The Best Toys for Smart Kids

Your child's brain is like a huge tinker toy--there are many pieces and different ways to connect them. The more often your child uses certain connections, the stronger they become. The stronger the connection, the "smarter" the child!

According to Dr. Ken Gibson, founder of LearningRx and author of "Unlock the Einstein Inside: Applying New Brain Science to Wake Up the Smart in your Child," the right toys can help kids strengthen the connections that lead to faster mental processes and may even help increase their IQ. Here are some of the best toys to develop young brains.

In order to learn, children need to be able to maintain their attention on the subject. A short attention span can contribute to learning difficulties and may prevent the brain from making solid connections. These toys help build a child's ability to pay attention for longer periods of time.

Working memory is essential to successful learning. It is the active part of the memory, the "chalkboard" where important pieces of information are kept at the forefront of the mind.

As information comes in, working memory processes it as it stores it. When a child has to mentally hold onto number while doing a math problem, she is using working memory. When a child listens to a story, he uses his working memory to remember the sequence of events and also think of what the story is about.

Toys and games can help strengthen working memory and help a child become more successful academically.

Humans have the unique ability to use logic and reason to solve complex problems. While other species certainly understand some basic concepts, only humans have the ability to use these skills to plan, create and solve complex problems. All scientific discoveries started by someone reasoning out an idea in a logical way. Help your child develop strong logic and reasoning skills with these fun games.

Have you ever wished you could think on your feet? Strong auditory processing skills help you interpret and comprehend the sounds you hear quickly and accurately. The ability to make accurate snap decisions based on what you hear can literally save your life! In the classroom, children with strong auditory processing skills are able to respond immediately and appropriately to a teacher's direction or request. Children with weak auditory skills tend to respond more slowly and may suffer social consequences.

While reading to your children and encouraging them to read themselves may be the best way to develop a budding Einstein, there are other ways to help your child become a lifelong learner. Here are a few notable choices from some of the experts.