Nice title. So if my kid doesn't happen to be a genius just yet, or was turned down by MENSA, they can't play with them? I actually don't have a kid, but if I did I'd be moderately offended by the title.
One of the "toys" they list is a Global Water Quality Kit, which is a basic water testing kit that kids can use on their kitchen tap. I like that it's geared towards science, but not sure it will help get your kid a place at the MENSA table. I can just hear the kids now..."Hey Tommy, want to come over and test the chlorine levels in our tap water?" "Whee, Billy, that sounds like fun! I'll be right there!".
Another genius toy is Stikits, which are essentially colored bits of cornstarch that kiddos can glom together to create things like a horse. Mind you, these creations look NOTHING like the real thing, unless the horse has a disfiguring medical condition. In my opinion, Play-Doh was the ultimate goo for untapped creativity. Check out the pic below for the scary deets on Stikits...
So this article got me thinking. What toys from my generation might have been called "genius-makers"? Here are a few of my favorites:
1. Rubik's Cube - this dandy and somewhat frustrating toy (for us non-genius types) seemed to be EVERYWHERE when I was growing up. Of course, my MENSA brother mastered it within hours, but my ADHD got me frustrated easily so I never did solve the darn thing. However, it is a toy that aids in memory, skill, dexterity and nerdiness, which in the case of Bill Gates can lead to world domination.
2. Atari - this was an AMAZING toy. Seriously amazing. I so loved playing Pitfall for hours on end. I was very, very good at Pitfall, and also Frogger. The joystick was simple to use - not sure why video games today have 20 bazillion buttons, levers and knobs. A stick and a button is all you really need, right?
3. Lite Brite - this fantastic toy was a creative outlet for the budding artist. Whether you worked off of the black-paper templates that were included or fashioned your own design, it was loads of fun. It also worked great as a nightlight for us kiddos who were scared of the dark. No, I'm not talking about me.
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