Everything Parents Should Know About STEM Toys

STEM toys are a great way to introduce children to complex subjects in a fun and playful way. We have outlined the key benefits of STEM toys and what every parent should know about STEM toys. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. STEM toys provide opportunities to develop skills in these areas, through play. STEM toys promote open-ended learning and require children to focus and pay attention to detail.

Educational Benefits of STEM Toys

Children learn a lot about the world through play, and the good thing for parents is that children love to play! STEM toys are designed to be educational and many teach children certain skills that can translate to knowledge in the real world. For example, children engaging in a toy that requires construction and building can teach them about engineering. On the other hand, assembling a robot can provide children with an insight into how computers are made. A toddler playing with shape toys is learning about geometry. There is an abundance of skills that STEM toys provide!

Choosing Which STEM Toy is Suitable for a Child

Choosing which toy is most suitable for your child when there are so many to choose from, can be a difficult task. We have outlined the three questions to ask when choosing which STEM toy is best suited for a child.

Is the Toy Age-Appropriate

STEM toys are almost always labelled for suitability for a specific age range. Some STEM toys are designed to teach specific skills to toddlers. On the other hand, some STEM toys include lots of small parts and can be too difficult for small children. These are designed for older children and will be labelled for the appropriate age group.

Safety Features

Most STEM toys will include safety warnings in relation to their content. Small parts, chemicals or other hazardous materials may require adult supervision. STEM toys aren’t dangerous but just ensure to be mindful of their contents when giving them to your children. Sometimes adult supervision means adults get to join in in the fun too!

STEM Toys & Skills

There is a variety of STEM toys to choose from, each providing an opportunity for children to develop valuable skills. Some toys are developed to teach skills in areas such as botany and coding, whereas others focus on cognitive thinking challenging the brain in a new way! For younger children, STEM toys tend to focus on developing motor skills. 

STEM Toys & STEM Careers

STEM Toys expose children to the world of science, technology, engineering and math in a fun and exciting way. It can be extremely rewarding to see children show an interest in these areas from a young age, and who knows what the future holds for these children! Their interest in coding related STEM toys may be a stepping stone to them becoming the next Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg!

Why Choose a STEM Toy for Your Children

STEM Toys foster creativity, inspire imagination, promote learning and much more. They engage children and their parents in new ways of learning and ideas, whilst being extremely fun. The Toy Shop have tonnes of STEM toys to suit children of all ages and abilities. We have outlined the most popular STEM toys for each age group, which are all available to order online.

Children Aged 0-12 Months

This colourful rain maker stimulates a baby’s senses with vibrant trickling beads and soothing raindrop sounds. The shape is designed to make it easier for a toddler to hold, allowing them to make the sounds themselves. Parents will be provided with lots of entertainment watching your little one play and laugh at the sounds they can make with the rainmaker. Available to order online for €14.95. 

Children Aged 12-24 Months 

The Shake and Match Colour Sorter is a great educational toy for children of this age group. It encourages colour recognition, counting and fine motor skills as your child removes the pieces from the stakes and carefully threads them back on. Click here to find out more about this toy.

Children Aged 2-3 Years

This Fisher-Price Cash Register comes with brightly coloured coins that help teach children to count and recognise colours. Not only does this toy expose children to math and numbers, but it also provides a great prop for imaginative play. Read our article in relation to the benefits of imaginative play for children. Read more about The Fisher-Price Cash Register here. 

Children Aged 3-4 Years. 

The Magformer Construction Set is packed with magnetic geometric pieces. This set allows children to get creative with their building. Containing lots of squares, triangles and pentagons this set makes maths super fun while helping children develop fine motor and problem-solving skills. Read more about this toy here.

Children Aged 5-7 Years 

The Body Lab science kit is a great way to expose children of this age group to science. It contains a 32-page lab book including many great experiments. The set contains a stethoscope, Petri-dishes, gloves, tape measure, syringe, gelatine, ink pad, ID sheets, magnifying glass, bone and organ stickers, skeleton and organ card, digestion poster and more. A fun and interactive way to teach kids about science. Find out more about The Body Lab Science Kit here.

Children 7-9 Years 

Rollercoaster Challenge Game is a popular choice for this age group. This fun-packed single-player game requires children to put their logical thinking and problem solving to the test. On the other hand, children are required to build the roller coaster, putting their engineering skills to the test. The game comes with 40 challenge cards which have a variety of difficulty levels. Once children solve the challenge they can put their engineering to the test and watch the roller coaster carriage glide down the track, completing the dips, curves and loop-the-loops! View more about this toy here. 

Children Over 9 Years of Age 

Ignite your children’s logic and sequential reasoning with this Circuit Maze. The goal is to arrange the tokens to create a real circuit that lights up the different colour beacons. These clever circuit-building puzzles provide a boost of brainpower and a wonderful introduction to electrical engineering. With 60 challenges ranging in difficulty from beginner to expert, this logic game will provide engineers of all levels with hours of electrifying fun. Suitable for ages 8 years and up. View The Thinkfun Circuit Maze here. 

Want to See More? 

Shop our full range of STEM Toys at The Toy Shop Online Store. We have plenty to choose from and deliver nationwide!