While hunting for that memorable gift that will keep them smiling and learning for hours, a stop at an education toy store is often the most rewarding investment. Well-designed educational toys teach and delight at the same time. You’ll be hearing thanks for years to come!

After stocking up all year, Brainwaves employees present their top picks for the 2009 Christmas Educational Toys Buyers Guide.

Disgusting Gags and Pranks

A sense of humor is, perhaps, just as important for children to learn as chemistry. What better way to develop both than to combine the two? Scientific Explorer’s Disgusting Gags & Pranks is a great way to laugh and learn with children 8 years old and up.

With pranks ranging from itch-powder and foaming sugar to fake cut-off fingers and spiders, there’s a fun prank for everyone and a science lesson alongside. For your young pranksters, scientists and aspiring visual-effects artists, consider the Disgusting Gags and Pranks Kit at $19.95 at Brainwaves Educational Toys. –Travis

Grow A Frog Kit

Now your young ones can learn about the biology and lifespan of frogs without setting foot near scalpels or the pond! The Grow A Frog kit comes with everything your child needs to raise a frog to adulthood from a tadpole.

With its translucent skin, it is easy to see all the frog’s inner organs develop as the frog grows. The Grow A Frog kit does well with animal lovers and biologists 6 years old and up. (Note, your recipient must catch the first tadpole, or send in the enclosed mail-ready card and within a few weeks you will receive a tadpole!) Find your Grow a Frog at $19.99 at Brainwaves Educational Toys–Travis

Wedgits

One of the better kept secrets of the toy world, the Wedgits are three dimensional puzzle pieces that can be stacked into dozens of colorful geometric shapes.

But it doesn’t stop there. The Wedgits Junior Tote kit also includes 48 Wedgit design cards that suggest designs that include animals, buildings , people and fun objects like toys, boats and symmetrical shapes.

More than just design fun, the Wedgits Junior Tote Kit teaches math, spelling and observation through a reusable book (yep) with wipe off dry erase markers (included).

Pack all this up in a multi-pouch zippered tote bag and your charges 3 years and up will stay busy for hours at a time. Find your Wedgits Junior Tote kits at $29.99 at Brainwaves Educational Toys -Mike

Live Butterfly Pavilion

No longer must your child wait for spring to watch butterflies in action— with the Live Butterfly Pavilion, kids four years old and up can raise butterflies up from caterpillars and watch them grow! Kit comes with a habitat, full-color poster, instructions, activity guide and mail-in coupon for 10 live caterpillars and food to be delivered right to your door, so you can get your young lepidopterist started.

No poppy fields or forests required! (By the way, a lepidopterist is a scientist that studies butterflies;) Find your Butterfly Pavilion at $21.99 at Brainwaves Educational Toys –Travis

Disgusting Anatomy Heart Kit

Take heart— your little biologists and surgeons will love the Disgusting Anatomy Heart kit! They’ll enjoy seeing what makes things tick as they create the parts of the heart step-by-step, learning about how each part functions along the way.

You can rest assured they’ll digest what they learn: the result is an edible gelatin dessert! Also comes with an eyeball kit, so you can always keep an eye on your doctors-in-the-making 9 years old and up. Find your Disgusting Anatomy kits for $19.95 at Brainwaves Educational Toys –Travis

Mind Blowing Science Kit

Show your child how fascinating science can be with the Mind Blowing Science kit from Scientific Explorer.

From color-changing volcanos to colored crystals from cabbage and ooze that moves all its own, your scientists four years old and up will have lots of fun learning just how colorful science can be (those who may recall Woodstock will also enjoy this kit). Find your Mind Blowing Science Kit at $19.95 at Brainwaves Educational Toys –Travis

Quercetti FantaColor Junior

Your very young artists can get a hands-on approach to art with Quercetti’s FantaColor Junior kit! Each kit comes with one portable easel-board and peg board, 48 pegs in red, yellow, green and blue, and 8 pattern cards with fun pictures your little DaVincis’ can color along with or think up their own creative ways to go!

This kit has no small parts and is safe for children two years old and up. Find your Fanta Color Junior at $19.95 at Brainwaves Educational Toys –Travis

Pneumatic Marshmallow Projectile Devices (Marshmallow Shooter)

A classic every year, there is something satisfying about sending a squishy confectionary across the room with 20 more ready behind it.

A set of Marshmallow Shooters is a perfect addition for home or office toys, shooting fun soft marshmallows over 30 feet. That’s all the way across the living room! It is easy to fire and reload, making it perfect for quick attacks (or rapid defense). The Shooter holds up to 20 marshmallows for extended office campaigns, and is capable of rapid fire for laying down cover for family members and coworkers.

The Marshmallow Shooter won the Creative Child Magazine 2004 seal of excellence award – which means it is perfect for the “child” in all of us. The warning on the box says, “Do not eat marshmallows after shooting,” but we think the five second rule is extended while in play.

Those who must have an edge may opt for the Marshmallow blaster which shoots full size marshmallows, but we found that transporting and reloading the mini marshmallows went faster and scored more ‘hits’ in the heat of battle. Find your Marshmallow Shooters for $19.25 each at Brainwaves Educational Toys –Mike

Disgusting Anatomy Brain

If you rolled your eyes through anatomy class, this kit will take your child’s interest from 0-100 in 16 ounces or less.

Watch their interest grow when your kitchen turns into a Frankensteinian laboratory, producing a true to size human brain out of gelatin and food coloring (included). The included instruction kit will guide you all from the cerebral cortex to the hippocampus.

Sure enough, this kit contains a bonus eyeball so you can truly roll you eyes during this clever anatomy project. Oh – did we mention that the products are edible? ? ? Find your Disgusting Anatomy Brain for $19.95 at Brainwaves Educational Toys –Mike

Funky Fun Bead And Trinket Making Kit

Pretty stickers, colorful beads, and sparkling rhinestones! What else could your creative little jeweler need to make the jewelry of their dreams? Kit contains over 350 colorful beads, 62 fun stickers, 4 shimmering rhinestones, and even a flowery trinket box to hold all of your unique creations!

Small parts make this toy unsafe for children under 3 years old. Best enjoyed by ages 5 and up. Find your Funky Fun Bead and Trinket Kit for $19.95 at Brainwaves Educational Toys — Natasha