STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) toys have become a bit of a trend over recent years, as more and more of us parents see the value of cool toys that encourage a love of all things science and tech.
And gone are the days when all you could find was the odd home science kit (often still GREAT, by the way); now there are loads of toys that come under the STEM umbrella – and many of them are awesome to play with. And don’t miss our award-winning picks within the list, as voted for after hours of toy testing by the MFM team, toy experts, Toy Awards judges and our all-important home testers.
Here’s our pick of the best STEM toys for girls and boys aged 3 and up…
1. AugmentifyIt Augmented Reality OCEAN Animal Cards, £12.99 – best for virtual reality fans
Age: 3+
Awards: GOLD winner, Best STEM Toy, 2019 MadeForMums Toy Awards
What it is: The first augmented reality (AR) cards for kids, that make a game which can be played with the AR technology. The 24-card pack, featuring ocean animals and over 180 facts, works with a downloadable app. There are over 265 quiz questions to test a players’ knowledge, learned from the cards.
Why we love it: Anything that makes learning fun and memorable gets a thumbs up from up, but this set has the added bonus of being magical, with the 3D AR aspect, and environmentally aware by opening up conversations about the importance of recycling and the health of our planet.
Oana, mum to Andy, 4, says, “These cards are very interactive. It’s a brilliant introduction to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) vocabulary. Adults love it too! Andy especially loved the real-life animations, and I am sure we will still play this game as he grows up.” These cards are unique on our list, for the relatively good price point and the use of modern AR technology.
Available from: Amazon
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2. GraviTrax Starter Set, £49.99 – best for hours of entertainment
Age: 8+
What is it: A 120-piece construction set from which you (on your own or with others) can quickly build super-cool-looking multi-level tracks, set multiple ‘gravity spheres’ rolling and racing along them – and experiment with different heights and angles to change the speed of the spheres. Includes tasks and blueprint tracks to follow. And there’s a (free) GraviTrax app where you can design more complicated tracks, and view the track from the ball’s perspective.
Why we love it: This is the old-fashioned marble run taken by the neck and given a fantastic 21st century, science-y twist. A seriously cool, standout toy: our child testers all loved this 2018 gold winner – and all our grown up judges wanted to take it home.
Mary-Kate, mum to Oliver, 8, says, “Oliver says this is the coolest game ever and thinks all his friends should ask for it this Christmas. It’s great how you can take it apart and start again or build something small and add to it. He’s spent hours playing with it and, actually, we all really love it.”
Tester Tom, 9, says, “You can build some incredible tracks! It’s great how you trigger the balls to set off – and the end piece means you don’t lose them at the end either.” Don’t miss the City Engineering & Design Set, too, which is further down our list – a 100-piece city build set: fewer pieces makes it a little cheaper.
Available from: Amazon
