10 Best Learning Gifts for Kids

I love the challenge of finding holiday gifts for my kids that not only are fun but encourage learning, too. (Even better if the kids can't tell that the gifts are educational!) So if you need some shopping ideas, here are the year's most-wished-for kid learning toys and how they're educational.

1. Colorku
Like Sudoku but with colored marbles instead of numbers. It's a fantastic game for logic and problem solving.

2. Doorbell House
The cutest cottage with four doors, each with a unique lock, matching keys, and a special doorbell sound. Great for visual-spacial skills and problem solving.

3. Dude Diary 3.0
Draw, doodle, and write in this very cool, slightly gross, totally awesome diary. Writing practice makes for better writers and readers.

4. Mind Putty
The coolest putty you'll find. Available in thermochromic, magnetic, and glow-in-the-dark. Improves children's fine motor skills and great for creativity.

5. Kiwi Crate
My favorite of the crafty crates on the market with easy to follow directions and kid-enticing activities. Great for following directions, creativity, and science (in some cases.)

6. Suspend
A balance game for 1 - 4 players that helps kids developing eye-hand coordination, communication skills, and thinking skills. 

7. Tapeffiti Fashion Design Challenge
Are your kids as crazy about tape as mine? This kit helps them use tape to create clothes. Imagination plus math and visual-spacial skills make this a great creative learning product.

8. Terra Kids Automobile Kit
Builders, here's a car kit that uses rubberband propulsion and really works. Kids learn to follow directions, problem solve, as well as engineering. 

9. Blunders
Play this board game and learn your manners along with the Blunder family. Lots of laughing in this game! Of course, you're learning manners but also cooperation and communication. 

10. Hide and Seek Geocache
Talk about learning and fun mixed together! This is everything you need to start geocaching -- which is like a huge outdoor treasure hunt using a GPS. Kids will learn orienteering, geography and more.

Any favorites you think your kids will love? Comment here.

(*For more learning toys and games, go to Imagination Soup's Educational Gift Guide page.)