Best STEM Gifts for Kids This Holiday Season
It might seem like holiday toy shopping is spiraling out of control at this time of year. We want our kids’ faces to glow on Christmas morning, but we don’t want to drown in a sea of plastic for that to happen. This is why adding a couple of STEM toys to the mix can be such a good sweet spot. Children are naturally curious little creatures who enjoy pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; parents like to feel that at least some of their toys have educational value.
So I dug around a bit to piece together a few classic STEM toys, as well as novelties that will draw curious learners to any kid on your holiday roster this year.
The science
I see no reason not to start teaching chemistry to your child when we have a book like Organic Chemistry for Babies, which presents the “structure of organic carbon compounds and materials”.
Of course, as they get older, the science experiment kit for beginners is also a must, and there are many options. You can’t go wrong with Fat Brain’s version, the Disgusting Science Kit , which encourages both scientific knowledge and petty humor.
Also crystals. Kids love growing crystals, and this National Geographic megacrystal growing lab will teach kids how to form crystals and give them a night light to showcase their five favorite crystals in the bedroom when it’s ready. This will be the beginning of their rock collection, because childhood is not childhood without a rock collection.
Another essential product for every young scientist is the microscope, and Educational Insights has some good options: my first microscope, GeoSafari Jr. for preschoolers and talking microscope GeoSafari Jr. for young children. (Their kidnoculars are pretty good too.)
Technologies
You are already teaching your child organic chemistry, so you can grab a copy of Robotics for Babies as well ; it’s never too early to learn these concepts.
Then, when your child is four years old, it’s time to learn a little bit of programming! You can get started with basic coding concepts with this 22-part Coding Critter playbook . Or, for a more classic robot look, you can try Code ‘n Learn Kinderbot , which is also suitable for kids ages 3-6.
There are also robotic programming for older children, such as Anki Cozmo , which has an easy-to-use interface that Good Housekeeping says allows kids to “explore and create programs from basic to more advanced.” Recommended for children aged 8 and over.
Engineering
I have to start this section with one of my all-time favorite building toys: Magna-Tiles .
At $ 60 for a 37-piece starter kit, they’re a little pricey (and there are cheaper options for the same idea out there), but they’re incredibly sturdy. My son got his first set when he was four years old, and just the other day I went downstairs and found that he had pulled them out from under the couch and built some kind of structure to match with the other toys he was playing with. He is now nine years old. We’ve built everything from simple ice cream cones to elaborate castles with these things, and every kid should have a set.
Second place among fun building toys:
- K’NEX , which has a whole line of “educational” kits that come with lesson plans to help teach STEM topics.
- Snap Circuits kids can use to create a variety of electronics projects.
- Zoobs that connect together with rounded joints, allowing you to bend and manipulate your creations more easily.
Another viable option for children who want to practice their engineering skills will be set from 51 vehicle GeoSmart Mars Explorer 51 item. It comes with four how-to designs, but kids can create their own as well.
There is also a book on the ABC of Engineering for the little ones. A – for amplifier, B – for battery, C – for Carnot engine. This book will give your child a solid engineering foundation.
Mathematics
You should, of course, start with Bayesian Probability for Babies . (I can’t help myself, I love them so much.)
As soon as they reach school age, a couple of parents in our Offspring group in Facebook recommend the game “Math Monkey “ as a practical way to introduce young children to the simple addition. I also love Super Sorting Pie , which includes 60 tokens (seven fruits in five different colors).
Math Dice Jr. is a good option for kids around the age of six – it helps them practice addition and subtraction in their head quickly (and it’s small, so it makes a great stocking). For kids who are more advanced in math, you can try Math for Love’s Prime Climb , which uses addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to move around the board.
For a mix of new STEM activities, you may want to consider a subscription-based option such as KiwiCo , which sends out monthly “boxes” of projects based on science , technology and art. Memberships can be selected by age – from 0-24 months for the panda line, and up to a variety of options for teens.