We are huge fans of STEM based play in our home. What’s better than kids learning and having a blast doing it! Every year we look forward to exposing our kids to greater STEM concepts through play.
There are so many amazing STEM toys our there for kids of every age. Here is a list of out favorites, from educations toys for preschoolers to amazing kits for bigger kids – your kids can be discovering STEM skills and concepts in no time. Here are 10 of our favorite STEM toys in 2019!
Ages 4+
PBS Playtime Pad + 7″ HD Kids Tablet
This android based tablet is packed full of educational features for kids, like access to free PBS Live TV and all of their favorite characters, PBS Kids games and pre-loaded apps like Play & Learn Science that offer education fun. Plus, parental controls are breeze and you can access over 1 million apps, books, music and more through the Google Play store. If you’re looking for an educational tablet with no hidden fees and plenty of parental controls, this is the best tablet to buy (or las mejores tabletas digitales as they’d say in Spain).
$79.00 at Walmart & Walmart.com
Smart Games Smart Farmer Board Game
A great hands on STEM focused game for younger children (ages 4+), Smart Farmer exposes to children to cognitive skill-building in a fun game-based way. With over 60 challenges and 4 skill levels kids can build upon skills like problem solving, planning and concentration all while having fun! A great introduction to STEAM based, educational play for preschoolers or elementary school children.
BizyBeez MagStix
I’ve written about these before and probably will again, because they are such an amazing toy! We have owned just about every magnetic toy on the market and these blow all the other away. The quality and features are unparalleled. Learning about magnetic force is safe and fun for preschoolers as they build, play and experiment with the Magstix, constructed out of durable non-toxic ABS plastic. MagStix feature a number of different shapes and textures for a great sensory experience as well. We have had a number of therapists rave about this set after using it on our home, and it’s one toy that is always consistently played with. Although they are on the pricier side for magnetic play, MagStix are definitely well worth it.
Learning Resources Code Critters
This fun and colorful set introduces preschoolers to coding without any screens! Kids follow along with an interactive storybook to learn early coding basics. When they’re ready for imaginative play you can set these critters to play mode where children can feed and care for them like little pets!
SmartMax My First Totem
My First Totem is a magnetic building set that introduces children ages 1-5 to STEM concepts. Each piece offers a different colorful, tactile experience and the set includes 24 challenge cards. Children can match the totem to images on the card, or play freely for new experiences!
Intelino Smart Train
Kids love trains, and now they can love to code with them too! This Smart Train introduces kids to hands-on, play based coding concepts. With both screen free and app connected play modes there are plenty of opportunities for fun. The Smart Train has interactive sensors, programmable actions and lights and sounds to really engage children as they explore STEM concepts and imaginative play together.
Ages 8+
Little Bits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit
Playtime meets serious coding fun with the Little Bits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit. Kids build, code and customize their own gauntlet. This kit includes over 18 activities for kids to build and code, features an easy introduction to block based coding through in-app step by step instructions. We love this one because it doesn’t require any coding knowledge from parents! Kids use the intuitive app to step through each activity, learned coding fundamentals as they go. This kit encourages kids to go beyond the instructions and create their own fun once they’ve got the basics down! We find little bits products to be extremely well thought out. This one will get lots of use while exposing kids to hours of valuable STEAM concepts!
Tech Will Save Us Light Racer Kit
The Tech Will Save Us Electro-Tech series features fun project kits that introduce kids to electrical circuit building and creative play. The Light Racer kit allows children to build wireless bike lights. We love these kits because they easily integrate with other hobbies our kids have – like riding bikes, sewing, gardening or music. Even our preschoolers are able to grasp the STEAM concepts presented through the Tech Will Save Us Electro-Dough kit.
Most kits range from $7 – $30 on Amazon.
Piper Computer Kit
Piper is really an all in one kit for introducing children to a number of STEM skills. Children first build their own computer, then use the computer to play games that teach them coding basics. Piper Computer is recommended for ages 8+. All of my kids have build their own Piper computers and the kit is certainly designed to be easy to follow. Kids can really build this one on their own, and the sense of accomplishment is huge. Once built the games are engaging and fun and grow with your child’s skill for years of fun.
Bee Simulator for Nintendo Switch/PS4/XBOX One
Step into a beautifully crafted world and experience life as a bee – with daily chores, fascinating quests, enemies to battle and mysteries to unlock. You’ll gain a whole new perspective as you travel the world as a tiny bee. A great game for kids who love learning about insects! If it’s a case that they would be playing the game on someone else’s PS4, maybe their Dad’s for example then loading times might take longer due to it having multiple games stored on the HDD. I don’t think Dad wants to find out that you’ve accidentally deleted all of his progress in Red Dead Redemption or that he has no more space once he gets Cyberpunk 2077 (you can learn about Cyberpunk 2077 origins here), a game he’s been waiting to buy and explore. It’s the last thing you want to happen so if this is the case, then to keep your kid happy and have faster loading times, you may want to consider a PS4 Pro SSD upgrade so it doesn’t take ages for the Bee Simulator game to load!
Snap Circuits Junior
Snap Circuits have been around a long time, and for good reason. With this kit kids can assemble over 100 different projects, learning about circuits and electrical engineering at the same time. The best part? There are no tools required, all of the pieces simply snap together! My kids have been using Snap Circuits for years and they never get old! The junior kit is great kids ages 8+ as an introduction to circuitry.
Gravitrax Marble Run
This one is really fun – Gravitrax allows kids to build a marble run, utilizing and learning about gravity, magnetism and kinetics as they work to get their marble to the finish. Open ended play leaves kids with endless possibilities for fun. We love how kids are encouraged to test limits and create elaborate designs as they gain confidence and skill!
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