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People often ask me what I did to get both of my kids to pursue engineering in college, but the truth is, kids are natural scientists. At the age of 2 or 3, toddlers start asking “why.” It’s easy to dismiss their endless questions but instead, harness their curiosity.

As kids get older, it’s important to find age-appropriate ways to spark their curiosity through hands-on engaging learning experiences. Encouraging them to ask questions and have lightbulb moments through play, classes, and observing the world around them is important.

Best STEM Gifts

As a former middle school computer science and engineering teacher and parent of two college students pursuing engineering as their careers, I’m very discriminating when it comes to including items on my Best STEM Gifts list.

This year my Best STEM Gifts features products that foster curiosity, help kids dream big, and nurture learning. Products emphasize mathematical processes involved in building, scientific discovery through experimenting, learning about electronics via circuitry, and toys and books that demystify computer programming.

My STEM gifts guide is broken down by age group. There are gifts for preschoolers (3-5 year olds), early elementary ages (ages 5-7), tweens (8-12 year olds), and teens too!

Best STEM Gifts for Preschoolers

Start-Up Circuits ($34.95)

Start-Up Circuits from MindWare is a fun way to teach the abstract concept of circuitry. The switch blocks and action tops are easy to snap together and the buttons are the perfect size for little fingers. Experiment with each different combination to create actual working pieces. A bright red line represents the wire inside each piece. When the line makes a continuous path across a switch block and action top, and the switch is pressed or pushed, the Star-Up Circuit springs into action. With a light that glows, a fan that spins and a siren that whistles, Start-Up Circuits will delight children as they learn how a circuit is a circle that can make fun things happen.

Magna-Tiles Travel Set ($19.99)

It may not seem like kids are learning through Magna-Tiles but these magnetic sets of triangles and squares teach so many things through meaningful play. They’re essential tools for cognitive development because they allow kids to explore geometric concepts, spatial relationships, and symmetry intuitively. As children experiment with building structures, they naturally develop skills in shape recognition, pattern formation, and critical thinking.

The Magna-Tiles Travel Set is the perfect first set or set to take with you everywhere. It comes with 26 migroMAGS magnetic tiles packaged in a metal tin that serves as storage and a base plate for building plus you can’t beat the price!

Junior Marble Run ($49.95)

This junior marble run features bright, sturdy pieces, easy-to-assemble pieces that encourage fine motor skills and trial and error. It includes with 14 oversized marble track pieces and 5 giant marbles, along with fun features, step-by-step instructions, and a sturdy storage tub. Best for ages 1+

How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown Up ($17.99)

Written with the intention to promote climate literacy and proactively combat climate anxiety in children, How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown-Up distills the complex science behind climate change in an engaging and fun way. Fun and fact-filled, it will empower kid experts to explore complex scientific concepts with any grown-up who will listen. Best for ages 4+

Tic-Tac-Toe Bolt ($39.99)

Tic-Tac-Toe Bolt is back on my list again this year because I love the versatility of this trio of Tic-Tac-Toe games and it’s abilty to age up as kids get older. Infinite Tac-Tac-Toe is like a better version of Tac-Tac-Toe that can be enjoyed by preschoolers who have mastered regular tic-tac-toe. Only 3 marks can be put for each O and X so when the 4^th mark is made, the 1^st one disappears. Elementary ages will delight in Cover-Up Tic-Tac-Toe where each piece comes in three sizes, and on each turn, you can place or move a piece.

Larger pieces can cover smaller ones—connect three of your color to win while exercising critical thinking and reasoning skills. Tweens will enjoy Memory Flash that tests and enhances memory because it requires the identification and recall of light sequences as kids clear all 9 progressive difficulties in one go to beat the game.

Best STEM Gifts for Early Elementary Ages

Chompsaw from ChompShop ($249)

When my kids were younger, cardboard was their building material of choice because it presented endless possibilities. The only tricky part of building with it was cutting. Cardboard is too thick for normal scissors and depending on the age of your child and your comfort level, a box cutter isn’t always a great idea but now ChompSaw by ChompShop solves that problem!

Unlike scissors or box cutters that fall short when crafting with cardboard, the ChompSaw features a rapid hole-punching mechanism that cuts through cardboard easily but poses no risk to little hands. Its built-in metal guard and lack of exposed spinning parts ensure that fingers, hair, and clothes remain safe. Kids can build freely and parents can rest easily as their young engineers design and build the coolest projects out of cardboard safely. Best for ages 5+

Make Your Own Birdhouse Kit from Mindware ($25)

Encourage your young ornithologist and engineer to construct their own birdhouse with this frustration-free kit that includes everything they need to create a home for their feathered friends. This all-in-one kit includes pre-cut wood pieces, paints, and brushes in the kids along with paint mixing and brush techniques, birdhouse basics, and how to identify birds that may visit your birdhouse. It is a great gift that kids can enjoy getting, making, and keeping an eye on throughout the seasons. Best for ages 5+

Pretty Good Science Jokes ($14.95)

Does the rotation of the Earth really make your day? Do you like to hear chemistry puns, periodically? Do you distrust atoms because they make up everything? Keep science fun with Pretty Good Science Jokes. This illustrated book is perfect for those who love witty science jokes, puns, and silly fact-based zingers. It gathers the best, most irresistibly corny, and slyly funny jokes from the fields of chemistry, biology, technology, physics, geology, astronomy, math, zoology, and more, this giftable hardcover collection sneaks scientific fact and insights into the basis of each humorous quip, making it a rewarding celebration for science lovers and a welcome invitation for the scientifically curious. Best for ages 5+

VertiPlay Magnetic Marble Run – Builder Set ($45)

Take play beyond the floor with the Magnetic Builder Set. Designed to work on any magnetic surface—from fridges to lockers—it transforms everyday spaces into labs of imagination. Kids can build marble runs, test ideas, and start over again, all through the joy of free play. With interchangeable magnetic tracks and accessories, the Builder Set is endlessly flexible. I love that it’s portable enough for quick setups, sturdy enough for hours of discovery, and is a smart, space-saving way to spark creativity, STEM learning, and screen-free fun at home or anywhere. Best for ages 5+

Completing the Puzzle ($28 per month/6 months)

Puzzles teach a wide range of skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, spatial awareness, teamwork, and communication. Plus, the trial-and-error process builds perseverance. Completing the Puzzle is a sustainable puzzle subscription where your family gets a new puzzle in the mail, completes it, and returns it for a new one. It’s perfect for puzzle loving kids and parents who want new puzzles without the clutter!

They also enhance fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, memory, and concentration. Working on puzzles with others can foster social skills like teamwork and communication, while the trial-and-error process builds perseverance.

Phenomenal Moments: Revealing the Hidden Science Around Us by Felice Frankel ($21.99)

Be a scientist through this incredible collection of vibrant photographs that combine art, science, and the world around us. I am in awe of how internationally acclaimed science photographer, Felice Frankel, zooms in and out on beautiful and brilliant moments all around us, revealing the chemical, natural, or physical processes—from viscosity and venation to chlorophyll and capillary action—behind scientific phenomena.

Organized into five thematic sections that explore light and shadow, form, surfaces, traces left behind, and transformation, this ingenious book is both a visual feast to savor. It’s also a guessing game that trains readers to look in a more layered, curious, and questioning way. Curious kids and their adults will love the close-up spreads offer abstract clues to phenomena revealed with every turn on the page.

Best STEM Gifts for Tweens

DIY Pinball Machine Kit ($37.99)

Made from the highest quality engineered wood, this Pinball Machine Kit allows tweens to build their own pinball machine and see physics in action through play. A step-by-step manual or video instructions guide tweens through the build using high quality laser cut wooden sheets, cushioning foam, and other included parts. 23 colorful balls for game play also included. Best for ages 8+

DIY Sewing kits from YumSumCha Designs ($25)

Sewing integrates STEM skills into crafting, DIY kits from YumSumCha Designs are a wonderful way to engage tweens in learning about materials science, fibers, textiles, pattern making and design, assembly, and problem solving to create the most darling Asian felt foods or ornaments while practicing fine motor skills and learning a life skill. Choose from ornament kits (noodle bowl, dumpling, or rice bowl) or dim sum kits that include felt siu mai and shrimp dumplings, felt egg tarts, or a felt piggy custard bao. All the materials you need (including pre-cut felt pieces!) plus easy to follow instructions are included in the box to make it easy to get sewing. There are also video tutorials for visual learners! Best for ages 9+

Organic Mini Mushroom Grow Kit ($15.99)

Mushroom loving tween botanists will love growing their own in just 10 days. Back to the Roots’ organic mushroom indoor kit allows you to grow your own crop all-year round. Just place the box near a window with indirect light, mist twice a day, and you’ll see delicious, beautiful mushrooms growing within a week. Included in this kit is an organic plant-based soil infused with mushroom spawn and a booklet with instructions. Best for ages 8+

Sweet & Salty from King Arthur Flour ($21.99)

Who wouldn’t love to try some kitchen chemistry to bake a Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie? Or snack on some Pizza Party Buns? Or learn how to make five different frostings to top off your favorite cupcakes? Sweet & Salty from King Arthur Flour features over eighty sweet, salty, and very, very tasty recipes that will have bakers of all ages rolling up their sleeves and breaking out their rolling pins. This book has recipes for all different tastes and three different skill levels, plus an introduction to terms and techniques that will get you tweens to bring the fun into the kitchen. Best for ages 8+

Mini Coloring Books- Space Edition ($28)

Even though A Brighter Year designed their mini coloring books for teens and adults, I think their Space Edition set is perfect for space-loving tweens who need a coloring break. Each pages takes just a few moments to color, making them perfect busy tweens who need a brain break. Each book is made of thick, high-quality paper great for markers, pencils, and pens and delivers 50 pages of creative mindfulness.

Best STEM Gifts for Teens

xTool F1 Ultra Dual Laser Engraver ($4249, regularly $4849)

There are many benefits of using laser cutters as teaching tools, such as empowering kids to create through hands-on-learning while inspiring future entrepreneurs. The xTool F1 Ultra Dual Laser Engraver can help kids develop a wide range of STEM skills along with ones in art and design. It fosters creativity, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary learning through hands-on laser cutting, engraving, and coding. As kids engineer prototypes to engrave wood, acrylic, leather, or metal, they learn about material science and how the properties of the materials respond to laser cutting and engraving.

Cricut Maker 4 ($379, regularly $399)

The Cricut Maker 4 is a smart cutting machine that writes, scores, engraves, foils, embosses, and more. It can cut over 300 different kinds of materials so it can be used for a wide variety of projects, like simple stickers and cards to more complex items like personalized apparel, wood decor, and even jewelry.

Kids start by brainstorming design ideas, drawing shapes using the Cricut Design Space software, and learning to translate their ideas into digital designs. Experimenting with colors, fonts, layouts, and different materials like vinyl, paper, cardstock, leather, and wood keeps interest high as create unique and personalized projects. Using different materials and tools teaches basic design principles like balance, contrast, and scale and there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing designs come to life.

Cricut EasyPress 3 ($119, regularly $199)

The Cricut EasyPress 3 is a heat press machine that can be used with a Cricut cutting machine to create various iron-on projects. Working with iron-on vinyl, applying the base materials, and using the EasyPress 3 to apply an even amount of heat requires dexterity and hand eye coordination. It also helps foster creative thinking, imagination, ability to follow instruction, organizational skills, patience, and concentration.

Clawlab ($459, regularly $569)

Clawlab combines textile art and technology to elevate the tufting experience for seasoned textile artists and newbies alike. As tufting rises from niche craft to a celebrated medium of self-expression, especially among Gen Z and young creators, Clawlab’s Tufting Gun and Tufting Frame are functional and thoughtfully designed for modern makers. These products aim to inspire, empower, and streamline the tufting experience across art, fashion, and interior design by empowering creators and eliminating common frustrations in the tufting process.

2025 Holiday Gift Guides

Below is the entire list of what you can look forward to this year. These links will go live as guides are published so bookmark or pin this post now so you can come back to it as you do your holiday shopping since I’ll be updating it often!

Favorite Advent Calendars for All Ages
Best Gifts College Students (inspired by my own college students!)
Best STEM Gifts for All Ages (preK-teen)
Best Subscriptions Boxes for All Ages
Best Gifts for Teachers
Best Hostess Gifts
Gifts for the Best Dogs and the People Who Love Them (inspired by Goldie and Murphy, of course)
Best Gifts for Outdoor Lovers (inspired by our family’s love of skiing, hiking, backpacking, water sports, and National Parks)
Favorite Ways to Teach Kids to Give Back

FAVORITE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDES FROM PAST YEARS

In case you wanted to start making your shopping lists now, here’s a look at past gift guides that are full of great ideas:

I hope you enjoy this year’s 2025 Holiday Gift Guide picks and wish you happy and stress-free holiday shopping!

Note to PR: I am happy to accept items for review to consider for specialty guides. Please be specific about the products you’d like me to consider reviewing in your pitch and thanks for understanding I’m on a short deadline to get most gift guides wrapped up before Thanksgiving and do not have the bandwidth to return samples during this extremely busy time of the year. Thank you!

Best STEM Gifts

Best STEM Gifts