Educational Products That are Fun!:

Try these books and games for your child

by Daniel Sean Kaye

Suggest to your child that they read something educational or play a game that’ll teach them something and you may as well have asked them to kiss their great aunt.

Luckily though, there are several absolutely terrific series of entertaining, smart, and engaging educational books and games out there just waiting to be discovered. Is your child interested in space, animals, the ocean, science, or history? Here are more than a few suggestions of books that can foster that interest.

Scholastic First Discovery
(Scholastic, $5.99 each)
Like the title of this series would indicate, these books are terrific introductions to many subjects young children find interesting. There are books on night creatures, penguins, the universe, and much more, all written in brief pops of information that are surrounded by kid-friendly illustrations. The books are easy to understand, have some transparent pages with pictures, and definitely will entice children to learn even more about the topics. Even adults (I speak from experience) will pick them up for a refresher.

Reader’s Clubhouse Series
(Barron’s, $3.99 each)
These books for beginner readers focus on teaching reading to children in preschool to Grade 1, through an assortment of stories and facts about subjects that interest them. The books focus on phonics through stressing vowel sounds, both short and long. The illustrations complement the text and each book offers activities as well as resources to continue the learning. There are fun, humorous titles with cute characters and other books that focus on science and nature.

“American Girl” books
I can’t say enough good things about American Girl book series. The range of topics is inspiring and the care with which they put together smart, entertaining, empowering books for young girls makes me very happy. Of course, there are the historical books based on girls of different eras and ethnicities that weave young women of a certain age throughout time. There are also the “Coconut and Licorice” books (featuring cute and cuddly pets); smartly written mysteries; colorful and fun-filled activity books; and do-it-yourself products. My favorite books are the ones that seek to empower young girls, with information about health and “real” beauty, as well as feelings, family and friends. The dolls and movies are fine, but dig deeper and you’ll find a treasure trove of books you’ll be proud to give to your daughter.

Scholastic Question and Answer Series
(Scholastic, $6.99 each)
These 24 books surround subjects children must study in school (and may even find interesting in real life). The text is written clearly, answering dozens of questions quickly—some with just a sentence or two. That means kids can pay attention and learn things without being bored by elaborate answers. There are also plenty of illustrations that serve both as explanations and entertainment. The books don’t shy away from some of the cruelty and ugliness in the world, but offer understandable reasons for such truths. Some of the most intriguing titles include: “Can It Rain Cats and Dogs?” and “Why Don’t Haircuts Hurt?” to “Can You Hear a Shout in Space?” and “Do Whales Have Bellybuttons?” The topics really do touch on a variety of interests—animals, dinosaurs, bugs, oceans, the human body, endangered species and much more. 

Brain Quest
(Workman)
Part education part game, these quizzes tackle subjects in fun and sometimes challenging manners. The bookmark-shaped flashcards (held together by a grommet) ask a question on one card and provide the answer of the next. The decks come in many levels for a variety of ages and can be used as either a refresher or a playful competition. Subjects include: 1,500 Questions That Challenge the Mind (for Grades 1-7); math and reading specific; toddler/young children (for ages 2-6); American History; Black History; Hispanic America; and the presidents. They are so popular some kids even collect them.

Obviously, there are tons of educational books, games, and more out there. To me, it isn’t always a matter of one being better than another, as much as it is that there are educational and non-educational products availalbe. Instead of just grabbing the newest, most-colorful product featuring a talking cat, monkey, or robot, go to the educational series section of the book/toy store to see if you can find a product that supports a topic in which your child has shown an interest. Whether it is sports, music, the arts, science, history, geography, astronomy, religion, a trade, animals, nature, dance, film, stories, or any other number of subjects, find products that excite and challenge them in gentle ways. Remember that you are not just keeping them happy for an afternoon, you are helping to build them a future.