How To Pick Gifts For Precocious Kids

Every child has something he does well and enjoys doing. Encourage that natural talent with fun and educational toys and activities from online retailers like Sensational Beginnings and HearthSong. Heres how to pick gifts for your precocious kid:

Musical Maestro

Musically inclined children can compose their own music with instruments made for smaller hands, like drums, pianos, guitars and horns. Give future vocalists a selection of music CDs and a microphone so they can belt out their favorite songs. MP3 players and headphones made with large colorful control buttons will provide hours of listening enjoyment and are perfect for road trips.

Young Einstein

A top-notch math and science education is the foundation for later learning and critical thinking. Give your burgeoning scientist a leg up with counting and math toys, clocks for learning time and map puzzles. Youll also find kid-friendly microscopes and kits and games that explore the human body or birds, insects and wildlife. Older children will enjoy hands-on activities that explore wind and solar power, rocks, outer space, physical and earth science, and more.

Culinary Wonders

If your children love to help you in the kitchen and have inquisitive taste buds, hand them their own aprons, chef’s hats and cooking utensils. Younger children will spend hours with kitchen play sets, especially if they’re stocked with colorful cooking tools, pretend food, serving ware and tea sets. Older children will enjoy cooking and baking treats they can eat using special kits and pans for making giant cupcakes and cream-filled cookies, unusual cakes, gingerbread objects and colorful iced cookie shapes. Throw in a child-friendly recipe book for even more ideas of things they can whip up in the kitchen.

Aspiring Artists

Easels and desks give children a place to create without having to worry about making a mess, and some also help keep their supplies in one place. Equip your budding Picassos with paint, crayons, chalk and colored pencils. Then throw in drawing pads or big paper rolls and see where their imaginations take them. Other children will enjoy putting together sewing and craft projects that make unique jewelry, woven and knitted accessories, pottery, quilts, stuffed animals and more that they can use and give to others. Another great idea is a tie-dye or make-up kit that lets your children exercise their inner fashionistas.

Growing Up Heroes

If your children are out to save the world, encourage them to explore their dreams with dress-up apparel, accessories and toys. Firefighters will love putting on their gear and racing to the scene with a fire extinguisher in one hand and a walkie-talkie in the other. Add a pedal-powered fire engine to sneak some fitness into their play. Wannabe police officers can save the day wearing utility belts equipped with handcuffs, a nightstick and other crime-fighting gear. With a detective kit, they can learn about the science of law enforcement by collecting and comparing fingerprints and investigating the crime scene. Future doctors can check their vital signs with working stethoscopes and play medical kits.