STEM toys that promote cognitive skills, critical thinking

STEM toys with Erika Cardamone

Erika Cardamone joins Real Milwaukee to talk STEM toys.

Toy expert and speech-language pathologist, Erika Cardamone, joins Real Milwaukee from PlayOnWords.com to share awesome STEM Toys that promote cognitive skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking in children.

Techno Tiles by The Learning Journey International, 3+, $19.99

• If you have a builder in your house, then you’ll need Techno Tiles to feed their love of construction.

• Scan a QR code for detailed instructions on how to build just about anything

• kids practiced following directions, problem solving, and fine motor skills as they connected tiles.

• The structures stay together, so they can use them for pretend play too

Design and Drill Bolt Buddies Tractor by Educational Insights, 3+, $21.99

• Perfect introduction to STEM learning - combines pretend play, STEM construction, and promotes language and learning

• Build the tractor using a screwdriver - promotes hand-eye coordination and bilateral integration, fine motor

• Unfold the reversible box to reveal a picture scene and becomes a part of the story, featuring an outdoor orchard, coop, road, and even more animals and friends.

Contraption Reactions by MindWare, 7+, $52.95

• KEVA planks are made of wood and stack with incredible stability. They’re extremely versatile and can be used for just about anything. As children stack, balance, and build, they’re utilizing fine motor skills, learning simple physics, problem solving, and design thinking.

• 170 KEVA planks, 8 dowels, and additional accessories to inspire construction of ramps, towers, tracks, and more

Explorer Puzzles by Learn with OjO, 4+, $12

• Three real world STEM subjects including, Space, Underwater, and Dinosaurs

• Kids just love these themes!

• Puzzles encourage learning spatial concepts and help foster flexible thinking and problem solving

• Using puzzles to build an understanding of new vocabulary and use familiar vocabulary in context promotes mastery during conversation

• Space Explorers Puzzle features length of time to travel throughout space: six hours to the space station, 3 days to the moon, 6 years to Jupiter!