by EMILY W.
Studies at Brigham Young University say that kids who spend too much time on YouTube lose the ability to focus, interact with others, and regulate their emotions.
I love my grandkids more than life itself, but I can’t help but wonder if their screen time is stunting their development. I’m not alone here. Countless studies have been done that prove it. That’s why I believe that you should buy gifts that help grow their brains by being kids.
Over the years, either myself, my husband, or my friends have purchased hundreds of toys for our respective grandkids. These are the top 10 that made the most noticeable difference in their intelligence.
These Toys Help Your Grandkids Reach Their Full Potential
Coordination + Teamwork
Kids may think they’re enjoying YouTube because they’re laughing at videos. But once they get moving with the novel Giant Jelly Balloon, they instantly feel the difference between screen fun and active fun. My grandkids never went back.
It’s interactive and slightly challenging, peaking a natural interest in sports. Your grandkid uses teamwork to keep the ball in place as well as sharing and leadership to delegate the turns, and those skills transfer directly to real life.
🎈Easy to inflate (with water or air)
👓 Fights against myopia
🌳 Gets kids outside
Exploration + Art
Screen time can be a black hole of creativity. Kids aren’t creating, they’re consuming.
This LittleLens Camera saves your grandkids from zombie-like screen gazing and actively grows their brains in the real world. They become the directors of their little stories of bugs, leaves, flowers – you name it, plus it’s a safe introduction to technology.
Today’s playtime with photography could spark tomorrow’s passion for arts or tech.
👧 Kid-friendly size & controls
🔌 Easy USB charging
🛡️ Drop-proof
Patience & Self-Esteem
When kids are on YouTube or iPads, they’re mostly swiping and watching, not doing.
Custom Name Montessori Board is a tactile, touch-feely world of intentional movement. Your little one grabs, fits, solves, and pays close attention to detail. Feeling content with cartoons doesn’t inspire growth. With the Custom Name Montessori Board, they learn through real-life struggles how to have patience as they make and learn mistakes in their mini puzzle.
Plus, seeing their name makes them feel special and builds self-esteem.
✅ Personalized Engagement
🧩 Development Benefits
🌱 Safe and Sustainable
Reflexes + Physics
One thing I noticed is that YouTube seems to kill my grandson’s reflexes. He gets in this “zombie”-like zone and doesn’t flinch when his sister throws stuff at him (kids…).
Galaxy Lights Flying Magic Orb (also comes as a fidget spinner) gets kids back in touch with their reflexes and coordination.
The fascinating hover movement will get your grandkids excited about science and engineering. My grandson asks endless questions about physics without even realizing it. It’s much more than a plaything.
🤹 Trains coordination
🔋 Easy USB charging
🛡️ Durable & Drop-proof
Communication + Responsibility
What a throwback these are!
Kiddie Walkie Talkies get your grandkids to run around the house and the outdoors. They learn how to coordinate and communicate with their friends as they make up stories in their own little world (over and out!).
What surprised me the most, however, was how the toy taught my grandkids responsibility. If they lose their walkie-talkie while adventuring, then the fun is over. Trust me – they won’t want to lose these. They’ll learn fast.
📶 Up to 1.8mi / 3km range
🔋 AAA batteries
🎭 Interactive Fun
Art + Eyesight
Aside from the zoning out, watching videos on a screen is detrimental to kids’ eyesight and sleep. They’re not meant to be exposed to so much blue light at such a young age.
The Colorful LCD Tablet is a genius alternative. Kids feel like they’re on the iPad, but they’re drawing and coloring on a non-reflective screen that protects their eyes, and there’s zero clean-up or mess. Plus, the colors are fascinating for kids, no doubt inspiring a passion for graphic design and art.
🌊 Waterproof & Tough
✏️ Drawing + Schoolwork
🚀 Elevate Creativity
Independence + Technology
When kids reach the 4 or 5-year range, it’s a crucial stage of figuring out their identities and expressing themselves. It’s almost criminal to let that magic drain away on a 10-inch screen.
This Mini Photographer Digital Camera reclaims the organic joys of childhood by getting them out and about and in touch with the world around them.
They gain independence through self-expression and creation, and the real camera is like a playful bridge to the world of tech without tethering them to the couch.
🌄 Dual landscape + selfie camera
🎨 Includes stickers & lanyard
💾 Comes with memory card
Empathy + Self Identity
This Bracelet-Making Kit is like an upgrade on the knotted friendship bracelets we made as kids – remember those?
Making bracelets is creative, but it’s innovative, too. Kids have to use their supplies in unique ways to get the results they want.
More than anything, however, I noticed how this kit got my grandaughter thinking about others and the gifts she could give them. It deepened her sense of empathy and caring that are so important for later in life.
📿 Beads, pendants, & chains
🔗 High-quality alloy
👧🏼 Safe for ages 4+
Physical Activity + Fresh Air
My grandson loves watching videos about nature. So I figured… why not let him do physical activity?
We got him this Dual Toy Rocket Launcher which is ideal for hours of fun physical activity and fresh air, away from screens and playing with others!
Plus, it exercises their eyes by focusing on farther objects instead of tunnel vision on a tiny screen.
🔋❌ Battery-free
🚀 Dual-launch pad
💪 Durable Quality
Self-esteem + Attention Span
The worst thing about YouTube, in my opinion, is how it depletes kids’ attention spans. They can’t focus for more than 5 minutes anymore.
My grandson struggled a ton with concentration, so my husband got him this Educational Cartoon Chess Set.
The pieces are cartoon-like so it holds kids’ attention. Since the grid is numbered and lettered, it’s easier for them to strategize and build self-esteem. It’s just challenging enough to keep them focused, but not too challenging to scare them away.
🃏 Cartoon pieces
🪵 Light, durable wood
🔢 Grid numbers & letters
Conclusion
In this digital age where YouTube reigns supreme, it’s more important than ever to remember the magic that comes from good play. The toys we’ve talked about aren’t just a break from the screen; they’re a secret weapon in the battle for our grandkids’ brains.
Each one of these gems offers a unique blend of fun and learning, turning playtime into a powerhouse of development. By choosing these toys, we’re not just giving a gift; we’re giving our grandkids a leg up in life.
So, let’s swap those endless hours of videos for toys that tickle the brain, ignite the imagination, and set our little ones on a path to a brighter, smarter future.