Kids love to collect things that most adults think are pretty common and uninteresting, like pine cones, rocks, fall leaves. I know some parents let their kids have a “Nature Bucket” to store their found treasures, but some kids have curiosities that go beyond these safe items. Here are a few fun toys that blend science and a love for nature with good old fashioned fun. They also make great activities for the whole family.
Microscopes are a great tool for children in the classroom, but can be too expensive, immobile and fragile to make a practical toy for home use. I like Scope it Out because it’s an easy to use magnifier and a perfect companion for a nature walk. Kids can use it to observe just about anything, even underwater. The set of handy tools make collecting specimens easy and scientific, and the handy light really helps at night or in rooms with indirect lighting. There’s also a smaller version that magnifies items to 30 times their original size if you’re looking for something more fun than scientific.
[XTreme Scope it Out; $15.99 at Arsa Toys]
Big Bad Booming Bugs Giant Bug Projector is a fun way to explore, store and release insect specimens. It includes a flashlight to look for bugs at night, a bug scooper to catch specimens, an adjustable magnifying glass, a slide lever for releasing the bugs when you’re done, and a lighted projector for seeing them at up to fifty times their real size! You can project your specimens on a large wall, side of a building, or side walk for all kinds of fun projects.
[Big Bad Booming Bugs Giant Bug Projector $10.88 at Arsa Toys]
And for those parents that think that nature should be heard and not seen, this Secret Sounds set allows kids to hear the normally-hidden sounds of nature. It picks up on the ultrasonic frequencies emitted by frogs, bats and crickets and amplifies them to be heard. It’s a really educational hands-off activity.
[Secret Sounds by Uncle Milton; $21.40 at Arsa Toys]
