Decide whether or not the family you're shopping for has objections to plastic or electronic toys. Some families would prefer their children's playthings to be made of natural materials, like wood, wool, metals or silk.
Find real items that children can use to explore their world. If you have a budding veterinarian, pick up a stethoscope and a book about animal anatomy. If you're looking for educational toys for a kid who likes to cook, find mixing bowls, a kids cook book and a set of padded oven mitts.
Throw in a pair of really good earmuffs for Mom and Dad when you're giving children musical instruments. With enough time on their hands, children can learn to play even without lessons. Even if they never play a single song, understanding the workings of the instrument on an intimate level provides a practical physics lesson.
Keep your eyes open for handmade wooden toys. These often spark hours and hours of creative play for children. Whether it's a play kitchen set, a wooden doll house or even an assortment of wooden blocks in geometric shapes, children have been playing with wooden toys for generations.
Interview the children that you'll be shopping for to find out what they want. Sometimes, older children just want to shop themselves, and gift cards, believe it or not, can be a very educational gift. Gift cards allow children to call and check on their balance, weigh the benefits and drawbacks of buying several small items vs. one large item, and allow them to make their own decision about where the money goes.
Avoid electronic toys that are designed for educational purposes. Many parents criticize these toys as being worthless kid programming. Instead of allowing the children to relax and play by using their imaginations, these toys are simply ways to feed tidbits of information to children, instead of fostering an enjoyable playtime spent using their own mind. Many parents object to electronic learning toys.