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STEM is the future. For those of those that don’t know, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Because of this, STEM toys are becoming quite popular, and for good reason. It’s important to get kids excited about STEM concepts early and STEM toys do just that. No only do they get kids interested in STEM, they help build early STEM concepts. Toys that are fun and educational are a win-win!
There are so many toys on the market that are considered to be STEM since this does cover such a wide range of topics. We’ve done the leg work and picked out the best STEM toys where the focus is on Engineering & Technology. We’ll cover STEM toys with a focus on Science and Math toys in other articles.
When most people think of technology toys, what often comes to mind is a computer screen or the increasingly popular app-based toy. Though we didn’t 100% exclude these from our list, we tried to highlight toys that aren’t screen based to show that you can provide toys to your children that teach technology concepts without them.
Many of our recommended Engineering and Technology toys are made of wood, as buying sustainable and eco-friendly toys is important to many families (including ours!).
Created by a female mechanical engineer, ZYX Sticks are unique wooden building sticks. We love that they’re made in the United States of maple hardwood and packaged in a fabric bag – no single use plastic here! There’s no instruction manual and no right way to play! Kids will have fun building a countless number of different 3 dimensional structures – the possibilities are endless. Add more sticks for the ability to build even more amazing and impressive structures.
This coding robot teaches kids both engineering and coding principals. We love that there is no need for a tablet or cell phone to do this activity! Simply lay down a sequence of physical code cards which prompt the robot to move in different directions, light up, and play sounds just to name a few! This toy is meant for ages 4 and up. And if you can’t get enough, there’s an expansion pack that offers even more opportunities for learning.
For only $8, you can get this wooden robot! Inspired by Japanese puzzles, the Cubebot can be manipulated into different poses, and then folds into a cube! The Cubebot is not only intelligently designed but is also made of sustainably harvested cherry wood.
This wooden toolbox is a great introductory toy to teach some fastening concepts. Kids can connect a piece of wood using the hammer and nails/screws. Just note that the “screws” push in and do not actually twist in like a real screw.
We like this wooden toolbox slightly better, though it comes with a larger price tag. The screws actually twist (screw) in, with either your hands or the provided tools. Kids can also flip the toolbox upside down and screw on wooden pieces to make a robot!
Kids as young as 2 can start learning the mechanics of gears with this puzzle by Plan Toys. Gears can be arranged and re-arranged again in various ways. This is made by one of our favorite brands, Plan Toys, for their sustainable and eco-friendly practices.
This magnetic trolley combines the fun of the toolbox and gears in a single set. Kids will love pushing around this activity cart and learning about gears, nuts, bolts and tools.
These light-up building bricks are perfect for budding engineers. Simply add the blocks to the base (battery or usb powered) and each one lights up when connected. These building blocks are also compatible with Lego Duplo blocks. If you intertwine the two, children must use their critical thinking skills to make sure the electrical current isn’t blocked. The sets come with 36 or 102 blocks and have four modes (always on, 15 min. auto-off, flashing, and fading). Perfect for preschoolers and older kids alike!
These magnetic robot blocks by Tegu are sure to get kids excited about technology and engineering. There are tons of options when it comes to these magnetic block sets. The set teaches kids about magnetism and construction among other concepts. They can be configured in countless ways and are suitable for many years of play.
In a world where people do most of their shopping on-line, cardboard boxes are usually in high supply. Instead of immediately tossing the cardboard boxes out, your child can get even more use out of them with this kit. This cardboard tool-kit will take building with cardboard boxes to the next level! It comes with “safe-saw” for cutting cardboard (but not cutting little fingers), 28 reusable plastic “Scrus” for fastening cardboard pieces together, and a Scru-Driver to install the fasteners. With these simple tools and a little imagination, kids can create creatures, vehicles, armor, and other small constructions.
These Leonardo Sticks can be used to build Leonardo DaVinci’s self-supporting bridge and dome. This amazing piece of engineering was originally invented by DaVinci in the 15th century as a way to create a bridge with no fasteners. As weight is applied to it, the structure actually becomes more secure and stable. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this building challenge!
With the DoodleMatic Mobile Game Maker, kids can create their own video games using markers, paper, and a smart device. Kids simply draw their video game level using color-coded markers to indicate which parts are hazards, walls, targets, etc. Then snap a picture of their drawing using the iPad app, and it comes to life as an actual, playable game.
If you have a child interested in architecture (or perhaps want to help spark an interest), these skyscraper blocks are sure to be a hit. Your child can create various cityscapes over and over again.
The big appeal of these blocks, the Romanesque Building Blocks by Grimm’s, is that they come with self-supporting arches. Successfully building the arches is fun and challenging.
We’ve recommended several different sets of building blocks, but don’t underestimate your basic building blocks. Simple blocks like this set by Plan Toys are great. They will provide hours of play due to their open ended nature. They can also be used in conjunction with other toys and block sets.
Kids will love this real working crane. The crane arm can pivot 360 degrees, and the claw on the crane can go up and down and open/close. Made by Plan Toys, this set comes with 1 crane, 2 characters, 1 cement mixer, 1 wheelbarrow, 1 bucket and road signs.
Kids of all ages love building with Magnatiles, all while learning engineering concepts whether they realize it or not! Although they’re made of plastic, they’re made with one of the safer plastics. Beware of imitations of this product, as they may be poorly made and break easily, resulting in small loose magnets and plastic shards which are a huge safety concern.
One kit, 22 different builds! This kit comes with all the pieces and step-by-step instructions to build 22 different things, including an elevator, crane and ATV. Perfect way for kids ages 8+ to get hands-on engineering experience.
Legos are a classic toy that inspire building and allow for learning through play. Any type of Lego will help kids build on engineering skills, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills. There are so many kits to choose from so it’s easy to appease to your child’s interests and age group. There are also some Lego sets that have a specific “STEM” focus:
The Lego Duplo Steam Train is for children as young as 2. This inspires early learners to explore early coding concepts like sequencing, looping and conditional coding. There are 5 colored “action bricks” that can be placed inside the track that elicit certain actions when the train runs over it: one sounds the train’s horn, one turns the lights on and off, one pauses and refuels, one causes the train to change directions and one causes the train to stop. There’s also an optional app you can get for your phone which can then be used as a remote control for the train.
The Lego Boost Creative Toolbox is a set for older children (7+) to learn the basics of engineering, coding and robotics. With the set, kids can build 5 different models: a robot, a robot cat, multi-tooled rover, a guitar, or an AutoBuilder – an automated production line that really builds miniature models. Then kids can bring their model to life with the app where kids can code and do different activities. The robot pictured above reminds us of Number 5 from the classic 80’s sci-fi movie “Short Circuit”.
Hopefully this guide was helpful!
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