The field of STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) has come into prominence in the recent years. This is partly due to a renewed amount of attention towards this industry and its related careers. That shouldn’t take the focus off another important part of STEM, which is early childhood education. STEM activities are essential for young children. They’re not only educational, but they also engage children in a way that makes it easier to teach even the most basic skills. Kids are attracted to the new and and unknown. Some of the best STEM activities pull kids in with these fresh experiences and also provide immense educational value. They also make for good gifts that bring the substance in addition to the flash. Here’s what we view as the best STEM toys that fit that description.
Top Picks For 2021 – Our Favorite STEM Toys
Best for Infants – Top Bright Activity Cube (7-in-1)
“7 activities and an engaging experience that can aide improvement in the below key areas”
Best for Science – AmScope 52 PC Microscope Kit
“As a STEM toy, it serves as a great gateway into the hard sciences for young children.”
Best for Coding – Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit
“This product merges coding education and the world of Harry Potter extremely well.”
Best for Building – Magna-Tiles 32 Piece Building Kit
“In addition to fostering imagination and curiosity, it will also help develop important spacial, tactile and motor skills.”
Best STEM Toy for Families – Snap Circuits SC300 Exploration Kit
“No other STEM toy on this list approaches the sheer amount of time kids can dedicate to this one.”
Best STEM Toys (2021)
Top Bright Activity Cube (7-in-1)
Ages: 1+
What We Like:
- Colorful & engaging design
- Simple, yet effective activities
Good For:
- Toddlers
It’s never too early! This educational activity cube is the perfect early stage, S.T.E.M toy. It provides 7 activities and an engaging experience that can aide improvement in the below key areas:
- Hand-eye coordination
- Fine motor skills
- Communication skills
- Natural observation
- Logical mathematics
Top Bright’s activity center is equipped with shapes, animals, colors and math to help young children learn. All of this comes in the form of 7 simple, interactive activities young ones will love.
Marble Genius 100 Piece Super Set
Ages: 4-10
What We like:
- Several available designs
- Anticipation adds to the fun
Good For:
- Groups
- Rambunctious kids
This one brings back memories. Young children are often amazed by the simplest things. The Marble Genius Super Set provides the simplicity of marbles and the fun of building. Kids will love building these custom contraptions before putting the marble in action to watch the results. The marble run set includes 100 pieces (85 building/15 marbles). It teaches critical thinking skills and provides an endless amount of building options. Marble Run also sets itself apart from competitors with a mobile app with additional instructions and challenges. We see this product as one of the best STEM toys for groups. Kids and adults can share ideas and watch it all unfold.
Magna-Tiles 32 Piece Building Tiles
Ages: 3+
What We Like:
- Well designed and durable pieces
Perfect For:
- Fostering creativity
- Multiple kids
These award-winning magnetic building tiles incorporate science and math in a truly engaging package. Start with the eye catching translucent and colorful tiles. There are 32 total pieces here which includes a variety of large and small shapes. All of the shapes are magnetic allowing kids to fuse them together and make their own flat or 3D creations. It’s qualities as a STEM toy are also bona fide. In addition to fostering imagination and curiosity, it will also help develop important spacial, tactile and motor skills. Build a boat, spaceship, castle or whatever comes to mind. The Magna-Tiles also have a reputation for great build quality and uniqueness that sets it apart from similar imitations.
Osmo Genius Kit (Fire Tablet or IPad)
Ages: 6-10
What We Like:
- Physical Objects & Screen Learning
- Teacher approved
Perfect For:
- School aged kids
- Kids who love technology
Implementing technology into your child’s education is increasingly important these days, but it must be done right. Osmo gets it right and that’s the reason they’ve been named one of the most innovative companies in recent years. While this kit requires a tablet, it’s games also incorporate physical objects, which is key for engagement and effectiveness. The Osmo Genius Kit experience includes 5 games to build numerous skills like math, critical thinking, problem solving, reading, vocabulary and drawing just to name a few. It checks all of the STEM boxes and does so in a way few products can. It’s available for the Fire Tablet, but there is also and iPad version. There’s even a companion ap that allows parents to track their child’s progress.
Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit
Ages: 6+
What We Like:
- Unique Content
- Great intro into coding
Perfect For:
- Tech savvy kids
- Adventurous kids
When searching for the best STEM toys, it’s essential to engage kids in a way helps them grasp the material. What better way than one of the most popular characters ever? This product merges coding education and the world of Harry Potter extremely well. While requiring a computer or tablet, it comes with wand parts, batteries, stickers, a guidebook, an accompanying app and more. Once children build the wand, they will learn basic coding skills (Javascript, variables, etc) via 70+ step by step challenges. They can then use their wand to create spells, creatures, food and sounds from the Harry Potter universe while interacting with iconic locations from the franchise (Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, etc). The entire experience is well done and kids will be engrossed, while learning useful coding/development skills. The Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit is one of the best coding toys out there.
Snap Circuits SC-300 Electronics Exploration Kit
Ages: 8+
What We Like:
- Ton of value
- Upgrade kits available
Perfect For:
- Kids that love to build
- Teaching kids to follow instructions
Where to start? Over 300 projects, 60+ snap modules, and an extensive project manual to guide you through learning/building electronics. This Snap Circuits Electronics Exploration Kit is designed by engineers and the components are color coded. The pieces snap into place and require no soldering or tools. No other STEM toy on this list approaches the sheer amount of time kids can dedicate to this one. Between the structured projects and custom creations, this kit provides a ton of value. Other pieces include capacitors, a slide switch, resistor, snap wires and a microphones. Start with simple projects like a simple light switch and end with an delayed action fan. There are also upgrade kits to for additional learning/projects.
AmScope 52 Piece STEM Kit
Ages: 8-12
What We Like:
- Great intro to hard sciences
- Great value for money
Perfect For:
- Science lovers
- Hands on learning
This AmScope 52 Piece STEM Kit provides a high magnification microscope and is paired with a ton of other useful accessories. As a STEM toy, it serves as a great gateway into the hard sciences for young children. It’s guide book is packed with scientific experiments and allows kids to utilize key STEM skills like visual analysis, note-taking and the scientific method. The provided tools used to execute these experiments include:
- Microscope
- Shrimp Hatchery
- Brine Shrimp Eggs
- Petri Dish
- Tweezers, Scalpel, Spatula & Needle
- Slides, Slide Covers, Slide Labels
- Graduated Cylinder & Collecting Vials
- And much more
Among other things, it allows kids to observe the full life cycle of brine shrimp. It’s the engaging activity that makes kids fall in love with science. It’s why we love the product and recommend it as one of the best STEM toys for science.