STEM toys can sound like a pretty boring playtime. With a focus on either Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math, STEM toys can seem uninteresting, and pretty limited.
But good STEM toys emphasize learning, without sacrificing fun — and there are a world of options available.

STEM toys are so varied, you're sure to find something to match your child's interests, and even expand them!
A STEM toy is also a fantastic choice for show and tell. Your child can show all the ways to use their STEM toy, and tell the class how much they've learned.
STEM toys encourage children to expand and grow, which is a fantastic opportunity to create stories perfect for show and tell.
To show you just a fraction of the STEM toys available, we've put together this guide to all the best STEM toys beginning with "s".
Scroll through with your kid, and discover just how much is available in the world of STEM.
STEM Toys That Start With S
OUR TOP PICK
Designed for rough play, this soft stegosaurus toy can help grow an interest in science in toddlers and children.
Although this stegosaurus isn't exactly scientifically accurate, the jumbo toy is flexible, bendable, and totally roar-some.
Easy to handle, your child can recreate the lumbering lifestyle of the stegosaurus.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Learn about the stegosaurus, what it ate, how it lived, and what that big tail was used for.
- See how many other dinosaurs they can name.
EDITORS CHOICE
The Sink Or Float Activity Set by Learning Essentials includes 32 pieces to introduce children to the world of physics.
Fill a bowl with water, and discover which toys float and which pieces sink.
By stacking pieces, kids can also learn about engineering, and discover how to stop their creations from tipping over.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Get the rest of the class to guess which objects float, and which they think will sink.
- Show how high the objects can be stacked before they sink or fall.
BEST VALUE
Sphero is a sophisticated STEM toy that teaches kids the basics of coding as they learn to control the ball.
The programmable robot can be controlled to go around corners, dodge barriers, and navigate tricky bends.
3 traffic cones and 6 bowling pins are included within the kit, to encourage children to create their own obstacle course for Sphero to navigate.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Use objects from around the classroom to build a complex obstacle course, then create a code to get around it.
RUNNER UP
Spend a rainy day crime solving with the Scientific Explorer Crime Catchers Science Kit.
As you and your kid follow the clues, match fingerprints, test DNA, and decode messages, you learn about how real criminal scientists work to catch the bad guy.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Crack the case beforehand, and put together a show and tell describing what you had to do, and how you used the science.
RUNNER UP
Putting together sticker kits such as the Shimmer and Shine Sparkle Mosaics lets kids explore their artistic side, while also teaching them hand-eye coordination.
The end result is a set of four sparkling and shimmering pictures which will look fantastic decorating a child's bedroom.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Talk about the characters in the pictures and the stories behind them.
- Learn about sparkling and shimmering gemstones, and how they're used for decoration.
RUNNER UP
LEGO kits are an excellent way to introduce children to STEM, and this exceptional space shuttle adventure kit can spark a passion for both engineering and science.
The 3-in-1 kit can transform from space shuttle, to rocket, to lunar lander, with a mini figure able to fly along in all of the three designs.
This interactive set encourages kids to reach for the moon!
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Discover all you can about the first trip to the moon.
- Discuss what other planets humans are hoping to travel to.
RUNNER UP
Getting kids interested in science is a lot easier with this super gross chemistry set.
This kit encourages kids to get really hands-on, and hands-in, with everything from brain dissection to popping blood cells.
The kid-friendly instructions talk you through each process, letting them see science at work in a way that will have them hooked.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Bring in the labeled specimens created in each experiment, and talk through what you did.
RUNNER UP
Hands-on kinetic sand is so fun to play and build with. It can teach children about engineering and art, as they create impressive structures and fun designs.
Oozing, squeezable, and moving kinetic sand doesn't behave as you expect sand to, so eager children have to learn to work with the sculptable material.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- In the handy sandbox, the kinetic sand can be brought along to show and tell. Demonstrate what you can create.
RUNNER UP
With the Sphero Specdrums, kids can create music with just a tap! Specdrum rings detect color, and play a sound based on what they see.
The included play pad helps you to create tunes, but the Specdrums can be used on the go!
Tap the rings on colorful objects, and see what sounds they play. Kids can make their own sounds, or use the Sphero sounds to create songs.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- See what sound objects around the classroom make. Use different classroom objects to build a song.
RUNNER UP
Snap Circuits click together to form electronic circuits with moving parts and lights.
The 30+ electronic parts in the kit can be put together in an incredible variety of ways, resulting in over 100 potential projects.
Easy to use, the Snap Circuits Electronic Exploration Kit teaches kids about engineering in a fun and engaging way.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Demonstrate some of the impressive circuits you can put together.
RUNNER UP
This classic planetarium kit is easy to build and enjoyable to paint. The set includes everything you need to put together an exceptional solar system, plus a fact filled wall chart so kids can learn all about the planets.
A planetarium encourages kids to think about the Earth and the planets, while also getting them to express themselves creatively.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Talk about your favorite planets, and what life would be like in outer space.
- Tell the class how different all the planets are from each other, and which one is your favorite.
RUNNER UP
Finding interesting ways to teach kids about math is hard, but the Sum Swamp board game introduces basic math drills in a funny swamp setting.
Roll the two number dice and the operational dice to guide your swamp creature through the water to dry land.
It teaches children early math skills, and encourages fluency.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Talk about a time when you played the game (a time you won!)
RUNNER UP
Top Trumps uses fun facts to pit scientists and scientific discoveries against each other.
As you collect the cards, you learn more about some amazing people from STEM history, and what they've contributed to the world.
This bundle pack includes Terrific Technology, Sensational Science, and Top Scientists.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Show your favorite cards, and share some of the facts you've learned from playing.
RUNNER UP
A hands-on soap making kit encourages experimentation with results that you can actually use.
This cool kit might look pretty simple, but making foam and soap really does need some science.
And with the cupcake finishes, kids get a chance to show their creativity.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Show the soaps you've made, and explain how you created them.
- Talk about your favorite scents and flavors.
RUNNER UP
Made from engineered wood, the Smartivity Wooden Car Set can be used to create 4 amazing vehicles, which can then be launched to race against friends.
The detailed instruction kit helps kids to work through a tricky build, and discover the magic of engineering along the way.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Race your cars against each other, to show how fast they can go.
- Talk about some of your favorite cars and vehicles.
RUNNER UP
The Street Beneath My Feet is a book by author Charlotte Guillain and illustrator Yuval Zommer that documents a journey through the Earth.
The exquisite fold-out illustrations follow a path through city streets and country lanes, down into the center of the planet.
It teaches children archaeology, natural history, and geology, with a level of detail you can lose yourself in.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Tell the class what they would expect to find if they were able to journey through the Earth.
RUNNER UP
There are 190 pieces included in the solar robot kit, which can be fitted together in an incredible 12 ways.
With two levels of building skill required, kids can naturally learn about engineering, problem-solving, and dexterity.
Plus, as a solar-powered robot, they can watch their creation come to life on a sunny day.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Imagine life on the robots' home planet. How would anyone travel when the sun went down? How long are their days? What do they do when it's cloudy?
RUNNER UP
The Super Sorting Pie is a game that can help children learn patterning and problem-solving, and develop fine motor skills.
It's also super fun to play, as you sort through the small counters with a pair of oversized tweezers, to stuff your pie.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Imagine what a pie would taste like with all these foods mixed up!
- Talk about your favorite pie flavors, and what foods you like to eat.
RUNNER UP
Does your child love to style and play with their hair?
The styling head is a hands-on toy that comes with 14 playful accessories, hairbands, and a brush, so they can experiment with no painful tangles.
Suitable for ages 3 and up, the styling set can provide hours of fun for children that love to experiment with color and style.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Style your head with the best look you can, and tell your class how you did it.
RUNNER UP
Bright and colorful, the Snap-n-Learn alphabet alligators teach kids about letters and numbers with the help of some snappy friends!
The alligator figurines are easy for small hands to hold, and their smiling faces encourage play time.
With uppercase and lowercase letters guiding through the game, young kids can start to learn the alphabet naturally.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Tell the class what you know about alligators. Where do they live, what do they eat, and what do they use those big teeth for?
RUNNER UP
By clicking together straws and connectors, children aged from 3 years old to 7 years plus can enjoy the Straw Constructor Building Toy.
300 pieces are included in the set, so you can build whatever structure you can dream up.
The more kids play, the more excited they'll be to build incredible structures using as many pieces as possible.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Bring in a small number of straws and connectors, and demonstrate how they can fit together.
- Describe the biggest and best thing you've made with the Straw Constructor.
RUNNER UP
Teach the joy of music with the Symphony Sound Book, which uses musical buttons to show kids how a symphony comes together.
As the book guides you through a concert performance of Beethoven's Symphony No.5, children can push the buttons and hear the music come to life.
Ideas For Show And Tell
- Talk about who Beethoven was.
Takeaway
Children will have loads of fun playing with these toys, learning new things along the way, and telling their friends all about it in show and tell. Discover STEM toys, and spark a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math in your child.
Other Show N Tell Ideas:
Toys That Start With A
Toys That Start With B
Toys That Start With C
Toys That Start With D
Toys That Start With E
Toys That Start With F
Toys That Start With G
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Toys That Start With M
Toys That Start With N
Toys That Start With O
Toys That Start With P
Toys That Start With Q
Toys That Start With R
Toys That Start With T
Toys That Start With U
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