The Best STEM Toys & Activities for Kids

What is STEM, and what’s all the fuss about? In this blog post, I’ll answer those questions, as well as provide some ideas of STEM toys and activities that the kids in your life will love!

The Best STEM Toys & Activities for Kids | The Merry Momma

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If you are a parent or work with kids in any capacity, I’m guessing you’ve seen/heard quite a bit about STEM toys and activities. I see them promoted all over the place! I can’t hardly peruse a toy department or educational website without stumbling across the acronym.

What is STEM, and what’s all the fuss about? In this blog post, I’ll answer those questions, as well as provide some ideas of STEM toys and activities that the kids in your life will love!

What is STEM?

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. (At times you might also see STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, ART, and Math.) STEM-based education focuses on developing key skills for those discipline areas, including problem solving, creativity, and critical analysis.

STEM toys and activities, then, are aimed at nurturing the skills kids will need for future education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. More generally, they’re geared towards curiosity, learning, and creativity. Far from all work and no play, however, these toys and activities engage kids with fun activities while simultaneously building valuable skills for their future.

Benefits of STEM Toys & Activities

There are many valuable benefits to STEM toys and activities, including that they:

Develop several cognitive skills, such as logical reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking
Foster creativity
Provide hands-on learning with real-world applications
Improve fine motor skills

Those are the “official” benefits promoted by researchers and STEM advocates. From personal experience, however, I love that STEM toys and activities:

Engage their brains
Develop problem-solving skills (I can actually see it happening!)
Keep them occupied for long periods of time (IYKYK)
Can be creative, too
Are teaching them how to build/fix things

Both my boys love them (and my daughter, who’s only 3, is just starting to get into them, too) but they have been particularly FABULOUS for my middle child who loves to tinker.

STEM Toys

I’ve said before in previous posts that I’m kind of picky about the toys I get for my kids. They have to be active, engaging, and (preferably) multi-use. And STEM toys fit the bill! There are gobs of options out there, but here are some of the ones we have and love: