All gifts from the Engineering Gift Guide Reviews and sorted by age.
For infants and toddlers, this book is a wonderful introduction to the concepts of engineers and engineering for an inquisitive child that has a whole life ahead of them to explore their interests.
For infants and toddlers, this book introduces children to different science and engineering disciplines by comparing them to activities that Baby enjoys.
Magicube Recycled Shapes (13 pcs) explores simple, open-ended play in a continuously satisfying way, allowing users to quickly and easily build whatever they want.
3D Arranging Creative Stones, by Haba, is a gift for toddlers and preschool-aged children to develop design and spatial reasoning skills.
1-2-3 Build It! Robot Factory, by Learning Resources, is a cute design-your-own robot building kit for children ages 2-6.
This Take Apart Cement Truck Toy by Kididdo is a fantastic introduction to reverse engineering for young children.
This series of take-apart toys by Kididdo is a great way to simulate the process of reverse engineering in a controlled environment.
Codie The Coder doll by Surprise Powerz is a great gift that inspires young girls to strive for STEM careers. Representation is incredibly important to see at a young age, and this doll shows that anyone can be an engineer. Codie not only shows young girls of color that they can be a coder just like her, but the doll uses vocal prompts to explain basic coding concepts in an age appropriate way. The doll encourages the user to solve logical puzzles with basic programming concepts. This toy promotes computational thinking, logical thinking, and concepts of engineering communication for children as young as two years old. ― Daisy Coble, Purdue Reviewer
Are you looking for a fun and engaging way to introduce a child you know to coding? Bee-Bot is the perfect starting point! This simple, yet versatile robot helps young learners develop problem-solving skills while having fun with basic programming concepts. Bee-Bot encourages children to learn coding by programming it to move toward the correct answer on a flat surface. For example, children can ask a question like, “What letter comes after A?”, and lay out the possible answers on the floor. Children can then program Bee-Bot to take the correct route to reach the answer—building important skills in sequencing, logic, and problem-solving along the way. Bee-Bot makes learning fun and interactive while introducing early coding concepts like directional commands and sequencing. Whether it’s math, letters, sounds, word recognition, or geography, the learning possibilities are endless! Adults will love how easy it is to adapt the difficulty level of the questions and answer choices to suit a child’s needs, making it a great tool for differentiated learning. The simple design and user-friendly interface make Bee-Bot a great way to engage little ones with STEM concepts in a playful way. As children play, they’ll not only learn how to program, but also how to think critically and creatively—skills that will benefit them in the classroom and beyond. -Reviewer Jennifer Heap
3D Arranging Game Varius, by Haba USA, is a colorful, sturdy building block kit designed for children three and up. Item may be purchased from product website.
Four by Four Wooden Building Blocks, by Haba, is a 2D or 3D design building game for ages 3+ that includes 16 wooden blocks in 4 different sizes and 3 different shapes that can be stacked in various conformations to create structures either from the manual or from the user's imagination.
Design & Build Engineering Centers, by Lakeshore Learning, is an engaging engineering set for use in classroom settings for ages 3-6. Item may be purchased from product website.
This magnetic construction toy for children ages 3 and up has been created in many variations.
Geomags are magnetic construction toys for children ages 3 and up. This specific line of toys features glow-in-the-dark magnetic rods made of recycled plastic that children can use to build any creation they can imagine.
This counting toy for children ages 3 and up is designed in conjunction with the children’s TV show Numberblocks (Available on Netflix and other streaming platforms).
This visual counting set by hand2mind, designed for ages 3 and up, aligns with storylines from the children’s TV show Numberblocks.
This number-counting toy by Hand2mind not only teaches kids how to count but also gives users a chance to practice various other concepts.
Super Cityscape Transport Bucket Set is a toy that allows a user’s creativity to shine while quietly teaching foundational engineering skills.
This hands-on gear kit by Thames and Kosmos is the perfect introduction to using and understanding gears, an integral part of mechanics.
Magicube Recycled Shapes (15 pcs) is a fantastic gift that teaches engineering design thinking through discussions of recycling, as well as opportunities to practice self-guided play and creative thinking.
This magnetic shape set from Magformers has huge potential for the number of pieces provided. Aimed at an age range of three and older, young children will learn the basics of fitting pieces of varying shapes and sizes together to make colorful designs of their very own.
This set of magnetic building shapes comes with even more shape options than its 19-piece counterpart, “STEM Builder 19 Piece Set”.
Catapult Shooters by Butterfly Edufields is a hands-on design challenge for ages 3+ that requires the user to build their own catapult toy.
This is a cute story about a girl named Bina who decides to make bracelets as gifts for her brothers for the Hindu holiday Raksha Bandhan.
This book tells the story of a girl named Maxine and her friend Leo who are determined to design their perfect garden.
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
Backyard Adventure, by Magformers, is a magnetic building set intended for children 3+.
Penguin Cube House, by Magformers, is a magnetic building kit intended for children 3+. Item may be purchased from product website.
Smart Set, by Magformers, is a colorful magnetic construction set intended for ages 3+.
Mochi Robotics Kit, by My Creativity Box, is a cute and interactive coding set that is recommended for ages 3-9.
STEM Apple Factory, by Skoolzy, is an open-ended design toy for children ages 3-6.
Connect a Straw Structures Construction Kit, by Skoolz, is a construction-based hands-on kit that comes with a large number of plastic straws in two sizes, plastic connectors, and a picture guide providing inspiration for possible projects that can be done with the straws.
Introduce a child you know to an exciting adventure with SOIC and SOT: The Microchips! Join SOIC and SOT as they journey from a warehouse to their new home, all while learning how to communicate with each other as they discover their life’s purpose along the way. This charming book is suitable for read-aloud sessions with children as young as four, but it also makes a wonderful gift for elementary school readers. SOIC and SOT: The Microchips is even featured in several SCALE K-12 microelectronic units for elementary-aged children! Through delightful illustrations and accessible technical language, SOIC and SOT: The Microchips effectively engages children while teaching the importance and applications of microchips, all while making learning both fun and informative. -Reviewer Virginia Hawkins
Are you looking for a creative and screen-free way to introduce a child in your life to the basics of coding? The Mochi Robotics Kit offers a tactile, hands-on learning experience that brings coding to life through play. This engaging kit includes an adorable plush Mochi Robot, coding blocks, and a storybook that guides children through a variety of programming tasks. With Mochi, there are no screens, just play! This kit provides a screen-free way for children to learn essential coding concepts. All you need is a clear play space, and the rest is up to the child’s imagination and problem-solving skills. Children can use the coding blocks to direct Mochi on a series of fun adventures, teaching them important concepts like sequencing and logic. The hands-on nature of the kit makes coding approachable and intuitive, allowing children to understand programming in a playful, interactive way. The Mochi Robotics Kit is an engaging way to foster early STEM skills, helping children to develop a strong foundation in problem-solving and critical thinking. Plus, it keeps learning fun and engaging, allowing children to see the results of their choices as they guide Mochi through exciting tasks. -Reviewer Josh Clement
AlphaBot by Vicky Fang is an interactive flipbook that introduces the fundamental concepts of coding, robotics, and the engineering design process. Children can enjoy an immersive learning experience as the book explores various components of robotics and how each part contributes to the robot's overall functionality. Each page features a different part of the robot, showcasing how it enables movement or other functions. After learning about these components, children can unleash their creativity by designing their own robot while flipping through the pages and combining parts. This book not only fosters engineering skills and creative thinking but also introduces simple foundations of engineering design while encouraging curiosity and critical questioning. -Reviewer Hannah Garcia
This gift-giving season, satisfy a child in your life's desire for a fun and interactive toy while providing an effective way to practice programming fundamentals, with Matatalab’s Pro Set. This comprehensive set includes coding blocks, the MatataBot, a command tower, control board, challenge booklet, game map, accessories, and warm-up cards. To get started, a USB charging cable for the electronic components is also needed. Assembly is simple—just place the command tower on the control board. To play, children can arrange the coding blocks on the control board and then press play to watch MatataBot execute the programmed commands! Overall, Matatalab’s Pro Set is an engaging way to introduce young children to the fundamentals of programming in a fun and interactive way. -Reviewer Virginia Hawkins
Are you looking for a fun, hands-on way to introduce a child to coding? Coding Critters by Learning Resources are adorable, screen-free pets that will make learning programming fun for preschoolers! With a variety of lovable critters to choose from—such as a bunny, cat, dog, dragon, or unicorn—there’s a perfect pet for every little one. With Coding Critters, children will begin learning basic programming concepts by coding their pet’s movements and actions. The simple coding buttons allow children to create commands, and each pet responds by following their instructions—whether it’s making the critter move, play music, or follow a pattern. Playing with Coding Critters is an engaging way to build early problem-solving and logic skills while having fun! Coding Critters is the perfect introduction to coding for young children, offering a playful and screen-free alternative to traditional tech learning. The easy-to-use coding buttons make it accessible for preschoolers, while the included storybooks guide them through coding adventures and challenges. Plus, each critter comes with a pet playset that encourages imaginative play and interaction. To keep the fun going, Learning Resources offers free downloads on their website, including extra storybooks and coding arrows to expand the adventure. And to make the experience even more official, you can download a free pet adoption certificate for the lucky child to celebrate their new coding friend! - Reviewer Jennifer Heap
Are you looking for an adorable and highly capable robot to help a child in your life learn programming? Look no further! Botley the Coding Robot from Learning Resources might be the perfect gift you’ve been searching for. The kit includes a robot, remote-control programmer, detachable robot arms, and over 40 coding cards. To get started, you’ll need 5 AAA batteries—3 for Botley and 2 for the remote-control programmer—and a small Phillips screwdriver to open the battery compartments. Once powered up, children can outline a program using the coding cards and use the remote control to program Botley. This robot can be programmed to detect and avoid objects, navigate obstacle courses, follow black lines, and execute all commands. There are also hidden features that can be unlocked through play and exploration with Botley. Overall, Botley the Coding Robot offers a fun and interactive way to teach the basics of programming, making it an excellent choice for early learners! -Reviewer Virginia Hawkins
Give a young one in your life a hands-on, screen-free gift this holiday season with KinderLab’s KIBO 15 Robot Kit. This kit includes the KIBO Robot, various programming blocks, parameter cards, motors, wheels, a sound sensor, a lightbulb module, and components to assemble a stage for added fun. Additionally, KinderLab offers an option to purchase a storage bin for easy cleanup. Children will need 4 AA batteries to power KIBO. A computer for potential firmware updates is recommended. The fun begins with connecting the programming blocks to create a sequence for the robot to follow. Once the necessary accessories are attached, children can scan the barcodes on the blocks (with a guardian’s help if needed), and KIBO will execute the programmed actions. With countless ways to rearrange the blocks and accessories, KIBO offers endless enjoyment and learning opportunities for budding programmers. After being in our top five last year, the KIBO 15 Robot Kit certainly deserves a spot on our list again this year! Overall, this kit fosters strong programming skills and lays the foundation for understanding coding algorithms in the future. -Reviewer Virginia Hawkins
Unlock a child's imagination and creativity with the Kids First Coding & Robotics Kit! This innovative, story-based robot building and programming kit allows children to construct and program a self-aware robot named Sammy—all without the need for a smartphone or computer. Inside the kit, children will find 417 building pieces, over 200 code cards, and 30 engaging coding lessons. With just three AA batteries, children can embark on exciting building and programming challenges as they guide Sammy the robot to complete over six interactive stories. Programming is simple: Sammy drives over a sequence of code cards, scanning and recognizing the commands to bring ideas to life. The possibilities are endless! Whether creating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a goalkeeper, or a fire truck, Sammy adapts to a wide range of applications. The kit is designed to grow with young children, featuring design challenges that vary in complexity to keep them engaged as they develop their skills. By playing with the Kids First Coding & Robotics Kit from Thames and Kosmos, children will build a solid foundation in engineering thinking, robotics, and programming. It’s not just a toy—it’s an adventure in learning! – Reviewer Kayla Phillips
Are you looking for a way to inspire a child to tinker, code, and build like an engineer? Doll-E 1.0, by Shanda McCloskey is a witty, engaging story that encourages young readers to embrace their love of STEM. In this delightful book, Charlotte, a young girl who is passionate about coding and building, receives a doll as a gift from her mother. At first, Charlotte finds the doll boring and doesn't quite know what to do with it. But soon, she discoveries the doll has a hidden battery pack. As Charlotte combines her love of technology with her creativity, she transforms her gift into something truly special. This empowering story shows that any child, that no matter what their interests are, can develop a passion for technology and engineering. Help inspire confidence and creativity for a child in your life with Doll-E 1.0, by Shanda McCloskey! – Reviewer Kayla Phillips
How to Explain Coding to a Grown-Up by Ruth Spiro is a delightful and accessible guide to coding that makes complex concepts easy to understand for both young readers and curious adults. With its clever mix of humor, simple explanations, and relatable analogies, this book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to dive into the world of technology without feeling overwhelmed. Spiro breaks down key coding concepts such as hardware, software, algorithms, and debugging in a way that feels approachable and fun. Rather than relying on jargon or overly technical language, she cleverly disguises these challenging ideas as “pro-tips,” making the material feel like a series of exciting discoveries rather than daunting lessons. Through playful illustrations and clear, engaging text, readers are introduced to the fundamentals of coding and how these concepts power the technology we use every day. This book is particularly well-suited for young minds eager to learn about the future of technology. It presents coding as a creative and empowering skill, not just for programmers, but for anyone who wants to understand how the world around them works. However, it’s also an excellent choice for adults who may feel intimidated by the idea of coding but want a lighthearted, non-intimidating introduction to the subject. How to Explain Coding to a Grown-Up is a perfect blend of education and entertainment, making coding both fun and enlightening. We love this book so much, it was one of our top five picks last year, and of course, it makes the list again this year. Whether for a young reader just starting to explore the tech world or an adult looking for a quick, enjoyable coding primer, this book is a wonderful resource that will inspire curiosity and confidence. -Reviewer Jennifer Heap
Design & Play STEAM Cars Kit, by Lakeshore Learning, is an excellent kit to engage children in STEAM concepts in a fun and exciting way! Item may be purchased from product website.
Remote-Control Gear-Bot, by Lakeshore Learning, in an interactive and controllable robot intended for ages 4-10. Item may be purchased from product website.
