Creative circuitry and rolling robots make up this year’s top toys for teaching kids to love science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
As the holiday season approaches, parents often face the challenge of finding gifts that are both fun and educational. Purdue University’s Inspire Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering has once again curated a list of toys that nurture skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), with a focus on microelectronics—the tiny circuits and chips that power our world.
Jennifer Heap, a seasoned teacher with 26 years of experience, led the team behind the 2024 STEM toy guide. As the project manager for Purdue University’s SCALE K-12 program, Heap is committed to integrating microelectronics into K-12 curricula to prepare students for careers in cutting-edge fields. Her team reviewed a mix of established favourites and exciting new products to find the most innovative and educational toys.
“We really focused on selecting toys that foster a love for STEM subjects and build essential skills,” says Heap. “Our goal was to ensure the list covered various age groups, price points, and categories such as circuitry, robotics, coding, and programming.” After narrowing down the list to 40 top picks, Heap and her team, including kid-testers of all ages, selected the ten best toys to highlight this year.
Here are the top STEM toys for 2024:
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- SOIC and SOT: The Microchips (Ages 4+)
This delightful book, written by electrical engineer Jeffrey C. Dunnihoo, follows two microchips on a journey through the electronic assembly process. Aimed at young learners, this book introduces the basics of microchips in a fun, engaging way. It’s a perfect choice for early STEM education.
(Pragma Media, $16.45) - Mochi Robotics Kit (Ages 4-8)
A screen-free kit that combines coding and play, the Mochi Robotics Kit allows children to build and programme a plush Mochi Bear and its rover. This hands-on activity develops problem-solving skills and critical thinking, providing a solid foundation in coding.
(Learn with Mochi, $149) - Snap Circuits Arcade (Ages 8+)
Snap Circuits Arcade blends fun and education, allowing kids to create over 200 projects, including games like blackjack and memory games, using circuitry. The kit introduces electronics concepts in an accessible and enjoyable way.
(Elenco, $79.99) - AlphaBot (Ages 4-10)
This interactive book enables kids to design their own robots while learning technical terms like “hydrojet” and “neural network.” The book provides an introduction to the world of robotics and encourages creativity and learning.
(MIT Kids Press, $14.99) - Micro:bit Starter Kit (Ages 13+)
Designed for teenagers interested in coding, the Micro:bit Starter Kit offers hands-on learning with components like sensors, motors, and LEDs. It’s a versatile tool that allows for endless experimentation and learning.
(Price varies) - Sphero Bolt (Ages 8+)
Sphero Bolt’s translucent design and programmable capabilities make it a hit in classrooms. Kids can control the robot using the Sphero Edu app, programming it to navigate obstacles and interact with its surroundings.
(Sphero, $179) - MBot (Ages 8-12)
In just 15 minutes, kids can build and program their own robot with the MBot kit. This hands-on experience teaches coding concepts and helps develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
(Makeblock, $99.99) - Love to Code Creative Coding Kit (Ages 12+)
The Love to Code Creative Coding Kit combines art and coding by allowing students to create drawings that light up using circuits. This kit appeals to both coding enthusiasts and artists, showing how creative fields intersect with technology.
(Chibitronics, $99) - Tale-Bot Pro (Ages 3+)
This robot helps preschoolers learn coding concepts by programming it to navigate a gridded map and string together a story. It’s an ideal starting point for young learners to grasp basic programming principles.
(Matatalab, $99.99) - Turing Tumble (Ages 8+)
Turing Tumble teaches kids about binary operations and logic gates by letting them build mechanical computers with marbles. This toy provides a hands-on way to explore computer science and logic in a fun, interactive way.
(Upper Story, $87.72)
Each of these toys offers unique ways to engage children with STEM concepts. From building circuits to coding robots, these educational tools nurture creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills—qualities that will help children succeed in the ever-evolving fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Whether you’re shopping for a budding engineer or a young coder, these toys promise to inspire and educate for years to come.
