Unlocking the Power of STEM Toys for Educational Growth

Have you ever wondered what toys are best for our special needs kids? Check out STEM toys. These are Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math based toys geared toward curiosity, learning, and education. STEM-related toys and products help Autistic kids develop useful skills in areas in which the career industry is continually seeing growing in.

It sounds like a dream come true to have toys for autistic kids that would keep them entertained while also promoting their education and motor skills, doesn't it?

What are STEM toys?

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math are referred to as STEM. With their clear objectives and emphasis on creativity and problem-solving abilities, these toys encourage kids to learn while having fun.

Applying each to the actual world helps our children with autism learn more about these various areas using STEM toys.

STEM Education

A school program called STEM education is built around the idea of teaching the fundamentals of STEM-related disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

STEM toys are geared towards inculcating curiosity and facilitating learning, and education.

Benefits of STEM toys for children with ASD

If you have ever wondered about the ideal toys for our Autistic kids and about what benefits kids can get from playing with toys, STEM toys are the answer.

These learning toys have a significant positive impact on educational well-being.

When children realize they can grasp ideas related to maths and science, it boosts their confidence and they open up to these topics in their later years as well.

Some benefits include:

Enhancing divergent thinking
Enhancing creativity
Develop hand-eye coordination capabilities
Promoting spatial skills
Making learning fun and interactive: As parents, we have to ensure that education and learning are fun, interesting activities for kids. And that’s what STEM toys do. They incorporate learning concepts from technology, maths, and science into simple ideas that can be easily grasped by children.
Improve motor coordination skills: STEM technology toys also improve hand-eye coordination and motor skills significantly. The more the kids are exposed to motor activities, the stronger and more confident they get about using their hands and fingers. It is especially good to introduce these technology toys at an early age for the best results.
Improve problem-solving skills: STEM toys encourage original thought and improve cognitive learning at a fast pace. Kids are encouraged to think independently and use their intelligence to overcome hurdles. Not only does the child approach problems independently, but they’re also open to facing struggles confidently.
Encourage the development of creativity: STEM Toys encourage the development of originality in children. They comprise educational learning toys for kids. These abilities nurture their capabilities to think critically and approach each activity with a fresh approach, preparing them for the professional world.

What STEM toys are recommended?

There is a variety of different STEM Toys, focusing on core disciplines in coding, engineering, chemistry, mechanical toys, and more. These toys are a great way to reinforce the importance of learning in a fun way.

Recent research on educational toys suggests that some of the best STEM toys are the classics like building blocks, puzzles, and other fun options.

Anything that allows children to build, play, experiment, and build again will teach spatial and mathematical skills. Moreover, some of these activities can be done with extremely affordable materials and have a wide array of options.

According to Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a psychologist at Temple University who studies learning in early childhood, the best STEM toys are active, engaging, meaningful, social, and fun.

Some of the most affordable and convenient STEM toys for Autistic kids are:

Wooden Blocks: According to Jeffrey Trawick-Smith, a professor emeritus at the Center for Early Childhood Play at Eastern Connecticut University, wooden and other types of blocks are a "magical" toy for young children. They allow for endless creativity, meaning kids can return to the same set again and again. They also encourage social play and mathematical thinking.
Magnetic tile building blocks: Magnetic tile building blocks allow kids to learn about engineering concepts. In the 2013 TIMPANI toy study, magnetic tiles impressed researchers by prompting kids to problem-solve. The magnetism spurred the kids' creativity and interest in experimenting, they found. These toys have lasting power and are engaging for kids as well.
Toys for coding: As computers have become crucial for many careers, interest in teaching young kids the fundamentals of coding and programming has also become essential.
Puzzles: Puzzles stretch the brain’s spatial abilities and enable better development. A 2012 study in the journal Developmental Psychology revealed that Autistic kids who regularly played with puzzles in the early years of life performed better in tasks that required problem-solving later on. Depending on age, kids can try 100-piece puzzles, or 200-piece puzzles, or work with the whole family on larger, more complex ones.
LEGO bricks: A step up from Mega Bloks and Duplo, LEGO is the classic building toy that encourages spatial reasoning and creativity. LEGO building toys are extraordinarily popular among autistic children. They offer a simple, predictable, repeatable activity that can be accomplished alone without outside help. Lego bricks offer the added bonuses of requiring strong fine motor skills and significant hand strength, and requiring spatial, visual, and analytical skills.
Card games: Card games encourage a grasp of counting and basic math, and they encourage the social connections that help kids enjoy STEM activities. A plain old deck of cards can be used to play most of these games.
Board games: Any board game that requires counting or the use of dice or a numerical spinner will teach kids math without them even realizing it. Math-friendly elementary-school-level choices abound, including Monopoly Jr or Enchanted Forest, a game that requires kids to count strategically to reach particular spots on the board.
Trains: Most children like and are absolutely intrigued by wooden or electric train sets. A modest train set promoted a lot of imaginative play in youngsters, according to the 2013 TIMPANI toy research, and train sets were especially effective in encouraging cooperation.

Experts speak on STEM toys

The best STEM toys, in the opinion of Laura Phillips, a clinical neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute, foster our kids' creativity and help them learn to adapt to changing circumstances and solve issues in a hands-on, enjoyable, and engaging manner.

Teachers of special needs children concur that interacting with STEM toys helps children develop a higher tolerance for frustration and fosters tenacity, two traits that will be beneficial to them in many aspects of life.