For Day 8 of our 12 Days of Shopping, Jeanette and I thought we’d explore gifts for both sides of the brain for kids and adults. I have a selection of STEAM toys. STEAM is Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. I think math belongs with its more popular cousin, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) because creativity is the root of all problem-solving!
I also have two gift guides that fit the bill: Science and Math Toys and Gifts for Arty Kids. I’m pulling out tried and true toys that we’ve really enjoyed for Right Brain/Left Brain toys for kids and adults!
We own a few different sets of Snap Circuits. It’s probably the best science-building toy my son has played it and I’ve happily doled out $100 per set because it’s both creative and educational. That’s right! Left and Right Brain. There are many different sets but this one, though pricey, is versatile. I think my son built a crazy amount of projects before he got tired of it.
You can follow the instructions for each project step by step and once you get the hang of it — this is where adults come in– you can wing it and create projects of your own.
Because Snap Circuits are not an inexpensive toy, I’d recommend using this for a science club and having a small group of kids pitch in for a set. Then (especially in the winter), you can meet weekly to do the projects as a group.
Snap Circuits, $95
Perplexus Epic, $23
We’ve tried a few versions of Perplexus and they are all fun. My dog even likes them; he chases the ball when it rolls on the ground and chews on it. I don’t recommend that but the Perplexus is fun for adults and kids alike. It requires hand dexterity, logical reasoning, and creative thinking to move the metal ball through the 3-D maze. It’s fun but it’s not easy!
Color Cube by Ikoso, $20
This is an artist’s version of the Rubik’s Cube that tests your understanding of color. It’s an optical brainteaser for artists who can also think logically!
Strathmore Art Journal Kit, $15
Unlike a sketchbook, this is not completely free form so it will appeal to those who desire a little structure along with their creativity. There’s even a pocket folder to store images, scraps, and photos. It includes 14 project pages, 5 pages of handmade decorative papers, and 6 solid colored papers; all on artist-quality drawing paper.
12 Days of Shopping with Jeanette of Tiny Rotten Peanuts
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p.s. Here are a few more gift ideas:
Best Fun and Educational Board Games
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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
Wonderful selection of gifts for the budding engineer…
Thanks so much Barbara!
Terrific ideas for gifts! Great post!
I really appreciate your kind words Robin! Thank you!
Best Gift to help your children with Academic Performance is BrainWare Safari……
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tmohoruk@mybrainware.com
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• CODiE Award for Best Education Game or Simulation (Software and Information Industry Association)
• Teachers’ Choice Award
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• EdNET Rookie of the Year Award (Learning Enhancement Corporation)
• Association of Educational Publishers 2010 Distinguished Achievement Award
Hi Terrance,
Thanks for the heads up on your company!
Great ideas here! We love Snap Circuits.
Thanks MaryAnne,
We now have a huge basket of snap circuit bits from 4 kits that didn’t go back into the boxes nicely and probaly are missing a few pieces per kit. I wonder if the kids can then figure out what to do with them. That would so be my dream playdate for my kids! Are your Snap Circuits nicely put away with all pieces accounted for?
Your decision to explore STEAM is an innovative one. Adding art into the well known acronym is a smart way to address the needs of each side of the brain.
Thanks so much Christina. As Peter H Reynolds, Paul Reynolds and Rhode Island School of Design noted as they should be the ones given credit for expanding STEM to STEAM, without creativity, nothing happens!
Wow! Color Cube seems like an amazing gift. Would love to get it as a gift
It’s a fun one!