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15 educational toys for kids under 10 to help reduce screen time
National Geographic science kits, Giiker puzzle games, LeapFrog toys and more.
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At Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally (NDR)
Screentime is an infinitely seductive way to keep children temporarily occupied sans adult supervision. But there are healthier, screen-free alternatives that can keep your little ones entertained while developing skills that matter.
In this guide, we round up some of the best educational toys for children under 10 to replace screen time with fun and learning.
In this article:
How damaging is screen time for kids?
Best educational toys for children: babies and toddlers aged 0 to 3
Best educational toys for children: kindergarteners aged 4 to 6
Best educational toys for children: children aged 7 to 9
Other online retailers to buy educational toys for children in Singapore
How damaging is screen time for kids?
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Studies
Eye strain
Poor posture
Disrupted sleep
Lower energy levels, weight gain and obesity
Shortened attention spans and poor impulse control
Behavioural issues
Difficulties with emotional regulation
Delays in language and social skills development
Increased risks of hyperactivity, anxiety and depression
Impaired brain function
At the media briefing for Grow Well SG
Consequently, guidelines on screen use were introduced in schools (including at the preschool level) as part of the national health promotion strategy which aims to “enhance preventive care and inculcate healthier lifestyles in children and adolescents”.
Best educational toys for children: babies and toddlers aged 0 to 3
Montessori Toddler Busy Board, $42.29
PHOTO: AMAZON
The touch-and-feel elements and sounds of this wooden busy board allows for surprisingly engaging tactile play sans screens.
Through playing with the 8 LED light switches and other buttons and knobs on this busy board, babies can explore textures and sounds and practice fine motor skills. Suitable for babies a year old and toddlers.
Fisher-Price Linkimals Counting Koala, $64.37
PHOTO: AMAZON
This toy koala isn’t just cute, it’s also a musical light-up toy that will teach your kids about shapes, how to count from 1 to 10, and phrases. Aside from the shape spinner on its belly, your little one can strengthen their fine motor skills when they interact with the soft ear and bat-at roller.
Collect other Linkimals friends; when placed together, they sync up and interact. Suitable for babies aged 9 months and up.
Magna-Tiles Jungle Animals Set (25 Piece), $57.69
PHOTO: AMAZON
Introduce creative thinking and problem-solving concepts in an imaginative, hands-on way with Magna-Tiles. These 3D magnetic building tiles snap together on every edge and allow for open-ended combinations.
From building simple towers to more complex animals, children learn about shapes, angles, and architecture. Recommended for toddlers 3 and up.
Hasbro Play-doh Super Color Pack with 20 Cans, $17.71
Original price: $26.90 (34 per cent off) Buy here
PHOTO: LAZADA
Children are encouraged to build curiosity and express themselves. With Play-doh, their imagination’s the limit. Through squeezing, pinching, and rolling they engage in sensory play and explore different textures, shapes and movements.
Play-doh is non-toxic and recommended for children three and up, but good to supervise younger children in case they try to ingest it.
LeapFrog Mr Pencil’s Scribble, $41.90
Original price: $50.40 (17 per cent off) Buy here
PHOTO: SHOPEE
Start your child’s early literacy journey with Mr Pencil’s Scribble. Using the stylus, trace dotted lines to form letters and numbers. Then, watch them transform into animated objects and more. Suitable for children three and up.
Tip: ‘Upgrade’ your kid to a LeapFrog My Own Leaptop
Best educational toys for children: kindergarteners aged 4 to 6
Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! Super Building Set, $78.87
PHOTO: AMAZON
Gears and building toys are great for kids who enjoy figuring out how things work. By assembling endless combinations and understanding how parts work together, children learn cause-and-effect through these ‘busy’ toys.
Aside from gears, this set comes with other attachments such as flowers, bees, ladybugs, and butterflies. Ideal for ages 4 and up.
Creativity for Kids Grow ‘n Glow Terrarium, $20.10
PHOTO: AMAZON
This DIY terrarium kit features a plastic mason-style jar, potting mix, chia and wheat grass seeds. Once the mini-ecosystem is designed and planted, seeds will begin to sprout in 3 days.
Further decorate the terrarium with stickers and glow-in-the-dark forest figurines to light up your mini garden at night. Recommended for ages 6+ to learn about nature and the importance of the water cycle.
Paint by Sticker Kids: Dinosaurs, $18.03
Original price: $19.57 (8 per cent off) Buy here
PHOTO: SHOPEE
Unlike a paint by number kit, a paint by sticker book eliminates any possibility of a mess. Working out where the colours and shapes should go also develops fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Good to keep younger kids aged 4 and up entertained. Once completed, you could move on to a sticker book on rainforest animals sea creatures outer space
Learning Resources Botley the Coding Robot 2 Activity Set, $122.54
PHOTO: AMAZON
Unleash your kid’s inner techie when they code with Botley 2.0. Discover 16 interactions from solving a maze to navigating an obstacle course.
The easy-to-use remote programmer allows them to code right out of the box and discover 16 interactions. They can even code through music, lights, and movements. Best for ages 5 and up.
3Doodler Start+ Essentials Pack, $70.45
PHOTO: AMAZON
Arts and crafts are taken to a whole new level with the 3Doodler Start+ Essentials Pack. Create a 3D drawing by picking one of the easy-to-follow stencil designs or let your imagination run free.
The pen nozzle and plastic are designed to remain completely cool and can be touched without any burn risk. Suitable for kids aged 6 and up.
Best educational toys for children: children aged 7 to 9
National Geographic Science Magic Kit, $47.07
PHOTO: AMAZON
Give your kids the power to amaze and delight by performing 20 incredible magic tricks that are actually science experiments in disguise.
The kit also comes with a one-of-a-kind illustrated guide which allows them to perform an additional 30 experiments using everyday household items. Good for kids aged 8 and up.
Galt Toys Super Marble Run, $55.92
Original price: $69.90 (20 per cent off) Buy here
PHOTO: AMAZON
Whether they choose to build simple or complex marble run structures, endless combinations can be made with the 9 chutes, 9 curves, 24 tubes, 6 bases, and a snake pass rotary drop paddle wheel roundabout.
Aside from providing hours of fun, marble runs help children learn about gravity, kinetic energy, and motion. Suitable for children aged 4 to 8.
GiiKER Super Slide Puzzle Game, $45.50
Original price: $65.00 (30 per cent off) Buy here
PHOTO: LAZADA
Over 1,000 engaging, screen-free puzzle challenges are packed into this compact, portable, and durable design. The progressive difficulty and ‘learn mode’ keeps the toy fresh and appeals to cognitive skills such as spatial reasoning, logic, and focus.
The product is recommended for ages 6 and up but teenagers and adults also enjoy the hands-on play. Want more travel-friendly, screen-free toys from Giiker? Check out the Giiker Play Anywhere Bundle
4M Volcano Making Kit, $13.52
Original price: $18.89 (28 per cent off) Buy here
PHOTO: AMAZON
Encourage interest in science, geography and the natural world with this classic volcano making kit. By adding vinegar and baking soda, recreate the wonder of an ‘eruption’ at home.
The kit also comes with a guidebook with cool facts about volcanoes. This hands-on project is best-suited for children ages 8 years and up.
Yoto Mini, $125.90
PHOTO: LAZADA
This portable, screen-free audio player can keep your kids entertained through longer car rides with audiobooks, music, and podcasts. It even has sleep sounds to soothe.
The Yoto Mini could serve as a screen-free alternative to physical books and e-readers, while still fostering the love of independent reading and storytelling. Designed for children aged 3 to 12+.
All prices are correct at time of publication
Other online retailers to buy educational toys for children in Singapore
For more fun and educational toys for children, you can check out these online retailers too. This list is meant to be non-exhaustive.
FAQs: Best toys for children to reduce screen time
1. What is the average time spent on screens for kids?
Many infants and toddlers under two were exposed to about 2 hours daily, according to a Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (Gusto) study. Meanwhile, by the ages of 2 to 3, children were averaging 2.5 hours of screen time per day.
A separate survey by KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH)
2. What are the screen time guidelines for children in Singapore?
No screen use is recommended for children under 18 months. For those between 18 months to 6 years old, up to 1 hour of screen per day is recommended outside of school. Children under seven are also not recommended to have background screentime.
For primary school children aged 7 to 12, screen use should be limited to a maximum of 2 hours per day. These recommendations come from Health Hub
3. What is the most effective way to reduce screen time for kids?
Aside from setting in-app time limits and restricting physical access to digital screens, you could have kids ‘unlock’ screen time by completing chores or having screen-free creative play first.
4. Why do parents allow screen time?
It is not that parents deliberately want to hand their children a screen. When given a choice, most parents would prefer more face-to-face interaction with their children.
However, the reality is that using electronic devices has become a quick and easy solution for time-poor parents to keep children temporarily occupied.
5. What is counted in screen time?
Any amount of time spent in front of an electronic display screen would be counted as screen time. Some examples of screen time would include using a smartphone, computer, video game console, or television.
There is also background screen time, which occurs when there are screens playing in the background.
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