I received the Crystal growing set in exchange for this post.
STEM toys are in their absolute prime right now. Children have so much choice to help them learn about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and it’s something I wish I had access too when I was growing up. As much as I’ve always loved humanities and English and literature there were times when I wanted to learn how to make things and STEM toys would have been the foundation for that. I would have loved a Crystal growing kit like this one that was gifted to my daughter to use. We haven’t had the time to use it just yet with Evie being with her dad for most of the Christmas holidays and it’s something she’s been eagerly waiting to do together but I’ll be posting a full review of the I’m Genius Crystals kit soon to show off our creations. You can purchase this alongside many other STEM toys from Toys and Bears.
The I’m Genius Crystal kit comes with everything you need to make a set of grow your own crystals and a really informative book on crystals and different creations you can make. There is also a useful leaflet talking about kitchen substitutes you can use as reagents to recreate the experiements. I think once you have the intructions booklet and an understanding of how the kit works it would be able to be done again or more experiements could be explored.
The foundation of STEM toys I think really starts with lego, or duplo, for the younger years and something my son loves to build things with. It’s colourful, versatile and really allows your imagination to lead in what you can create. There are plenty of other building blocks around too from branded names to low cost versions and made of a variety of different materials too. We also have plain wooden blocks and shape sorters for my younger son which have been great for his development and understanding of colour, size and shapes.
Children as well are drawn to our electronics because we spend so much time playing with our own gadgets I am always on the hunt for games and apps that can help develop their learning. We love video games so we are not a family that shy’s away from tablets and electronic devices but I do want to see some learning going on. We have access to audiobooks which are a great way to relax to and an alternative to reading. I remember Evie had a mathematics game which really helped her with her numbers and as a result maths is an area she does really well with in school.
Children will always learn best through play and to encourage their learning STEM toys can develop a passion for a subject that can turn into a hobby and a lifelong career. The possibilities really are endless and with so much choice at a variety of prices it makes it easy for parents to choose STEM toys to help develop their child’s interest and passion for inventing, creating and developing technical skills that will help them continously through their lives.
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