STEM concepts are best learned by seeing and doing things practically. These kits, tool sets and toy sets are designed to teach children useful Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) concepts. These are available in various forms, including building sets, coding robots, science kits, puzzles, and electronic circuitry kits.
Types of STEM Toys & Games
Here are some cool Toys which will ensure that science remains a fun topic all the time.
- Start scientific conversations with your kids
- Excellent introduction to Science and Electronics
- Provide hours of quality time for your kids
- Some of the activities may require direct parent involvement
STEM Toy Categories
Robots
Smart robot kits help you build your own smart robots. These are easy to build as it comes with well-explained, step by step instructions.
With Robot toys, children will use both sides of their brain to learn about geometry, shapes and more. Robots can talk, respond, draw a picture. You can even connect the toy robot to your computer or tablet using the built-in wifi and see the robot unleash its creativity.
Solar Powered Toys
Solar powered toys utilize solar energy as a power source by using small solar panels to capture sunlight and convert it into electrical energy to power the toy’s functions. Solar powered toys are educational, environmentally friendly and entertaining alternatives to battery-operated toys.
Magnetic toys
Magnetic toys include magnetic components that can attract or repel each other and can be used for building, creating, and exploring. You get magnetic construction sets with several different ways to build. These allow children to engage in hands-on activities and develop their fine motor skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
Electronic kits for kids
Electronic kits for kids are specifically designed to teach children the basics of electronics and circuits in a fun and engaging way. These kit include components such as wires, resistors, capacitors, LEDs, switches, and sensors that allow children to experiment with electronic circuits, devices, or projects. They are designed to be safe, easy to use, and age-appropriate for children. Children learn concepts like electricity flow, circuitry, and the behavior of different electronic components.
Laptops & Gadgets for Students
Educational tablets and laptops designed specifically for kids. These tablets are suitable for younger children and offer a range of educational and entertainment options. It is important to prioritize features that are suitable for your child’s age group and educational needs.
Best Educational Laptops and Tablets for for Kids
Play Tool sets and Workbenches
Children today are very comfortable with gadgets such as iPad/tablets. However, they may not know how a screwdriver or a plier works, which are equally important skills to have. Toy tools for kids look like real tools but are safer to use and are designed for use by children of different ages so that they can play and learn. Tool sets include play versions of drills, saws, hammers, screwdrivers, and more.
Tool benches (workbenches) are great for kids to lean more about STEM concepts like structure, basic physics, geometry. A kids workbench includes a bench and a set of tools.
The bench can be plastic or wood and the tools are (mostly plastic but higher models may offer metal tools.
The set may also come with plastic or wooden stripes with holes so that kids can use nuts/bolt for creative play.
Hand Tools’ names and their uses
- Wrench: It is a tool use to grip and turn/tighten nuts and bolt, pipes, etc.
- Screwdriver: used for fitting or removing screws
- Saw: Used to cut wood into pieces of smaller sizes and shapes.
- Hammer: Used to drive nails into materials such as wood, used in carpentry.
- Chisel: Used to carve, shape solid material such as metal, wood, etc.
- Power tools: You will also find a range of power tools (such as Drill, Sander, Jackhammer, Chain Saw, Heat Gun) that require electric power to function.
Teaching kids how to hammer
Most electronic items come wrapped in air bubble bags. In case you have recently bought one, do not throw away the wrapper.
You can let your child practice bursting those air bubbles using a hammer. Kids will absolutely love this activity.
You can even teach your child to hammer nails (the ones that come with play sets) on clay/dough.
If you have grown up kids, you can then let them hammer roofing nails (with big heads and short shanks) that are easier to hit.
Learning to use a wrench
A wrench is another important tool and comparatively easy and safe to use. You can take a piece of Thermocol board (or foam board) and practice turning bolts into the board using a wrench.
Practice Sawing
Teach your child to saw (using the saw in your kids tool set) by practicing sawing on a foam board (easily available at art supply stores).
LCD Writing Tablets
Writing and drawing are important activities that kids indulge in, but it also results in wastage of paper. LCD writing tablets are environment friendly and can save lots of sheets of paper; these also allow kids to exercise their creativity through drawing and writing.
The LCD Writing Tablet is an electronic digital writing screen that can be used for a variety of purposes.
Highlights of these electronic digital writing screens:
- Use it for writing, practice, math, calculus, painting, graffiti, doodles
- Easy to erase and start again
- Button-press to clear the screen. Many models come with a switch that prevents clearing of the screen (in case you don’t want it to be erased)
- No radiation, so its safe to use for kids as well
Top uses of these LCD writing tablets:
Here’s how these LCD writing tablets get used in our home; we have two kids aged 5 and 9.
- Drawing Pad: My kids love to draw on these tablets. It’s very easy to draw on these using the pen that comes along with it. However, please note that these are monochrome devices (most of them) and you can’t really change the pen color or use multiple colors.
- Use it to practice writing: Ask your child to write words or short sentences. Or make them practice cursive writing.
- Use it to solve Math sums/puzzles: Show your child how to multiply or divide. Give them practice sums; erase when they are done and give them new ones.
- Use it to play games: Use the screen to play popular games such as x and o (tic-tac-toe) and other popular games.
- Use it as an Office Pad: Parents can use it to take down notes or make to-do lists. You really don’t need paper or post-it sticky notepad to jot down messages, notes or ideas in the digital world. These tablets can be used to write notes, reminders or any other content.
Digital Cameras for Kids
Kids cameras are specially designed cameras for children to explore and enjoy the world of photography. These cameras have a child-friendly design with bright colors, playful shapes, and easy-to-use buttons, and featuring durable materials and shockproof casings.
Most of these products give you the ability to take videos as well as still photos (but not all models have the video feature). Most kids cameras come with LCD screen for easy viewing; some can also be connected to a television or a computer. Plus, the camera also has many inbuilt games and it can also be used to watch movies.
Music in STEM Projects
About MakeyMakey Kit
Makey Makey is a small electronic kit that allows you to take everyday objects and combine them with the computer/internet (using the alligator clips attached to any conductive material).
The MakeyMakey kit contains a USB cable and a circuit board (programmed to replace a standard computer keyboard) with alligator clips attached to it.
Makey Makey has been used in thousands of fun electronics projects at home or in the classroom. Kids can use these kit to create digital pianos out of bananas, and other fruits.
Students in Kazakhstan make BANANA piano for technology festival
Bananas are known for their health benefits but these students have turned the popular yellow fruit into a piano keyboard.
Checkout this ingenious musical instrument: the banana piano, which was on display at the “Go Creative!” technology festival in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan.
The bananas were placed in a row and connected to electronic components that were plugged into a computer. It shows certain fruits & vegetables are capable of conducting electricity.
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