These kid-tested, parent-approved educational games and products will help kids start the school year off strong.

Gumball Words
$34; 8+
SimplyFun.com
Spell your way to victory using our magnetic gumball board. Letter tiles on the board will tell you how to move and what letter you can collect next. Plan your strategy to collect letters to create bigger words worth more points. But be careful not to get stuck as gumball letters are leaving the machine during each turn.

Trace & Write Alphabet Center
$29.99; 3–6 yrs.
LakeshoreLearning.com
Get kids practicing their letter formation with this convenient, carry-along! All they have to do is place one of the double-sided activity cards on the left side of the board, and trace the directional arrows to practice both their upper and lowercase letters. Letters ever erase so kids can practice endlessly.

Early Bird
$19.99; 7+
https://playhootenanny.com
The quickest bird rules the roost in this fast-paced card game. Players race to get rid of all their cards using Speed-style mechanics – with some high-flying twists along the way. Fend off squirrels, chase worms, and build birdhouses while completing silly, get-out-of-your-seat challenges. Everyone plays at once, and the player with the best worm impression kicks things off by flipping the first card and shouting “UP!” to set the direction of play. Watch out for the Worm challenge card: when it’s played, the foam worm goes flying and players must scramble to catch it! After five rounds, the player with the most wins rules the roost.

Plundering Times
$36; 8+
SimplyFun.com
Ahoy, mateys! Lead your dragon pirate crew to plunder the Islands of Numbers in this epic math adventure. Use multiplication and addition to match or get close to each island’s number without going over. Remember, the best captain wins by collecting treasure chests and raiding rivals for gems. Master your memory and two-step problem-solving to build the greatest hoard and claim victory.

Alphabet Learning Locks
$39.99; 3–6 yrs.
LakeshoreLearning.com
These great learning locks are an easy way to help kids begin recognizing their upper and lowercase letters, and practice exploring the letter sounds. Kids choose a key and match it to the letter or to the picture on the lock. Set comes with 26 locks and keys for each letter of the alphabet. 

Updated: August 2025