Most 11 year olds are in middle school, which for some children can be a tough transition as the school work is more difficult and children are less likely to seek the aid of their teachers when they are having difficulty in a given subject. With that in mind it can be important to provide the child with educational toys that are fun and exciting.
This can help them to gain a better understanding of the particular subjects they are struggling with or allow them to explore other aspects of those subjects that have piqued their interests.
Below we have compiled a list of some fun and exciting educational toys for 11 year olds that make wonderful gifts!
Our List of the Best Educational Toys for 11 Year Olds
Bridge Construction
Summary
If you have a child that is interested in engineering, building bridges or construction this construction bridge kit makes a perfect toy. This kit comes with 9 building projects, a booklet that covers theory and facts regarding building to support massive weight. It also comes with a quiz, some experimental activities, and step-by-step instructions for the building projects.
Pros
- Provides child with a little experience in engineering principles
- Kids can use the building materials to create their own projects
Cons
- Some children find the building projects boring
What Makes This Stand Out?
This building kit is good due to the additional information that comes with the kit along with the quiz that allows the child to test themselves regarding what they have learned.
3D Windmill Puzzle
Summary
This 3d puzzle music box is made of thick cardboard and is designed to enhance the child’s logical thinking and problem solving skills while building a music box that can be given as a gift or kept as decoration for the child’s room.
Pros
- Finished project is beautiful and functional
- Very detailed
Cons
- There really isn’t enough reviews to make a determination regarding the quality of this puzzle.
What Makes This Stand Out?
This puzzle is great because it makes a wonderful decoration and is also a functioning music box. It is fun to put together although it does require a little patience.
Weather Science Kit
Summary
This kit will help any child learn more about weathers and how it forms. Imagine the look on the child’s face when they make a cloud in their hand or experiment with static electricity to understand lightning. This kit is a fun way for children to learn more about weather. Best of all kids can build a home weather station.
Pros
- Kids love setting up their own weather station
- Several fun experiments
Cons
- The materials are cheap
What Makes This Stand Out?
The great thing about this weather science kit is that kids can build their own home weather station and learn about weather through observation as well as experiments.
Big Boggle
Summary
This educational game is good for an 11 yr old since it offers a great deal of fun as players race against the timer and the other plays to see who can make the most words out of adjoining boggle letters.
Pros
- Can be played by different ages
- Improves spelling and language skills
Cons
- Some people don’t like the double letter cubes
What Makes This Stand Out?
One of the great things about this game is that you play with any age of person. Young children can make 3 and 4 letter words and adults and older children can make words that are 4 letters and up. Helps children improve reading, spelling and vocabulary.
Catapult Wars
Summary
This is a great building and play set for kids since kids get to build their own catapult (2 actually) and then play with them using the small sand bags to try and hit targets. Once bit this catapult makes for a fun toy after it is built.
Pros
- Easy to put together
- Hours of fun play
Cons
- Glue doesn’t hold as well as it should
What Makes This Stand Out
Catapult Wars not only shows the child how catapults work but makes for a fun indoor toy that the child can use alone or play with a friend or sibling.
Lego Bird Models
These Lego bird models allow kids to build models of 3 popular birds. The Blue Jay, Robin, and hummingbird. Kids learn about nature due to the accompanying booklet that gives information on each of the birds as well as assembly instructions.
[Related: Best Lego Sets for Boys]
Pros
- Makes a great display for any child’s room
- Fun, but challenging build
Cons
- Some sets come with missing pieces
What Makes This Stand Out?
This set is great because the bird models are really beautiful as well as unique. Helps children with logical thinking and problem solving as well as learning a little about each of the 3 species of birds.
Wind Power Turbine Kit
Summary
This wind turbine kit will allow the child to learn more about renewable energy and how wind can be used to provide electricity. Not only can the child build a wind turbine they also get information on different types of turbines and windmills, which is interesting and easy to digest.
Pros
- This wind turbine actually makes electricity
- The turbine is a good size
Cons
- Some of the kits have missing pieces
What Makes This Stand Out?
This kit encourages children to get excited about science and green energy while giving them basic information on how wind turbines function and what they can do.
Master Detective Toolkit
Summary
This is a great detective kit that will teach a child the basics of forensic science and evidence gathering. Kids learn about securing a crime scene, gathering and documentary evidence. This kit comes with a 32 page full color experiment book.
Pros
- Teaches Kids to pay attention to details
- Kids learn about investigating crime scenes
Cons
- Some of the kits came without the manual
What Makes This Stand Out?
With all of the crime scenes on television these days this kit will give kids a real look at what goes into investigating a crime scene. There are even some fun mysteries to solve.
Sphero Mini
Summary
With computers being so much of modern day life this mini ball robot that kids can code themselves makes a great gift for those children into computer science. There are 2 ways to use this robot. Kids can choose Sphero play to play various games with their robot or choose Sphero Edu for learning a bit about coding.
Pros
- Small size makes it easy to transport to play anywhere
- The mini games are tons of fun
Cons
- Doesn’t connect to very many devices
What Makes This Stand Out?
About the size of a golf ball this miniature robot is something middle school kids will love since they can use this little ball to play games or try their hand at coding.
Oregon Trail Choose Your Own Adventure
This is a great set of books to encourage a reluctant reader to read more and improve their reading skills, while gaining a view on a period in history at the same time. By allowing the child to make choices along the way they gain a knowledge of how many perils the pioneers faced.
Pros
- Helps children consider how important making good choices can be
- Gives children a little insight into what the lives of pioneer children were like
Cons
- Could be more character development so the reader cared more about what happens to each character.
Buyer’s Guide to Choosing the Best Educational Toys for an 11 Year Old
Cater to the Child’s Interest
While most children don’t excel at every subject, finding a subject that the child enjoys and is truly interested in will help them to excel at that subject. A child gains self confidence from doing well at one or two things. By catering to your child’s interests you give them the opportunity to find something they feel truly passionate about.
Don’t worry about Gendered Toys or Colors
Get your boy or girl what they have an interest in and don’t worry about their gender as it relates to what toys (or color of toys) others think your child should be playing with!
Find A Toy That is Fun
When a child is having fun they learn faster and easier and it doesn’t really feel like they are studying. Games and toys that are interactive are more fun for kids allowing them to participate more fully in the learning process. When you take part with your child and they see you having fun they are likely to have more themselves.
Choose A Toy That Builds On Skills Your Child Already Has
When choosing an educational toy, you should choose one that builds on skills your child already possesses. Choosing a toy or game that repeats skills the child has already acquired will be boring, while choosing one that builds on the skills your child already has will make learning challenging, but far more interesting.
Final Thoughts on Educational Gifts for Kids Age Eleven Years Old
If you are looking for a great educational gift for the 11 year old in your life, this gift guide and list of gifts should help you achieve that goal.
