Recommendations for STEM toys

[ThomasRichard]

I thought we could share ideas for good STEM toys :)

I've got DS (5) an ozobot, which works by following lines drawn on a piece of paper or a tablet, doing different movements depending on the colour of the line.

DD (2) is getting Playmags, which follow the same concept as Magna Tiles.

I've also been recommended this electronics kit, which looks fab.

Astrology club sounds fun, I bought the dc's a telescope last year, was on offer from Amazon, it comes on holiday with us , dc1 goes to STEM club, they are mainly doing engendering at the moment so she has asked for Lego technics.

I think it's great to encourage STEM, ignore the haters xxx

Astrology club may be fun but doesn't belong on a STEM thread.

I want to know what's going on in engendering lessons as well? Do they teach deportment for the girls and woodwork for the boys?

I'm assuming LikeASoul meant Astronomy...I've never heard of a school Astrology club! (No you can't join, Pisceans are rubbish at astrology...)

Yes I assumed it was an unfortunate typo, though not as unfortunate as "engendering".

Can anyone make cheaper recommendations for boys 5.5 and 7? Budget for nephews are £15 max. I know they would love a present along these lines

The little microscope I recommended above costs a tenner and is very good quality for the money.

Bloody autocorrect!

NeverNic have a look at Thinkfun games. Rush Hour Junior for example. There's a whole separate thread on alternatives.

On the maths side, Monopoly is great. My 2 started at 5 and 7 but I would think Monopoly Junior is probably safer for the younger one. Look at hexbugs too, there are often good offers on them. It is frustrating how few of these sorts of toys there are in the major toy shops though.

I'd second Rush Hour Junior. It's a lot of fun.

Johnny Ball recommended 9 spot dominoes on a R4 programme once for improving maths. They have become a favourite with my DCs and their GM.

Loving the idea of snap circuits for DD who is 6. Thank you for the idea!

I got the john adams hot wires circuit, and also a microscope.

• Bimblywibble Wed 28-Oct-15 18:21:47

which brand did you buy re marble run please and cost

Does anyone have any Murderous Maths books, and if so, what age group would you say they're aimed at?

bimbly

I got my dd then just 7 a set of these and she loved them, not a whizz at Maths by any means but I would say very strong and quick at Maths and a good reader.

Thank you drastic

I think ours is the Galt Mega marble run, bought for an absolute steal on an Amazon black Friday deal. However it replaced an older, more basic Galt set (I hoped they'd be compatible but they weren't). DS liked the original set, which was why I upgraded it, but the new set is a huge improvement.

I really like the galt ones. The pieces fit together very well and they are very forgiving in construction - the towers almost defy gravity. Arguably that's a negative from an educational point of view but it makes it easier & less frustrating for DS.

Just wanted to say thanks to the OP for starting this thread and to everyone who has contributed. DD1 is a maths whizz and DD2 is into construction and "how stuff works". I'm well out of my comfort zone with this stuff so it's fab to have all these great ideas - stuff I didn't know existed.

To the DD's endless frustration I also always flunk the Disney princess roll call so I'm an all round disappointing mother

Great thread. Marking my place.

Ive ordered my nephew this telescope which gets good reviews rather than just been a toy which gives blurry images.

I don't think they have been mentioned yet but Magna Tiles are awesome. My DDs got a couple of sets last Christmas and play with them all the time, you build structures, shapes etc.

www.amazon.co.uk/Magna-Tiles-Translucent-Colors-100-pieces/dp/B000CBSNRY

I went on Amazon to look at the ozobot and then the suggestions bit at the bottom linked to the Think Fun games- they look really nice, have ordered the game Swish and a marble puzzle game which seems to be like a marble run principle but with challenges. Thank you for the thread!

GerrardWinstanley Fri 30-Oct-15 17:14:36

same here, out of my comfort zone but thanks to MN threads like these have been able to provide far wider range of toys!

Oob I have seen them they look excellent but seem pricey....

This bigger Murderous Maths book is the one my DS loved the most, I would guess from age 8 or 9 and I think he still looks at it (now 13): here

What about Rubik's cubes? You can get all sorts from 2x2 to traditional 3x3, 4x4, pyramids, etc.... Get the speed cubes for ease of movement and....er ...speed.

Yes of course I meant astronomy Not sure if that was my phone or me (I'm not well, my usually sharp brain is very foggy as a result)

LikeASoul that's a shame. I was imagining your son up in a Harry Potter-style tower discussing zodiac charts with Professor Trelawney.

I've seen Minecraft discussed a lot on other areas of MN but don't know much about it. It seems to be a design-build-try out sort of game. Anyone know?

OMG, thank your lucky stars your child is not into Minecraft yet!

Mine are obsessed: playing it and watching fecking YouTube videos about it.

It is a good construction game, there are 2 different 'modes' of MC: 'creative' and 'survival'. DS1 has built the most amazing structures on 'creative', 'survival' involves some peril, zombies etc. All in a very sanitised/cartoony manner, but scary for young kids.

The main problem that I see with MC is that it seems to be as addictive as crack cocaine….

I've just bought DD (3) the magna-tiles based on this thread and the ridiculous good reviews on Amazon (US site where they have a 5 star rating with over 1k reviews).
She really enjoyed the Rosie Revere, Engineer book when we had it from the library recently and I really liked the message that it's ok (even good) to have flops as part of the creative/design process because I think she has inherited my fear of failure/perfectionism.