Educational toys about the natural world

[Slowdownsally]

My nearly 4 yr old Ds is obsessed with the natural world, especially bugs and any sea animals. (He's also crazy about dinosaurs)

We have a lot of dino stuff already, but I'd live to get him some things for bug hunting, exploring or games about nature.

Do they still publish those ladybird I-spy books (for example) And what other inspiration can you give me?

Tia

Have a look here www.funlearning.co.uk, their actual shop is in Guildford but you can buy online too. It's a lovely shop.

what about the little sea creatures you can grow..forget what they are called( aqua dragons or something) someone else will tell you but make sure you do get the right water I know people who have killed them by buying wrong water.

I also a few years ago bought some glasses that made it look like the eyes of a fly ELC.. not sure if they still sell them.

That's a lovely site! Have family in Guildford so I might send them over there for a look see too!

Thank you!

Starlight - were they sea monkeys? Vague memory of them from years back!

Off to elc for a look too.

Are wormeries a massive hassle or interesting?

thats them ...I knew someone would know.. I still remeber wormery from when I was 9 at school.

Have a look at insect lore . We have grown butterflies through them but obviously not really a christmas thing but they do have all sorts of other puzzles and things to groww

The Book People do a set of 10 RSPB nature books that's been a big hit with my 3 and a half year old. Some are identification books (one on trees, one on birds and so on) and some are activity or colouring books.
www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?productId=373882&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&searchTerm=RSpb

Dd1 was given a Live Butterfly Garden. It's like a net and you send away a voucher and get some caterpillars through the post which you raise into butterflies and release. It worked really well.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00000ISC5?pc_redir=1413807055&robot_redir=1

What about child size gardening kit and some seeds?

My 6 year old neighbour likes this book on tracking animals.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1465409513?cache=0a77bd91fc389cb198d02fb98b3d9da0&pi=AC_SX110_SY165&qid=1414276163&sr=8-13#ref=mp_s_a_1_13

Or a geode kit?
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0051NW9WS?cache=0a77bd91fc389cb198d02fb98b3d9da0&pi=SX200_QL40&qid=1414275941&sr=8-3#ref=mp_s_a_1_3

Thank you both! Very helpful.

We got a brilliant worm habitat last year - narrow Perspex box you can see them making their tunnels in.

The I-spy books are Michelin. We have some and they're fab.

There's a brilliant board game called alpha animals - think it's by the green board game company. Lovely wooden counters in same of animals

You go round the board thinking of animals beginning with a, then b, c etc - first one to z wins. For adults it's made more taxing by categories for mammals, insects etc...

I got ds some sea monkeys for his birthday. Got them from b&m, they were called swamp monsters but same thing. They also had ant farms, bug farms and wormerys. All around £8

Thanks everyone! I got some I-spy books.

I looked at some globes earlier - very beautiful and great night lights for some of them. Will ponder as they would be a bigger budget pressie.

Just found a lovely little big house that I'm considering too.

This is really fun!

Thanks for your ideas everyone.

Yellow moon have a lot of science type kits and this sea scope

What about some things like a magnifying glass small microscope, compass...

Live the sea scope!

Would also like to find a good kids compass. Great idea.