If you can’t get enough of UpperStory LLC’s Spintronics and want a bit more of a challenge, Spintronics Act Two is a great addition. Act Two builds upon all of the concepts of Act One by introducing even more physical representations of elements of circuitry. While you do need Act One to play Act Two, Act Two adds many more complex challenges for any child yearning to learn more about circuitry. Along with more base tiles and chains to allow for bigger more complex circuits, the set includes new pieces to learn about circuit components such as inductors and transistors. You also can buy the Spintronics Power Pack if you want to make your circuits even bigger by providing more resistors. These additions to Act One allow for even more freedom in designing and building safe, mechanical "circuits." ― Daisy Coble, Purdue Reviewer
Technology is for everyone...at least, that's the moral of Ada & Zangemann: A Tale of Software, Skateboards, and Raspberry Ice Cream by Matthias Kirschner and Sandra Brandstätter. This beautifully written and illustrated story follows a technological revolution that occurs when an inventor becomes enraged by the use of his creations for fun, rather than their intended purposes. Encouraging creative, out-of-the-box engineering thinking, problem-solving, and perseverance, as well as endless tinkering, Kirschner and Brandstätter weave a story that will encourage children to question who owns the technology around them, and why. ― A.R. Miller, Purdue Reviewer
Do you have a blossoming Master Builder in your life? Ever wondered how to transition their love of LEGOs to actual engineering projects? The LEGO Engineer by Jeff Friesen may be for them! With beautiful photographs and detailed explanations, Friesen provides information on some of the world’s most amazing engineering inventions, and then gives detailed steps on how to build LEGO models of each. This book challenges children’s spatial reasoning skills and logical and creative thinking skills while teaching them more about the world built around them. ― A.R. Miller, Purdue Reviewer
The Spin Plus 6 Piece Set by Magformers presents an effortless way for a child to hone their spatial reasoning and pattern recognition abilities while accessing their creative side. While the Spin Plus set appears to simply be a fidget spinner at first glance, the magnetic construction parts that come in the box can attach to each other or the fidget spinner to allow for many different designs and patterns to be created. Users can simply stack varying colors onto the fidget spinner to achieve different spinning visuals, or create three dimensional shapes with the spinner and pieces fixed on a surface. Overall, the Spin Plus Set is a fantastic start to getting children to think creatively and critically about the processes of design. ― Jaden Hernandez, Purdue Reviewer
The Carnival Plus Set by Magformers LLC takes all of the great original aspects of Magformers and adds new elements into the mix with parts that spin and swing. Have fun creating your own designs while testing and improving your solutions, or following tutorials provided in the box. Build creative designs that spin in different orientations, such as ferris wheels and carousels. Have fun practicing spatial reasoning, fine motor skills, and pattern recognition while learning how magnets and gravity can drive motion. ― Daisy Coble, Purdue Reviewer
If you or a loved one is looking for a gift that promotes design, mathematical knowledge, and problem solving skills, look no further than the Challenger 30 Piece Set from Magformers LLC! With the large assortment of pieces and helpful starting guide, users are empowered to practice creativity and unstructured play. Add onto or begin your Magformers' collection today with the Challenger 30 Piece Set. ― Erica Corbeels, Purdue Reviewer
Although the fourteen pieces in Magformers’ Challenger 14 Piece Set may not seem like a lot, the possibilities for construction are endless with the set’s intuitive building scheme. This set is a great way for children to practice their spatial reasoning, pattern recognition, and even mathematical skills as they keep track of the various shapes and colors of Magformers’ signature neon, magnetic parts. While the set itself encourages free-form creation, an idea booklet also is included in case children run out of ideas, or don’t know where to start. The Challenger 14 Piece Set is one of the many Magformers’ products that you can add to your collection that allow children to harness their creativity while practicing engineering skills. ― Jaden Hernandez, Purdue Reviewer
Learning to count and developing basic pattern recognition are vital skills to gain for any young child. The Tactile Turtles Math Activity Set by hand2mind provides a fun and hands-on experience that develops these skills. The included turtle-shaped pieces have many different patterns, sizes, and colors that can be sorted in many different ways by themselves. This toy also comes with different activity boards which can encourage the user to find different groupings and patterns between the turtles. With the guidance of a trusted adult, young children can start making connections between numbers and the different patterns they find. ― Daisy Coble, Purdue Reviewer
Teaching abstract concepts like measuring can be a challenge. Why not make it fun? With the Reel Big Catch Game by Educational Insights, let your child develop math and science skills while having a blast. With easy-to-understand instructions and a variety of measuring tapes that build in complexity, learning about measurements becomes an engaging activity the entire family can enjoy. ― Erica Corbeels, Purdue Reviewer
With our world becoming more and more reliant on computers, give a child you love a head start with KIBO 15 STEAM Robot by Kinderlab Robotics Inc. KIBO is a screenless toy that uses infrared scanners and bar codes on physical blocks to code a robot that can listen for noise, move, and even put on a light show. Teaching basic sensor use and block programming to children as young as four, KIBO is a fantastic head start to programming that will grow with the children in your life. Practice coding skills, iterative design, and problem-solving with KIBO. ― Erica Corbeels, Purdue Reviewer
While practicing engineering skills is important, so is understanding the challenges engineers tackle. With Dream, Invent, Create: Engineer the World by Start Engineering, explore the world through technological achievements and the problems engineers are currently facing. Help the children in your life to understand the context of engineering and how they can use engineering to solve real-world issues with this engaging educational book. ― Erica Corbeels, Purdue Reviewer
Pinwheel Crafts brings the wonder of a science classroom into the hands of a child with their Water Filter Kit. While the experiment setup can be time-consuming, users benefit from working to understand the problem at hand, recording observations and using those observations to come to evidence-based conclusions. Although this gift may not immediately seem like an engineering toy, the skills learned by the children playing with the toy are certainly transferable and overall valuable in their development. ― Jaden Hernandez, Purdue Reviewer
The Solar Race Car from Thames & Kosmos takes the elusive concept of solar energy and packs it into a compact, affordable, and easy-to-understand kit that doubles as both a toy and a learning experience for a child. While users play with a toy car whose assembly promotes problem solving, spatial reasoning, and logical thinking, they will also get a better understanding of how solar energy is harnessed, the benefits and drawbacks of using solar cells, and how these concepts can be applied in the real world. If you want a simple and cost-effective toy to help a child in your life learn about alternative energy sources, the Solar Race Car is a great choice. ― Jaden Hernandez, Purdue Reviewer
Get ready for an exhilarating STEM adventure with TrainBots: 2-in-1 Steam Maker Kit by Thames & Kosmos! Explore clean energy and the environmental impacts of industry through an engaging comic, and build the steam-powered robot that will save the world. Users practice real-life circuitry and fabrication skills to create a robot that turns water into mist. The TrainBots: 2-in-1 Steam Maker Kit promotes problem-solving, creativity, and applying science knowledge. ― Erica Corbeels, Purdue Reviewer
Is your child a coding pro? Offer a new challenge with the micro:bit Base Kit V2 by Boolean Girl Inc. Use the provided sensors and parts to measure noise, display text, and so much more. With limited direction and additional sensors, this gift would be best for a child with some previous coding and/or micro:bit experience, or an older teen who is just beginning to understand the world of computers. This kit is incredibly versatile, allowing a wide variety of projects and endless creativity. The micro:bit Base Kit V2 promotes coding, problem solving, design, creativity, and science knowledge, all wrapped up in a fun and engaging package. With micro:bit Base Kit V2, anything is possible. ― Erica Corbeels, Purdue Reviewer
Learning Resources’ Space Rover Deluxe Coding Activity Set takes the tall task of learning about coding and simplifies it into one intuitive programming rover for children to tinker with. In just a few button presses, users will have their pre-built space rover traversing tiles to eventually reach a marked goal dictated by the twenty coding challenges included in the set. Although simple in execution (that’s not to say it’s easy), this toy presents a healthy challenge for young minds, forcing them to plan out their solutions, iterate frequently, and recognize patterns as their rover inches closer and closer to the goal. This easy-to-use gift is a perfect opportunity to get children excited about coding. ― Jaden Hernandez, Purdue Reviewer
Looking for a gift for a young math whizz? Clocking in at $19.99, MathLink® Cubes Brain Puzzle Challenge from Learning Resources is an affordable collection of games and puzzles that packs an educational punch. Practice counting, pattern recognition, and even basic coding skills in a fun and engaging way. This gift grows with them through different activities for all ages. Give the gift of math proficiency this year with MathLink® Cubes Brain Puzzle Challenge. ― Erica Corbeels, Purdue Reviewer
Looney Labs does it again with Astronomy Fluxx, an engaging space-themed card game the whole family can enjoy. This game grows your astronomy knowledge while keeping you on your toes with the constantly changing rules. Enjoy the chaos as the rules pile up, then breathe a sigh of relief as they all come crashing down. This game is fun for the whole family, while reinforcing history, science knowledge, and problem-solving skills. Switch up your game night rotation with Astronomy Fluxx. ― Erica Corbeels, Purdue Reviewer
In this new world of internet access, teaching and prioritizing internet safety is of the utmost importance. Outsmart Cyberthreats by Start Engineering would be a great guide for many children new to the internet that introduces them to everything from ransomware to safe passwords. Interesting programming guides in the back of the book reinforce computational and logical thinking, walking children through the world of cracking passwords and explaining how short and simple passwords are less safe than long, complex ones. A perfect stocking stuffer or educational item, this guide would be perfect year-round for children learning to use the internet. While this guide is more informative than fun, reading like this is essential to maintain proper internet safety. ― A.R. Miller, Purdue Reviewer
