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If you’re ready for them to take a break from playing in their Minecraft and Roblox worlds (what is that all about anyway), it’s time to trick them with a little STEM time. These STEM toys are a total blast and, well, some of them actually do blast!
STEM (which stands for science, technology, engineering, and math) skills are becoming more important than ever in the creative and problem-solving development of your kiddos. Sure playing on their devices can sometimes be good, but when you’re ready for them to be done and want them to exercise their brain in a totally different way, it’s time to pick up some of these editorially chosen STEM toys and pretty fun games. Don’t worry, some will still allow them to use their smartphones or tablets to interact with their creations.
More: These are the Most Popular Kids Toys of the Year!
From learning how to code in a magical and fun way, to creating super explosive (and safe) science experiments, to even learning how to create their very own natural lip balms (and everything in between) we’ve got your educational toy picks on point (so far) in 2024.
EDITOR’S PICK
1. The Mind Blowing Science Kit
Kids Ages: 6 – 8 years old
This pick is one of the best-sellers on Amazon right now! This must-try science kit comes with 20 pieces where your kiddos can quickly learn the basics of science while seeing things blow up (well, sort of). They’ll get to enjoy wild chemical interactions and use a bunch of different science tools to make it all happen. Don’t worry, it’s safe. The chemicals include things like red cabbage powder, citric acid, baking soda, color tablets, and more. They’ll have a blast. Literally.
RUNNER UP
2. The Geo Safari Jr. Talking Microscope
Kids Ages: 4 – 7 years old.
This is one of our favorite STEM toys of the year. Not only is it super cool, but it also features the actual voice of Bindi Irwin! Using this talking microscope, your kiddos will be able to do things like learn about bees, snow, plants, flowers, and so much more. They’ll have a blast looking (they can use both eyes so no need to squint), listening, and learning all at the same time. There’s over 100 really cool facts and questions, 60 beautifully colored images, and you can choose two different modes of “play” which include Fact Mode and Quiz Mode. How many can you get right?!
BEST FOR CODING
3. The Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit
Kids Ages: 6+ years old.
If they love Harry Potter (and they do), they’ll love learning to code this way. They’ll use this magical wand (and their tablet) to make amazing spells that’ll make feathers float, pumpkins grow, fire flow, goblets multiply and so much more. They’ll learn to code thanks to the more than 70 different super fun wizard-inspired challenges and more.
BEST FOR COLORFUL CHEMISTRY
4. The Crayola Color Chemistry Lab Set
Kids Ages: 7 – 10+ years old.
This STEM toy is way too much fun and can get, well, a bit messy but that’s totally part of the fun! Your kiddos will be able to create more than 45 different science experiments. We’re talking about erupting volcanos, amazing slime, a tornado in a bottle, bouncing colored bubbles and more.
BEST FOR FUN EXPLOSIONS
5. The Playz Kaboom Explosive Science Kit
Kids Ages: 8+ years old.
Are you ready to kick up your science experiments a notch or two? Now’s the time! With Kaboom you’ll be able to enjoy and create with 25 different must-see experiments, enjoy the 36 pages of fun activities, and try out the more than 25 different tools and ingredients. Your kiddos will have a blast making rockets, fizzy bombs, explosive bags, color explosions and more! Like with most of these, adult supervision is needed. Don’t worry, you’ll have just as much fun as they are.
BEST FOR LEGO LOVERS
6. The LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox
Kids Ages: 7 – 12 years old.
One of the best-sellers from LEGO! This is basically the definition of STEM! Using coding that they’ll learn they’ll be able to take this over 800 piece set and transform it into 5 different things like (1) a robot that dances, makes jokes and even toots (2) a cat that plays, meows, and more (3) a working guitar with sound effects (4) a rover mobile or (5) an automated production line that builds mini LEGO model (yes, for real). We’ve gifted this a few times this year and the kiddos were obsessed.
BEST FOR CREATIVE SHAPE BUILDING
7. The Magna Tiles Building Set
Kids Ages: 3+ years old.
This one is pretty simple, but a fan favorite year after year. They’ll be able to use these magnetic colorful tiles to build a wide variety of creations. And they’re super easy to take apart too (which is key!). The best part is that pretty much anything they can dream and imagine, they can create.
BEST FOR MYSTERY SOLVING
8. The Crime Catchers Spy Kit
Kids Ages: 8+ years old.
It’s like the kid version of a CSI episode come to life! They’ll have to solve some really fun mysteries and do things like match fingerprints, check DNA, use powders and liquids to decode messages that are total secrets and will help them solve the crime.
BEST FOR DIY’ERS
9. The All-Natural Lip Balm Boutique
Kids Ages: 8+ years old.
They say that this STEM education toy is geared towards the girls, but we say it’s really for anyone (yes, boys too) who want to create something really cool….natural lip balm! This beauty-based chemistry kit is a real must-have for everyone in the fam. Hey, you never know, maybe they’ll start up their own business. Move over lemonade stand!
BEST FOR MEDICAL FUN
10. The Squishy Human Body
Kids Ages: 8+ years old.
Because at the end of the day sometimes a squishy toy is just plain old fun! If your kiddos love their squishy toys, they’ll love this and they’ll even learn at the same time. This 12-inch human body comes with a stand, has 21 different removable body parts, and comes with forceps and tweezers to help them remove (and learn) about those body parts.
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