Many parents are looking to spark an early interest in STEM – which is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths – in their children; to not only give their child a solid foundation of knowledge to build upon but also as a means to improve their logic and reasoning, critical thinking and cognition skills. Luckily, introducing STEM to children doesn’t have to be boring, with many games and toys available that serve as an introduction to various areas of STEM, giving children the opportunity to simultaneously learn through play and improve their grades at school.
It has been shown that learning through play without adult interruption – either alone or within a small group of children – can improve a child’s understanding of the world, further their progress across the curriculum, and increase retention of the information they discover.
So, whether you are looking to give your child’s grades a boost; hoping to help your child engage with STEM; or your child already has a passion for STEM that you’re looking to support and encourage, toys that are focused on the principles of science, maths, technology or engineering would make a perfect present for your child this Christmas. Thankfully there is a plethora of STEM-centered toys available, but that can make it hard to know where to start, so here are some of our favourites!
For hands-on science experiments:
Gait Science Lab:
Ages: 6+
What is it? This kit contains everything needed to complete four separate science experiments where the child is able to create a floaty ghost, a test tube kaleidoscope and a bouncy ball.
Why we love it:
This kit provides a fantastic way for a child to have a hands-on experience with real science equipment, while also demonstrating how cool science can be! This kind of experiential learning is invaluable when it comes to getting children excited about learning, which is why we love this kit so much.
To explore engineering and creativity:
Junko Zoomer Toy Car Kit:
Ages: 6+
What is it? A 76-piece set to enable your child to start their own adventure by using the kit to make vehicles from old rubbish! You can turn a milk carton into a car, or an egg box into a double-decker bus. There are endless possibilities and hours of fun with the Junko Zoomer Toy Car Kit.
Why we love it:
This toy not only engages a child’s creativity; it also kicks their engineering brain into gear as they use their knowledge of physics and maths in order to make a vehicle that can move and maybe even turn round corners. The amazing thing about this kit is that it works with your child: at their level. As the child has control over the engineering of their vehicle, and how they complete this task will be dependent on their age and capability, the Junko Zoomer Kit is wholly adaptable to work at the level of the child.
For engaging with technology:
Osmo – Genius Starter Kit for Fire tablet (Fire tablet required/iPad version also available):
Ages: 6 – 10
What Is It? Osmo is a handheld learning tool that introduces coding and programming to children; with hand-held pieces to keep children engaged, alongside games and challenges for the children to complete at their competency level.
Why we love it:
Whether we like it or not, technology is already a huge part of our lives; a part that is only growing over time. Jobs in technology have a basis in STEM, and introducing children to the basics of coding and programming at a young age gives them a great head start.
The Osmo Genius Starter Kit focuses on building a number of skills, which include: visual problem-solving, solving puzzles, and introducing the basic principles of physics and maths. With this toy children learn through playing games and completing challenges: it won’t even feel like they’re learning! As presenting challenges to children in a fun and exciting way is something we at Tutor Doctor aim to do throughout our tutoring sessions, we love this game and consider it a great way for a child further their learning while still having fun.
Education can be fun!
Toys like those we’ve highlighted in this article are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the fun that your children could have while they’re learning. At Tutor Doctor, we provide tutoring services in a broad range of subjects, for students from across the country and anywhere within the education spectrum: from primary school, through to University students.
Similarly to the toys that introduce children to STEM, our tutors are always looking for new, exciting and innovative ways to educate their students; this is reflected in our glowing testimonials and the 4.6-star average rating from past and present clients on Trust Pilot.
It is because of our innovative and student-based ethos that we aim to provide useful advice to help your child with their learning on this blog, as well as through tutoring. We hope you’ve found this post helpful, and if you’d like to book or learn more about our fantastic tutors and our in-person or online tutoring sessions, please find your nearest location today!
