Abacus

The abacus has been in continuous use for roughly five thousand years, which technically makes it older than most family grudges.

This wooden version has smooth colored beads on sturdy rods, built for small hands still figuring out what a number actually is.

It has the same appeal as a fidget spinner, except this one actually teaches counting instead of just spinning in a circle at recess.

In the extremely unlikely event of a full screen time apocalypse, where every device on earth suddenly stops working, this thing still counts perfectly fine.

No batteries, no charging cable, no app update interrupting story time.

The frame is solid enough to survive being dropped, sat on, and used as a step stool at least once.

It comes with number and alphabet cards that turn basic counting into something closer to an actual game.

The beads slide smoothly without sticking, so counting to ten does not turn into a wrestling match with the toy itself.

It works just as well as a quiet activity in a waiting room as it does at the kitchen table.

Buy it for the kid who is already better at mental math than you are, and just accept it.