Educational toys & games for children

Barbie B-Book Learning Laptop Computer

Barbie loves challenging girls with this expandable, multi-media Barbie B-Book! Featuring Barbie voice and animated images to interact and guide girls through over 50 different activities. Spelling, grammar, vocabulary, math, logic, memory, computer skills and games are great fun with Barbie's help. The Barbie B-Book is designed in pretty pink with an ergonomically designed keyboard, dual processor with built-in ROM and RAM, quality digital sound, large LCD screen and is Smart Card compatible. Complete with a Barbie mouse pad and mouse, and built-in handle to take-along everywhere! For Ages 5 and up.

Ages: 5 years +
Amazon Price: $49.99

Talking Beary Smart Laptop Computer

The friendly face of Talking Beary Smart encourages a toddler to peek inside. Big colorful buttons and twistable keys invite your toddler's curious fingers to touch and explore. Beary Smart's light up screen changes each time it's opened, and the colorful illustrations are accompanied by a variety of speech, sound effects and music which introduce beginning concepts of colors, animals and letters and numbers. Beary Smart plays five nursery rhymes and includes three activity screens containing letters and numbers, animals and colored objects.

Ages: 18 months +
Amazon Price: $39.99

Zip My Robot Friend Electronic Learning Robot

Zip My Robot Friend is the newest addition to Zip The Robot family of electronic learning toys. Styled as the bust of Zip The Robot, the front panel opens to reveal a Qwerty keyboard and 20 challenging activities including phonics, vocabulary, rhyming sounds, counting, basic equations, word games, and music. Zip My Robot Friend also features personalized settings and the challenge of five games that can be played in head-to-head mode with 2 Zip's.

Ages: 4 years +
Amazon Price: $34.99

Techno K'nex Computer Control Lab (Grades 1-4)

Ages: 6-10 years
Amazon Price: $399.99

Computer Control Lab (Grades 5-9)

(Amazon Editorial Review)

Ages: 8-13 years
Amazon Price: $599.99

Computer Control Multi-Lab (Grades 1-4)

(Amazon Editorial Review)

Ages: 6-10 years
Amazon Price: $1199.99

Techco K'nex Computer Control Multi-Lab (grades 5-9)

Hands-on interactive computer programming takes on a whole new meaning with the new TechnoK'NEX Computer Control System. Designed for kids ages 9-15, they build 8 large, fully-functioning models and then write programs to operate them using the TechnoK'NEX software, an icon-based language. Everything you need are included in the set: K'NEX building pieces, Leonardo interface, lights, motors, sensors, software, along with comprehensive activity cards, reference cards, software guide and Educator Guides. Children will be astounded as they build models and then program them to accomplish simple and complex tasks

Ages: 10-14 years
Amazon Price: $1499.99

Why wait till you're a grownup to experience the joys of laptop envy? Kids from second grade on up will have their classmates (and future cubicle-mates) drooling over this power-packed, realistic-looking notebook computer that's part of V-Tech's PreComputer line. With peripheral ports, a slide-out handle, a full keyboard, and touch pad (plus a mouse), the only way you can distinguish the Master Pad Deluxe from the real thing is by its 6-inch-by-3-inch LCD display. You can even hook it up to a printer (including most Canon and HP bubble jets) and receive and send e-mail (with the V-Tech E-mail Kit, sold separately). The Master Pad's 63 on-board applications include math, science, and language arts activities; office tools such as a word processor, a scheduler, a money manager, and a spell checker; a set of French, German, and Spanish tutorials; and even a handful of computer games (which, thankfully, aren't quite as fun as "real" computer games, so there's all the more reason to play another round of "Algebra Attack!" instead). --Paul Hughes (Amazon Editorial Review)

Ages: 8 years +
Amazon Price: $99.99

Barbie Learn with Me Laptop Computer

The Barbie Learn with Me Laptop Computer gives girls the fun of high-tech interactive play right at their fingertips with Barbie's cool new laptop computer. Realistic design and trendy features make it the perfect first laptop for any young girl. Listen to Barbie help you through three quiz modes with music, sound effects, and lights as you learn about letters, numbers, seasons, and more. Requires four AA batteries, included.

Ages: 3-6 years
Amazon Price: $29.99

Little People Growing Smart Lap-Top Computer

The folks at Fisher-Price have come up with this bright (both colorful and smart) toy for kids as young as two years. The Growing Smart Lap Top Computer has a keyboard of 20 chubby buttons for little fingers, with clear illustrations, shapes, numbers, and letters. The flip-top, light-up screen is emblazoned with fun images. The list of skills it builds is impressive--covering everything from shapes, letters, numbers, and colors to hand-eye coordination, memory skills, self-esteem building, and more. Using Smart Chip Technology, this toy can even grow with your budding Einstein's skill levels by moving on to more challenging questions after easier ones are mastered. While the benefits of this learning machine are obvious, many parents found the noise level quite high and were disappointed that only five letters (A to E) and five numbers (one to five) are available, which feels a bit limiting. Despite these shortcomings, toddlers adore this brightly colored "big boy, big girl" computer that has familiar Little People characters, free play, and quiz modes. Requires four AA batteries, which are included. --Melissa Wilson (Amazon Editorial Review)

Ages: 2 years +
Amazon Price: $19.98

Computer Pal in Concert

41 activities provide 30% more learning value for kids. 4 music-specific tutorial cartridges teach children about notes, finger placement, musical staff and music appreciation. Built-in jukebox plays popular kid's music, new hi-fi stereo sound will blow you away. Animation library gives children the opportunity to create their own music videos. Dual-use keyboard features both piano and alphanumeric keys. Real roller-ball mouse develops computer skills.

Ages: 5 years +
Amazon Price: $49.98

Power Zone 2000 Electronic Learning Aid

Electronic learning aid toys are taking all kinds of shape these days for nearly every age and skill level. Vtech, a major manufacturer of ELA's, offers Power Zone, a computer look-alike aimed at older children who are ready for a more mainstream technological connection. This particular system was designed to aid the educational learning process for children without making them feel as if they are playing with a toy. And at this price, parents get more than a toy. The unit features a color-enhanced LCD screen, computer keyboard and mouse plus 48 different learning activities. Power Zone also offers a 75,000-word spell checker program. Power Zone introduces children to the look and workings of a real computer at a price point that doesn't even come close to computers. The ELA can be used to enhance school readiness, refine motor skills and in-depth thinking.

Ages: 9 years +
Amazon Price: $119.99

Computer Pal Electronic Learning Aid

Understandably, kids get frustrated with grown-up computers. They are physically and technologically imposing to small children, despite their interest in them. Now even the smallest kids can have a grown-up machine of their own. The Computer Pal Electronic Learning Aid helps kids learn about math, language, and more, while practicing on a realistic computer. There's a working mouse and keyboard designed with little hands in mind, and games that grow with kids, starting out with the ABC's. Gradually, they'll progress to arithmetic, spelling, logic, and time. There are fun games to play, as well as floppy disk-like activity cartridges. --Rob Lightner (Amazon Editorial Review)

Ages: 5-7 years
Amazon Price: $69.99

Barbie Online Talking Laptop

No one can ever criticize Barbie for being behind the times. Barbie is now online--talking about her favorite subjects: shopping, parties, vacations, pen pals, and Ken. A miniature laptop "computer" has keyboard functions to send pretend e-mail messages. Barbie says, "You send awesome e-mail," among other messages, and her face flashes on screen. Music, lights, and sound effects add to the virtual interactive experience of her Online Network. There's even a disk drive and four pretend floppy disks. While the screen displays authentic-looking windows, computer-savvy Barbie fans might be disappointed by all the pretend features. Then again, Barbie Talking Online Laptop is pure Barbie--100 percent fantasy. --Lynne Sampson (Amazon Editorial Review)

Ages: 3-8 years
Amazon Price: $13.00