The Best Toys with Educational Value

With so many adult shoppers opting for fun and playfulness in their accessories, houseware, stationery, and decoration choices, it’s worth remembering that playtime isn’t just for adults but kids as well! When it comes to younger learners, the best toys are both educational and fun, especially because these kinds of toys encourage a lifelong enjoyment of continuing to explore, learn, and do more exciting things.

After all, Japan is a nation with a very “work hard, play hard” attitude, so perhaps it is no surprise that many of the toys and games that hail from the country are not only truly playful, but they often slip in elements that teach and even inspire creativity. Here are a few of our favorite interactive educational toys you can order directly to your house from the archipelago nation. As you connect with the young ones in your life via these toys, you’ll share experiences similar to those of families in Japan.

Puzzles and Board Games

Plaza Japan boasts an astounding assortment of Japanese puzzles and table games for nearly any fandom and age under the sun, from the land of the rising sun. A wide assortment of traditional puzzles are worthy of decorating any room, Japanese classics like nanoblocks, and even magic trick sets that feature your young learner’s favorite series. These educational toys are the best ways to guarantee collaborative, interactive fun for everyone from ages one to 101 (and beyond!).

Also, for younger learners and nostalgic adults alike, Plaza Japan also offers Thomas and Friends puzzles and interactive educational toys for Japanese audiences that are sure to delight you as well.

Card Games

Trading cards are next on our list of the best educational toys. Card games can be fun simply for their value as collectors’ pieces and miniature works of art, but even more, card games are opportunities to work on strategy, communication, and even narrative skills. Pokemon and Digimon cards are often the flagships for people of all ages, as their rules are relatively easy to learn but challenging to master. 

Even traditional card games, which are also highly numbers-based, can be kicked up to the next level with themed playing cards that celebrate your young learner’s favorite characters, such as Mario or Dragonball heroes. Plus, with the elements of numbers-based risk-taking, playing cards and board games are opportunities to gamify mathematics, especially probability and logic.

Arts and Handcrafts

Calling all crafty people! We think that too often, people say they “lost their creativity” as they get older - but we know that one of the most rewarding ways to bring out your own creative side is by instilling it in younger ones. After all, the best educational toys help teach not only the recipient of the toy but also the older generations! 

Plaza Japan offers a variety of unique art and craft items straight from Japan, which adds new elements of novelty and exploration, including easy sewing and felt kits, beginner-level Plarail and mech kits like Gundam (look for HG and SD for easier builds) to build up the robot enthusiast in your life. Don’t forget the tools, too!

Ultimately, arts and crafts are interactive toys that are educational in a variety of ways: handcrafts help younger learners build confidence as they develop fine motor skills, patience, and creative skills, all of which can continue to instill a love of learning and healthy ways to express themselves. The finished product can become a cherished memento for you and your young learner.

Take your Fun (and Learning) Seriously!

While many of Plaza Japan offers the best educational games from Japan, there are also plenty of opportunities to make any toy or game educational. For example, with so many books based on popular kid-friendly anime and Japanese films, such as from Studio Ghibli, why not find a plush toy to accompany your young learner the next time you read a book together or when they practice reading aloud? Also, because everything from Plaza Japan is shipped directly and quickly from Japan, you know that you can trust that everything is genuine and of the highest quality.

So, no matter what you choose from our list of the best educational games to add value to your playtime, above all, have fun, and happy learning!

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