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Looking for educational gifts for your child this Christmas? We have chosen 5 STEAM gift ideas that your children ages 8+ will love.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Christmas is actually 6 days earlier this year…OK…not really, but the time between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas has 6 fewer days than last year since Thanksgiving is happening the last week of November this year.<\/p>\n This is the reason why you saw Christmas decorating and products in stores BEFORE or at the same time as Halloween themed items. <\/p>\n Brands want to get you in the Christmas spirit as soon as possible. We have some ideas for you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Parents love toys that teach kids skills and are fun at the same time. <\/p>\n STEAM gift ideas are perfect because they teach science, technology, engineering, art, and\/or mathematics while kids follow directions (or not) to build, create, or code a toy.<\/p>\n Our Christmas STEAM Gift Ideas were so popular last year, we chose and evaluated 5 more for this year, STEAM toys your kids’ ages 8+ will absolutely love.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking for a little sport? How about a mini soccer ball? The new Sphero Robotic Mini Soccer<\/a> kit features a Sphero Mini ball dressed in a soccer ball shell.<\/p>\n Kids can use the Sphero app to control it to roll wherever they direct it too. <\/p>\n They can also learn how to code to do special tricks, incorporating its included mini pylon cones.<\/p>\n The Sphero Mini Soccer ball features a gyroscope, accelerometer, LED lights, and a rechargeable battery. <\/p>\n The rechargeable battery can last up to 45 minutes.<\/p>\n Using the free Sphero Education app, kids can draw paths, learn basic scratch blocks, and eventually write their own JavaScript programs to control the soccer ball.<\/p>\n The Sphero mini balls and the programmable BOLT<\/a> are the most popular items in the Makerspace I work in at my son’s school. Kids love them.<\/p>\n The Sphero Mini Soccer ball provides hours of fun, whether coding or using the inherent controls and games of the Sphero app. <\/p>\n One of the most perfect STEAM gift ideas.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Purchase the Sphero Mini Soccer robotic ball on Amazon<\/a> for $49.99 with free shipping.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a mechanically minded child who is interested in how things work? <\/p>\n The Discovery Education Model Engine Kit gives kids the opportunity to build their own engine.<\/p>\n With over 100 custom parts, kids will build a 4-cylinder gas engine replica with a rotating fan mechanism, piston turning crankshaft, rotating fan and belt, valves that open and close, spark plugs that light up, and more.<\/p>\n With 100 pieces, it looks a little daunting at first. But using the easy to follow directions help kids learn the aspects of the engine while gaining confidence and problem-solving skills.<\/p>\n Perfect for teaching internal combustion, used in gasoline car engines. <\/p>\n Plugging the cables into the battery pack distributor makes the engine fans turn. <\/p>\n This Model Engine kit teaches the mechanics behind engines and encourages kids to expand their creativity while logically building the engine per its included instructions.<\/p>\n Two kids in the Makerspace I work in have put this kit together. Both are third graders and they have had a lot of fun building it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Discovery Education Model Engine Kit is available half price<\/em><\/span> through Kohl’s<\/a> for $24.99 with free shipping with purchases over $50.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n If your child has already worked a little on coding or shows some interest, the Let’s Start Coding Ultimate Kit 2<\/a> is a great STEAM gift that will provide hours of learning and discovery.<\/p>\n With access to nearly 9 hours of video instruction and 110 projects with directions, kids will learn to control electronics, based on popular C++ code.<\/p>\n The Ultimate Kit comes with 17 components, including an LED light strip, speaker, temperature sensor, sound sensors, buttons, and a small LCD screen.<\/p>\n Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Chromebooks, no other tools or equipment are needed. <\/p>\n Projects include creating a multicolor thermometer, Morse code with sound and light, LCD alarm clock, and more. <\/p>\n The Let’s Start Coding Ultimate Kit is the winner of a number of family awards and seals of approval.<\/p>\n We love the Let’s Start Coding products because, like the Ultimate Kit 2, they have a way of making something that can seem complex understandable and easy. <\/p>\n By plugging into a Chromebook or PC, kids can program things to happen to the lights and sensors they learned to set up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Let’s Start Coding Ultimate Kit is available through their website<\/a> for a limited time for $124.99 (save $20) with free shipping.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you have a newer iPad in the house (2018+), the Logitech Crayon<\/a> is a fun accessory for kids, but really the whole family. <\/p>\n The Logitech Crayon uses nearly the same technology as the Apple Pencil to draw in finite detail, color, doodle, take notes, mark up PDF’s and more.<\/p>\n In fact, the Crayon was made as a durable, kid-focused accessory for the Educational market. <\/p>\n It is flat instead of round, so it does not roll. It also features an orange battery cap and power button to make it easier to find.<\/p>\n Best yet, the Logitech Crayon sells at a lower price point, making it more affordable for families.<\/p>\n The Logitech Crayon works beautifully and makes coloring and educational games more fun.<\/p>\n The Logitech Crayon is available through Walmart<\/a> for $42.99 plus free shipping. This is the best price we have found by far. It normally sells for $69.99.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Google Nest Mini is available in Charcoal, Chalk, Sky, and Coral from Google<\/a> for $49.99 with free shipping.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n5 STEAM Gift Ideas for Kids 8+<\/span><\/h1>\n
Robotic Sphero Mini Soccer Ball<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Discovery Education Model Engine Kit <\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nLet’s Start Coding Ultimate Kit ages 10-15+<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nLogitech<\/span> Crayon, ages 5+<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nGoogle Nest Mini<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nThe new Google Nest Mini<\/a> is the 2nd generation Mini from Google. <\/div>\nIt features a bolder, richer sound with twice the bass from the original Mini. <\/div>\n <\/div>\nWith improved voice recognition and microphones to hear a voice from across the room, the Google Nest Mini is a great little assistant to have handy.<\/div>\n <\/div>\nAt first glance, it might not seem like one of the best STEAM gift ideas. Why did we add the Nest Mini to our kids’ guide?<\/div>\n <\/div>\nKids can set timers, ask Google questions on things they are curious about, even get some homework help, especially for math, science, and other STEAM classes.<\/div>\n <\/div>\nMy son loves asking Google what Pi is and listening to her rattle it off. <\/div>\n <\/div>\nHe uses it for math, science questions, and to find out more about famous people he’s studying.<\/div>\n <\/div>\nThe Google Nest Mini is great for streaming music from their favorite apps like Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, and YouTube. The music really does sound terrific.<\/div>\n <\/div>\nThe Nest Mini works as a great alarm clock, allowing you our your child to verbally set the alarm for one-time or ongoing use.<\/div>\n <\/div>\nOlder kids will appreciate knowing what the weather is before they dress, the scores of their favorite sports teams, or asking what is on their calendar for the day.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2019\/11\/5-Christmas-STEAM-Gift-Ideas-for-Kids-2019-PIN.png?resize=433%2C650&ssl=1\")
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