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The Smart Mom's Toy Box - 20 Brain-Building Toys Under $20

It’s holiday time, and that means your kids are about to hand you a wish list on a roll of toilet paper. Yes, it’s that long.

No doubt, there will be requests for video games, ovens that cook pink mini-cakes on 24 nine-volt batteries, and some kind of gun that has the cat hiding under the couch. As if the items aren’t bad enough, they’re also expensive.

But just like your “Try It Tuesday” dinner compromise (“Lima Bean Casserole, anyone?”), there are fun toys that won’t rot your kiddos’ brains or break your budget. In fact, we found a list of toys that will actually strengthen their brain skills!

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The first 10 toys were taken from Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013” (www.drtoy.com) and all 20 toys are under $20.

We chose these not only for their low cost, but also because they help develop complex learning skills, like memory, logic& reasoning, processing speed, attention, and auditory and visual processing.

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Since parents are often the first to notice when their children have learning struggles, we’ve included which cognitive skills each toy strengthens. Just skim through the list and look for skill sets based on your child’s age and abilities. Do you have a 10-year-old with ADHD? Look for toys that strengthen selective, divided and sustained attention. Prepping your kindergartner to read? Choose toys that strengthen phonemic awareness (letter sounds) through rhyming, segmenting and sound blending. Does your seven-year-old struggle to remember basic math facts? Select games that include numerical fluency or memory challenges.

“Strong learners have strong cognitive skills,” explains Tanya Mitchell, Vice President of Research & Development at LearningRx (www.LearningRx.com), a national brain training franchise with 80+ centers across the United States. “Things like attention, memory, logic& reasoning, visual and auditory processing, and processing speed are the brain skills we need to quickly and easily remember, process and recall information. These are the fundamental tools we need to excel in school, work and all areas of life.”

Here are some of the best brain-building games under $20:

1.  Deluxe Puzzle Wheel by Mudpuppy ($14.99 on Amazon.com)

Includes a sorting pegboard, five wooden pegs and 25 shapes in various colors.

Ages: 24 months+

Cognitive skills: visual processing, logic & reasoning, attention

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

2.  Toddler Build and Play Cubes by LEGO ($11.59 on Amazon.com)

These colorful, extra-large building pieces are perfect for toddlers who are just learning to build.

Ages: 18 months+

Cognitive skills: visual processing, attention

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

3.  Chain Letters by Patch Products ($18.88 on Amazon.com)

Build words by hooking the letters together—but don’t drop the chain!

Ages: 8+

Cognitive skills: sound blending, sound segmenting, attention

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

4.  Spot it! Party by Blue Orange ($19.99 on Amazon.com)

Find the symbol that each of two cards has in common. A fun, fast game for the entire family.

Ages: 10+

Cognitive skills: attention, processing speed, visual processing

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

5.  My First Math Ball – Numbers& Shapes by Exploracise ($14.95 on Amazon.com)

Toss this soft ball indoors or out while you practice counting, basic math or learning shapes.

Ages: 1-5 years

Cognitive skills: numerical fluency, attention

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

6.  Show Me the Kwan by Griddly Games ($19.99 on Amazon.com)

Roll the dice and be the first to choose the letter that matches the category for that round. Then earn points as you call out words where either the first, second or last letter corresponds to the letter that was rolled.

Ages: 8+

Cognitive skills: auditory processing, visual processing, attention, processing speed

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

7.  Match It! Spelling by The Learning Journey International ($10 on Amazon.com)

Learn to spell three- and four-letter words by assembling the puzzle cards, which are self-correcting, as they only fit in the correct sequence.

Ages: 4+

Cognitive skills: auditory processing, sound blending, planning

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

8.  Clubs by North Star Games ($11.34 on Amazon.com)

Get rid of all your cards as fast as possible while taking tricks with clubs in them to gather points. Comes with 60 cards with the four classic suits but no face cards.

Ages: 8+

Cognitive skills: planning, logic & reasoning, attention, memory, strategy

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

9.  Pluckin’ Pears by R & R Games ($13.96 on Amazon.com)

Try to predict what pairs other players will choose. If you’re correct, you’ll earn points. But you only have 90 seconds to choose your five pairs from the 11 random images on the table so do it quickly!

Ages: 12+

Cognitive skills: processing speed, logic & reasoning, visual processing

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

10.  Candy Puzzle by B. Dazzle ($9.61 on Amazon.com)

Arrange the nine colorful 4” by 4” pieces into a 12” by 12” square to match the pieces’ edges and form a completed picture in every direction.

Ages: 4+

Cognitive skills: visual processing, attention

* Named one of Dr. Toy’s “100 Best Toys of 2013”

 

11.  Rhyming Words Dominoes by Trend Enterprises ($5.48 on Amazon.com)

Teach rhyming words with these domino-like cards. Includes 56 double-sided cards with words and pictures.

Ages: 4+

Cognitive skills: sound segmenting, rhyming, auditory processing

 

12.  Simon Electronic Carabiner by Basic Fun ($6.99 on Amazon.com)

This small, portable version of the original classic includes a carabiner clip to attach to a belt loop or purse.

Ages: 7+

Cognitive skills: auditory processing, visual processing, attention, memory, processing speed

 

13.  Minute Math Electronic Flash Card by Learning Resources ($10.49 on Amazon.com)

This handheld gadget builds number fact fluency in timed and untimed modes with three levels of difficulty. Gives positive, corrective feedback (both visual and auditory).

Ages: 6+

Cognitive skills: visual processing, auditory processing, math computations, processing speed

 

14.  Sport Stacking Game – Stacks Cups by Flying Cup ($8.99 on Amazon.com)

Stack in sequences as fast as you can. Compete against your own time or against friends.

Ages: 8+

Cognitive skills: planning, processing speed, visual processing

 

15.  Travel Battleship Fun on the Run by Hasbro ($15 on Amazon.com)

This classic tactical combat game is now perfect for car trips!

Ages: 7+

Cognitive skills: logic & reasoning, planning, problem solving

 

16.  LED Light Rubik’s Cube by Glodeals ($6.40 on Amazon.com)

The classic ‘80s brain twister now comes in a light-up version.

Ages: 3+

Cognitive skills: planning, visual processing, problem solving, working memory

 

17.   Sequence for Kids by Jax Ltd. ($13.69 on Amazon.com)

Play a card from your hand, place a chip on a character and aim for four in a row!

Ages: 4+

Cognitive skills: logic & reasoning, planning, problem solving, sequential processing, visual processing, working memory

 

18.  4 In a Row by Pressman Toy ($12.13 on Amazon.com)

Be the first player to get four color disks in a row and you win!

Ages: 6+

Cognitive skills: attention, logic & reasoning, executive processing, planning, sequential processing, problem solving

 

19.  Bop-It Bounce by Hasbro ($10.05 on Amazon.com)

Follow the electronic commands to bounce at different skill levels – alone or against friends.

Ages: 8+

Cognitive skills: auditory processing, planning, processing speed, attention

 

20.  Mancala For Kids by Pressman Toy ($11.81 on Amazon.com)

With animal shapes instead of stones, this version of the centuries-old classic is still a gem.

Ages: 6+

Cognitive skills: logic & reasoning, numerical concept, numerical fluency, planning, problem solving

“We now know that you’re not resigned to the IQ you’re born with,” explains Dr. Ken Gibson, author of “Unlock the Einstein Inside: Applying New Brain Science to Wake Up the Smart in Your Child” (www.UnlockTheEinsteinInside.com). “IQ is simply a measurement of cognitive scores. Strong cognitive skills means high IQ and if they’re weak, personal brain training is the fastest, most effective way to strengthen them. Best of all, the results of one-on-one brain training are permanent. As a supplement to brain training, purchasing toys that work these brain skills can help.”

Take this list with you when you head to the store (or online!) to do your holiday shopping or download a free detailed Games for Skills Chart at: www.UnlockTheEinsteinInside.com.

For more information about the Smart Mom’s Toy Box or on the benefits of brain training, contact LearningRx at 856-348-3600 or visit us at www.LearningRx.com/cherry-hill.

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