Lifestyle

9 Best Home Activities To Keep Your Kids STEM-ulated (So You Can Get Sh*t Done)

by Karen Tietjen

Updated: Jan. 28, 2021

Originally Published: March 25, 2020

If the words “We’re bored!” makes you instantly cringe (not to be outdone by “What’s for dinner?”), stay calm and read on. In anticipation of the next case of cabin fever, we’ve got *smart* suggestions to keep kids busy while they’re home.

Whether it’s the weekend, school vacation, or a glum rainy day, it doesn’t take long for the complaining to begin. What’s worse is when you’ve got a to-do list to power through, a nearly impossible feat when the kiddos are whining at your heels. Sure, you can park them in front of Disney Plus (no judgment, we’ve all done it), but at some point, you’ll probably want the TV off. So if you’re trying to limit screen time and keep your cool, what’s the best way to keep everyone entertained so you can actually get sh*t done?

Solution: Stock up on toys, games, and kits that are entertaining and also educational … without them knowing it. Impossible, you say? Not necessarily.

Enter STEM activities, an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which are designed to pique the interest of young minds and help develop real-world skills. In other words, they’re the best of both worlds when it comes to learning and having fun. From creativity-sparking art tiles to build-your-own robots, we’ve rounded up some of the best STEM products for different ages.

Now, go forth and be productive.

Best For Toddlers & Little Kids (Ages 3-5+)

My Fairy Garden Magical Cottage

$22

BRIO Builder Creative Set

$80

ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run

$30

PicassoTiles 100 Piece Magnetic Building Tiles

$50

Best For Big Kids (Ages 7-8+)

VEX Robotics Build Blitz by HEXBUG

$150

Gravitrax Starter Set Marble Run by Ravensburger

$55

Discovery Kids MINDBLOWN Dinosaur Fossil Excavation Kit

$13

National Geographic Break Open 10 Geodes

$25

MindWare KEVA Brain Builders Deluxe

$30

Think these STEM picks are genius? Be sure to browse hundreds of other Mom-approved toys!

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VEX Robotics Build Blitz by HEXBUG

$150

Gravitrax Starter Set Marble Run by Ravensburger

$55

Discovery Kids MINDBLOWN Dinosaur Fossil Excavation Kit

$13

National Geographic Break Open 10 Geodes

$25

My Fairy Garden Magical Cottage

$22

BRIO Builder Creative Set

$80

ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run

The goal of this game is always the same: To create a maze that will take your marble from the start position to the Target Tower. Powered by gravity, this maze will test your child’s visual perception and reasoning skills. The towers can be arranged in a variety of structures, but to win, each player has to think carefully to build a path that will carry the marble to the goal post. Without realizing it, your kiddo will pick up spatial reasoning and planning skills. It’s kind of a three-in-one game: part logic, part marble run, and part STEM toy. It contains 60 different challenges from rookie to expert, a game grid, nine towers, 1 target piece, and 3 marbles. Each challenge becomes harder and harder the more your kiddo plays. One mom said it’s a great toy for an only child who doesn’t always have a buddy to play with. There are laser and circuit versions of the game, too, in case your kids aren’t into the gravity version.

$30

PicassoTiles 100 Piece Magnetic Building Tiles

$50

MindWare KEVA Brain Builders Deluxe

$30

This article was originally published on March 25, 2020