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Sonoma Family Life Magazine

16 Geeky Games for Kids

By Kimberly Blaker

Today, it’s more crucial than ever that children develop a keen interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Over the coming decades, the pace of scientific and technological advancement is expected to climb at an exponential rate. As a result, STEM professions will continue to grow. 

So how do you help your child develop an appreciation for STEM? Play! There are numerous games, toys, and kits on the market that make learning STEM loads of fun. Here are some of the best.

Big Bag of Science Ages 8+ With this kit, kids can perform more than 70 fun activities in the areas of chemistry, physics, biology, geology, magnetism, weather, and flight. Kids use real scientific tools, which are included in the kit, to do their experiments.

DoughLab: Bake and Learn Ages 6+ This yummy bread-making kit includes five experiments through which kids can learn about the power of yeast and discover the perfect recipe.

ETI Toys Lil’ Engineers Engineering Blocks Ages 3–6 This box of colorful, multi-sized and multi-shaped blocks, screws, nuts, plates, wheels, and connectors keeps kids engrossed for hours. Kids can build 12 different toy designs while developing their motor skills, eye-hand coordination, logical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Goobi Construction Set Ages 3+ Kids learn about magnetism while constructing 3D structures out of colorful plastic bars, iron balls, and tripods. Children will develop a sense of proportion while improving eye-hand coordination, problem-solving skills, and learning the basics of physics, geometry, and architecture.

Gravity Maze Ages 8+ Kids use spatial reasoning skills to arrange towers to create a path for a marble to travel. It includes 60 challenge cards ranging from beginner to expert.

Green Kid Crafts Rainforest Science Box Ages 3–10 This kit embraces kids’ creativity while encouraging them to explore science. Kids can conduct a rainforest pollution experiment, create a rain stick, and build a rainforest terrarium, among other activities.

IQ Fit Ages 6+ This spatial reasoning and problem-solving game boasts 120 challenges in which kids must fill the board with the missing 3-D pieces. It’s a compact travel size game and a great value.

Magformers Ages 3+ These magnetic geometric construction kits come in a variety of choices. Kids can build 3D structures, such as houses, pyramids, and balls, out of colorful magnetic triangles, diamonds, trapezoids, and squares.

MudWatt STEM Kit: Clean Energy from Mud! Ages 8+ Kids will love building a living fuel cell with soil and ingredients from the fridge. With the help of a free app, kids can measure the fuel cell power and track microbe growth.

Osmo Genius Kit Ages 6–10 This kit boasts five games that turn an iPad into a hands-on learning experience. On the iPad, Osmo interacts with every real-live move. This kit enhances kids’ visual thinking, creative problem-solving skills, and self-expression.

Prime Climb Ages 10+ Learning to add, subtract, divide, and multiply is a breeze with this award-winning mathematics board game.

Qurious Space Ages 3+ This 4-in-1 family card game teaches kids about the solar system, the Milky Way, and more. Kids learn simple strategy and creative problem-solving skills while developing vocabulary and enhancing their memory.

Rock On! Geology Game Ages 5+ Kids explore the Earth’s geological treasures in this fun science game. It comes complete with an assortment of rock and mineral specimens.

Sequence for Kids Ages 3–6 The goal in this strategy-building card and board game is to be the first to place four chips in a row. The challenge is to think strategically and finish before your opponent uses a unicorn card to remove a chip.

Snap Circuits Ages 8+ Keep kids busy and learning with these electronics discovery kits, which come in several variations and have won numerous awards. Various kits include phototransistors, LEDs, resistors, ICs, DC motors, flying propellers, electromagnets, lamps, switches, and much more. Kids can make an AM radio, burglar alarm, doorbell, flying saucer, and voice recorder.

ThinkFun Rush Hour Ages 8+ Winner of a national Mensa award, this traffic gridlock game sharpens kids’ planning and sequential reasoning skills. There are 40 challenges, from beginner to expert. The goal is to move cars through the puzzle until the red car escapes the traffic jam. 

Kimberly Blaker is a freelance parenting writer. She’s also founder and director of KB Creative Digital Services, an Internet marketing agency: kbcreativedigital.com.