Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM toys are a great way to encourage your child to embrace these fundamentals while still having fun.
There are a variety of toys that will help teach your child the basics of STEM without them even knowing. Isn’t that the best way to learn?
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This gift guide will assist you in locating some of the highest reviewed STEM toys and books for kids to find the perfect fit for your little one.
We have broken this list down by age range to help you filter through and find the best fit.
STEM Toys for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Jumbo Cardboard Blocks
Although these blocks are made of cardboard, they are very sturdy. Each block will hold up to 150 lbs. The set contains 24 blocks in 3 different sizes and colors so your child will enjoy practicing their building and construction skills.
Rolimate Preschool Wooden Stacking Shapes Sorter
Your kids will love playing with these wooden toys. They feature a variety of chunky wooden shapes. Each has a different number of holes to line up on the storage rack giving them the ability to only match like shapes but also ensure they’re putting them on the correct spot.
Kid K’Nex Oodles of Pals Building Set
Kids will be able to create fun little pals using this Kid K’Nex building set. Children have 115 pieces to put together, and they can use their imagination and create goofy, kooky little creatures that they will have hours of fun playing with. Your child can follow the easy-to-follow instructions or create a unique creature on their own.
Mega Bloks First Builders Big Building Bag
This set of 80 chunky building blocks are perfect for little hands. Not only are they working on their hand-eye coordination but as they get older you can make games of matching colors and sizes. This set can be combined with more Mega Bloks sets to create larger projects.
VIAHART Brain Flakes 500 Piece Interlocking Plastic Disc Set
The Viahart Brain Flakes set has 500 plastic disks that fit together, allowing your child to create an unlimited amount of projects. Discs are great for either individual or group activities. Children can work together to create something or use their imagination and work independently.
Quarks Atomic Building Set
This 160 piece kit includes interlocking gears and sphere building pieces to create a wide variety of structures. This set allows your child to use their imagination and challenge their minds. These are perfect for boys and girls alike.
Best STEM Toys for Elementary School Kids
VATOS Building Blocks
The Vatos Building Blocks allows your 5+ year old to create their own cars, robots or anything else their imagination can create. There are three ways to create with a variety of screw and drill tools including a hand screwdriver, electric screwdriver and bench.
Hape Dynamo Kids Wooden Domino Set
This wooden domino set features over 100 pieces that your child can put together to create a huge race track. Your child will be practicing their engineering skills while also improving their color recognition. It also adds more excitement with a bridge, tricks and a bell.
Tegu Magnetic Wooden Block Set
This magnetic wooden block set features 42 pieces including magnetic wheels. The set is compatible with other Tegu magnetic wooden sets so your child can create a wide variety of structures with the pieces included by utilizing their imagination in unscripted play.
K’Nex Imagine Power and Play Motorized Building Set
This huge kit features 529 pieces including connectors, rods and wheels. The pieces are able to be put together to create a wide variety of 3D configurations. The kit includes a motor which will allow your child’s creations to come to life with action! You child will be working on hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and problem-solving skills during their playtime.
Klutz Lego Chain Reactions Science and Building Kit
The Klutz Lego Chain Reaction Kit allows your child to design and build 10 moving machines. There are 33 Lego pieces, 6 balls, accessories and instructions to create 10 different moving machines. The highly detailed instructions are included in an 80-page book for enhanced creativity.
LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box
Lego bricks are definitely classic toys. This kit includes 790 pieces pieces to unlock your child’s imagination and launch their architect career. This kit contains 8 types of windows and doors, 2 baseplates and 6 tires with rims along with the packaging that will store the entire kit. All Lego pieces within this kit are compatible with other Lego kits to expand their collection.
STEM Toys for Middle School Kids
Thames and Kosmos Air and Water Power Experiment Kit
Building cars that are powered may seem out of reach, but this kit will teach your child how to use air and water pressure to get them going. Kids will have fun designing their car and racing against their friends to see which car will go the farthest. Your kit will be able to construct 15 models.
Space Lion Educational Mini Pocket Robot
Kids love robots and this one is small enough to hold in your hands at just 3.54”. Your robot can record your voice and repeat back in a robotic voice, respond to your child’s voice and move his arms. Kids will want to carry their robot with them everywhere they go.
Kano Computer Kit
Kids can’t live without their computers, they are a necessity for sure. This kit will allow your child to build their own computer using step by step instructions. There are over 100 coding challenges to keep them learning new things. If your child likes Minecraft, they can learn to hack it to do new things while they play.
Thames and Kosmos Physics Workshop
This physics kit includes more than 300 pieces to build a variety of projects. Your child can experiment with gears, levers, screws, inclined planes, pulleys, wheels and axles to create simple machines. The kit includes a full-color 64 page manual to help with creating lots of fun machines.
Poraxy STEM Kit
Erector sets help to enhance your child’s STEM skills. This kit contains 6 sets with a mini screwdriver and instructions to assemble. They’ll have fun creating a mini electric plotter, reptile robot, small ball launcher, circuit model, mini boat and mini lamp.
Gravity Maze Marble Run
The Gravity Maze will allow kids to create structures that they can run their marbles through. They will develop critical thinking skills as they work through the 60 challenges that range from beginner to expert. They surely won’t get tired of this set because it gets increasingly difficult as they work through each maze
Discovery Kids 12-in-1 Solar Robot Creation
This Solar Robot kit from Discovery Kids will allow your child to create 12 different types of robots. They practice their STEM logic by building these robots with the 190 included pieces. The kit includes a solar panel that will power the positive and negative cables and connecting parts like gears, plates, tires and shafts.
Best STEM Toys for Older Kids and Teens
Lakeshore Build-It-Yourself woodworking Kit
If your child is interested in woodworking, this kit will give them all the tools and supplies to get started. There are over 80 pinewood pieces along with a hammer and nails. Allow them to get creative and build something from their imagination, while improving their hand-eye coordination.
LEGO Mindstorms EV3 31313 Robot Kit with Remote Control
If your child is advanced and likes toys that are at their level, this LEGO Mindstorms robot will fit the bill. It is a fully-functional robot that can walk, talk and play games. Children construct him with over 600 pieces then connect to their smart device to program and control him.
LEGO Architecture London Skyline Collection
If architecture and design is of interest to your child, the LEGO London Skyline Kit may peak their interest. It has 5 iconic landmarks that may be built with using 468 pieces. The kit does include a booklet that gives information about the design, architecture and history of each of the landmark they create.
Teenii STEM Physics Science Lab Basic Circuit Learning Starter Kit
Your child will learn the basics of circuit principles by investigating electricity and magnetism with this kit. There are 50 items to conduct experiments including a 40 page manual which encourages their critical thinking because it asks questions before and after the experiments. Your child will be able to create a fruit battery, electric bell and hand crank generator utilizing this kit.
Snap Circuits 3D Illumination Electronics Exploration Kit
Snap Circuits allow your child to create models using working electrical circuits. This kit takes that and improves it by allowing the circuits to be horizontal, vertical and upside down. There are over 50 snap-together parts to create over 150 projects. This kit is compatible with all other Snap Circuits kits.
The Best STEM Books for Kids
Awesome Science Experiments for Kids
This book contains over 100 kid-tested experiments that are STEM related. It’s packed with hands-on experiments that will teach your child how to apply the scientific method.
Teaching and Learning STEM: A Practical Guide
Teaching STEM doesn’t have to be difficult. This book will help you learn methods to share this knowledge with your child and keep them engaged while developing their retention in STEM disciplines. You will learn how to plan and conduct classes, make good use of technology, assess how well students are retaining the knowledge and helping your child develop expert problem-solving skills.
Steam Kids: 50+ Science/Technology/Engineering/Art/Math Hands-on Projects for Kids
This book contains a year’s worth of STEAM activities to keep your little one occupied and engaged. They will be challenged to build like an engineer through a wide variety of projects. Each activity has step-by-step instructions. In order to help you, there is a weekly planning guide, project shopping lists and a STEAM journal.
Awesome Engineering Activities for Kids
When kids hear engineering they may think it’s boring but this book will help to change that. There are over 50 activities that will keep your child excited about learning about STEM. They will have instructions to create more than 50 projects from showbox foosball to toothpick towers to water rockets.
The Everything Kids’ Science Experiment Book
Do you have kids who are curious about how things work or what makes a marble move faster down a ramp? This book will give your child a wide variety of mind-blowing experiments that use science and engineering to teach them a wide variety of topics.
DKfindout! Engineering
Kids will discover engineering with this book full of photographs and illustrations that give them engaging challenges. This is perfect for kids already interested in engineering that would like to explore and increase their knowledge through experiments.
STEM Starters for Kids Engineering Activity Book
Children can learn about engineering at home with this book that gives simple examples throughout. There are illustrated activities on each page, engaging your child and expanding their knowledge.
