Tech Toys and activities for Kids That Love STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)

When we think of tech toys, we often think of computer programs or video games-but there is so much more! Liz Schnabolk shared with Parents.com readers eight fun and engaging toys that bring STEAM education to life through robotics, animation, coding, and much more. While these STEAM toys are great for some families, some of us look for more cost-affordable ways to incorporate STEAM education games and activities for our kids. PBS KIDS ZOOM provides step-by-step instructions for STEAM activities that can be done at home or in the classroom. One of the great features of PBS KIDS ZOOM is that children can share their results or feedback on the activity with others on the site.

If your child has an eye for chemistry, PBS KIDS ZOOM has fun experiments that can be done with household items. With Baking Soda Bubbles, children use baking soda and vinegar or lemon juice to see if they get a chemical reaction.  Plastic Milk teaches kids to turn milk into a solid!  If your child prefers more of a design or engineering activity, they might be interested in activities like the Secret Candy Safe where they create an alarming safe to keep their secrets safe. Or possibly the ZOOM Egg Vehicle that combines the ZOOM Vehicle and the traditional Egg Drop. With PBS KIDS ZOOM, children can explore Forces & Energy, Life Sciences, Patterns, Sound, Structures, and even water!

If you are looking for STEAM activities for younger children, Curious George has activities that reinforce early learning concepts in math, science, and engineering.  Ready Jet Go! fosters curiosity about space at an early age, and our newest program, Splash and Bubbles, dives into marine biology and ocean science.

It can be nice for some to purchase new toys that keep education and learning at the forefront but in my personal opinion, the low cost, hands on activities that we can do with our children in our homes or in our classrooms are much more valuable and memorable to them.