Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) are essential in kids’ education today. But when they aren’t in school, you may wonder how to keep your children’s minds engaged when they’re just playing with their toys. There are tons of options for educational play, and “educational toys” have evolved to be fun and engaging. Let’s explore:
Here is a list of cool STEM toys for six year olds. Not only will these toys reinforce what they’ve already learned, but they will teach them (and you!) something new before the school year even starts.
- Stomp Rocket
- National Geographic’s Mega Gemstone Dig Kit
- TACTBIT Classic STEAM Cube New Set
- Straw Constructor Building Toy
- Airzooka Air Blaster
- Snap Circuits Beginner
- Magicfly Marble Run Set
- Cubetto Playset Coding Toy
- Flying Gyroscope
Stomp Rocket
Not only will your child learn about force and energy, but they’ll get in some physical activity with this fun toy! Assembly is easy, and there are no batteries required. The rockets are powered by the ferocious stomps of your little ones, and oh, will they love stomping on this!
Some of the excellent features of this Stomp Rocket game include:
- Three uniquely-designed planes that do stunts
- Planes designed by aeronautical engineers
- An adjustable launch stand for flying variations
- A stomp pad with an air hose for launching
- Kids can play alone and with others
Help them learn about how air can be used as a force as they stomp their feet on the little pump that shoots off a foam rocket, sending it soaring into the air. Stomp rockets will teach them all about the compression of air and how pressure is used for energy. This is just the toy to ease your child into the world of physics!
Related Post: We made our own rockets out of paper and used one of the stomp rocket launchers to send them flying.
Also, be sure to check out Stomp Racer Cars!
National Geographic’s Mega Gemstone Dig Kit
Digging kits like this one from National Geographic have full crystal and gemstone sets that are sure to catch your six-year-old’s eye. They will undoubtedly love digging around and searching for gems like a real geologist! Most kits come with a range of different stones that are pretty to look at and fun to learn about.
This gemstone set comes with:
- 15 different gemstones (including amethyst, obsidian, tiger’s eye, and more)
- Dig brick, chisel, and magnifying glass
- Full booklet explaining the properties of each mineral
Geology will help them learn how gemstones are formed, the different properties of each stone, and even how they are mined. Dig kits like these keep kids entertained for hours, and they’ll love telling you about all of the cool things that they learned! If your child really loves it (or may prefer dinosaurs to gems), you might want to check out National Geographic’s Mega Fossil Dig Kit, too.
TACTBIT Classic STEAM Cube Set
Tactbits are magnetic blocks with built in LED lights maintain their circuitry and shine bright. The blocks snap together and can rotate.
Each set comes with 6 color cubes, 2 color changing clear cubes, 1 power cube, 1 music cube, and 2 wheels cubes. The lights are charged via USB and the charging cable is included. There is also a STEAM learning booklet with 7 guided lessons. The color tiles are translucent, so the blocks with LED lights illuminate the rest of the connected blocks.
The Tactbit STEAM Cube Set can help your six-year-old to:
- Improve hand-eye coordination and motor skills
- Learn about magnetism
- Improve color recognition and differentiation
- Foster imagination and creativity
Tactbits are expandable, so you can combine multiple sets together. For more fun, check out the HUGE TACTBIT Double Classic set.
If your kid loves blocks that snap together, check out what we had to say about Magnetic Tiles in this post.
Straw Constructor Building Toy
This toy is perfect for the creative, engineer-minded child. It comes with tons of straws as well as a bunch of plastic connectors can turn into amazing structures, all with the power of imagination.
The straw constructor set can help your six-year-old to:
- Improve hand-eye coordination
- Improve color recognition and differentiation
- Foster imagination and creativity
This toy will keep them occupied for hours of fun as they learn about shapes, geometry, and construction. This toy gives children their first introduction to engineering science while simultaneously providing lots of creative fun. If there are enough straws, they may even be able to build a fort that’s big enough for them to walk through!
Airzooka Air Blaster
This next toy is sure to blow your kids away. This air cannon is a handheld toy made with an elastic backing that shoots a concentrated puff of air. Kids will spend all day running around shooting out puffs of air.
The Airzooka Airblaster is:
- Great for kids and adults six and up
- Lightweight and ambidextrous
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
This is a toy that can teach kids about force and air particles. Kids will have an absolute blast (pun intended) blowing air at their friends and maybe even knocking over a house of cards!
Snap Circuits Beginner
It’s positively shocking how much kids love to learn about circuits. A set like this provides hours of entertainment, and all the while, your six-year-old will learn about electricity, conduction, and insulation. It’s certainly a great way to keep little minds engaged as they figure out new ways to turn on the light bulb!
Some of the remarkable features of this Snap Circuits game include:
- 14 parts for over 20 different projects
- Colorful follow-along manual
- Extra safety features
This is a beginner set that’s perfect for a gift or to gauge your child’s interest. Snap Circuits have many different sets, and the pieces are compatible with each other. The more Snap Circuits you have to play with, the more complex creations you can build.
Check out the Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 or the Snap Circuits LIGHT Electronics Exploration Kit.
Magicfly Marble Run Set
Marble runs teach your six-year-old all about gravity and physics! Not only will they get to see potential energy in action, but also they’ll use their imagination and motor skills to construct a track for their marble.
This marble run set is:
- Easy to build
- Complete with 127 pieces
- Safe with non-toxic plastic
Your kids will love watching the marbles travel down the track, hitting obstacles, and causing chain reactions. Get it online or look for it at your local department store.
Flying Gyroscope
This toy is an excellent option for getting the kids outside and running around. A gyroscope is essentially a flying, spinning object that can soar pretty long distances. Your six-year-old will have a fantastic time throwing the gyroscope and chasing after it.
The science behind gyroscopes includes physics concepts like:
- Air resistance
- Motion and energy
- Inertia
You and your child will have a wonderful time playing outside with this gyroscope. It can reach up to 600 feet in distance when thrown!
Cubetto Playset Coding Toy
Yes, there is a toy that can teach your six-year-old the basics of coding without things getting complicated! There are tons of different options out there for coding robots; another great one is the Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set from Learning Resources that’s shaped like a mouse. Some of them come with a free app to help out, and others have no other accessories required.
Coding robots are great for young kids and can:
- Introduce your child to computer science
- Introduce your child to technology
Most of the sets are ready to be used straight out of the box, Kids love robots, so they are sure to be entertained for hours and hours with this toy. And hey, maybe you can learn a bit of coding too!
Note: Cubetto is a bit harder to find and the pricing may be WAY more than we’d recommend spending.
For more coding toys and skills, check out out post: Coding Toys For Kids and How to Teach Kids to Code.
Final Thoughts – STEM Toys for Six Year Olds
As you can see from this list, there are lots of options for giving your kids some educational fun! Your six-year-old will love learning, exploring, and discovering new things. Toys like these will improve their performance in STEM in school and make them more determined and curious learners.
For our all time favorite STEM & Educational toys (for all ages) check our top picks roundup.
