WISE Holiday Gift List
Christmas is fast approaching – there’s still time to get last minute gifts, and WISE Young Professionals’ Board are here to help. We have come up with a STEM holiday gift list for all the budding engineers and scientists among your Christmas list.
Bloxels (aged 8 – 18 years) | Build your own video game!
First on our list is one of the best new toys of 2018 – Bloxel. In this game children can build their own basic video game by making bloxels (think pixels) on a board, scanning it with their smart device camera, and then seeing their creations come to life in video game form.
This game is not only great fun for children to play with, they will also learn the basics of coding. Advised for ages 8-18 years it’s no surprise that this amazing game is an Amazon’s Choice product.
Available buy on Amazon. Help your budding coder be born!
Scientific Explorer Magic Science for Wizards Only Kit (6-9 years)
Do you remember sitting in your science class at school and your teacher showing you the bicarbonate soda volcano trip, or a cool colour change chemical reaction? Well, the Scientific Explorer Magic Science for Wizards Only Kit for exactly that. Why not get your children fascinated by science long before they find themselves in a high school science classroom? These experiments will create cool reactions that will have young children stood in awe with jaw-dropping reactions. It is best for ages 6-9 years.
Think and Learn Code-a-Pillar (36 months – 6 years)
Code-a-pillar inspires little learners to be big thinkers by encouraging pre-schoolers to organise (and reorganise) pieces in limitless combinations, sending Code-a-pillar on its path. This learning toy encourages young children to experiment while developing important skills like problem solving, sequencing and critical thinking. Every different combination the children configure, sends code-a-pillar in a different direction each time.
Code-a-pillar is one of the Think and Learn toys from Fisher-Price that goes beyond ABCs and 123s to help children learn how to think independently.
Available to buy from Amazon. Get your little learning moving code-a-pillar on its path today!
K’Nex 100 Model Building Set
This next suggestion is one for the young engineers among your shopping list. K’Nex have a long reputation for their fantastic building sets requiring children to piece together a number of different pieces of all shapes and sizes. They are able to build bridges, helicopters, towers, as much as their imagination can create. K’Nex is unique in that it allows kids to create models that have moving parts. It also comes in a portable suitcase storage box for easy storage and to keep things all together.
Purchase your little one a set today! Buy from Amazon here.
Mega Gemstone Mine | Dig up 15 real gems!
Do you have a budding geologist on your Christmas list? Someone fascinated with rocks and formations? Well, this gift is perfect for them! The Mega Gemstone Mine from National Geographic is a best-selling archaeology and palaeontology kit. Turn your children into treasure hunters as they problem solve to excavate rocks and dig up gemstones. With a wide variety of gemstones as part of the kit, the wide range of colours and shimmers will have their eyes fixated for hours. They’ll find everything from amethysts, pyrite and rose quartz within their rocks. The kit also contains a gemstone guide to teach your children fun facts all about the gems they find within their rocks.
Find out what gems your children are able to mine from your own back garden.
VFENG 335 Circuit Kits for Kids (Age 6+) | Smart electronic kit!
This kit is a fantastic introduction for children to beginners’ electronics concepts. It uses a snap module system that is super easy for them to understand. The VFENG kids circuit kid provides children with hands-on experience designing and building full-functioning electrical models. The individual snap parts are all numbered and colour coded to make it easy to build different electronic gadgets. The electronic discovery kit is integrated with chips that allow the children to set them up to play music – a big hit!
Who will the next electrician or electrical engineer be in your family?
Buy it today from Amazon from £29.99
Meccano Meccasaur (Ages 10+) | T Rex robot interacts with you!
One of 2018’s most popular children’ toys was Meccano’s Meccanoid robot kit. For 2019, the company has returned with the Meccano Meccasaur. This incredible toy will teach your children the basics of robotics whilst they build a robotic dinosaur. When they have completed the creation of the Meccasaur it will interact with them. Meccasaur responds to petting, can answer yes/no questions and has been known to roam about roaring at his rivals.
Who on your Christmas list is a budding Mechanic or Mechanical engineer and would love the Meccasaur? Purchase from Amazon today!
The Dash Robot (Ages 6-11 years) | Coding toy for kids
This STEM gift is in a league of it’s own. WOW! Although in a higher price bracket than the previous toys listed about, the Dash Robot won the 2015 National Parenting Gold Award and has been a hot topic on many gift lists in recent years. Dash teaches code to children aged 6 – 11 years and is able to brought to life with a variety of free apps available on Android and IOS. Children are able to use their smart device to code Dash to execute actions. Dash can play games, perform function, the list is endless. W
Words don’t do it justice, get your Dash from Amazon now!
Thames & Kosmos Air + Water Power (Age 8+) | Build pressured powered engines!
Do you have an environmentally conscious little learner on your Christmas list? If so, this is the gift for them. Perfect for those interested in the renewables industry! This clever kit enables children to play with hydraulic engines, enabling them to create up to 15 different models that are all powered by water pressure and/or air. This is a fantastic present for those interested in the innovative methods of energy production. Whether your children would like to build an excavator and tank, a car or a construction vehicle, this small kit can provide it all.
Ravensburger ‘Gravitrax’ Starter Set (Ages 8+) | Experience the power of gravity
Do you have a budding astronaut who is interested in learning more about the wonders of gravity? This new STEM track system from Ravensburger is a number one best seller which enable children to explore the power of gravity as they set up the Gravitrax and send the spheres rolling. With over 100 track pieces and a number of extension packs, the fun that can be had with this gift is limitless.
Well that brings us to the end of our WISE Christmas STEM gift recommendations, we hope there is something here to suit a range of your Christmas shopping needs. Enjoy the holidays & Merry Christmas – don’t forget, Santa’s watching!!
Disclaimer: the above list is purely an opinion of the members of the WISE Young Professionals’ Board and is a small sample of the toys available on the market this holiday season. Toys were not tested officially, nor was endorsement from a specific provider sought.
