As I was putting together my personal list of the best STEM gifts for kids, I walked through our house and looked at what my kids really play with.
Over the years, I’ve seen many toys joyfully unwrapped and then quickly forgotten, discarded, or broken.
That’s why this list of screen-less gifts has toys that have real staying power. Your kids can get years of use out of any of these, and–at least in our experience–they can hold up to long-term play.
But the best part of all might be the price: They’re almost all under $50. Several of them are even under $25!
High quality toys that grow well with your kids and don’t cost an arm and a leg. It’s the dream, right? ๐ Let’s get started!
The Best STEM Gifts for Kids
SNAP CIRCUITS
I love the new wave of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (S.T.E.M.) toys that have swept the toy scene over the past few years. One of our favorites are Snap Circuits, a safe way for kids to learn about building electric circuits!
Our kids have loved following the simple instructions to create circuits that turn on a small fan, play music, and light a lightbulb!
Bonus–this is another toy that grows up well. While 6-year-olds will enjoy this more with help from Mom & Dad, older kids can build and create on their own. My almost own 8-year-old boy loves pulling these out on a lazy Saturday.
START WITH… the Snap Circuits Jr kit (only $20!) for younger kids, and for older kids, consider our very favorite so far: the Snap Circuits Light Kit!
MARBLE RUNS
Growing up my brother loved playing with marble runs—building, disassembling, reconfiguring, and watching the marbles run through different courses. They’re pretty affordable, and there are tons of options to choose from!
START WITH… the Marble Genius Marble Run Super Set, or their smaller Marble Run Starter Set. These because they have great reviews AND translucent tubing (fun!).
GRAVITY MAZE LOGIC GAME
We’d never heard of this logic game until our son got Gravity Maze for Christmas last year–and he was immediately hooked.
A great pick for upper-elementary kids and older, Gravity Maze challenges kids to puzzle out pathways that guide a marble from one end of the board to the other. It comes with over 60 challenge cards–from beginner to expert level–and our kiddo has loved stretching his brain to beat even the hardest setups.
START WITH… the ThinkFun Gravity Maze, or check out their other two maze games, Circuit Maze or Laser Maze.
MAGFORMERS
These magnetic building toys were a surprise hit at our house. While I saw only magnetic shapes, my kids (ages 3 to 11) have found all kinds of applications and building possibilities. The 3-year-old loves stacking towers, while the older kids create spheres, giant hearts for mom (I melt!), space ships, and (with wheel add-ons) cars, trucks, and other vehicles.
They’re a little pricier (ranging anywhere from $15-180 depending on the set), but a great grow-with-me investment toy–which is why they also made my preschool gift guide!
START WITH… the 62-Piece Standard Set, and consider adding a vehicle set if you have a car-lover.
HOT WHEELS CRISS CROSS CRASH RACE TRACK
This may not be your traditional “STEM” toy, but it is a great lesson in physics disguised as good car-crashing fun. When we came across the Hot Wheels Criss Cross Crash racing track, my husband knew our boy would love it–and he was right.
Yet another gift that has stood the test of time, our son’s Hot Wheels have been racing (and colliding) on this track for years now. Plus it’s got 4.5 stars from over 1000 Amazon reviewers–so you don’t even have to take just my word for it.
START WITH… the Hot Wheels Criss Cross Crash racing track, and add this inexpensive (under $10!) 9-Car Hot Wheels gift pack if he doesn’t have any wheels to race yet.
LEARNING RESOURCES GEARS! GEARS! GEARS! SETS
These little gear building sets may not look like much, but man–they are a power-packed toy for little engineers and creatives. I bought some on a tip from a friend when my son younger, and he still regularly enjoys building with them at age 8.
Another cross-over that works for preschoolers and up, we’ve found Gears! Gears! Gears! sets to be a fun blend between building blocks and moving parts.
START WITH… the Gears! Gears! Gears! Super Building Set (this is the one we have). It comes with plenty of pieces and the included storage container is super helpful for cleanup.
BATTLESHIP
Have you ever thought about how much strategy, reasoning, and math goes into a game of Battleship?
It’s a great get-thinking game, and one of my go-to mom-son activities when I get some one-on-one time with my boy. ๐
TRY… The Amazon Exclusive Battleship edition, which has airplanes as well as ships!
LEGO
When it comes to the best STEM gifts for kids, Lego is my absolute number one. I have yet to meet a kid of any age or gender who doesn’t quickly fall under the spell of Lego!
While Lego can be expensive, their cost-per-play has always been worth it in our experience. In fact, we have a whole dining table in the playroom set up specifically for Lego play. It’s a whole thing around here. ๐
Our kids use them both to build their own worlds and to play hours of pretend. One of the most fun things about them is how many licenses and themes Lego has–you can probably find a Lego set for anything your child is interested in, from Disney Princesses to Fire Stations, Star Wars to Harry Potter.
START WITH… a LEGO Classic Creative Brick Box for all around creative play. Consider adding a Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lego City, or other themed set based on your child’s interests.
K’NEX
With lots of potential for guided building or open-ended creativity, K’nex building toys were a STEM toy before the acronym existed. A combination of connectors, rods, and wheels, their sets span from cars and helicopters to working miniature roller coasters! While we don’t have any K’nex yet, they’re highly rated on Amazon and–I’m not kidding–when my 8-year-old saw me looking at them today he said, “I WANT THOSE!” and immediately asked me to add them to his wish list.
Like Lego’s Duplo, K’nex has a line for younger kids under 6 called Kid K’nex. These sets look great for preschool or Kindergarten ages, and also have great reviews on Amazon!
For age 7+, START WITH… the K’nex Imagine Box, and consider the Power and Play Motorized Building set, which comes with a motor to make things move!
For age 6 & under, START WITH… the Oodles of Pals set.
Happy gifting!
xo,
Jamie
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Images via Nik, Freestocks, Amazon, and Target
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