During the holidays, I always am fascinated by what the coolest educational toys are for little kids that year. I tried to do a little roundup of ones that caught my eye, arranged by age. 

Newborn to Three Years

The Fisher-Price BeatBo is the first on my list. It's a dancing bee-thing that teaches kids fine motor skills, colors, ABCs and builds vocabulary. It also has a low-volume feature...because you want that. Kids also love lego. I love lego. They can get started any time with the Mega Bloks Big Building Bag. They're too big to choke on, but still help build fine motor skills. Finally the Red Retro Kitchen. A play kitchen for a newborn? You say. I would say that this sturdy kitchen is best suited for 18 months+. It's great for kids who are really getting into pulling open drawers or standing on their own. 

Four to Six Years

I will be the first to admit that I am not a kid-person, but by 4-6, they are starting to become more person like. This is the time to teach them useful life skills. Yeah, put that toddler to work. First, since kids should always be prepared for a back-up career in the food industry, I like the Melissa & Doug Cutting Food Set. This is also about the age that I start thinking that kids should start being able to cut things up in the kitchen, so they should have some practice beforehand. Also, to get them started in the woodworking field, I like the Hape Master Workbench Wooden Play Builder Set. It's a solid upgrade from that little hammer-peg-board thing that toddlers get. Finally, the Ozobot Starter Pack. That's right. Give your kids a robot and teach them to code. I have done this with kids as young as 5. 

Seven and Up

Okay. This age is, currently, all about electronics. While a lot of people are on the fence about that, it's the new reality. First up: Kindle Fire Kids Edition Tablet. Comes in a kid-friendly case, with a rockstar kid-friendly warranty, and no contract or data plan. It also comes with a year of access to hundreds of apps and TV shows for your kids to enjoy. Next, a couple of high-tech items. The Snap Circuits 3D Illumination Electronics Discovery Kit teaches about light and electricity through easy snap-together pieces. I also am highly in favor of this Mini 3D Printer. 3D printing is fun, fast, and the price has come down a lot. This table-top printer  will be so much fun for everyone in the family. Finally, kids are really into minecraft right now. I don't get it, but whatever. Mix together Minecraft and lego for a fun rainy-day activity using this Lego Minecraft Jungle Tree House.

What are you getting your kids for Christmas? Happy shopping!