Science toys are individual toys or elaborate kits that allow a child to encourage exploring, discovery, geography, environments, experiments, how and why things work, magnetic fields, the study of space, insects, gravity, chemistry, the laws of physics, the study of weather, human anatomy, the science of the five senses, electricity, planets and weight. Tips for buying science toys: * For parents: Prepare to offer adult supervision if necessary * For teachers: Buy science toys for use in the classroom with a particular lesson * Buy toys or kits that include all pieces. If they don’t , make sure to buy all the additional tools necessary for the child to get started right away or help the child shop for them. What do science toys teach a child? * Allow children to use thinking skills, deductive reasoning, logic and imagination. * To use fine motor skills for experiments and discovery * Social interaction with other children when experiments are conducted as a group. At what age is it appropriate to introduce science toys to a child? * When the child shows an interest. Be sure the child understands how to use the toy. * To enhance learning or expand on science lessons taught in school When shopping, what are the best types of science toys to look for: * Science kits with multiple experiments allow children to explore imagination and independent learning with more than one experience in a specific study. * Individual toys that teach one specific technique of science so a child may concentrate on learning and studying one specific science-related idea. --Marianne Szymanski