Gift Guide: Best Math and Science Toys

Science-oriented kids need two things: to ask questions and to find answers. These toys let kids do both in the guise of games or experiments. Science in school is often too memorization-oriented and I think letting kids get their hands dirty is crucial to making science interesting, particularly for girls.

What books, toys, and apps does your curious child love? Please share!

p.s. My Holiday Gift Guides are all here.  Popular ones include:

Gift Guide: Active Toys for Kids

Gift Guide: Best Toys for Arty Kids

Gift Guide: Toys to Get Kids Reading More

Gift Guide: Best Blocks for Creative Play

Top 10: Best Fun and Educational Board Games

Gift Guide: Musical Toys for Kids

Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffer for Mom, Dad and Kids

Best Science and Math (STEM) Toys

Makay Makay STEM Pack, $699

This looks great. It’s on my holiday shopping list. MIT Grad Students at the MIT Media Lab create an invention kit!

Snap Circuits Junior Kit, $30

We bought the mega kit of Snap Circuits and I think it helps hold your child’s interest with its versatility. There are small kits that are less expensive too! I have a post on integrating this kit with a science lesson on circuits. My son likes building the AM radio. True story: he told his dad his radio didn’t work because it was nighttime. He thought the AM radio only worked in the morning!

My only concern about this toy (besides someone swallowing the magnets which is a paranoia of mine) is how long my youngest would actually use it. He tried it out at a friend’s house and built a dozen or so of the modules. I thought he might be done. He ended up getting it as a gift and played with it non-stop for a week during the summer. He hasn’t really played with it lately, but he might if I put it away for a while.

It’s a very educational toy. I’d consider getting it for multiple kids within a family or even sharing it (like a library book system) among other kids. The nice thing unlike some science kits is that it’s reusable as long as you don’t lose too many parts.

Copernicus Edible Chemistry Kit, $23

Science kits for ages 6 and up contain everything you need to create a product that is also a science project!

Bubble Gum

DIY Root Beer

Volcano Kit

Perplexus, 3D Maze Game, $16

A three-dimensional maze game is probably beyond my skill level. I don’t have a knack for 3-D but my kids might enjoy guiding the marble through the maze. It also requires hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. I bet my son would be good at this having developed these kinds of skills through gaming but the beauty of this game is that it’s NOT A SCREEN!

Perplexus Rookie, $34

Green Kid Crafts, $19.50/monthly subscription craft and science kits

My oldest, age 13,  is reviewing the latest monthly subscription kit that we received to check out. We like the small box that is 100% recycled cardboard. The compact packaging makes it easy to store and doesn’t waste natural resources.

The first package is a fishing game using felt and other materials. It teaches number sequencing by fishing for fish in numerical order. This game would be great for a preschooler.

On the back of the instruction sheet is another game. We like that it’s double-sided so saves paper. This activity is teaching gratitude and you cut out the leaves and write what you are grateful for.

A mosaic art project was next packaged in a biodegradable plastic bag with recycled fiberboard. Everything is included to make a tile ceramic coaster, even the glue!! Again, on the back of the instruction sheet is another game. This one is a memory game using healthy foods!

Finally, I loved the organic Basil and sprout garden in eco-cups made from plant materials. Seeds for sprouts and Basil are included and if successful, we can use the crop for cooking! It’s the size of a slightly bigger Dixie size cup so this plant diversity per square inch is very impressive. The back side of the instruction sheet is a Farm Yard coloring page!

As an added bonus to parents, there are a lot of coupons for healthy foods as well as recipes included in the box. Coupons include $5 off on Stonyfield organic dairy products. Mambo Spout coupons include free cartons of Probiotic Kefir and Honest Kids juice pouches. The Plum Kids coupon is for $2 off healthy on-the-go snacks. My daughter was impressed by the great discounts and recipes.

It’s nice that the projects are suitable for a wide age range.

Monkey Pod 3D Soma Cube Puzzle, $19

Beautifully crafted from wood, this brain teaser requires you to think in three dimensions in order to make this into a cube. It was invented by Piet Hein in 1936 during a lecture on quantum mechanics conducted by Werner Heisenberg. The 7 pieces made out of unit cubes must be assembled into a 3x3x3 cube and can be used to make a variety of other 3D shapes. Instructions are included thankfully! There are 240 solutions to the Soma-cube puzzle.

Connor’s Kits for Kids: Crystal Explosion, $20

My girls have always had a fascination with quartz crystal rocks, collecting endless amounts of white pebbles for me to carry around. I didn’t realize you could grow crystals in 24 hours. This kit has enough materials to repeat experiments. It’s a science kit that will appeal to girls as well as boys! And I think you probably COULD use the crystals for jewelry-making afterward! If that is the case, then it’s a two-for-one toy!

Melissa and Doug Suspend, $15

This game looks simple but it’s not as easy as it looks. The tips are color-coded by length and you hang the rods trying to keep the entire mass suspended in the air. Young engineers will enjoy the 3-dimension puzzle solving to keep the rods balanced in the air.

Rainforest Biosphere, $27

The Biosphere Dome is an 8 x 7 inch terrarium. What makes it different is the tropical plant selection which is carefully chosen for rapid growth! I’d gift it to a child who enjoys gardening or is interested in the Rainforest.

Klutz Guide to the Galaxy, $18

We thought this was one of the best Klutz books out there. With The Klutz Guide to the Galaxy, you can explore the universe without leaving the comfort of your backyard. This galactic tool kit has everything you need: an amazing build-it-yourself telescope, a night-sight flashlight, star and moon maps, a no-batteries-required sundial, a mariner’s quadrant to steer by the stars, tons of cool intergalactic activities, and more. With this guide, you’ll never be lost in space.

Math Magic, $15

Who knew there was a relationship between math and magic? This kit explores magic with respect to math. My nephew will love this!

Refractor Telescope, $82

If you are thinking of a telescope as a gift for a child but want one that is powerful enough to see Jupiter’s moons, Saturn’s ring, and, of course, the moon, then this is the right model for you. For that kind of power, I’m surprised that it’s not more expensive. It’s 29 inches in length and recommended for ages 8 and up.

Steve Spangler Slime Science Kit, $14

This STEM science kit lets kids make their slime in four colors, Pink, Blue, Yellow & Clear, and then learn about the science of building polymers.

Perfume Laboratory, $35

My girls like to “make perfume” by harvesting flowers and floating them in water. It does exude the slightest scent but I think they would like this kit much more! You can actually create your own formula for perfume and experiment with scented crystals, slime, forest potpourri, and more. It’s a sneaky way to get girls interested in chemistry!

Yikerz, $17

PickyKidPix turned me onto this game. Apparently, she loves it! It’s a stackable game of magnetized stones and the object is to get rid of all your pieces but you can only accomplish this by mastering magnetic forces. What a fun way to learn the principles of physics!

Q-BA-Maze, $20

A toy that is open-ended allowing you to create beautiful, sculptural artwork that doubles as a marble run. I also like how it teaches principles of engineering, architecture, and art!

DIY Lip Gloss Kit for Girls, $27

I think I am going to get this for my girls. The kit makes 10 lip balms that are ready to use in 30 minutes. It’s perfect timing for winter and a fun way to ease girls into science! With two different essential oils and other all-natural ingredients including Shea butter, Safflower oil, and beeswax, you, the chemist, can mix up different combinations of essential oils to get the perfect scent! Girls can make it with friends or gift the end product to friends.

p.s. I had Little Bits Starter Kit, an electronics kit for kids,  on my list originally because I was planning on giving this to my son for Christmas but my Mom Friend Penny whose son is older said that it was singularly the most disappointing expensive gift she bought. The kit simply did not do anything interesting and it was confusing to use and figure out. For the price ($159), it wasn’t worth the little bits. Sorry! I pulled it off my list.

Science iPhone and iPad Apps for Kids

We also like these science apps that might be nice as a gift loaded on up an iPod or iPad.

Virtual Rat Dissection, $4

Virtual Frog Dissection, $4

“Harry Potter-Like” Periodic Table, $7

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My books:

 Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

• Junior Library Guild Gold selection
• Massachusetts Book Award Long List
• Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
• Starred review from School Library Journal
• Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
• 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
• Green Earth Book Award Long List
• Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

 Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me