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15 Best STEM Toys for Toddlers to Keep Them Busy
Modified: December 6, 2023
Make playtimes fun and educational with these STEM toys for toddlers. These would help them discover the real-world one toy at a time.
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As a toddler’s desire to know more about the world increases, it’s best to provide them with STEM toys made to help them discover their senses and train their little, bright minds. If you don’t know what STEM toys are, read on to find out how they can affect your child’s behavior and understanding below.
What Are STEM Toys for Toddlers?
Like other children’s toys, STEM toys or STEM kits are based solely on imparting knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. They spark your child’s imagination in a way that’ll promote ongoing academic success in these fields. Such toys are designed to gear interactive educational concepts that a child may acquire upon playing them.
STEM toys also provide a more engaging learning process at a very young age. These toys serve as the building blocks of core disciplines like engineering, coding, chemistry, mechanism, and more. Many parents enjoy buying STEM toys for their toddlers as it unlocks their child’s potential to learn strategic measures. Hence, giving STEM toys to your kids can help them better prepare for their future professions.
Aside from selecting the best STEM toys for toddlers, some parents also consider adding KidKraft tables to their room. Kids become more organized during playtime when you provide them with a workspace that broadens their creativity.
Read more: How To Store Toddler Toys
Benefits of STEM Toys to Toddlers
STEM toys teach kids more than just memorizing numbers and colors. They enrich and promote brain development as they self-explore at their own pace. To give you a more comprehensive idea of how toddlers benefit from STEM toys, we’ve covered the essential development aspects below.
Enhances Problem-Solving Skills
STEM toys are definite brain boosters for your child. Their engagement in these toys help generate original thought and improve cognitive learning. They can also use their intelligence when solving simple challenges and obstacles. Hence, STEM toys for toddlers are a way for your children to assess a problem, think critically, and emerge with the best solution.
Fun and Interactive Playtimes
Learning and memorizing textbooks can be boring over time, but STEM building kits make playtimes more interactive and exciting. As parents, it’s crucial to expose your children to new learning experiences while keeping them entertained. Aside from that, STEM toys can help children feel more comfortable discovering new knowledge as they get to play along while learning. Eventually, it’s better to imbibe a more natural learning process – which is 10 times better than forcing them to recite the multiplication table.
Improves Fine Motor Skills
Preschool STEM toys are not just great for your child’s brain and common sense. When a child plays with interactive toys like Lego STEM kits, fine motor skills are slowly being trained and tested. In doing so, their confidence and self-esteem are boosted as they try to do and accomplish things on their own.
Also, experts say that teaching hand-eye coordination is a challenging task for parents. Consequently, it’s best to allow your children to develop their manual dexterity starting from four months until they are two years old. Since kids also have preferences for toys, you can try this kids gardening set to introduce your plant-loving kid to the world of landscaping.
Read more: How To Store Toddler Puzzles
Smooth and Easy Introduction of STEM-Related Topics
Since a child’s brain is primed to learn new things easily, introducing STEM-related topics can help to elevate their early educational experience. This develops their skills faster as you open real-world scenarios to them during their formative years. Through STEM play, their spatial skills will be put to the test. This will help improve their ability to fix equipment, navigate space, and conduct distance and measurement estimation in the future.
Besides, STEM toys for 2-year-olds aren’t just limited to science and math. In fact, they spark new ways of thinking through engaged curiosity and analysis. Subsequently, STEM toys for 3-year-olds are more advanced for them to establish lifelong thinking skills that will prep them for school. Likewise, engineering toys for toddlers can create the most natural learning process if you want to introduce STEM topics and other disciplines.
Pros and Cons of STEM Toys for Toddlers
Now that you have some information about STEM toys, it all boils down to the pros and cons. To sum it up for you, we’ve created this list with some of the advantages and disadvantages of STEM toys for toddlers.
Pros
- Stimulate curiosity
- Systematic learning
- Early introduction to science and math-related topics
Cons
- Small pieces can be choking hazards
- Can be hard to clean up after playtime
If the pros outweigh the cons, then check out our list of the best STEM toys for toddlers below. They’ll not only keep the kids busy, but will also teach them the basic fundamental concepts of science and math at an early age.
Best STEM Toys for Toddlers
Your child might want to stay in the tub for longer when you buy the MightyBee bath toys from Amazon. By experimenting with valves and water flow, STEM building kits like this allow your child to control outcomes for an instant problem-solving approach. It has knobs, a shower spray, and a customizable design that’ll keep them busy learning. Not only will bath time become more engaging and fun, but the fear of bathing will also diminish. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone for good, clean fun!
Key Features
- Build-your-own design
- 11-piece bath toys set
Specifications
- Made of plastic material
- Measures 3 inches x 4 inches x 2 inches
Pros
- Colorful
- BPA-free
- Mold-free
- Dishwasher-safe
Cons
- Weak suction
- Some parts fall apart
If minimizing screen-time is your goal, these 200 pieces of building blocks from TOMYOU can help you achieve that. Building blocks are great tools for developing children’s fine motor skills and creativity at a very young age. STEM toys like this train color recognition, hands-on ability, and vast imagination as they shape your little one’s creativity into something tangible. Just fit the pieces together and let your child’s creativity do the work.
Key Features
- Budget-friendly
- Easy to grasp for tiny hands
Specifications
- Made of plastic and metal material
- Measures 1.1 inches x 0.39 inches
Pros
- BPA, lead, and phthalate-free
- Comes with a plastic storage box
Cons
- Choking hazard
- Smaller than in the picture
Montessori education is all about developing your child’s natural interests in activities rather than using formal and conventional teaching methods. This induces a unique learning experience tailored to fit your child. If that is the kind of learning you want to practice, your best bet are these animal counting and sorting STEM toys for toddlers. Aside from developing hand-eye coordination, your child can also practice their early math skills and logical thinking with the learning game cards. Also, STEM toys like this can help your child socialize with their playmates better.
Key Features
- Animal-themed
- Color and animal recognition
- With game cards for training early math and logic skills
Specifications
- Comes in 91 pieces
Pros
- Parent-child interaction
- 3 educational activities in one set
Cons
- No cons to mention
Let your child’s design skills bring an imaginary world to life with these magnetic building tiles. Like Lego STEM kits, this 3D building tile set from PLUMIA is perfect for children with an eye for constructing houses and cars. To boot, it comes with an idea booklet to guide your toddlers in their architectural journey.
Key Features
- Durable
- Strong magnets
Specifications
- Comes in 33 pieces
- Made of food-grade, ABS plastic
Pros
- Non-toxic
- BPA-free
Cons
- Inconsistent quality
Babies are wired to grab and hold things when they’re about 3 to 6 months old. As their age progresses, their curiosity also increases together with their body awareness. As such, you should buy them STEM toys like this to improve their hand coordination further. Manufactured by Panda Brothers, this Montessori screwdriver board helps toddlers learn basic mechanics by putting tools and their hands to work. Also, all tools are entirely different to make the most out of your kid’s playtime.
Key Features
- Eco-friendly
- Open-ended toy set
- Lightweight and easy to handle
Specifications
- Made of solid beech wood
- Measures 8.07 inches x 3.74 inches x 1.65 inches
Pros
- Use of real tools
- Fine motor, sensory toy
Cons
- Poor finishing of wood
Dinosaurs may be extinct, but they will never disappear in a kid’s imagination. While living dinosaurs are not ideal companions, you can let your kids play with such creatures thanks to these dinosaur toys. What makes it a great STEM toy is that you can take it apart and build it again using an electric drill and screwdriver. This enhances toddlers’ fine motor skills as they build their versions of dinosaurs with their own hands.
Key Features
- Movable parts
- Safe and durable
Specifications
- Made of plastic
- Includes an electric drill, 3 dinosaurs, and 3 screwdrivers
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Non-toxic, ABS material
Cons
- Looks slightly cheap
- Small parts are choking hazards
Discovering the history of life on earth through dinosaur toys is something tiny paleontologists would enjoy. Just like the one above, the Kidtastic dinosaur toys are customizable, so you can take them apart and build multicolored dinosaurs. Also, STEM toys like this are perfect for encouraging teamwork and social development.
Key Features
- Easy-roll wheels
- No batteries required
Specifications
- Comes in 106 pieces
- Measures 9 inches x 5.6 inches x 7 inches
Pros
- Non-toxic
Cons
- Poor quality
Since kids love the idea of surprise, you can make learning much more exciting with this STEM toy from Prextex. Surprise eggs are a sure fun way to tickle your kids’ curiosity as they start to navigate their senses at a very young age. More so, this is one of the best STEM toys for 3-year-olds since this helps improve children’s color and shape recognition. Best of all, it comes with a yellow egg holder to keep eggs organized after playtime.
Key Features
- Durable
- Realistic size
- Child-friendly design
Specifications
- Made of plastic material
- Measures 11.5 inches x 4.2 inches x 2.8 inches
Pros
- Tested safe for children
- Lid is easy to open and close
Cons
- Choking hazard for children under 3-years-old
Gardening is the best way for your child to establish a connection with nature and earth. But discovering the natural world may bring creepy worms and bugs, which is not ideal when toddlers are still putting hands into their mouths. To still give your toddlers a sense of the outside world, you can play pretend gardening with these flower garden building toys from FUNZBO. Your kids will be thrilled as they get to see vibrant flowers in the room, which stimulate visual sense and color recognition. Also, pieces are interchangeable so that they can create various flower arrangements.
Key Features
- Interchangeable pieces
- Child-friendly, smooth edges
Specifications
- Weighs 0.7 pounds
- Comes in 46 pieces
Pros
- Non-toxic
- Easy to clean
- Attractive packaging
- Available in small and large sizes
Cons
- Small pieces can be choking hazards
Paleontologists are often thrilled to discover dinosaur bones when they’re prospecting. Likewise, we can’t see any difference when a child finds a dinosaur egg with these dino egg dig kits from Dan&Darci. This STEM toy for 5-year-olds is perfect for boosting motor development while fostering their fondness for science and paleontology.
Key Features
- Unique dinosaur models
- Comes with 12 learning dinosaur cards
Specifications
- Measures 14 inches x 5.51 inches x 4 inches
Pros
- Includes chisels made for kids
- Great as individual or group activity
Cons
- Can be messy
Since toddlers have a short attention span, you’ll most likely have difficulty teaching them STEM topics. But with this talking microscope, they’ll instantly look, listen and better understand the world around them at a microscopic level. This educational toy features up-close, quality images about bugs and all forms of nature. This makes it one of the best STEM toys for 4-year-olds and above. It also has a Fact mode and a Quiz mode to put your kid’s learning and memory to the test.
Key Features
- Multilingual
- With 60 high-quality images
- Over 100 facts and questions
Specifications
- Measures 10.1 inches x 8.1 inches x 5.6 inches
Pros
- Real scientific toy
- Available in other toy options
Cons
- Batteries not included
- Slides are hard to insert
Explore the world beyond books with this five-set STEM building kit from Poraxy. With 3D models that vividly represent the world around them, toddlers can experiment and actively build something that moves. Indeed, it’s a fun integration of scientific exploration during their formative years. Also, kids can paint and display their works, boosting their confidence and self-esteem with their budding potential.
Key Features
- 5 different models in one
- High-quality, recyclable materials
Specifications
- Made of pollutant-free wood
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Can be painted and displayed
Cons
- Poor wood quality
Keep kids engaged, entertained, and learning independently with this 12-in-1 robot kit from AoHu. Not only does robotics helps kids socialize through brainstorming, but it also challenges their problem-solving skills. If your toddlers are up for the challenge, then this solar robot kit can undoubtedly keep them busy all day long.
Key Features
- Solar-powered
- 12 different types of robots
Specifications
- Comes with 190 pieces
Pros
- No battery required
- Available in other robot variations
Cons
- For ages 8 and above, only
- Small pieces can be choking hazards
Cars are great toys for toddlers because they provide open-ended play. Liven up playtime with this exciting car track from Amazon. This race track helps your child understand the concept of mechanical linkage, as well as, cause and effect when playing with the buttons. Also, this race track can help improve one’s hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and problem-solving ability.
Key Features
- Smooth and burr-free
- With 6-button control and 8 road challenges
Specifications
- Made of ABS plastic material
- Measures 2.63 inches x 14.25 inches x 9.5 inches
Pros
- Uses non-toxic, water-based paint
- Larger than other models available in the market
Cons
- Bad quality
- Slightly flimsy
The last STEM toy on this list is a baby bath toy from Yookidoo. Watch as your toddler’s eyes beam in delight and excitement when they see its surprising water effects. With this, you can establish an early introduction to physics and fundamental concepts of water. Above all, this STEM toy makes bath time a sensory development experience.
Key Features
- Comes in 2 bathtub toys
- With spinning gear, googly eyes, and sprinkler
Specifications
- Weighs 14 ounces
- Package dimensions are 8.66 inches x 8.23 inches x 3.43 inches
Pros
- Easy to use
- Attaches to any tub size
Cons
- Weak suction
Children’s toys play a vital role in shaping your child’s future. What better way to equip them with knowledge than buying these STEM toys for toddlers? Aside from improving their educational well-being, an early introduction to core subjects like math and science will help them solve real-world challenges independently. So, next time you’re looking for ways to make learning a lot more fun, check this list of STEM toys and make every playtime a learning experience.
Aside from STEM toys, you can also check out these storage racks for your kid’s room. This can help them practice organization skills and make learning more manageable in a clutter-free environment.
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