Now that it’s the back-to-school season I’m already thinking about how to keep my boys learning more. That’s where the Thames & Kosmos STEAM kits come in. I’m sharing a few of the ones we like here with you. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Thames & Kosmos STEAM Kits
Getting kids back in the groove for school can be tough.. so I wanted to share some of our favorite Thames & Kosmos STEAM Kits that make educational learning exciting!
CREATTO: Sunshine Sabertooth & Ferocious Friends
With 154 Creatto pieces and a string of 80 LED lights, you can build a friendly sabertooth tiger, a rhino head, a mammoth, and an elasmosaurus. Lights powered by USB cable; USB power adapter not included. MSRP: $32.95, Ages 8+
Buy It Here
Kids First Intro to Tools and Building
Grab your tools, it’s time to get building! Learn how to use tools and build your own workbench with this introductory mechanical engineering kit for kids ages three and up. Join Ty and Karlie — the young engineers featured in the other Kids First early engineering kits — to learn how to use a hammer, screwdriver, and wrench, and the basic engineering principles behind how these tools work. Model building helps develop fine motor skills, mechanical engineering skills, visual-spatial skills, and reasoning and concept development skills. The parts in this kit are compatible with the parts of other Thames & Kosmos Kids First engineering kits. MSRP: $39.95. Age: 3+
Buy It Here
Huey: The Line-Tracking, Color-Sensing Robot
Learn to code with Huey, your color-sensing robot pal. This kit offers kids a hands-on, screen-free introduction to the world of robotics and coding. With a built-in color sensor, Huey navigates around maps that you create using 81 puzzle-shaped tiles. Huey recognizes the colors of the 32 coding discs, which tell it whether to turn right, turn left, or continue straight. Huey makes fun sounds and movements as it travels around the map, revving its engine as it gets started, and doing a little dance when it reaches home. Huey can be muted for quiet play. There are four levels of challenges, which are appropriate for kids ages 5 and up. The size of the map grows with the difficulty of the challenge. Beginner maps use nine map tiles, while advanced ones use all 81 tiles! You can also create your own maps and then challenge your friends to solve them. The possibilities are virtually infinite! MSRP $59.95, Ages 5+
Buy It Here
Ultra Bionic Blaster
Have a blast with this awesome engineering project! Construct an air-powered robotic glove that launches safe foam darts. Learn about pneumatics — technologies that use pressurized air to perform work — and many cool mechanisms as you assemble the blaster from over 100 pieces. After you’ve built and tested your blaster, slide it on and strap it to your wrist. The first pull of the trigger causes the scissor arm to lift up the barrels and launch the first dart. Pull the trigger two more times to launch the next two darts. Grab some additional darts from the reserve clip under your wrist and reload. The blaster is entirely powered by your hand and the amazing pneumatic system — no batteries or motors required! Turn the dial to rotate the two outer launchers for a wider spread. Adjust the location of the wrist strap to fit almost all hands. A full-color, step-by-step manual guides you through assembling and using the blaster and provides fascinating scientific information about pneumatic systems and the physics of air. Compatible with many standard foam darts. MSRP $39.95, Ages 8+
These are awesome STEAM Kits! My kids would love every single one of them, and I love that they are such a great educational tool as well.