to try something new, and to discover a creative path that you might not have otherwise found. This really is an essential book for every kid, and an excellent reminder for adults, too. Highly recommended.

Fluxx is a series of themed games with rules and goals that constantly change as you play. This version, Chemistry Fluxx, is great because it’s a fun and competitive Fluxx game for ages 8 to adult, and it’s super easy to absorb real information about the periodic table: symbols, atomic numbers, Bohr diagrams, how they combine, and more. The ever-changing rules and goals help strengthen concentration, comprehension, and good-humored flexibility for all ages.

We also have Nature Fluxx, we're curious about Adventure Time Fluxx and Star Fluxx.

⭐️ AWARD-WINNER ⭐️ This award-winning Hape Dynamo Kid's Wooden Domino Set is an excellent way for kids to start creating their own chain reactions. Along with 100 colorful wooden dominoes, it includes a bridge, a bell, a ball on rails, and other fun tricks that can be mixed in with chain reaction building stuff around the house. A smart, sustainably-made gift that encourages hands-on experiences with engineering, problem-solving and persistence... at a great price, too.

I remember having a small loom when I was a kid and making a lot of stuff with it. When I showed the best-selling Melissa & Doug Wooden Extra-Large Frame Weaving Loom to my kiddos, they were intrigued. I explained, “It’s kind of like your Rainbow Loom, but with yarn, and without all the tiny rubber bands that I keep finding everywhere. You can make little blankets, bags, tapestries, scarves... whatever you want.”

Craft-win: They immediately added it to their holiday wishlist with some yarn. The 22.75 x 16.5 inch loom works with string, strips of cloth, and paper, too.

⭐️ AWARD-WINNER ⭐️ Tiny Polka Dot is a wonderful game—it’s really 16 games—that can help families incorporate math and logic into playtime. We started playing it with our then-7-year-old, but it has short games for kiddos as young as three! The sturdy cards are covered with brightly colored dots and numerals that lead them into thinking about numbers in different ways... arranging, adding, matching, and more. 

I love this little box of games because it helps little kids feel capable and eager about math. No flashcards. No pressure. Just game time. It’s another excellent tool from the team at Math For Love (makers of Prime Climb) who are transforming how math is taught and learned. Wonderful for classrooms, too.

Another reason why I love Math For Love: You can buy a pdf of the game for $5 on their site. Print your own cards for class or at home. Or find the packaged version at your local game or toy shop.

This Is How We Do It is one of those books for kids that adults may find themselves perusing without their kids (as I did when I first saw it in our local bookstore). Detailing a day in the life of seven real kids who live in different countries around the world—Ribaldo in Peru, Daphine in Uganda, Romeo in Italy, Kei in Japan, Kian in Iran, Oleg in Russia, and Ananya in India—we get to see where they go to school, how they play, what they eat, and more. A valuable tool for expanding kids' understanding and empathy for different cultures around the world.

Related recommendations: The Hello Atlas and Where Children Sleep.

Buy this book    

NEW ⬆️ Kids can document how they live alongside illustrated info on 59 other real kids around the world in this new activity book.