Brainy Gifts for Kids from Midware

Being a mom of three energetic boys is absolutely wonderful!  And even better is having an energetic husband who can keep up with their rough and tumble play.

I'm a complete believer of rough and tumble at times, but I do love finding activities that will quiet my boys down and engage their minds.  I know it's the teacher in me, but nothing is more satisfying than making dinner while all three of my boys are sitting at the table working on an art project, maze, dot to dot, brain teaser, or just coloring.  And I tell you what, they really get into it!

Last time we were visiting my parents my mom had ordered a bunch of Mindware Color Counts books.  She's always so helpful in hunting down post ideas for me, (stay tuned for my New Year's Eve post for her latest idea) and my boys usually get a fun project/activity to do as a result.

Are you familiar with Mindware?  At the top of their website it says, "brainy toys for kids of all ages".  That pretty much sums them up.  My boys LOVE what they have to offer, and I REALLY love what they have to offer!  We haven't tried any of their toys, (except for the game Qwirkle, which the entire family LOVES!) but the books we've tried have been phenomenal!  Here are the ones we've come to love.

Prism Designs from Mindware

Color Counts from Mindware

Mystery Mosaics from Mindware

Extreme Dot to Dot from Mindware

My twins are seven, and they are totally into all of these books!  Some of the pages take quite awhile.  We keep my boys' latest pages clipped to a clipboard, and whenever they have a bit of down time, they grab it and go to work. Even my four-year-old can do a lot of the color counts with some help.

  We took a few of these books to church last Sunday, and I tell you there wasn't a kid on the row in front, behind, or to the side of us that wasn't memorized by what my boys were doing.  We ended up sharing a darling horse picture with the kindergarten-aged girl sitting next to us, and she was loving it!  These books are perfect for some quiet time, and they definitely stretch and engage the mind. 

I think the maze craze pack is going to be our next purchase.  All of my boys love mazes, and it's hard to find books dedicated to just mazes.

Maze Craze Sampler from Mindware

If you're thinking these would make the perfect gift for any of the kids on your Christmas list, (did I mention they're under $10, except for the packs) then check your local Michaels.  I have seen just about all of these books there before.  I'm afraid it's a day too late (sorry, I should have posted this last week) to order from their website, but ordering for any future occasion (or just because) would be a fantastic idea.

Their website also has a "Best Sellers" list you can check out if you'd like.  There are so many awesome toys, games, activities, and books to choose from!

Less than a week until the big day!  My boys think it seems like an eternity.  I'm thinking it's way too soon!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.