This article discusses some of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math and is an increasingly popular and important area of study for people of all ages.
STEM toys are designed to aid your child’s development by making playtime more meaningful by combining fun with education. To help you find the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds, this article identifies and discusses some of the top STEM toys for kids around age 5.
Comparison Chart
Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids Ages 4+, STEM Educational Toy, Early Programming for Kids, Learn to Code Robot for Homeschool & Classroom Ages 4-10
Osmo – Detective Agency – Ages 5-12 – Solve Global Mysteries – STEM Toy – For iPad or Fire Tablet (Osmo Base Required)
CubicFun Take Apart Robot Toys Vehicle Set 5 in 1 Construction Toys for 5 Year Old Boys STEM Toys Vehicles Transform into Robot for Kids Toys for 6 7 Year Old Boys Kids Building Toys Ages 5+
Veatree 206Pcs Magnetic Building Sticks Blocks Toys, Magnet Educational Toys STEM Toys for Kids and Adult, Building Toy 3D Puzzle with Storage Bag
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit – Over 15 Science Experiments & STEM Activities for Kids, Crystal Growing, Erupting Volcanos, 2 Dig Kits & 10 Genuine Specimens, an AMAZON EXCLUSIVE Science Kit
Best STEM Toys for 5-Year-Olds: Reviews
Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids
Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids makes our list of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds.
Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids is a STEM toys for kids ages 4 years and older that focuses on developing programming skills early in a child’s development without using a computer or software. Instead, the Matatalab Coding Robot Set teaches kids about fundamental coding concepts using blocks that represent a programming commands.
The Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids is perfect for any homeschool, playroom, or classroom setting. The Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids averages nearly 5 stars on Amazon.
Review best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids gives young kids a special opportunity to introduce themselves to the world of coding and electronics in a simple and comfortable way that engages them and brings them back for more.
Instead of requiring software and hardware like most robot sets, the Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids does not require you to have a device, internet, or application to use.
The Matatalab Coding Robot Set is a set of coding blocks that each have intuitive symbols on them that represent programming commands. The programming commands include concepts like movement, loops, numbers, and more.
The kits comes equipped with one command tower with an image recognition camera, a control board, 37 coding blocks, 3 challenge book, a two-sided game map, a USB-C cable, obstacles and flags. You can also get add ons for music, art, animation, and sensors.
With the Matatalab Coding Robot Set, there is no writing code in a computer. Rather, this STEM toy gives girls and boys an opportunity to play with code in their hands, so to speak.
Kids can go from no coding experience to playing with basic coding concepts. The Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids teaches kids how to program physical blocks using simple and core coding concepts like conditional statements, cause and effect, and debugging.
The Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids is develops logical thinking, problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration in ways that brings abstract computer concepts to life by using the physical world to demonstrate the results of the computer programs.
The Matatalab Coding Robot Set for Kids is a friendly, gentle, and fun way for girls and boys to learn at a young age about what you can do with software.
Pros best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
- Introduction to coding without requiring a computer or app
- Develops core STEM skills that are in-demand
- Safe and durable materials
- Good reviews
- Child-friendly
- Fun, engaging, and educational
Cons best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
The toy might not hold up forever
Osmo – Detective Agency
Osmo – Detective Agency makes our list of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds.
Osmo – Detective Agency is a detective and mystery-solving game, a great one for teaching your child various skills, including problem-solving, logical thought, deduction, and more. However, this game is designed to be played on either the Amazon Fire tablet or an iPad. These tablets are not included with your purchase.
Review best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
The Osmo – Detective Agency is designed for children ages 5 to 12. It comes with various activities with different degrees of difficulty, from beginner to expert. These games will teach your child a variety of skills.
The Osmo – Detective Agency game involves using a map and magnifying glass. Your child will search the map for various items and landmarks and learn different cultural, historical, and geographical facts.
Osmo – Detective Agency is an excellent game for developing critical thinking, logical thought, and problem-solving skills. Your child will have to solve mysteries. The game is fantastic in terms of memory and overall cognitive thought.
Osmo – Detective Agency combines STEM learning with basic education. Your child will learn about various parts of the world and cultures. Kids must observe and engage in logical thought to solve the multiple mysteries.
In addition, Osmo – Detective Agency is pretty self-guided. There are some instructions, but your child has a lot of choices. This also helps your child develop decision-making skills. All in all, this is an excellent factually educational game for this age group.
Overall, Osmo – Detective Agency is designed to be played on either the Amazon Fire tablet or an iPad.
These tablets are not included with your purchase.
Osmo – Detective Agency comes with various activities with different degrees of difficulty, from beginner to expert. These games will teach your child a variety of skills, including problem-solving, logical thought, deduction, and more.
Pros best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
- Your kids will learn many facts
- Excellent historical and geographical education
- Great for developing cognitive thought
- Varying levels of difficulty
- Totally child-friendly
- Very interactive and entertaining
Cons best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
Requires a tablet
CubicFun Take Apart Robot Toys
CubicFun Take Apart Robot Toys makes our list of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds.
We are moving away from screens and technology and back to hands-on building activities.
CubicFun Take Apart Robot Toys is an excellent educational toy that enables your child to build and take apart various vehicles. It’s a good game for developing manual dexterity.
Review best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
Your child can build a really cool robot using various included components.
Moreover, the CubicFun Take Apart Robot Toys can then be taken apart, and the parts can be used to create other vehicles such as trucks and military tanks. This toy includes robots and military vehicles, so you’d think it’s designed for young boys. However, there’s no reason young girls cannot play with it as well.
A small screwdriver is included to assemble and take apart the various builds. For one, this helps teach construction skills and about tools. Moreover, it improves your child’s manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
Just to make it a little more fun for your kids, the head of the robot makes sounds and has flashing lights. The robot and the trucks have wheels that move. Your child can use it like a classic toy or an action figure. It’s a great way to combine cognitive and manual development and playtime.
In addition, the CubicFun Take Apart Robot Toys meets all safety standards. It is made of highly durable ABS plastic and doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals. None of the components appear small enough to swallow, and there aren’t any sharp edges. The plastic is durable enough to withstand all of the punishment your child can put it through.
The included instructions are minimal, and the game is designed to help increase your child’s frustration tolerance. They have to determine how the separate pieces are attached to each other by themselves.
In the absence of clear instructions, it can be a little difficult to get started.
The CubicFun Take Apart Robot Toys is a great STEM toy that can help with your child’s development in many different ways. CubicFun Take Apart Robot Toys is perfect for children who are three years and up. If you’re looking for an educational toy that will keep your child entertained, then CubicFun Take Apart Robot Toys is a great choice.
Pros best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
- Great for boys
- Trains manual dexterity, building skills, cognitive thought, and more
- Child safe components
- Very durable
- Combines playtime with education and development
- Reasonable price
- Bright colors, flashing lights, and robot sounds
- Does not need batteries
Cons best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
- More for boys than girls
- Can be pretty difficult to figure out the assembly process
Veatree Magnetic Building Sticks STEM Toy
Veatree Magnetic Building Sticks STEM Toy makes our list of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds.
The Veatree Magnetic Building Sticks STEM Toy is an educational STEM toy designed for young builders and architects. This is an excellent toy to consider if you have a child who enjoys playing with physical objects and working with their hands. It’s worth mentioning that this toy comes at a very reasonable price.
Review best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
The Veatree Magnetic Building Sticks STEM Toy is rated for ages 5 and up. It comes with 206 pieces, including both magnetic sticks and balls. The sticks act as the frames for the construction, whereas the balls are the connector pieces. Your child can combine the sticks and balls to build various items.
Your child’s imagination is the limit. The components can be used to build various buildings, vehicles, and random objects of all sorts. This focuses on visualization, construction, and spatial awareness skills. Your child has to visualize what they want to build and then make it.
This also develops basic cognitive skills such as problem-solving and logical deduction. The Veatree Magnetic Building Sticks STEM Toy is a very hands-on set, so your child will improve their manual dexterity. It’s also good for improving hand-eye coordination.
The included components are very durable. The magnets cannot be removed from the sticks, which helps safety. However, your child should be at a certain age to use this toy because there are some pretty small components that can be swallowed.
Moreover, the sticks come in dark and light blue, dark and light green, yellow, pink, orange, red, and purple, making this toy colorful and visually appealing. Children are attracted to colorful and bright things.
Overall, the Veatree Magnetic Building Sticks STEM Toy is an excellent STEM toy that can be used to teach various skills. It’s affordable, colorful, and durable. The only downside is that it’s not recommended for children below 5 years old.
When it comes to STEM toys, one of the most popular options on the market today are construction sets like the Veatree Magnetic Building Sticks STEM Toy.
Pros best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
- Ideal for young architects
- Trains visualization and special awareness
- Great for creativity
- Trains manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination
- Great for boys and girls over 5-years-old
- Very durable components
- Reasonable price
Cons best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
- Small parts are easy to lose
- Not for very young children – Choking hazard
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit
The NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit makes our list of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds.
The NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit is designed for young scientists, geologists, and more. This fantastic little science kit involves geology, paleontology, and more. It comes at a reasonable price and will provide your child with hours of educational fun.
Review best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
The NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit includes a variety of aspects. First, you get a large volcano that acts as a science experiment. The vinegar and baking soda volcano is a simple scientific experiment and always entertaining for children. Other science experiments include dueling water tornadoes.
There are crystals, rocks, and other specimens for your child to unearth; in terms of paleontology and archaeology, two small geological dig kits are included. This is a very hands-on science kit designed for children to use their hands.
However, there is also a lot of thinking involved. It’s an excellent way to teach your child about geology and develop problem-solving skills and logical thought in a practical setting. Your children should have hours of fun and exploration with this National Geographic science kit.
The NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit comes in a box that makes everything easy to organize. Also, the components are pretty child safe. However, there are some small components that can be swallowed or lost, although this should not be a problem for a 5-year-old child.
It is also worth noting that the components are designed with durability in mind because children put their toys through a lot of punishment. Finally, the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit is a social toy, as multiple children can participate simultaneously.
Overall, the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit is an excellent STEM toy that should not be missed. It’s perfect for budding young scientists, geologists, and archaeologists. It will provide your child with hours of educational fun while teaching them about geology and developing problem-solving skills.
Pros best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
- Great for young scientists, geologists, paleontologists, and more
- Very hands-on and interactive
- Bright and colorful
- Durable components
- Highly educational in nature
- Fairly child safe
- Well organized
Cons best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
A few very small components
Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Kidscope
The Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Kidscope makes our list of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds.
The Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Kidscope is another STEM toy for young scientists, especially potential chemists, biologists, entomologists, and epidemiologists. If you think that your child would like to use a microscope, this is the toy to get.
Review best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
The Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Kidscope STEM toy is designed for children ages 5 and up. It encourages scientific discovery and exploration. Your child gets a small child-friendly microscope intended to take a good deal of punishment if it is dropped. Moreover, it also comes with soft eyepieces to make it comfortable for your children. This unit actually works and allows for up to 3X magnification.
All components of the Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Kidscope are child-friendly. There are no sharp edges, nothing can be swallowed, and there aren’t any toxic chemicals.
There are 60 real-item images to examine under the microscope. These include insects and animals, plants, and more. Your child can zoom in on these images to really explore them. It’s also quite interactive and fun to play with, as everything is very colorful and visually appealing.
In addition, the Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Kidscope kit includes a science guide with over 200 fun yet educational facts. This science guide explains the enclosed slides and images in great detail.
The Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Kidscope science-based STEM toy is factually educational in nature. However, it does also help keep some critical thinking skills. It also teaches a child the basics of how to use a microscope.
Overall, the Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Kidscope microscope is a great toy for kids who want to learn about science and nature. It’s also perfect for budding scientists who want to explore the world around them.
Pros best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
- Ideal for many ages
- Great for young scientists
- Develops logical thought and critical thinking
- Very factually educational
- Teaches a child how to use a microscope
- Assists in the development of manual dexterity
- Durable build
Cons best STEM toys for 5-year-olds
- Minimal magnification
- The light doesn’t work very well
- Needs batteries
Best STEM Toys for 5-Year-Olds Buyer’s Guide
Before shopping for the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds, there are a few factors to consider.
The Topic
The first thing to consider is the topic that the toy addresses. Some of the toys we reviewed on our list of best STEM toys for 5-year-olds are about building, some about science experiments, some about geology, and more. You want to focus on a topic you want your child to learn about.
The Type of Learning
Next, what kind of learning or education do you want your child to gain from one of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds?
Some of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds are designed for memory, logical thought, and basic cognitive skills. Others are designed more for spatial awareness and construction skills. Some excel at training your children’s manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination. What does the toy provide?
Age Range
We reviewed our list of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds, but many of these toys have age ranges. Consider what developmental stages your child is in. Your 3-year-old might be advanced enough to use a toy design for a 5-year-old. It depends on the child, so you will need to make a judgment call here.
Build Quality
Build quality and durability of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds are always important. Children are pretty rough with their toys; they won’t be careful with them, and this means that the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds need to be built to last.
Educational Focus
the educational focus is important. A toy that is designed to teach your child about science should have educational content that is age-appropriate and interesting. The same goes for a building toy; it should challenge your child without being frustrating.
Best STEM Toys for 5-Year-Olds FAQ
What Skills Do STEM Toys Develop?
Generally speaking, these toys develop various cognitive skills, manual dexterity, and more. Critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning are at the forefront.
Why Are STEM Toys Important?
STEM toys are essential because they help children develop various skills at a young age. The earlier your child learns these skills, the better they will be in the real world. These are all skills that can be applied in the real world.
Do STEM Toys Actually Teach Science and Math?
Yes, the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds teach technology, engineering, mathematics, and science. However, the focus is on applying these subjects rather than book learning or memorization.
How Much Should I Spend on a STEM Toy?
This depends on the quality of the toy and the brand. You can find some great options for under $50, while others may cost over $100. It really depends on what you are looking for and how much you want to spend.
Are STEM Toys Only for Boys?
No, there are many of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds that are marketed to girls. However, there are still more that are marketed to boys. This is slowly changing, but there is a lot of work to be done in this area.
What If My Child Is Already Interested in STEM?
If your child is already interested in STEM, then you have a great opportunity to further their education with a toy that is both fun and educational. These toys can help your child learn more about their interests and develop new skills.
Conclusion
We think the Matatalab Coding Robot Set and the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit are the best STEM toy for 5-year-olds on our list.
Regarding the Matatalab Coding Robot Set, coding and electronics are fun and engaging STEM activities and in-demand skills for the real-world.
As for the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Earth Science Kit, Sometimes there’s nothing better than a hands-on science experiment kit. That said, all five of the STEM toys reviewed are excellent for helping your children develop.
Thank you for reading our review of the best STEM toys for 5-year-olds. Check out our other reviews of the best STEM toys for kids of a variety of ages. Also try Scratch coding for kids. Have fun learning and building!
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