We’ve hunted down the best tech toys for kids that are both educational and engaging and are sure to be a hit for kids and adults of all ages!
I’ll be the first to admit that I have spent way too much money on overpriced tech toys for kids that are great on day one, but fail to engage my kids enough to keep coming back.
We have boxes of toys in our garage that I have been purging and donating, regifting to my younger kiddos, and putting in our makerspace to tear apart.
Over the years, we have learned how to weed out the future shelf dwellers and find the best tech toys for kids that are both educational and inspiring enough to spark months and years of learning through play!
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Why STEAM Toys for Kids?
STEAM is the abbreviation for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. STEAM, like STEM, is an integrated approach to learning that encourages learners to make connections between the concepts they are learning and how they apply them to real-world problems.
STEAM helps students ask questions, problem solve, think creatively, and produce innovative solutions. Many schools have adopted STEAM learning activities into their curriculum, but it’s never too early to start building critical thinking skills with STEAM toys.
We love to learn through play at our house and have a blast playing with the latest top-rated STEAM toys for toddlers, preschoolers, kids, and tweens!
Tech Toys for Kids that Rock!
We’ve hunted down the best tech toys for kids that are both educational and engaging and are sure to be a hit. We have not included smartphones, video game consoles, or tablets in this list.
We’ve also included the manufacturer’s recommended age, but in our house with kids ranging from 10 months to 13 years, we’ve found that our younger kids love to play with our older kid’s tech toys.
With the right adult supervision and direction, they can often enjoy tech toys for kids much older than them.
Don’t Forget Batteries!
Most of these toys require batteries, lots of them! Make sure to grab batteries, so you are prepared to play!
littleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit
The Avengers Hero Inventor Kit from littleBits is one of the coolest toys this year for kids ages 8 and above!
This tech toy puts you in Tony Stark’s shoes while you build and program your own wearable tech that can be personalized with stickers.
There are 18 activities designed to encourage creativity, solve problems, design inventions, learn the basics of circuits and electrical engineering, introduce coding and programming concepts, and learn the science behind the tech devices that kids use every day!
There are a ton of Marvel toys that you can buy for kids, but you can’t beat designing and using your own superhero gauntlet!
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that this tech kit introduces block-based coding and progresses through more advanced programming concepts like loops and logic.
Recommended ages: 8+
Find more littleBits Tech Kits for Kids
Makeblock mBot Smart Robot
The mBot Smart Robot takes only 15 minutes to build and can be reconfigured to your imagination!
The mBot Smart Robot takes only 15 minutes to build and can be reconfigured to your imagination! There are several add-ons available to customize your mBot.
mBot is suitable for kids over the age of 8 and can be coded from the mBlock Blockly app available for iOS and Android.
mBlock, Makeblock’s more advanced coding software is available for both Mac and Windows operating systems and is a widely used entry-level coding software in more than 140 countries with more than 450,000 users.
What we love about this tech toy!
What we love most about this robot is the customization options as well as the pink robot options because we love inspiring future girl coders!
Recommended ages: 8+
Find more Makeblock Products
Sphero RVR
Sphero RVR is an all terrain programmable coding robot with a mobile platform for hackers, makers, educators, and learners.
Sphero RVR is a new take on a programmable robot. RVR is drivable right out of the box, built to for customization, and comes designed with a suite of diverse sensors.
RVR is a mobile platform for hackers, makers, educators, and learners. The Sphero Edu app can be downloaded to drive or program the RVR anywhere.
RVR is equipped with all-terrain treads and a powerful motor that allows it to ride over uneven surfaces and around obstacles.
This educational robot features a vector-based control system that allows it to move where you want it to go. RVR features a hackable platform that has a 4-pin UART and an onboard power source that lets you connect and run third-party hardware like Raspberry Pi, BBC micro:bit, Arduino, or Sphero’s littleBits.
Recommended ages: 8+
Find more Sphero Robotics Products
Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit
Build a wand that makes magic on your screen and learn to code with the Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit.
The Harry Potter Coding Kit features a buildable wand and over 70 creative challenges and games that teach coding to kids ages 6+ all the way to adults.
This tech kit comes with wand parts, PCB with Codeable LED, button, batteries, step-by-step book, stickers, poster, and free Kano app.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that Kano focuses on making kits that teach coding and programming skills in a way that everyone can learn! We love Kano products especially the Pixel kit and Motion Sensor kit!
Recommended ages: 6+
Find more Kano Tech Kits for Kids
Robolink Zumi
Robolink Zumi is a self-driving care kit designed to teach kids about artificial intelligence.
Zumi is a self-driving car kit that makes learning about artificial intelligence accessible to adults and kids alike!
Zumi works with Blockly and Python programming and also function in Mac, PC, and Chromebook, making it versatile to schools and parents with kids who want to explore the basics of drones and coding.
Zumi comes with a 60-minute battery life and a 720p camera for object tracking and facial detection, which allow for efficient navigation while operating.
Robolink offers step-by-step tutorials and a full curriculum that is aligned with education standards. The curriculum walks you through what AI is, how it works, and how it can be used to solve real-world problems.
Zumi was designed by Robolink, a company founded in 2012 with a mission to make STEM education accessible — much like our own mission here at Our Family Code!
Robolink was the first company to make a programable educational drone (you’ll find this awesome robot earlier in this article!) as well as a self-driving car kit to teach artificial intelligence!
Recommended ages: 10+
Find more Robolink Products
Osmo Genius Kit
The Osmo Genius kit is an incredible toy for kids of all ages, but is geared for ages 6 to 10.
We’ve been using Osmo since its debut in 2014. It’s a great way to combine technology with tactile learning.
The Genius Kit comes with 5 games already, but there are several other great Osmo games too. We are big fans of Coding Awbie, Coding Jam, and Monster Game.
This kit comes with the Osmo Base & Reflector for iPad, Tangram pieces, Numbers tiles, Words tiles, Stackable storage for each game & 5 Game Apps: Numbers, Tangram, Words, Newton, and Masterpiece.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that Osmo is designed for kids to be able to play independently and encourages using technology in a hands-on way for learning!
Recommended ages: 6-10yrs
Find more Osmo Learning for Kids
Bloxels Build Your Own Video Game
Think Minecraft meets LEGO© and pair it with your imagination and the sky is the limit for what you can create with Bloxels.
Basically, you use the 13×13 grid and 400 blocks to design a game room, characters, and objects.
The colors of the blocks represent different elements in your game like power ups, liquid, hazards, story, collectible, terrain, or enemies.
After you finish designing the game, you take a picture and upload it to the free Bloxels app (the activation code comes with purchase!) and then you can test and play your game as well as share it with other Bloxels users.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that Bloxels is pretty intuitive to use and is educational while also feeling like you are playing a game! We also love that this tech toy teaches the basics of video game programming!
Recommended ages: 8-13yrs
Find more Build Your Own Video Game Tech Toys
Makey Makey Invention Kit
JoyLabz Makey Makey is a fun-for-all educational STEM kit that brings engineering and coding concepts to life in exciting new ways. Turn bananas into touchpads! Craft your own video game controller!
Makey Makey, made for kids ages 8 and older, is a simple circuit board that turns pretty much anything that can conduct a little electricity into a keyboard and connects everyday objects to a computer.
The board can also be programmed with SCRATCH. We highly suggest buying 20 Makey Makey Projects for the Evil Genius with your Makey Makey Invention Kit.
Makey Makey comes with ten lesson plans tied to the Common Core along with 1000s of other guides available on the JoyLabz website.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We realize that the Makey Makey Invention Kit is an unusual find on a gift guide, but if you are serious about finding a tech toy that is easy and fun to use and has limitless project potential, then you definitely need to check out Makey Makey.
Recommended ages: 8+
Find more Makey Makey Related Products
Robots, Rockets, & Tech Toys for Kids!
We’ve done the hard work of sifting through the robotic toys, rocket kits, and tech toys for kids this season to bring you only the best, top-rated educational robots, rockets, and tech toys for kids
MERGE Cube
Kids ages 7 and older can explore the world virtually by holding a hologram in their hand with MERGE Cube.
The Merge Cube brings the physical and digital worlds together using augmented reality technology and the powerful camera and sensors in your mobile devices.
Using more than 13 free apps, the MERGE Cube lets you explore things like holding a galaxy in the palm of your hand, examining fossils and ancient artifacts like a real archaeologist, and watching as a volcano erupts before your eyes.
In order to use the MERGE Cube, you do need a pair of virtual reality goggles and a smartphone device.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that MERGE Cube is a tactile tech toy that kids can use to explore objects with virtual reality! With MERGE Cube, kids can upload, view and share user created 3D creations that lets students discover problems quicker and iterate faster, so they can create better designs.
Recommended ages: 7+
Find more MERGE Cube Virtual Reality Products
Microduino Itty Bitty City
The Microduino Itty Bitty City comes with 8 projects that introduce new concepts and ideas related to programming and electronics.
The Itty Bitty City is marketed as “The perfect STEM Introduction kit” because it is designed for parents and kids who do not have any experience coding but are interested in learning.
The kit, made for kids ages 8 and older, comes with all the code and software on a USB drive and step-by-step directions.
The Itty Bitty City kit is compatible with LEGO© blocks and is a part of the Microduino mCookie series. It includes everything needed to build 8 different projects that introduce programming and electronics.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that this tech toy facilitates STEM education while teaching kids about fundamentals of electricity, sensors, chips, and programming. This toy doesn’t require programming experience or soldering, which makes it great for new coders!
Recommended ages: 10+
Find more Microduino Tech Toys
Sphero Specdrums
Tap colors and make music with Sphero Specdrums!
Sphero Specdrums are app-enabled music rings that make the world your instrument by turning colors into sounds.
To play your Specdrums, connect to the Specdrums MIX or Edu app and tap on anything like your clothes, drawings, or the included playing pad to create sounds, beats, and loops!
The Specdrums are built with an accelerometer, light sensor, and Bluetooth Low energy connectivity. The MIX app also comes with curated sound packs and the ability to produce your own songs. You can also connect to other softward that accept Bluetooth MIDI like GarageBand and Ableton Live.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that Specdrums rings provide an accessible, portable, and tactile way to discover music creation without spending money on expensive, singular instruments. We have five kids ages 13 down to 1 and all of them enjoy playing with the Specdrums!
Recommended ages: 6+
Find more Sphero Tech Toys
Boolean Box
The Boolean Box is a STEM educational computer kit that was designed based on the input from thousands of girls in coding camps and classes!
High five for girls who can code! With the Boolean Box, kids will build their own computer and explore how to program it.
The computer, made for kids ages 8 and older, comes with a variety of lessons and projects in multiple computer languages.
The Boolean Box introduces coding with Scratch with the ability to move on to using Python and Java once they become comfortable with basic coding concepts.
In addition to the computer kit, the Boolean Box also supports learning about electronics through electronic gadgets and circuits.
The only thing needed is an HDMI cable. You don’t even need an internet connection to use this awesome tech toy.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
What we love most about the Boolean Box is that it is an open-ended kit with endless coding, engineering, and technology games and learning opportunities.
Recommended ages: 8+
Find more Raspberry Pi Build Your Own Computers & Attachments
Kano Computer Kit
The Kano Computer Kit is a build your own computer kit that teaches kids the foundations of computer programming!
The computer kit comes with step-by-step book, Raspberry Pi 3, programmable LED lights, DIY case, power button, wireless keyboard with track pad, memory, HDMI and power cables, stickers, and Kano unique operating system.
The kit is features 100+ step-by-step creative challenges and stories that introduce coding concepts.
Once you master the basics of coding, you’ll be able to do things like create your own art, code games, build new elements for Minecraft.
The best part is that the Kano computer is constantly updated with free updates and new coding challenges.
The Kano Computer Kit requires an HDMI screen to plug into in order to use this tech toy.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that Kano focuses on making kits that teach coding and programming skills in a way that everyone can learn! We love Kano products especially the Pixel kit and Motion Sensor kit!
Recommended ages: 6-14yrs
Find more Kano Tech Toys
Best Rocket Toys for Kids
Looking for a gift for your future rocket scientist? Find the top-rated rockets for kids in this rocket gift guide!
Piper Computer Kit
The Piper Computer Kit was a Tech Toy of the Year 2018 finalist, is backed by Stanford University, and recommended by Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak.
Piper’s mission is to “inspire the inventors of tomorrow”, which is absolutely apparent in this computer kit.
The kit, designed for kids ages 8+, includes everything your child needs to build their own computer.
Kids learn the basics of coding, engineering, electronics, circuits, programming, and coding through hands-on play with a Raspberry Pi edition of Minecraft that teaches them how to add hardware, circuitry, wiring, and more as they progress through the levels of the game.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love how thorough the Piper Computer is! My daughter built her Piper Computer when she was 11 and she enjoyed using the blueprints to build the actual computer and following the instructions to add all of the internal components! We are in the process of disassembling our Piper in order for our 9yr old to give it a try!
Recommended ages: 8+
Find more Raspberry Pi Build Your Own Computers & Attachments
Orboot Earth by PlayShifu
Orboot Earth is an award-winning augmented reality globe that allows children to explore the world with an interactive Orboot app.
To play, use the app to scan the globe and explore the world with different modes. The globe does not have borders or names, but the app is full of visual storytelling, music, animal facts, world quizzes, and globes puzzles and challenges for kids ages 4-10 years old.
There are more than 400 highlights and over 1000 facts across categories including, cultures, cuisines, monuments, inventions, animals, and maps.
Orboot Earth is compatible with iPad 5th generation and above, all iPad Air models, all iPad Pro models, iPad Mini 2 and above, iPhone 6 and above, and Android 3GB RAM and above. Currently, Amazon Fire devices are NOT supported.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that this tech toy helps build geography, environmental science, general knowledge, social science, and cultural sensitivity. We have used PlayShifu tech toys in the past, like the Plugo Tunes Piano, and have found them very intuitive and engaging for kids!
Recommended ages: 4-10yrs
Find more PlayShifu Tech Toys for Kids
Circuit Maze Board Game
Circuit Maze is one of ThinkFun’s most popular stem toys for boys and girls, and was a Toy of the Year Award Finalist as well as a PAL Award winner.
Circuit Maze is a logic game that teaches the basic principles of circuitry, comes with 60 challenges of increasing difficulty, from beginner to expert, and is a perfect holiday or birthday present for kids who like smart games and challenging activities.
ThinkFun Circuit Maze is a great game that incorporates learning through play and comes with 60 challenges that range from beginner to expert.
Circuit Maze board game has also been awarded the Creative Child Magazine Game of the Year, PAL Award, Toy Insider Toy Holiday Toys, and Toy of the Year Finalist.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that the Circuit Maze board game teaches logical reasoning and planning skills to kids without them even knowing it! Kids will also gain some basic understanding of how circuits and electrical currents work.
Recommended ages: 4-10yrs
Find more ThinkFun STEM Board Games for Kids
Best Coding Robots for Kids
We love robots that teach kids coding and engineering skills, we’ve done the hard work of narrowing down the best of the best robotics toys for kids!
SunFounder Smart Video Car Kit V2.0 PiCar
The PiCar-V is an open-source robot learning kit based on Raspberry Pi for teens and adults!
The PiCar-V is equipped with a wide-angle USB webcam and three circuit boards. The car is compatible with Raspberry Pi 4B, 3B, 3B+, 2B, and 2B+. Raspberry Pi is NOT included.
The car can be programmed with Python code with codes provided. It is also compatible with Dragit, a snap-based graphical interface for drag and drop block coding developed by SunFounder.
The PiCar-V can be controlled with the app on PC or via a web browser. You can control the car as well as the camera’s direction on the user interface and view the images it takes in real time.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that the PiCar-V is a tech toy designed for teens and adults! This kit is also a great collaborative project for parents to work on with kids. It is a fantastic toy for strengthening Python programming skills.
Recommended ages: 12+
Please note: This tech toy is for kid coders with coding experience and is not suitable for kids under the age of 12 without experienced adult assistance.
Find more Raspberry Pi Robot Kits & Attachments
KD Interactive Aura Drone
Flying a drone just got easier and more amazing than ever with the KD Interactive Aura Drone with glove controller!
The KD Interactive Aura Drone is a really cool tech toy for kids that features a special GestureBotics glove controller that allows kids to pilot their drone by simply moving their hands.
The Aura can fly up and down, forward and backward, left and right, and even perform some pretty neat tricks like a sideways flip.
The Aura has Auto Takeoff and Auto Landing that helps kids get their drone up in the air faster as well as land it safely.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love drones and especially enjoy that this one is controlled using a glove controller. There are mixed reviews about the KD Interactive Aura Drone on Amazon, but we think this toy is pretty cool for indoor use because of the 7-8ft max height.
Recommended ages: 6+
Find more Drones for Kids
Thames & Kosmos Kids First Coding & Robotics Kit
The Thames & Kosmos Kids First Coding and Robotics kit is a great kit to introduce coding principles and skills designed specifically for kids in grades K-2.
The kit doesn’t require a tablet, smartphone, or computer to program. Sammy, an adorable peanut butter and jelly sandwich robot is programmed by laying down a sequence of physical code cards.
As Sammie drives over the code cards, the oxide optical scanner on the bottom of Sammie runs the program. Sammy can move in different directions, activate its output gear, light up its LED, play sounds, and respond to different function cards.
The lessons cover key areas in coding such as sequencing, loops, events, conditions, functions, and variables.
The kit also features five other stories in addition to Sammy including a mouse that moves through a maze to find cheese, a penguin that wanders around a zoo, a soccer play that moves a ball into a goal, a fire truck that puts out a fire, and a factory robot that performs production tasks in a factory scene.
Also included is an illustrated manual that guides kids and parents through the coding lessons and assembly of the different robot models.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that this kit features 30 lessons that are aligned with standards for computer science education developed by the Computer Science Teachers Association and the International Society for Technology in Education, as well as courses from Code.org!
Recommended ages: 4+
Find more Thames & Kosmos Kits
Learning Resources Botley
Botley the Coding Robot is a completely screen-free coding robot that teaches kids to code and promotes critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Botley works right out of the box and kids can start coding in minutes. The remote programmer transmits commands and Botley gets moving.
The robot features smart logic that lets it detect objects in front of him and avoid them as well as follow looping commands, take on obstacle courses, and follow black line paths.
Botley is a 77 piece set that comes with a remote programmer, detachable robot arms, 40 coding cards, 6 double-sided tiles, 27 obstacle building pieces, and a starter guide that includes coding challenges.
Botley™ the Coding Robot Activity Set – $67.49
from: hand2mind
Botley is designed for kids age 5 and up making it a great first robot to get started coding and grow with.
Recommended ages: 5+
Find more Learning Resources Botley Products
Dance Code Featuring Disney Princess Belle
Dance Code with Disney’s Belle is another great toy that encourages girls to get coding!
Dance Code Belle comes with a free app that introduces early coding skills through choreographing dance sequences through three activities; drag and drop block coding, sequencing with dots to create patterns, and free drawing shapes and patterns to choreograph their dance partner.
Dance Code also has several unplugged activities to interact with kids including over 100 fun and instructive phrases, 10 pre-programmed dance routines, and 10 dance lessons to teach your kids dance routines for their favorite songs.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that this tech toy can operate with or without a device and is geared toward younger kids even preschoolers! We are here for toys that teach kids that princesses can also be coders!
Recommended ages: 5+
Find more Tech Toys for Girls in STEM!
Squishy Circuits
Squishy Circuits uses conductive and insulating modeling dough to teach the basics of electrical circuits in a fun, hands-on way.
Squishy Circuits features conductive and insulating play dough to teach the basics of electrical circuits with LEDs, buzzers, and motors.
The kit comes with seven colors of conductive dough, 1 container of insulating dough, a deluxe battery holder, piezoelectric buzzer, motor with fan, mechanical buzzer, and switch as well as 40 LEDs.
What we love about this Tech Toy for Kids!
We love that Squishy Circuits pairs play and learning. Kids practice critical thinking and problem solving through trial and error using the engineering design process as they create their circuits!
Recommended ages: 8+
Find more Squishy Circuit Kits!
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STEAM Gift Guides
Looking for a STEM or STEAM toy? Check out these gift guides for more information on our top STEAM toys for kids!
Robots, Rockets, & Tech Toys for Kids that Rock!
We’ve done the hard work of sifting through the robotic toys, rocket kits, and tech toys for kids this season to bring you only the best, top-rated educational robots, rockets, and tech toys for kids that ROCK!
Blast Off with the Best Rockets for Kids!
These rocket toys for kids are sure to be a hit while also teaching some pretty awesome physics concepts like trajectory, force, and gravity. Learn the science behind rocket propulsion with these rockets that are great for active kiddos!
The Best STEM Toys for Little Builders Under 5
Encourage little builders and strengthen fine motor skills with these STEM toys for kids under 5!
STEAM Gifts for Preschoolers that Cost Less Than $25
We’ve narrowed down the top STEAM toys for preschoolers under $25! Check out these great learning toys that teach STEAM concepts through play designed for kids 5 and under!
Coding with Awbie: Teach Kids to Code with Osmo
Find out why we love to use Coding Awbie to teach kids ages 3-9 how to string together commands and learn basic concepts of coding with Osmo!
Meet Toni, the Maker Mom behind Our Family Code
Hey there, I’m Toni! I’m a software engineer and Maker Mom that finds my joy in unleashing my children’s curiosity by exploring STEAM concepts with my fantastic five!
When I’m not chasing toddlers or raising tweens, you can find me tearing things up and putting them back together over here at Our Family Code.
I am the owner and content creator of multiple educational websites designed to increase access to STEAM & STEM education with a focus on teaching computer science and coding to kids of all ages!
You can also find out more about me by visiting ToniGardner.com!
