Are you looking for a great tech gift for your tech-savvy children? Technology toys have come a long way and have improved over the tech toys of even five years ago. Many of the gifts on this list are not only fun, but they also teach STEM skills like coding and engineering and more. These have good reviews and many of them have won awards from various education and parenting organizations. Check out this list for some great ideas.
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Anki Cozmo
Cozmo is an educational robot that kids (and adults) can use to learn to code. Kids can challenge Cozmo to games or learn in the explorer mode. It is controlled with the free Cozmo app on either an iOS or Android device. Thanks to Artificial Intelligence, like what Amazon Echo and Google Home use, Cozmo is able to express emotions and can continue to evolve with use. The recommended age for Cozmo is 8 and up.
Cut in Half: The Hidden World Inside Everyday Objects
Cut in Half: The Hidden World Inside Everyday Objects is the perfect book for your budding engineer that wants to know how everything works and what things look like on the inside. Kids can see inside a laptop, a golf ball, a vacuum cleaner and dozens of other objects.
Dash, Dot and Cue Coding Robots
Dash, Dot, and Cue are robots made for teaching kids coding and problem-solving. Dash and Dot are suitable for ages 6 and up. Dash uses voice commands and comes with challenge cards for coding activities. Dot comes with 20 project cards for projects like crafting, active play, storytelling, construction, and playing games. Dash and Dot also both work with apps that are compatible with iOS, Android, and Kindle devices. Cue is a little more advanced and suitable for ages 11 and up. Cue teaches beginning coding and transitions to advanced coding. Kids can start out with block-based coding and later transition to text-based JavaScript coding. With interactive AI, Cue comes with four personalities available and can chat or tell jokes and comes with 40 challenges. Cue works with iOS, Android, Chromebooks, Windows 10, and Kindle Fire.
Klutz Lego Chain Reactions + Klutz Lego Crazy Contraptions
Klutz Lego Chain Reactions and Crazy Contraptions teaches kids how to use Legos to design and build moving machines. It comes with step by step instructions and all the pieces needed to build the machines. This kit is recommended for ages 8 and up.
LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox Fun Robot Building Set and Educational Coding Kit for Kids
This LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox Fun Robot Building Set is great for building, learning, coding, and programming and is suitable for ages 7 and up. It contains 847 LEGO pieces and can be built into five different multifunctional models. A tablet or cell phone is necessary for coding and is not included. The app is compatible with iOS, Android, Kindle, and Windows 10 devices. This robot kit can be combined with other Boost kits to extend learning and play.
littleBits Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit
littleBits Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit allows kids to built their own R2D2 and then use an app on an iOS or Android device to control it (device not included). It comes with step by step instructions for building it and then using the app to code and program the robot. Kids can code using block-based coding and it comes with 20+ missions included in the free app. It is recommended for ages 8 and up.
Osmo Genius Kit for iPad
Osmo Genius Kit transforms an existing iPad or Kindle Fire into a hands-on learning tool. It encourages visual thinking, problem-solving, and drawing skills and includes five different learning games. There are also other Osmo Kits available for purchase. It is recommended for ages 5 and up.
Piper Computer Kit – Teach Kids to Code – Hands On STEM Learning Toy
Piper Computer Kit allows kids to build their own computer with step by step instructions. This version includes a Raspberry Pi Minecraft Edition. they can learn to code with seven fun physical electronics games that they code themselves. The Piper Computer Kit will teach your child critical thinking skills, engineering, electronics, circuits, programming, and coding with hands-on play. It is recommended for ages 7 and up.
Snap Circuits Electronics Discovery Kits
Snap Circuits Electronics Discovery Kits are available in several different sizes and price ranges. Snap Circuits gives your child a hands-on introduction to electronics. Each kit comes with instructions for building delayed lights, radios, burglar alarms and more. You can purchase kits with 100+, 300+, 500+, and 750+ projects and the kits can be combined for more learning fun. No tools are required as the parts all snap together. This is suitable for ages 8 and up.
Sphero SPRK+ STEAM Educational Robot
Sphero SPRK Robot is an educational robot powered by the Sphero app (device not included). It is compatible with iOS, Android, Kindle, and Chrome. There are several different versions of the Sphero Robot. They are good for beginners that can draw a line in the app for the path they want the robot to take. Then a user can progress to using block coding and continue learning until they can code using text programming and writing in JavaScript. Sphero is suitable for ages 8 and up.
Gravitrax Starter Set Marble Run & STEM Toy
Take the Marble Run toy to the next level with the GraviTrax interactive Starter Set Marble Run. The Gravitrax is a track system allows you to design and build your own race tracks and experiment with engineering, gravity, magnetism, and kinetics to propel your ball to the finish.
Are there any other great tech toys that you would recommend for kids? Tell us in the comments below.