For some great parent recommendations of gifts and websites, check out the lists below.
| Challenging Games | ||
| Game | Level | Comments/Description |
| Math: | ||
| 24 Game Primer (Add/Subtract) | K to 3rd | Use easy to combine patterns of addition and subtraction to total a targeted number. |
| 24 Game-Original (+,-,x, & /) | 3rd to 6th | Use easy to complex patterns of basic functions to find 24. |
| SET | K to adult | Make sets with this great visual perception challenge. |
| Rush Hour (many variations) | K to adult | Try to escape from the traffic jams set up to match puzzle cards. |
| Mastermind | 3rd to adult | One player chooses a color pattern for the opponent to guess within a certain number of tries. |
| Blokus | K to adult | Spatial reasoning and strategy combine for a good challenge. |
| Tangrams/Tangoes | K to adult | An ancient game, available in many forms for spatial reasoning fun. |
| Language Arts: | ||
| Apples to Apples (junior) | 3rd to adult | Match nouns to a selected adjective and a judge decides which is the best match. |
| Quiddler | 2nd to adult | Form short words with letter cards to arrange entire hand. |
| Sources of Great Toy Ideas | ||
| Toy Ratings/Awards: | ||
| National Association for Gifted Children Holiday List for 2007 | http://www.nagc.org/uploadedFiles/PHP/Toylist%202007.pdf | Published in "Parenting for High Potential" Sept. 2007 |
| Lion and Lamb Project | www.lionlamb.org/toylists.html | Top 20 nonviolent toys - not updated since 2003-2004 |
| Dr. Toy | www.drtoy.com/ | Various long lists of excellent toys: best toys, vacation toys, classic toys, smart toys |
| Mensa | www.mindgames.us.mensa.org/participant/past_winners.php | Toys that have won the MENSA Select rating |
| Oppenheim | http://www.toyportfolio.com/PlatinumAwards/Index.asp | A widely recognized name in toy awards list for 2008 |
| Family Fun Magazine | http://familyfun.go.com/parties/holiday-seasonal/specialfeature/famf1107-toy-main/ | Some smart toys, some are just fun |
| Online toy sources: | ||
| Zome | www.zometool.com | "If you can dream it, you can build it" |
| Mindware | http://www.mindwareonline.com/ | Brainy toys for kids of all ages |
| Fat Brain Toys | www.FatBrainToys.com | Smarter Toys = Smarter Kids |
| Thinkfun | www.thinkfun.com | "World leader in mind challenging games" |
| BoardGameGeek | www.boardgamegeek.com | database for board game information, reviews, session reports, images, files, and links |
| Cogno | www.cogno.com | Science and games combined, books too |
| Educational Learning Games | http://www.educationallearninggames.com/ | "The fun way to learn" |
| The Learning Company | www.learningcompany.com | Software |
| Catalogs: | ||
| Mindware | http://www.mindwareonline.com/ | Brainy toys for kids of all ages |
| HearthSong | www.hearthsong.com | Toys you'll feel good about giving |
| Discovery Channel Store | www.discoverystore.com | |
| Young Explorers | www.Youngexplorers.com | Creative Educational Products |
| Back to Basics Toys, Games & Hobbies | www.backtobasicstoys.com | They do make them like they used to! |
| MetKids | www.metmuseum.org/store | The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store |
| Museum Tour | www.museumtour.com | award-winning collection of educational toys for children |
| Bright Minds | www.brightminds.us | Books & Software to Develop Critical Thinking |
| Edmund Scientific's Scientifics | www.scientificsonline.com | The brightest minds think Edmund Scientific |
| Cricket Publishing | www.cricketmag.com | "Inspire a reader" magazines, books & music |