STEM toys have become very popular in the last few years. We can see them in toy stores and hear many psychologists and educators talk about them and their incredible benefits. However, although STEM toys have taken over the market, few people are sure what they represent and how they can help children develop.
What are STEM toys exactly, and how can they affect our children? Here, you’ll learn the answers and read about the characteristics of STEM toys.
What Are STEM Toys?
To better understand what STEM toys represent, let’s first define what STEM means. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
It represents a curriculum that teaches students more about the four disciplines through real-life lessons and problem-solving. This curriculum encourages students to apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics knowledge in school, community, and private life or while playing with friends.
The primary purpose of this curriculum is to help the students acquire skills they’ll need later in life and prepare them for the workplace.
STEM toys are items based on this curriculum. They allow students to learn while playing and encourage divergent thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. STEM toys come in numerous forms and can be focused on one or more STEM subject areas. For example, some develop math and technology skills, while others focus on experiments or building.
Simply put, STEM toys are both educational and fun. They represent a great way to get children interested in the four disciplines without overwhelming them with complicated terminology.
While STEM toys are educational, it’s essential to remember their primary goal is fun. Children learn through playing, and if they find a toy dull, they won’t play with it, which defeats the whole purpose of toys.
The History of the STEM Curriculum and STEM Toys
The U.S. National Science Foundation introduced the STEM acronym in 2001. The development of STEM was encouraged by numerous articles that explored the connection between different knowledge-intensive jobs and continued innovation to address societal problems.
However, many reports indicated that U.S. students fall behind compared to other students in the STEM disciplines. These reports predicted that if the trend continues, the U.S. won’t be able to keep up with the global economy due to an unprepared and unqualified workforce.
Since science, technology, engineering, and mathematics were recognized as the four areas crucial for prosperity, scientists built a curriculum that prioritizes them.
STEM toys follow this curriculum and encourage children to explore these areas and become acquainted with them through play. It’s recommended to expose children to STEM toys at a young age. As they age, children should play with more complex STEM toys that broaden their skills and fuel their desire for knowledge.
While STEM toys only recently got their “official” name, such toys have always existed. The history of such toys is as long as our history. For example, playing with stones can encourage spatial reasoning, and playing with an abacus develops mathematical skills.
But, of course, technology today has advanced so much that we now have thousands of STEM toys available.
Characteristics of STEM Toys
Many toys are advertised as STEM even though they aren’t educational or engaging.
Unfortunately, numerous toy companies use STEM as a marketing ploy to sell more toys. This makes it hard for parents and educators to distinguish between the beneficial toys and those simply taking advantage of the trend. STEM toys should have these 14 characteristics:
Explore an Aspect of STEM
The first characteristic is obvious: The toys should promote at least one aspect of STEM. This means the toys should guide the child towards exploring science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics.
All STEM toys should get the students thinking about an aspect of STEM or scientific method.
Fun
As mentioned, STEM toys are educational, but they also need to be fun. Otherwise, children won’t find them interesting and won’t reap the benefits of such toys. STEM toys should captivate interest and engage children to explore and think.
Determining whether a toy is fun can be tricky since this is highly subjective. Parents and educators trying to find a suitable STEM toy should ask themselves whether children would have fun playing with it. If the answer is “yes,” you’ve come across a good toy.
Good STEM toys stimulate both sides of the brain. The left side is logical and reasoning, while the right is creative and visual. When children think about different aspects of STEM, the left part of the brain is activated. The right side is stimulated during the playing experience.
Open-Ended
STEM toys should have the ability to be used in numerous ways, allowing children to discover their way of playing. For example, there should be several ways to solve a problem, build a structure, or accomplish a task.
Relate to the Real World
STEM toys should connect to the real world and encourage children to make these associations. Playing with STEM toys should help children understand that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics impact their lives.
Allow Trial and Error
Although this characteristic is often neglected, it’s imperative. Experimenting and failing are normal, natural, and even necessary parts of STEM. Children should be encouraged to go through a series of experiments because it will eventually lead them to discovery.
One of the most critical differences between STEM and traditional education models is feeling free to try and fail.
Hands-On
STEM toys should encourage children to use their hands, which is especially important now that many children spend hours watching TV or using smartphones. The tactile sensory experiences that STEM toys provide help in brain development.
Child-Led
Children should be responsible for their playing experience as this encourages their autonomy. In addition, this helps them learn not only about STEM but also about themselves.
Problem-Solving
STEM toys should encourage children to think and discover solutions for resolving a problem. Problem-solving is a skill that is beneficial for other aspects of life.
Include Curriculum
STEM toys should follow a curriculum in the sense that they should be age-appropriate.
Gender Neutral and Inclusive
STEM toys should be gender-neutral and inclusive as this is the only way to a world that embraces diversity.
Support Parents
Many parents find STEM intimidating, which is often transferred to their children. However, since parents should be involved in their children’s playtime, they should conquer this fear and learn to feel comfortable around STEM toys.
STEM toys should support parents and allow them to participate and play with their children.
Build Confidence
STEM toys should help children build confidence in their skills and explore different subjects. This confidence is later transferred to other segments of children’s lives.
Encourage Creativity
With STEM toys, children should be encouraged to think outside the box and develop their creativity.
Social/Emotional Skills
Good STEM toys help children develop their social and emotional skills. Unfortunately, many children today struggle with emotional intelligence and social and emotional learning (SEL). STEM toys can encourage collaboration and problem-solving and teach trial and error, which are incredibly important in later stages of life.
Make the Right Choice and Use STEM Toys
If you were wondering, “What are STEM toys?” we hope you’ve found your answer. STEM toys are both educational and fun and help children acquire valuable skills they’ll use later in life.
Through playing with STEM toys, children unconsciously learn about creativity, problem-solving, support, and patience. In addition, these toys can encourage children to pursue a specific career path and find their dream job.
