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Please Help Me Find Great STEM Gifts for Kids — Parallax Forums

Please Help Me Find Great STEM Gifts for Kids

Keith YoungKeith Young Posts: 569
in General Discussion
As a STEM Educator I'm constantly asked by parents what they should get their kids for Christmas/birthdays.

I'm working on this article and adding to it as I find more:

https://www.kinvert.com/stem-gifts-for-kids-educational-toys/

Can you guys please let me know if there are other educational toys I should mention? Any accidental inaccuracies? Things I missed?

Of all the places on the internet, I think this is about the best place to ask this question. Don't know why I didn't think to ask earlier.

Currently the top of the list includes Parallax ActivityBot and Kerbal Space Program.

I wrote it back in November but I still get questions for birthdays, and Christmas will be back before we know it.

Thanks for the help fellas!

Comments

  • Courtney JacobsCourtney Jacobs Posts: 903
    edited 2018-02-28 18:19
    For computer-based educational games, I would suggest looking at Poly Bridge.

    It's simple, fun, and although it allows more creativity than pure physics would, it is good at encouraging critical thinking and problem solving.

    http://store.steampowered.com/app/367450/Poly_Bridge/
  • Roy ElthamRoy Eltham Posts: 3,000
    I would second Poly Bridge, and all the other games from that team. Train Valley is one of my favorite puzzle games ever.
    Here's a link to a bundle of their games: http://store.steampowered.com/bundle/3474/Elegant_Engineering/

    Another great set is here: http://store.steampowered.com/bundle/3556/Draknek__Co_Puzzle_Games/
    Cosmic Express and Sokobond especially!

    A couple more that are much more programmer centric (I'm a bit biased, being a programmer, but these are really fun to me):
    http://store.steampowered.com/app/370360/TIS100/
    http://store.steampowered.com/app/504210/SHENZHEN_IO/ <-- electronics and simple programming

    In fact, most of Zachtronic's games are great: http://store.steampowered.com/search/?developer=Zachtronics
    Opus Magnum & Infinifactory are less programmer-y ones from them, but still great.

    Another that I like: http://store.steampowered.com/app/427520/Factorio/ They have a free demo you can try too.

    Also, I think every kid should be given LEGOs, especially the cooler technic's based sets.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    I'd vote for anything that's completely open-ended and that requires tools to assemble and disassemble. The Erector Sets of yore fit this bill perfectly and fostered enormous creativity. I think the tools part is essential because I noticed an almost complete lack of tool literacy in some of my students when I taught robotics. In fact, one kid didn't know the difference between a screw and a nut -- seriously. I wish I could cite an example of toys that fit these parameters; but, alas, I cannot.

    However, if you're a parent, buy or build a decent workbench and stock it with quality tools, including a large vise. My dad did this when my two brothers and I were kids, and it was a constant beehive of activity, piled high with our various projects. I would prioritize this way above any particular toy or game.

    -Phil
  • Keith YoungKeith Young Posts: 569
    I might have to knock Cozmo down a pretty big peg. Kids worked on a demo for an event at a school tonight. Everything worked. Well 30 min before I leave for an event, 10 minutes ago, they updated the app and firmware but not SDK. So there is no way to have the robot run Python at this time. No warning. Right before a demonstration in front of a hundred kids. What a disaster.

    I've NEVER had a problem like that with Parallax. Very reliable for events like this. The Parallax stuff will work. Cozmo will be behind the table.
  • mikeologistmikeologist Posts: 337
    Check out this program Amazon's STEM toy subscription
    I've been subscribed with a student of mine on the other side of the country for several months now and we love all the toys so far. They also provide a nice discount.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »
    I'd vote for anything that's completely open-ended and that requires tools to assemble and disassemble. The Erector Sets of yore fit this bill perfectly and fostered enormous creativity. I think the tools part is essential because I noticed an almost complete lack of tool literacy in some of my students when I taught robotics. In fact, one kid didn't know the difference between a screw and a nut -- seriously. I wish I could cite an example of toys that fit these parameters; but, alas, I cannot.

    However, if you're a parent, buy or build a decent workbench and stock it with quality tools, including a large vise. My dad did this when my two brothers and I were kids, and it was a constant beehive of activity, piled high with our various projects. I would prioritize this way above any particular toy or game.

    -Phil

    This time I totally agree with you.

    But sadly Kids here in America are not allowed to use any tools and get not trained to do so in school. Shop classes are mostly gone. No woodworking, no metalwork, no fixing cars in school, heck even cutting Paper is deemed to be to DANGEROUS for kids. Don't even mention soldering.

    In Germany we have the same problem, we call it Helicopter Parents, constantly swirling around there precious offspring.

    I am rebuilding my home, so last summer break I had a couple of kids helping me. There parents agreed, so no trouble there. The boys where 14,15 and 16 not related to each other, just friends.

    Actually they where as much eager to help as useless in doing so. I had to explain even the simplest tools to them, they never HAD a sander in their hands and where unable to replace the sandpaper, for example.

    I had to explain to them that they need to fold the sheet sandpaper twice to have lines to cut, I had to explain how to put sandpaper on the sander, they where exited how easy it is to do so.

    They showed up every morning at 8 a clock - more punctual as my other helpers - and had a blast learning to do even simple things by them self. Like sanding some wood and staining it.

    I hear a lot of people complaining about millennials and kids not working/learning. My personal experience is quite different from that. If you show them what they can do with their own hands they ARE eager to learn skills and enjoy it.

    Mike
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »
    However, if you're a parent, buy or build a decent workbench and stock it with quality tools, including a large vise. My dad did this when my two brothers and I were kids, and it was a constant beehive of activity, piled high with our various projects. I would prioritize this way above any particular toy or game.
    Yes, yes, yes and yes again. To the degree that I can do anything useful with my hands at all it's because of my dad's workbench. With vise and tools.

  • Clock LoopClock Loop Posts: 2,069
    edited 2018-03-01 16:24
    https://www.teachersource.com/

    They have a stem page...

    But, all the best stuff isn't even on their stem list...

    Like....
    Magnet "film", micro magnets, ferrofluid, graphite, nitol wire, areogel, Star Coaster, Super Size Wave Spring, Robotic Arm Kit, 3D Standing Wave Machine, and don't forget your Erlenmeyer Mug. (i think someone mentioned doing actual things..... with actual hands...



    The meaning of life is... actually knowing what aerogel feels like.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Tying back into my leaded solder post, people have numerous objections to soldering (heat and lead), wires that poke, IC pins that hurt like a LEGO when you step on them barefoot...

    But cripes, if parents just take away everything that might ever hurt a kid, then we are devolving and all is lost.

    I'm still blown away by how most people are blown away by simple line followers. Saw that at Maker Fair in December, just saw it at NYTF last week. No one questions (or can fathom) the magical cell phone in their pocket, but show them a cheesy little $4 motorized PCB that tracks a line and they stop in their tracks. It's a crying shame that our educational system can't find a way to teach kids how to solder those together. IMHO, an investment of $4 and a few hours now is worth a year of college later.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/172854089141

    Keith, you are in a unique position to get these kids back on track. Here's one guy (teacher, maybe) who has his high school students racing these cheap line followers to push each other off the track. Good old fashioned fun!

  • Keith YoungKeith Young Posts: 569
    Poly Bridge has been added :)

    Thanks Erco. Checking those out.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Here's a similar line follower which uses worm gears instead of spur gearmotors. Requires more Mechanical assembly, so it's arguably steMmier!

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/D2-5-Intelligent-Tracking-Line-Car-DIY-Kit-Suite-TT-Motor-Electronic-Component/192289152912
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