As parents, we keep on seeking different ways to engage our children in both social diversity and educational exploration. Well, look no further than STEAM toys. STEAM toys refer to toys that facilitate interests and passions towards learning and leveraging skills required to pursue STEAM careers.
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics are the diverse STEAM fields providing vast career opportunities for every child. Gone are the days when STEM/STEAM fields were under the hold of boys only. In today’s increasingly interconnected world, it’s essential to equip our little girls with the skills and understanding needed to navigate diverse cultures and excel in key academic disciplines. STEAM toys for kids are gender-neutral and inclusive for everyone.
How do STEAM toys differ from ordinary toys?
Research has proven that the early formative years (from birth to eight years) are the most important period of human development. It is for this reason that learning opportunities that promote play, exploration, and hands-on learning are at the core of a young child’s development. S.T.E.A.M. toys for kids are designed to encourage active and interactive engagement. These toys inspire children to discover more about the world and themselves in a whole new way. S.T.E.A.M. toys are not only fun, but they also help in four key developmental areas such as confidence, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
Come along as we explore how STEAM toys can help your child discover and learn about science, technology, engineering, arts, and math with fun and passion going hand-in-hand.
Why to love STEAM toys?
A good STEAM toy is a Whole Brain Experience
Learning through play is one of the most important ways in which our kids gain essential knowledge and skills. While ordinary toys usually focus on the fun aspects of toys, Steam toys for kids can introduce young ones to real-life skills while they’re also having fun. STEAM toys provide children with opportunities to explore the ever-changing, complex world around them while using their creative imagination.
Intrigued? Well, we all know that our brain has two sides. A good STEAM toy for kids triggers both sides of the brain. The left side is the logical and reasoning part of the brain. This gets activated when the toy or play experience makes kids think about aspects of science, technology, art, engineering, or math. The right side of the brain that deals with emotions is triggered when the play experience creates a fun feeling. It’s a mandatory feature that makes STEAM toys for kids worth buying!
STEM toys are educational
STEAM toys for kids are best known for their incredible educational value. These toys focus on introducing core subjects to our children at an early age and provide a fun and exciting introduction to important basic concepts, giving kids a better understanding of the world around them.
It’s a known fact that there is a link between kids using their hands and developing their brains. Kids remember things better with hands-on learning. STEAM toys often incorporate hands-on experiments and activities that are engaging and fun, which can help kids pay better attention and retain more of what they learn. For instance, a simple shape organizer for toddlers will be useful in teaching the basic concepts of geometry. Or small girls can benefit from soft STEAM dolls teaching them human body parts, empathy, and diversity at the core.
Engineering-themed STEAM toys encourage children to design, build, and test their creations. Whether it’s constructing bridges, vehicles, or simple machines, these toys foster creativity and problem-solving skills while introducing basic engineering principles.
They’re FUN!
STEAM toys are incredibly fun! One of the key features of STEAM toys is that they blend learning with play, making the educational experience enjoyable and engaging for kids. Whether they’re building structures with blocks, doing artwork, conducting science experiments, or coding robots, children are actively engaged in the learning process through interactive play. STEAM toys offer a unique blend of fun and learning that captivates children’s imaginations and inspires them to explore the world around them.
Cognitive Adventures with STEAM Toys
Early childhood is marked by a high rate of cognitive development. It encompasses a range of mental processes such as problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, and spatial awareness. STEAM toys often present children with challenges and puzzles that require them to apply problem-solving strategies.
For instance, imagine your child playing with a jigsaw puzzle or a construction toy. He is not just fitting in the pieces but is actively problem-solving. Kids have to analyze shapes, sizes, and patterns to determine the correct fit, which fosters their cognitive abilities in a fun and engaging manner.
Moreover, these activities help to stimulate their creativity and imagination. As children explore different ways to solve the puzzle or build with the construction set, they think outside the box, experiment with new ideas, and express themselves artistically. Through hands-on exploration, they gain a deeper understanding of concepts like geometry and physics, laying the groundwork for future learning and development. A simple STEAM activity and a myriad of benefits, isn’t it amazing?
Development of Social & Emotional Intelligence in Young Minds
As parents, we often get distracted from the social and emotional growth play brings in. It’s a norm, kids fight when they play! But with STEAM toys our kids will grow stronger with social and emotional intellectual. STEAM toys open doors for collaboration, cooperation, and getting young minds together to work better.
Activities such as building structures together or solving complex puzzles in groups cultivate cooperation, respect for diverse perspectives, and the ability to work towards shared goals. Because they’re building something from scratch before they play with it, all members of the group feel a sense of ownership towards the building, developing emotional resilience, social competence, and healthy interpersonal relationships.
Different types of STEM toys develop different skills
Different STEAM toys offer unique opportunities for children to develop a wide range of skills. For young kids, LEGO sets, magnetic building tiles, or wooden blocks, for instance, promote strong motor skills development and develop spatial awareness and engineering principles in young minds.
Whereas, coding games and apps like LEGO Mindstorms, develop computational thinking and logical reasoning in older kids. Robotics and engineering kits encourage teamwork, innovation, and hands-on problem-solving, preparing children for future challenges in STEM fields. Each type of STEAM toy offers unique skills to develop, instilling a curiosity for exploring the natural world. It’s recommended to choose age-appropriate STEAM toys for kids so they can instill the maximum fundamentals of the educational world.
Preparing Children for Future Success
Ever think of the benefits of teaching real-life scientific concepts to our kids from toys that they can build from scratch and play with? STEAM toys empower children to become lifelong learners and innovators in an ever-evolving world.
For example, with DIY STEAM toys for kids, such as a construction crane your young one will learn about angles, pulleys, or counterweights in a hands-on and engaging manner. Or by providing children with materials like wires, batteries, bulbs, and switches, and a scientific circuit kit, they can construct their own circuits and learn about electricity, conductivity, and circuitry principles.
Through such hands-on explorations, STEAM toys not only facilitate learning but also inspire curiosity and exploration of complex concepts at a very young age, setting the stage for a lifetime of discovery and innovation.
A Win-Win Strategy: Strengthening Parental Bonding!
STEAM toys for kids often ask for parental guidance or supervision. Parents serve as catalysts for STEAM learning by providing access to resources, encouraging exploration, and promoting a supportive learning environment. Engaging in STEAM activities together provides an opportunity for parents and children to spend quality time with each other.
By working together on STEAM projects, parents and children can learn from each other. They share ideas and problem-solve together, creating a supportive learning environment. Whether it’s building robots, conducting science experiments, or coding together, parents can actively participate in their children’s hobbies and passions. As they collaborate, share ideas, and problem-solve together, they develop trust, respect, and a strong and loving relationship that lasts a lifetime.
STEAM Toys for Kids: Shaping the Future
STEAM toys encourage children to explore concepts related to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics in interactive and engaging ways. STEAM toys for kids stimulate their curiosity, develop creativity, and cultivate essential skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration. These toys provide children with hands-on opportunities to explore scientific concepts, engage with technology, and unleash their imaginations in meaningful ways.
When it comes to the benefits of STEAM toys, the options are endless. STEAM toys help our kids to become lifelong learners and innovators, equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
