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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hi, my name is Elena Jones, and my full-time job is a teacher. Through teaching, I have discovered that children learn in many different ways, and have seen the positive impact both STEM and Montessori toys have on children.
Through this site I hope to educate parents and adults about these toys, providing them with useful information on how they can be used, and provide some in depth reviews of different toys to consider too.
