5 Top STEAM Toys for Kids

by Lori Cunningham

Christmas is upon us once more!  As a STEAM teacher for the past five years, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand what excites children and motivates them to learn and explore.

If you can stimulate your child’s curiosity early and continue finding ways to help them explore, you’ll find one of the keys to a self-reliant learner.

As a parent and teacher, it’s always a joy to see your child’s eyes light up when they discover something new.

STEAM gifts entertain and help kids develop essential skills for the future. Whether engineering, problem-solving, or creativity, these toys engage their minds in meaningful ways.

5 Top STEAM Toys for Kids

1. Magnetic Tiles for Building – 100-piece set

• Ages: 3+
• Price: $83.99 Cyber Monday sale
• Amazon 

Magnetic Tiles are an incredible tool for open-ended play. They allow children to experiment with shapes, balance, and design while fostering creativity and patience.

Watching your child transform a pile of tiles into a towering castle or intricate geometric design is deeply rewarding. These tiles are not only fun but also a great way to build spatial reasoning and fine motor skills.

2. National Geographic Earth Science Kit

• Ages: 6+
• Price: $29.99
• Amazon

This kit taps into every child’s natural fascination with explosions! It’s a fantastic way to connect learning with excitement.

As kids mix safe ingredients and watch their volcano erupt, they’ll also gain an understanding of chemical reactions and earth science.

This hands-on experience makes abstract concepts tangible, leaving them eager to learn more.  Fortunately, there are several different experiments to explore in this kit.

3. Sphero Robotic Balls

• Ages: 8+
• Price: $49.99
• Amazon

If your child loves technology, Sphero is the perfect gift. It’s amazing to watch kids light up as they use coding to program this robotic ball.

Whether it’s navigating a maze or creating patterns, Sphero teaches them to think critically and solve problems.

Sphero Robotic Balls are fun and interactive and introduce coding in a way that doesn’t feel intimidating.

Sphero Robotic Balls are one of the top 5 top STEAM toys for kids based on the excitement I see in my classroom when students play and explore with them.

4. BeeBots

• Ages: 4-7
• Price: $89.99
• RobotShop

For younger kids, BeeBots provides an excellent introduction to coding. Kids will love how intuitive and approachable this toy is.

Kids simply press buttons to program movements, developing sequencing and logic skills without needing a screen.

It’s exciting to see them gain confidence as they watch their BeeBot follow the path they’ve designed.  Check out these free online maps kids can use to understand basic coding concepts.

5. Creative Kids Herb Garden Kit

• Ages: 6+
• Price: $19.99
• Where to Buy: Amazon

This hands-on kit lets kids decorate planters, plant seeds, and grow their own herbs. It combines gardening and creativity, teaching responsibility, patience, and environmental awareness.

Perfect for family projects, it’s fun, educational, and provides everything needed to get started. 

Planting seeds and watching them grow is a fun way for kids to better understand how food is grown.

A Mom’s Perspective

As parents, we always look for gifts that go beyond entertainment to enrich our kids’ lives.

These 5 top STEAM toys for kids do exactly that, making learning a natural and exciting part of play.

Watching your child explore, build, and discover is the ultimate reward. Stay tuned for five more fantastic gift ideas in Part 2!