Kmart kids winter haul

 I just posted about the new homewares coming to Kmart this winter then I saw the amazing toys that have been released too! I just had to make another post for those. Some of you who have been here a while will know that I have a passion for early childhood learning. My son is growing out of that now so I try and grow with him but it does make me sad that a lot of the great materials available today weren't available when he was younger. 

I will try and label each of the things I have found with the age groups I believe they are suitable for as some of these can transcend several years.

Kmart Educational toys

Don't be fooled. All toys can be educational. Children learn through play which is why its so important to not focus on sitting at a desk and doing board work when teaching even as parents. Children deserve things that are fun and active to get their minds thinking about how the world around them works. 

Although I have broken them into age groups every child is different. These are more the ages that I have observed my son and the children at daycare would enjoy them the most in their developmental stages.

2-5years

1. Bath crayons - $4.50 Encourages fine motor skills, grip, control and interaction between water and materials.

2. Nature finds activity - $5.50 This activity teaches identification of colors and textures as well as identifying natural elements around them. Teaching them plant names, identification, and for older children can teach reading also as they read the card for themselves.

3. Spelling Bingo - $10 This game teaches kids the letter sounds which is why I have put it in the lower age group. For older children it can teach the difference between consonants and vowels as well as making it a fun challenge between groups.

5-10yrs

1. Learn with me anatomy bib - $15 Any kids still learning from home (our school still gets sent home due to teacher shortages) this give them a visual of what's inside their bodies. Giving kids autonomy when we talk about what happens in their bodies this helps them connect ideas and concepts and helps them identify their own needs.

2. Mandala puzzle - $13 This one is fine for any age after they stop putting things in their mouths. It teaches fine motor skills, color and shape recognition as well as pattern recognition and especially for kids with ADHD or ASD they can find some peace in creating patterns and color gradients.

3. 101-200 sight words - $13 Oxford sight words are broken into groups in order of when they should be learnt. This pack is the second group so designed for second stage learning which is generally years 1-2 but every child is different. A great activity for these is to set them up around the room and get children to shoot them with nerf guns or jump on them on the floor or maybe making sentences with them. This makes it a game for identifying the words and you can use a variety of games such as, shoot all the words with a Th sound.

4. Lego storage case - $15 Who doesn't need a new way to store their lego. There is never a perfect way but this sure looks like a great one. The inside is roomy and divided and you cant lose the mat for building on. Kids can divide between color, kids, people and shapes and develop fine motor skills in building their own creations. Why not get one per child so they can keep their creations going.

5. Slap band plush - $7 For kids who need to fidget or enjoy bringing a soft friend with them these are perfect. They wont drop or lose the toy and it keeps their hands free. The snap band can be use to fidget with when they need to occupy their hands. 

6. Electronic science set - $20 I adored these when I was a kid. They are amazing for teaching about how electronics work which builds understanding about the world around us. Its also great for fine motor and building problem management.