It's one thing to buy your child a toy that he or she loves. But when the toy is fun and educational? You've struck gold. If you're looking to fill a toy chest with some new treasures that offer your child an opportunity to learn while still having a good time, check these out:

1. Kids can start learning about geography with a USA Floor Map Puzzle by Melissa & Doug (www.amazon.com). This 51-piece set includes the state, its capital, and a colorful picture to help identify the state. It retails for $US7.50.
2. Add a cute character to the classic Tic-Tac-Toe and you'll make a fan of even the youngest of gamers. Thomas Tic-Tac-Toe (www.educationallearninggames.com) brings several popular trains from Thomas the Tank Engine to a board game that teaches kids about taking turns and building strategies as they try to place three trains in a row before their opponent. The game retails for $US12.99.
3. Magnetic Word Builders by Lakeshore Learning (www.lakeshorelearning.com) are perfect for kids on the move to create words. The magnetic foam letters are about 1 ½" tall and come with a small board for phonetic fun. It retails for US$29.95.
4. The LeapPad Plus Writing Learning System (www.leapfrog.com) teaches early reading skills and encourages storytelling through easy-to-follow instructions. The addition of a "magic pen" helps kids learn basic writing skills by tracing letters and numbers, playing connect the dots, and various other games depending on the cartridge and book in use. The LeapPad Plus retails for US$49.95.
5. The Nitro Notebook by VTech (www.toysrus.com) is a sleek, realistic laptop for kids, who always seem fascinated by computers. It comes with two cartridges with 80 games that vary in difficulty. The games help with early typing skills, reading, and math. The Nitro Notebook also reads aloud. Several of the games can be played in Spanish. The Nitro Notebook retails for US$49.95.