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Are you searching for toys that are not just fun, but educational too? If so, STEM toys could be what you’re looking for. But, what are STEM toys?
What Are STEM Toys
In a nutshell, STEM is short for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. STEM toys became popular back in 2013, but in recent years they’ve become more and more popular. These toys help kids gain the skills they need in these core subjects.
The science aspect focuses on natural sciences like biology, chemistry, etc. and formal sciences, which include logic and statistics. Technology, on the other hand, focuses on innovation and development of critical thinking.
The engineering aspect focuses on creating and designing by using mathematical and scientific skills. Last but not least, the math aspect concentrates on a wide range from algebra to calculus.
What Can STEM Toys Do For Your Kids
You can find a lot of educational toys out there but, not all of them are geared towards boosting STEM skills. STEM toys are considered to be more informative because of their many benefits.
The most important benefit of STEM toys is that they can teach your child a lot of traits and skills that they would not get from other toys, which includes;
- Problem-solving
- Patience
- Cooperation
- Cognitive development
- Overcoming challenges
Moreover, STEM toys will also help your kid learn more about specific core subjects. In that way, by the time they start learning these subjects in school, they already familiar with the topics.
You can find a lot of STEM toys available on the market; however, not all of them have the same educational and fun elements as others. So, if you’re on the market to invest in the very best varieties, here are some of the best STEM toys that your kids will love.
Best STEM Toys Gift Ideas
STEM toys will make a great gift because you are not only helping the kid have fun, but you are also giving them something useful, which helps them long term.
Here are some STEM toys gift ideas that you can start with.
Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit
This science kit teaches your child the basics of science in a fun and hands-on way. It features 11 unique activities that will entertain your kids for hours.
Help your kids create an explosive volcano that changes color, a fantastic test tube sunset, or watch in amazement as they change the color of grapes! All of these dynamic science experiments can be carried out at home.
National Geographic Break Open 10 Geodes
This exclusive kit from National Geographic will teach your kids all they need to know about geodes. This kit features ten high-quality geodes that the whole family can enjoy by cracking them open to reveal the hidden crystals.
The geodes come in different sizes, and it can be as big as a tennis ball or as small as the size of a ping pong ball. All of these geodes have been mined from numerous sources. Also, every geode is different, so you’ll never know whether you’re about to crack open calcite, amethyst, quartz, or fluorite.
The kit includes a beautiful 16-page learning guide, which teaches kids how these geodes are formed and the different varieties that can be found in nature.
K’Nex 100 Model Building Set, 863 Pieces, Age 7+
This Amazon exclusive K’Nex 100 model building set comes with a large 863 pieces. The KíNex connectors and rods can be put together in a variety of ways, enabling kids to create a vast range of shapes, structures, and figures.
The unique thing about this kit is the fact it comes with numerous moving pieces. Therefore, the structures that your kids create can move, which will make them much more exciting than your average model building sets. It comes with an instructional booklet that shows you how to create 100 different models.
This kit also has outstanding developmental benefits, helping to enhance critical areas such as excellent motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness.
Learning Resources Botley the Coding Robot Activity Set
This cute robot will teach your kids the critical STEM skills in a fun, interactive way. It will also teach them screen-free coding in a matter of minutes by using an easy remote programmer. The robot is suitable for children as young as five, but it grows with your child and can be used for many years to come.
Included with Botley, this set contains a 77-piece activity kit including coding cards, a remote programmer, 27 obstacle building pieces, and detachable robot arms. If you are looking for more challenges, this set includes numerous coding challenges.
Last Thing You Need To Know About STEM Toys
STEM toys are getting more and more popular these days, and it is not hard to see why. These toys will set your kids up for a bigger and brighter future by teaching them the advanced skills of today.
If you are looking for gift ideas for an 8-10-year-old boy, check out this post.
Which one is your favorite STEM Toy?