Early Childhood
Early Education Games and Resources
Effective early childhood education involves engaging students with information and activity for brief periods of time. Learning tools for early childhood include books and other media as well as manipulatives, games, and toys. From memorizing ABC’s and 123’s to learning how to tie shoelaces and master motor skills, young children can benefit from instruction and practice with learning tools and activities.
Books and Other Media
Shop a wide selection of lesson planning books geared towards instructors, and don’t miss the selection of reading and activity books and workbooks designed to engage early learners. Many of the books designed for students capture children’s attention through storytelling, illustrations, or interactive features. With elements that engage, it is no wonder that books such as the Very Hungry Caterpillar, Sheep in a Jeep, and Curious George series are remembered by children well into adulthood.
Some media uses sound to appeal to children. Books that use rhyme help early readers remember sounds and letters or letter combinations. Addition & Subtraction Rap and Division Rap DVDs by Rock n Learn also take advantage of rhyme but use it to teach math. DVDs, and books with cassettes or CDs, use audio to encourage participation as they share information. Students make rapid progress in language learning during early childhood, and foreign language DVDs can introduce them to new languages at early ages. The Spanish DVD: Grades K & Up or Aprendamos Ingles (Learn English) DVD by Rock n Learn are two such DVDs.
Manipulatives, Games, and Toys
Manipulatives, games, and educational toys get children interested, active, and learning. Children can practice recognizing patterns and develop their understanding of size and shape by using manipulatives. Multi Match Sensory Discs by Guidecraft encourage children to use their use their senses, fine motor skills, and color matching abilities. Foam Color Cubes by Teacher Created can be used to help children learn to visually discriminate between colors and develop fine motor skills. Like many manipulatives, Foam Color Cubes can also be used for creating patterns and understanding basic math concepts. Age-appropriate games and toys encourage children to participate in developmental activities in similar ways.
Learning at any age can be fun, and that is a great lesson for children to learn early. The learning tools and activities available here can help them do so.
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Bowling Friends Preschool Playset
Melissa & Doug
$32.99This preschool-friendly bowling set has soft plastic components that are easy to lift, easy to maneuver, and so much fun to knock down! Six unique character pins feature bright colors, raised textures, and sweet facial expressions to encourage little...$32.99 -
K's Kids® The Hungry Pelican
Melissa & Doug
$37.99This cuddly plush pelican has an empty belly . . . and a big appetite for fun! Young children can open the pelican's big bill (which squeaks when squeezed!) to drop four mini plush animals into his open mouth. Then the crinkly shrimp, squeaking octopus,...$37.99 -
Match & Roll Shape Sorter
Melissa & Doug
$24.99This brightly colored wooden shape sorter is an exciting update on a classic toy! Toddlers can drop the dozen-plus vibrant wooden shapes--including a triangle, octagon, star, rectangle, square, trapezoid, hexagon--through the color-matched holes, then...$24.99 -
Shape Sorting Cube Classic Toy
Melissa & Doug
$18.99This ultimate shape sorter features 12 chunky, vibrantly colored shapes that make a satisfying "clunk" as they drop into the natural-finish hardwood cube. Then open the lid, take them out and start all over again! A classic educational toy for toddlers...$18.99 -
Geometric Stacker Toddler Toy, 25 Pieces
Melissa & Doug
$22.99Match and sort these 25 colorful wooden pieces, and skill-building is just part of the fun. Rings, octagons, and rectangles can be slotted onto the three rods, stacked on top of each other, or lined up to compare shapes, sizes, and colors. This...$22.99 -
Primary Lacing Beads, 2 Sets
Melissa & Doug
$35.98The bright and bold Melissa & Doug Primary Lacing Beads set is a must-have for budding imaginations! Each set includes thirty hand-painted, durable wooden beads in six vibrant colors, and two extra-long laces for plenty of hands-on play. Each set of...$35.98 -
Primary Lacing Beads
Melissa & Doug
$17.99Thirty wooden beads in six vibrant colors and five distinct shapes combine with two extra-long laces for many activities. Stringing the easily grasped beads promotes hand-eye coordination, fine motor, cognitive and visual perception skills.• 30...$17.99 -
Beginner Pattern Blocks
Melissa & Doug
$27.99A perfect first manipulative! Five two-sided wooden pattern boards with ten designs feature recessed spaces for secure shape placement. Brightly colored geometric shapes complete the pictures and can also be used for color and shape matching activities...$27.99 -
Catch & Count Fishing Game
Melissa & Doug
$32.99Catch some laughs and learning with this wooden magnetic play set--complete with working wind-up reel! The 10 magnetic fish are numbered and patterned to enrich matching, sorting, and counting activities, and two wooden rods make collecting them a blast!...$32.99 -
Ocean Tummy Time Triangle
Melissa & Doug
$14.99Make baby's tummy time extra special with this engaging, double-sided folding cloth triangle toy! Three fold-out panels with adorable ocean-themed graphics and friendly characters lie flat or fold and connect into an upright pyramid. One side features...$14.99 -
Stack & Sort Board
Melissa & Doug
$15.99The 15 wooden pieces in this novel shape sorter offer a variety of colors, shapes, and opportunities for learning. Stack them on the pegged stand in order, mix up the shapes and colors, or create your own games with these engaging first manipulatives! A...$15.99 -
Latches Wooden Learning Board
Melissa & Doug
$32.99Undo a latch, swing open the numbered door, and count on fun when the picture beneath is revealed on this wooden play board! Build fine motor skills while learning colors, numbers, animals and more!Key Features:Undo a latch, swing open the numbered...$32.99 -
Basic Skills Wooden Learning Board
Melissa & Doug
$24.99This wooden bear is always smiling, but he's happiest when fully dressed! Getting dressed won't be such a puzzle once zipping, buckling, snapping, lacing and tying, and other dressing skills are mastered. Each skill is contained on a separate, wooden...$24.99 -
Lace & Trace Pets, Pack of 2
Melissa & Doug
$25.98With adorable pets pictured on both sides, it's fun to practice lacing and tracing skills. This wooden set contains five sturdy, double-sided lacing panels, plus five color-coordinated laces! Develop hand-eye coordination and attention skills with this...$25.98 -
Lace & Trace Pets
Melissa & Doug
$12.99With adorable pets pictured on both sides, it's fun to practice lacing and tracing skills. This wooden set contains five sturdy, double-sided lacing panels, plus five color-coordinated laces! Develop hand-eye coordination and attention skills with this...$12.99 -
Lace & Trace Farm
Melissa & Doug
$12.99With charming farm animal art on both sides, it's fun to practice lacing and tracing skills. This wooden set contains five sturdy, double-sided lacing panels, plus five color-coordinated laces! Develop hand-eye coordination and attention skills with this...$12.99 -
Take-Along Show-Horse Stable Play Set
Melissa & Doug
$37.99A play set to please equestrians of every age! This handsome wooden stable houses eight flocked horses, each in its own stall. Swing open the stable doors to take them out for playtime, then put each one back in its stall until the next big horse show!...$37.99 -
Pound and Roll Tower
Melissa & Doug
$24.99We've taken the classic pounding toy to new heights! Pound the four brightly colored balls through the holes, then watch and listen as they roll, down the ramps. Sturdy wooden hammer included.Key Features:Brightly colored, smooth-sanded pieces help...$24.99 -
Ice Cream Take-Along Pull Toy
Melissa & Doug
$19.99This super-sweet clip-on vibrating pull-toy is a delicious way to entertain babies while stimulating their senses—without the sugar rush! It looks like a soft, smiling ice cream cone, but pull it down and it expands to four stacked scoops in...$19.99 -
Soft Taco Fill & Spill
Melissa & Doug
$24.99Spice up playtime with touchable, tactile taco play food pieces! Fill a happy-faced, fabric-covered soft taco shell with crinkling, squishy, multi-textured pieces to delight the senses. Pull out the pieces and refill the taco again and again! The Soft...$24.99