16 STEM toys your kids will love in 2025

Pyxel is a great STEM toy that teaches kids coding, no matter their coding level. This adorable pet is fun for beginners and those who already have some programming experience. There’s a simple remote for basic fun and Blockly programming for those getting started. Take it to the next level, you can also use it to learn Python.

Here’s a different twist on the DIY robot. Kids can build anything their little minds can imagine out of plastic with this 3D printing pen. The 3Doodler Start Plus is thin and lightweight, making it easy for little hands to hold. With a 30-minute charge, this pen melts the plastic sticks so kids can draw in any shape, but the nozzle and melted plastic aren’t hot, so they won’t burn little hands. (I tested this out; you can place the tip on your skin and draw on your finger. I had no qualms about giving it to my kids.) Draw directly on paper or the table and the plastic creation pops right out. Comes with 72 threads and an activity guide that includes 10 new projects.

National Geographic kits are a great way to get kids interested in science. Even if your child isn’t exactly into science (yet), they’ll be fascinated by all the slime and putty in this set, including glow-in-the-dark putty and bouncy putty. mucous The mud.

The kit comes with seven types of slime, putties and all the ingredients so kids can make their own. There’s also a tutorial, so you can learn all about slime and putty and try out some experiments.

This award-winning STEM toy is a step up from the standard marble maze. Not only is it fun, kids learn about mechanics and engineering to solve problems. Players can choose from 60 different challenges with different levels of difficulty.

This fun and challenging K’nex set will keep budding engineers busy for hours. The best part? The end result is a massive 3-foot tall motorized Ferris wheel that will provide endless hours of entertainment. This set is recommended for ages nine and up, but keep in mind that younger children will likely need some adult supervision to help them with more complex pieces.

Kids who love candy (and who doesn’t?) will appreciate this Gummy Candy Lab set. Not only will they learn about different chemistry concepts, but they’ll be able to eat delicious desserts in the process. The kit comes with everything they need to make the candy, including a plastic mold, carrageenan (natural gelatin), cherry and lemon flavors, and storage bags. Maybe if you’re really nice, they’ll join you.

If you’re looking for coding games, Artie teaches you to code line by line… by drawing lines on paper. Kids program this expressive robot to create doodle designs using three crayons loaded into its back. It has built-in tutorials and an easy-to-follow guide so kids can get involved right after opening the box – and seeing something happen on paper gives instant gratification. He teaches five coding languages: Blockly and Snap! JavaScript, Python, and C++.

Artie can also sense colors, follow lines, control them remotely, and has a “cliff sensor” to avoid falling off tables.

Circuit Explorer is kind of like Lego, but the STEM skills game teaches the basics of how a circuit works in programming. Children learn that they need to connect the lines on the side to complete the circuit and make things light up or move. Choose from three different sets including rocket ships, Mars rovers and space stations, or mix and match parts to create your own monster machine. They can also communicate with Lego bricks.

There’s a whole world of Lego for education, and you won’t find it in the toy aisle. The Lego Learning System contains sets containing hundreds of bricks and instructions to guide students through many lessons. Each set targets different ages of children. These teaching kits are designed for the classroom, but anyone can purchase these educational toys directly from Lego for hands-on learning at home. (There are guides for teachers to help parents, too.)

Our favorite is the Spike Essential Learning Kit for grades 1-5, which includes some tech pieces like a light array, color sensor, and motor. Kids also use an app to program their creations. With 449 bricks and 40 lessons, the set teaches computational thinking skills, design engineering, physics and mathematics – all told through the story of friendly LEGO characters. If you want something cheaper without the tech and programming bits but still want to keep the physics and math lessons, check out BricQ Motion basic kit for $150.

Thames & Kosmos makes some of the best and often hard to find DIY engineering toys. (We’re looking at you, candy claw machine and Mega Cyborg hand.) Here’s a fun gem that we’re still seeing widely available: This weird, waving, arm-swinging inflatable tube man has a blower that lets kids experiment with air pressure, air flow, and aerodynamics. Air basketball. Air cannon. Air tube man. Suitable for ages 8 and up, and we stress “top” because you want this for your desk. (No judgment here.)

Want something more delicious? Draw it in the kitchen with chocolate using the Skyrocket Chocolate Pen. The heating tray keeps the chocolate sticky as the battery-powered pen sucks the sweet stuff into the cartridge. Draw, eat, repeat. This fun pen comes in different colors and will be easy for little hands to fill in the molds. You can also draw any shape you want on the wax paper and it will cool within 10 minutes. Sure, this activity is a creative art, but there are chemistry lessons you can teach with refrigerated desserts. Technically, this makes desserts a science.

There are easy ways to get kids creative even if you’re not the crafty type. You’ve signed up for a KiwiCo Clubs subscription, which offers hands-on learning activities in a box. It is filled with some science and engineering lessons, comes by mail and caters to different age groups. I am a long time subscriber for my kids and love the quality of the items. It’s not just for young children; There are boxes for all types of ages, even engineering boxes for ages 14-18+. Subscriptions start at $24 per month, but you can also shop the KiwiCo store to purchase items individually.

Making your own robot requires no programming skills. This is the Kids First Robot Factory from Thames & Kosmos, which is good for introducing kids to basic engineering concepts. The guide is an illustrated storybook that guides young people through building eight different robots equipped with battery-powered motors. With this building toy, kids can also make their own tools, and as they go through the story they learn why each robot moves in its own way.

I’m a fan of this brain training engineering game. There are many twists on the magnetic building blocks trend, but I personally liked Magformers in how they are designed and the options for different types of box sets, so they can be easily expanded for different age groups. My advice: Get a starter set with wheels, so the kids can give their creations some speed. Some models can be controlled by remote control.

This cute robot for ages 5 and up teaches basic programming, takes on tons of challenges, and is screen-free and doesn’t require a phone or tablet. Botley can detect and move around objects, follow repeated commands, navigate obstacle courses, and follow the black line your child designs. With the included 46-piece activity set, there’s plenty to keep kids busy.

Even the little ones in your life as young as 18 months can learn science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with magnetic foam makers. The soft blocks easily connect and rotate so you can build creatures with heads, wings, elbows and other body parts. Don’t worry about getting the cubes dirty as they are dishwasher safe and shower friendly.

My 2 year old hasn’t gotten tired of it after a year, and my 5 year old is still playing with it too making all kinds of vehicles and creatures. It’s always a good idea to have a toy that has a good shelf life, and you can expand this educational stem toy with multiple set boxes.