November 8 is National STEM Day, and we can think of no better way to mark the occasion than by promoting…toys!
Mind you, these are more than just toys. They introduce the wonderful world of STEM—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—to young minds. They plant the seeds for a possible future career in STEM. And, most importantly (because we’re not robots), they’re still fun for kids.
We share a dozen of them with you below, some of which were plucked from The Toy Insider’s STEM 10 list. From herb garden growing kits to make-your-own fossils, you can find them all at select TopCashback retailers and pocket cash back savings!
1. Osmo Coding Starter Kit
This coding game for beginners can turn any tyke into a techy!
Watch your little ones track down strawberries, compose music and solve complex puzzles by piecing together tangible blocks of code. They won’t know it, but they’ll be learning the basics of sequencing and loops, pattern recognition, logical thinking and more.
Please note: an iPad or Fire tablet is required to play.
2. LEGO Mars Spacecraft Exploration Missions
Tiny builders will have a blast (no pun intended) customizing their spacecraft to accomplish digital missions on the LEGO app.
3. VTech Smart Chart Medical Kit
Pre-schoolers jump straight to pre-med with VTech’s interactive medical playset. It includes common doctor supplies like a stethoscope and thermometer, as well as a healthcare tablet that teaches kids all the sounds and functions of a human body.
4. Battat Take-Apart Crane Vehicle
Three-year-olds become mechanics in training as they’re tasked with screwing on this truck’s tires and crane for a fully functional vehicle.
And before you worry about child labor laws, it’s a job that’ll develop strong motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
5. Crayola Critter Creator Fossil Kit
Crayola takes palaeoentomology to an elementary level with this bug fossil kit.
Using nontoxic modeling clay, your children can mold up to 10 different critters and paint them in metallic or washable paint once they’ve hardened. They’ll also pick up fun facts about each bug from the FAQ playmat.
6. LeapFrog Magic Adventures Microscope
Aspiring biologists will enjoy examining flowers, animals, leaves, minerals and even food through this very real microscope. LeapFrog provides eight double-sided slides, plus educational videos, quizzes and adventure games that’ll keep your youngster glued to the screen (in a good way) for hours.
7. National Geographic Herb Garden Growing Kit
If your mini-me is always wanting to help you with the garden, give them their own! This child-friendly gardening kit comes with basil, oregano and chive seeds, peat pellets and three stainless-steel pots that could use a paint job.
8. Learning Resources Switcheroo Coding Crew
Don’t have a tablet for Osmo’s coding starter kit? This one from Learning Resources requires no screen whatsoever. The kiddos can guide their three-in-one rescue robot to overcome roadblocks with colorful coding buttons.
9. Trestle Tracks
Engineering a marble track is so easy, any six-year-old can do it. But if yours is up for a bigger challenge, gift them a deluxe or builder set with enough pieces to construct a high-rise.
10. Q-BA-MAZE 2.0 Ultimate Stunt Set
Speaking of bigger challenges, this colorful maze of cubes and spirals takes the cake. Your overachiever can craft an incredible course that’ll see marbles zipping and swirling around. (Its $200 price tag may have you spinning, too.)
11. Ultra Bionic Blaster
Tweens can rock an air-powered robotic glove of their own creation. It’ll take time to put together (there are over 100 pieces to assemble!), but they’ll understand pneumatics in the process and shoot foam darts by the end.
12. Osmo Pizza Co.
As much as we—okay, I detest it, math deserves some loving, too. Osmo has cooked up a pizza game that fosters vital money skills, like counting change, making profits and investing. Before you know it, your kids will be asking to balance the books.
Look for these toys at multiple TopCashback stores, such as:
Blain’s Farm & Fleet (3% cash back)
Boscov’s (6.06% cash back)
Fat Brain Toys (6.06% cash back)
Kohl’s (2% cash back)
LEGO (3.03% cash back)
Macy’s (up to 15% cash back)
Michaels (5% cash back)
Osmo ( cash back)
Walmart (up to 3% cash back)
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by Diana Oliveira
Diana Oliveira is the senior copywriter at TopCashback.com. After beginning her copywriting career at a paper company, where she harnessed her creative chops writing about…paper, this self-described “bargain shopper” has felt at home talking about our many stores, deals and money-saving tips the last few years.
