When it comes to teaching a small child lessons they need to succeed in school and life in general, few things can compare to educational toys. Masking learning in fun, these toys challenge the child’s mind and abilities and help them learn skills that can last a lifetime.

Whether they’re toys for babies or older girls, educational toys come in a wide variety of styles, but each has the common thread of providing something more than just fun. The best part about educational toys is that they often can get the entire family in on the act of helping the child learn.

Here are some basic types of educational toys for girls:

* Board games. Whether they are simply for fun or they’re meant to teach words, letters, numbers or science facts, board games are a fantastic way for a little one to learn a lot of life’s more important lessons
. Team play sometimes is included and when it’s not, good sportsmanship and a sense of fairness is. Through games young girls can learn a number of valuable educational lessons while also learning how to conduct themselves with grace whether they win or lose.

* Computer games. These tend to be single-player, especially for young girls, but even the more “frilly” of games come with some serious lessons. Youngster can learn eye-hand coordination, reading skills, math, science, history and more through this route. All in all, computer games should not be overlooked for little girls. In fact, there are many titles out there specifically designed for them.

* Hobby items. Whether it’s a paint by number or a baker’s set, these items are great for teaching girls to follow instructions and sometimes even how to improvise. Lessons with these can include hands-on skills, directions, chemistry and more.

* Gender specific toys. Action figures, baby dolls and so on all help a child develop social skills. While “dolls” may be considered the realm of the girls, they can help any youngster develop important life skills by allowing them to mimic good behaviors they see in their peers and adults around them.

* Household type toys. Whether it’s a baby lawn mower or a kitchen set, these toys help children work their imaginations and their role play skills. Along they way, they can develop a sense of fun to bring into everyday mundane chores down the road.

Little girls just like little boys need fun and stimulation to grow their minds and their imaginations. There are a number of toys that appeal to both and then there are more gender specific ones.

Either way, these toys are vital for helping a child build and develop great skills that will help them down the road.

When you are setting up your toy store, take a look at the competition to see what products are selling well. You can ask other retail toy sellers where they get their toys from and perhaps that retailer will share his source with you.

Another great way to find wholesale toys is to visit trade shows. Trade shows are an excellent place to pick up merchandise. All of the wholesalers will be under one roof so you are able to pick and choose the toys that are priced right and that are good sellers. Trade shows are not open to the public, meaning you will have to show that you have a legitimate business by providing a tax id number at the door. They may require that you show other proof that you are indeed a retailer before admitting you to the show.

Going straight to the manufacturer is another great way to find wholesale toys to purchase. You can find the contact information for manufacturers by simply checking the contact information on the labels of the toy products you are interested in selling. Simply call the manufacturer and tell them that you are impressed with their product and ask if they are willing to sell directly to you. Often they will be willing to sell to you because, after all, they are in business to do just that-sell. If they refuse, then ask who their distributer is so that you can contact them.

You next best bet is to check with the distributors. Their prices will be a bit higher than getting the toys directly from the manufacturer, so keep this in mind. Distributors are eager to sell and you can often purchase smaller quantities from them. Some distributors may even be willing to offer free shipping.

By checking liquidation sales locally, you have a great chance to find wholesale items to sell. Large retail stores have ‘liquidation sales’ wherein they try to get rid of items that they have too many of or that are not selling well in their stores. You can check local classified ads or simply call the larger retailers in your area to ask if they are liquidating any of their toy products.

Finding a great wholesale source does take a big of foot work, patience and just a bit of luck. This is half the battle when you are going to be selling any product. In summary, the best place to acquire your products for your store is the local trade shows. The trade shows is where all the big suppliers meet at one place. You are able to browse through literally thousands of items before making your selection.