What Are STEM Toys?

The back to school season is nearly here, and along with new shoes and fresh stationery, many parents are seeking toys that inspire curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning. That’s where STEM toys come in. But what are STEM toys, and why are they such a big deal for children’s development?

In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of STEM learning through play, answer some of the most common parent questions, and showcase our favourite children’s STEM toys to spark young imaginations.

What Are STEM Toys?

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. A STEM toy is any plaything designed to help children explore these subjects in fun, hands-on ways. From science kits for kids to building blocks that encourage engineering skills, these toys help children learn problem-solving, creativity, and logical thinking.

Some parents may also come across STEAM toys. The “A” adds Arts into the mix. While STEM focuses on analytical skills, STEAM toys encourage children to use creativity alongside problem-solving. Many toy makers, including us here at Bigjigs Toys, embrace both approaches, offering resources that allow children to explore freely across multiple subjects.

Are STEM Toys Good for Kids?

The short answer: yes! According to child development experts, STEM toys for kids can help:

• Develop problem-solving skills and logical thinking
  
• Build confidence in subjects like maths and science
  
• Encourage hands-on discovery and experimentation
  
• Support teamwork and communication when children build or experiment together
  
• Prepare children with early skills they’ll use later in primary and secondary education

In fact, learning toys give children the chance to play their way into knowledge, making tricky concepts fun and memorable.

What Is Considered a STEM Toy?

A STEM toy can be almost anything that combines fun with a learning opportunity. Classic examples include:

• Science toys and kits (like crystal growing kits and model solar systems)
  
• Building sets that focus on engineering and design
  
• Maths toys and resources that make numbers easier to understand
  
• Technology toys that spark creativity, like robotics or coding kits
  

Essentially, if it helps a child learn through hands-on exploration while covering one or more STEM subjects, it’s a STEM toy.

Our Favourite STEM Toys at Bigjigs

Here at Bigjigs Toys, we’ve curated a wide range of educational toys that make STEM learning exciting. Whether your child loves science, building, or tackling tricky maths, we’ve got the perfect learning through play tools to help them thrive.

Science Toys

Bubble-ology- Soapy Science Kit

Enjoy a bubbly blast of learning with Bubble-ology! This science kit for kids turns ordinary soap into extraordinary experiments. Little scientists can explore surface tension, discover amazing shapes, and create a world of wibbly, wobbly bubbles, all while having loads of fun!

Anatomy Puzzle 

The Anatomy Puzzle makes learning about the human body a hands-on adventure! With this child's educational toy, little learners can layer up bones, muscles and organs piece by piece, uncovering the amazing inner workings of the body as they go.

Technology & Engineering Toys

Toyi Inventions Aircraft Building Kit 

Take playtime to new heights with the Aircraft Building Kit from Toyi! This open-ended STEM toy lets kids turn everyday objects into amazing flying inventions.

Toyi's eco-friendly craft kits are sustainably made from recycled plastics and designed to give new lives to disposable items by transforming them into toys! Upcycling through play is a fantastic way to introduce kids to sustainability and spark an eco-conscious mindset from the start. As they use their imagination to engineer unique planes, helicopters and rockets, they’ll also be boosting their creativity, problem-solving skills and cognitive development.

Toyi Constructions Building Kit 

Design your own mini city with the Toyi Constructions Building Kit. Kids can build bridges, assemble skyscrapers and construct castles with this handy engineering toy. Laying the foundations for children's creative development, this kit is designed for open-ended, unstructured play. This gives kids the freedom to unleash their imaginations and build skills such as problem-solving, organisation, critical thinking, and innovation.

Toyi Robot Building Kit

Engingeer your own eco-friend with the Toyi Robot Building Kit. This tech toy combines the fun of arts and crafts with science learning. The robot-making kit is packed with 44 construction pieces, so young inventors can rummage in the recycling bin to find an old plastic bottle or cardboard box, then use the set's joints, clips, and connectors to bring their mechanical marvels to life. Designing and building their bots will help kids develop crucial STEAM skills, such as critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and engineering principles.

Maths Toys & Resources

Magnetic Times Tables 

Turn multiplication into a game with this engaging maths toy! The Magnetic Times Tables pack from Fiesta Crafts is colourful, pictorial and educational. This maths kit is designed to help teach children the fundamentals of words and numbers without them even realising it. The magnetic board features questions on one side and the answers on the reverse making it easy for children to check if they have got the answers right. A great toy to support maths learning at school and at home. 

Magnetic Money 

Introduce children to money handling and maths skills with the Magnetic Money set. This fun learning toy is a great introduction to basic numeracy skills like addition and subtraction. Children use the magnetic money to work out how much to pay, how to pay the correct amount, how much change is needed if they pay more than the exact amount, and they can do it over again until they get it right by simply moving the money around on the board. 

More STEM Toys

STEM toys are more than just fun. They’re an investment in your child’s future learning. By combining play with subjects like science, technology, engineering and maths, children gain the confidence and curiosity they’ll need both in the classroom and beyond.

Browse our STEM learning toys and more on our website.