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

Kids are back to school and there are plenty of toys that may be hiding in their toybox to enhance the new skills they are learning during the day. Homework helpers to enhance math, spelling and science are a great way to interact with your child and monitor their learning. Most parents rarely hear "this is what I learned today" so pull out those toys you already bought, sit down and play and you'll be surprised how your child progresses throughout the school year. 1. Get out the puzzles. Exercise thinking skills though strategy, concentration and the completion of a project. 2. Building toys foster spatial relationships, hand eye coordination, imaginative and creative play. 3. Drawing toys assist with focus and attention to detail. Pull out the markers and paper or look for anything that allows a child to follow lines, create pictures out of a variety of materials and make a craft together. 4. Storytelling helps a child learn new vocabulary words, understand sentence structure and practice listening and concentration skills. Play games, use puppets and read to your child everyday and once they learn, have them read to you, even if it is a recipe as you are making dinner! 5. Science and math toys. Use these everyday and encourage your child to understand how both concepts are used everyday in the environment around us. Take a look at more ideas on my new toy tips page on amazon.com- no I don't sell toys, they do! http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/post/PLNK3TIALGOOSHC7J?pf_rd_p=444419601&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=700065011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=11STH99DRDHCB852DR8V