Holiday STEAM Gift Ideas
From Mrs. Lindsey - The STEAM Teacher
STEAM Up the Holiday Season
Price Indicator:
$ = $1 to $49.99
$$ = $50 to $99.99
$$$ = $100 to 149.99
$$$$ = $150+
The following gifts can be found on Amazon, at Walmart, Target, Kohl's, Best Buy, and on their own manufacturer website.
Cozmo - Robot
Ages 5+
Price: $$$
LEGO Technic WHACK! Building Kit - 42072
Ages 9+
Price: $
LEGO City Forest Tractor- 60181
Ages 5+
Price: $
Magnetic Building Blocks
Ages: 2+
Price: $ - $$$$
Shifu Orboot Globe
Ages: 4+
Price: $
iSTOPMOTION App
For more than a century now, stop motion animation has made the fantasies of film makers come true. Whether you just want to spend a magic weekend with your kids or are a serious animator, now it's time to tell your story, frame by frame with iStopMotion like many thousands of parents, kids, teachers, brickfilmers, pro animators and everybody with an interest in this fascinating movie making technique.
Ages: 5+
Price: $ for the app
(You need pieces (Legos), or figurines, playdoh, or paper, etc. to film - your choice - cost varies)
MeDoozy 3D Printing Pen
CORDLESS 3D PEN – MeDoozy 3D pen has a wireless design that eliminates the need to stay close to a power outlet and thus allows your kid more freedom & flexibility.
INCREDIBLY SAFE – MeDoozy 3D pen extrudes low temperature plastic which won't burn skin even if kids touch the nozzle.
EASY TO USE – With 3 simple buttons of this 3D pen and the use of PCL filament 1.75mm that offer more seamless & smoother flow, it proves extremely easy use by kids.
SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE – Rechargeable 3D pen can be used for up to 2 hours. The 3D pen has a built-in motor that's almost silent and when 3D printing kit is used with original 3D pen refills, THERE IS NO RISK OF NOZZLE CLOGGING.
3D PEN SET FOR GIFT – This cute 3D pen kit makes for a best gift for friends or family. 3D pens are suitable not only for kids but even for adults. The 3D pen offers an incredible opportunity to bond with your kids & spend some quality time
Ages: 5+
Price: $
Tinkering LABS Kits (Various Styles)
Ages: 5+
Price: $ - $$$
Merge Cube
- HOLD A VIRTUAL OBJECT IN YOUR HAND: learn, play, and create in augmented reality by holding and interacting with virtual objects.
- FUN STEM TOY: The MERGE Cube is used by hundreds of schools to inspire and engage kids to explore math, science, anatomy, engineering and more. See all of our Cube games and apps.
- TRAVEL GAMES FOR KIDS: No need to pack up additional chargers, wires, or batteries. The durable and soft Cube is the perfect travel companion to entertain and teach on the go. With over 30 available apps (most of them are free), your kids can play for hours.
- HOW IT WORKS: simply download and launch Cube apps onto your smartphone or tablet (see all compatible devices), point device at the Cube, and watch the Cube transform before your eyes.
- WHAT YOU GET: MERGE Cube, 13 free apps, device stand, MERGE sticker, access to the MERGE member program (MERGE or Amazon must be listed seller), and friendly customer service.
Ages: 4+
Price: $
Look also for MERGE CUBE VR/AR Goggles
Teach 'N Tag Movi
Movi says, "Let's Play!" This cool little robot is ready to roll, and get kids moving and learning along with him! With 360 degrees of mobility, Think & Learn Teach 'n Tag Movi™ encourages preschoolers to get their minds and bodies moving while teaching them how to follow directions and think critically about the world around them! With 3 exciting game modes and 6 games to choose from, Movi keeps kids thinking (and moving!), whether he's asking them questions to engage their critical thinking skills, prompting them to follow directions to a fun game, or getting silly on the dance floor and showing off his smooth moves. Kids will have a blast showing off their awesome listening skills and rockin' moves with this interactive learning robot! Where development comes into play™ Following Directions: With active games like "Red Light, Green Light" or "Movi Says", preschoolers practice their listening skills and following directions. Critical Thinking: When Movi asks kids to think about an object and asks what shape that object is, he's encouraging them to use those all-important critical thinking skills! Movement & Motions: Whether it's an all-out dance party or pretending to be different animals, Movi gets your preschooler up and moving!
- 3 ways to play! Alpha Fun Actions Think & Move Shapes Learn & Play Games
- Teach 'n Tag Movi™ can move here, there & everywhere—360 degrees of mobility!
- Light-up buttons on Movi’s head enhance game play
- See Movi’s facial expressions change during play—60+ different faces!
- Teaches preschoolers following directions, critical thinking skills & gets them up and moving!
Ages: 2-6
Price: $
OSMO (Various Games)
Osmo fosters learning in key areas such as: creative problem solving, art, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and common core.
- Coding Awbie teaches logic, problem solving skills, and coding
- Coding Duo teaches coding with multiple chains or lines
- Coding Jam teaches advanced coding concepts and how to create music
- Detective Agency teaches world geography, cultural competency, famous landmarks, critical thinking and social-emotional skills
- Masterpiece teaches drawing and creative confidence
- MindRacers teaches quick, strategic decision-making; multi-dimensional awareness and real-world dexterity; emotional intelligence and social fluency; and sportsmanship
- Monster teaches drawing skills and builds creative confidence
- Newton fosters creative problem solving skills
- Numbers teaches counting, addition and multiplication
- Pizza Co. teaches math, money, fractions and non-verbal communication
- Super Studio teaches drawing skills and fosters creative confidence
- Tangram fosters spatial relational skills
- Words teaches spelling and critical thinking skills
Ages: 3+
Price: $ - $$
(You need an iPhone, or iPad (any generation) to use these games and their apps)
Kiwi Crate Subscription
Everything you need for an authentic, engaging STEAM experience in one box, shipped monthly right to your door. Try out 1 month, 3 months, or get a year long subscription. They have subscriptions based on the developmental stage of your child. Let Kiwi Crate grow with your kids, as it in turn helps them grow their creativity, innovation and independence.
Ages: 1+
Price: $ per month
Snap Circuits STEM Kit
SNAP CIRCUITS® uses building pieces with snaps to assemble different electronic circuits on a simple “rows-and-columns” base grid that functions like the printed circuit board found in most electronic products. Each component is easily identifiable by a different color and functional purpose.
Learn about electricity and magnetism, and how they relate to each other. Projects provide an understanding of magnetic fields, how the electricity in your home works, and how switches control the electricity to the lights in your home. Reinforces STEM concepts with fun and creative activities. Educational manual with a focus on STEM and getting kids excited as they learn.
Parts include Meter, Electromagnets, Motor, Lamps, Switches, Compass, and LED.
Ages: 6 - 12
Price: $
Mattel Kamigami Robot - Various Insects
Kamigami is a build-it-yourself robot platform using foldable plastic material. It is the perfect STEM toy because it makes building your own robot easy, yet rewarding – no engineering degree or tools required! Designed after nature's fastest critters, they magically fold up from a flat sheet & zoom over almost any terrain, even outside. Download the free app from your favorite app store to drive your Kamigami robot, battle with friends, play interactive games, or, best of all, design and program your robot's reactions, games and movements. The visual programming interface makes it easy to blink lights, play sounds and maneuver around obstacles. The app will continually offer new updates and game suggestions, so there's no room to get bored. Kamigami robots are light as a feather and quick as a bug!
- Kamigami makes robot engineering fun and easy
- Build your robot by folding lightweight, flat sheets of plastic
- Program your robot with easy-to-use interface that puts you in control
- Play with your robot by driving, racing and battling using the free app
- Teach your Kamigami new tricks and games
- IR Sensors let you battle with friends
Ages: 9-15
Price: $
Circuit Scribe
- CIRCUIT SCRIBE SUCCESS – Circuit Scribe puts the power of conductivity into a pen, making the joy of creating circuits available to everyone who can doodle.
- BASIC KIT, BIG POTENTIAL – With the Basic Kit, you actively explore basic circuit concepts and switches, working up to creating touch-sensitive circuits of your very own design!
- GET BUILDING NOW – Ready to go right out of the box, our basic kit is perfect for young, creative scientists and features our famous, non-toxic, conductive silver ink pen that can write on just about any surface.
- EXPLORE, LEARN, CREATE – A fun and accessible introduction to circuitry, as you build increasingly complicated systems you’ll be learning about current flow, digital logic, and more!
Ages: 10 - 15
Price: $
Makedo Cardboard Creations
Makedo needs little introduction; find some cardboard, grab some Makedo tools and get started. The awesomeness of Makedo is that children learn by doing, creating, experimenting, failing and maybe succeeding but that's not essential.
The creations then open the door to imaginative play where the child is protagonist in a hack-able world of their own making.
Ages: 4+
Price: $-$$ (depending on tools/kit purchased)
CARDBOARD NOT INCLUDED
Mrs. Lindsey
Email: rlindsey@pobschools.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/pobschools.org/pobsteam/home
Twitter: @POB_ELEM_STEAM