What is STEM?
You might have seen the term STEM around, whether it was in one of our toy & craft descriptions, from another store or even just hearing it in a conversation! But what really is a STEM toy and what benefits can they bring to your child?
“STEM” is an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering, and math.STEM toys are multi-purpose learning tools that encourage the development of skills in these disciplines in an engaging way through play. These toys are developed with an educational concept to sharpen kid’s knowledge and can be a great way to encourage your child’s natural curiosity and promote open-ended learning. Their entertaining yet educational qualities have boosted their popularity amongst parents across the globe.
What Are The Benefits Of STEM Toys?
1. Enhance Creative Thinking & Imagination
What could be better than encouraging children to stretch their imagination to create something new and unique? Playing with STEM toys from a young age allows plenty of opportunities for kids to be creative, which helps them develop in areas of problem-solving, spatial reasoning, engineering concepts and not to mention the keepsake of amazing creations!
2. Improve Cognitive Skills
STEM toys can enrich children’s developing cognitive skills, such as their logical reasoning, problem-solving abilities, memory and critical thinking. Coming in all different skill levels ranging from easy to quite complex, this provides the opportunity for children of all ages to think critically, assess a problem, and come up with the best approach or solution. Children can therefore lean valuable skills that are useful throughout their lives where they can apply a divergent thinking approach to various situations they may encounter.
3. Improve Fine And Gross Motor Skills
There are a number of STEM toys that require eye-to-hand coordination. They may require building, constructing, model-making, and even learning how to balance!
4. Build Interpersonal Skills
Toys are a social experience. STEM toys can help children approach supposedly difficult topics in a play-like atmosphere, together with their peers and friends. This helps build their interpersonal skills and encourage working as a team.
5. Can Help To Make Learning Fun
Who says learning has to be boring? By introducing STEM toys, children are more likely to approach these subject areas with interest and excitement. This in turn can help them to associate science and math with a greater sense or freedom and fun!
6. Parent-Child Bonding
It's important to remember the crucial role parents can play in their children's development as well. Studies show that parents who regularly engage in their children’s education have kids who perform higher academically. So why not get involved with some hands-on experiments with your child at home! This is also a great opportunity for some fun parent-child bonding as it brings the whole family together.
Get Involved With Pack A Range's STEM Toys
- Build Your Own Ladybird
- Build Your Own Honey Bee
- Build Your Own Telescope Kit
- Build Your Own Plane Launcher
- Build Your Own Marble Run Set
- Build Your Own Microscope Kit
It’s never too early to introduce your little one to STEM topics. Provide children with STEM toys during their early years, and activate their interest in these subjects for success in school and beyond!