HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2015: BEST STEM GIFTS FOR FUTURE KID ENGINEERS AND INVENTORS

We search for cool, unique, creative toys that spark imagination and learning all year long to share with you. So for for the holidays, we’ll be putting together some of our best featured ones (along with some new ones too) in handy holiday gift guides to help you choose the best, engaging gifts for your kids. Here are our top picks in 2015 for the best gifts that for your little inventor and engineer that promote STEM learning through play.

(Note: In many cases, I’ve linked back to our original write-up for more details, but in some cases, have provided an updated link in the description to reflect the latest changes since we’ve last written about the product.)

Dash and Dot Robots
Dash and Dot Robots will soon become your kid’s best friends. They respond to voice, navigate objects and even sing and dance. You can even play games with them with free apps and also create your own games.

GoldiBlox
This innovative toy company offers a story + construction set that builds upon girls’ natural ability for storytelling, while at the same time bolstering their desire to learn about building. My six year old daughter loves building and constructing the Dunk Tank game.

Ozobot Bit
This little bot allows kids to learn programs and play them back as physical games using its custom block-based programming editor, OzoBlockly.

Coda Programming Game
My kids recently got to try this fun new app from Codarica which lets kids age 6+ code and build their own games to play using simple coding blocks and icons. You can set levels, rewards and choose your own characters to play on an iPhone or iPad.

Roominate Dollhouse Kits
Kids can become future architects and designers with these cool house building kits that have technologically advanced features that blink and light up.

Robot Turtle Game
Game night for the 21st century, the Robot Turtle game introduces young children to the basics of computer programming. Players try to get their Turtle to the matching jewel with encouragement from all players. The Turtle Mover, like a computer, has the job of moving the turtle according to the code written by the Turtle Master.

The Incredibly Intergalactic Journey Home Book
My kids are huge fans of Lost My Name’s personalized adventure books. They’ve just released this space version which I’m gifting my son this year. The pages are customized with some cool techie features like an actual satellite image of your home’s address personalized with the address number, and child’s name of course. This is a unique gift for young kids who aren’t old enough to play with the more hands-on toys mentioned above, and one tha’s innovative for today’s digital advances in toys.

littleBits
We’re big fans of littleBit’s plug and play circuit boards not unlike LEGO blocks (see the cool drawing robot we built here). These are great kids for kids and adults to play with together to build small gadgets and gizmos that blink and move.

Kids Creation Station 3D Printed Art
This innovative company takes your child’s art and renders it into a cool 3D model that’s shipped back to you as a figurine complete with custom drawn background art. My daughter drew an alien which we turned into a 3D print using Kids Creation Station and it was a magical gift for her to see her 2D rendering come to life.

What are your favorite STEM toys for kids? Check out our other gift guides the best imaginative toys and the best creative DIY kits for kids.