Best STEM Toys for Girls (2023)

If you’re in a hurry and just want to find out what the best STEM toy for girls is, I’d recommend the Brain Flakes Plastic Disc Set.

Science, technology, engineering and math are definitely for girls. The STEM toys in this collection engage her curiosity, challenge her problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and offer plenty of fun at the same time. STEM education can begin at home when you stock up on the best STEM toys for girls.

Here are the STEM toys for girls I will be reviewing:

• Cossy Kids Magnet Building Tiles
• GMEM Flower Garden Building
• Jack in the Box Space Explorer
• Brain Flakes Plastic Disc Set
• Snap Circuits
• Rush Hour Traffic Jam Logic Game
• Kid K’nex
• Shifu Orboot Interactive Globe
• Plugo Count
• SNAEN Science Kit

STEM Basics

STEM includes four key areas of study: science, technology, engineering, and math. The term STEM can be used to describe student curriculums, careers, and even toys that focus on these concepts. STEM education has become more prevalent in the classroom, reaching kids as early as kindergarten. That’s because the need for STEM-educated graduates has grown, with twice as many STEM jobs available as non-STEM jobs. Working in STEM fields affords graduates many opportunities, including earnings that outpace non-STEM jobs by 26%. 

So, schools are introducing STEM concepts earlier than ever before. In line with that focus on STEM education, a variety of STEM toys are available that help engage kids in these concepts in fun and creative ways. 

STEM for Girls

While the focus on STEM education has grown overall, STEM education for girls has become increasingly important. In recent years, there has been a push to get more girls interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. Why? Men outnumber women in STEM career fields. Even though boys and girls alike take STEM classes throughout their educational career, once they hit college, women tend to take fewer STEM classes. Even more, in science and engineering fields, only 20% of graduates are women. 

So, some STEM education, programs, and even extracurricular activities at the K-12 level have focused on girls to get them engaged in these concepts early. Achievement and interest in math and science require opportunities to study these concepts in interesting and engaging ways. STEM toys for girls can provide just those opportunities.

Benefits of STEM Toys

STEM toys for girls deliver an array of benefits that help her in both her short-term education and long-term understanding of and interest in STEM. Learn more about why STEM toys can be a great gift for any girl.

Improved Hand-Eye Coordination

Hand-eye coordination is an important skill that is useful both in school, in sports, and in everyday life. STEM toys are hands-on activities that allow girls to develop these skills, which can benefit them long after they put their new toy away. Whether they are building with blocks or working with intricate snap circuits, girls are learning important hand-eye coordination skills every time they engage with these STEM toys.

Enhanced Divergent Thinking

Divergent thinking occurs when your child identifies different creative solutions to a problem. These critical thinking skills might first develop with simple play and games, but they will evolve as she gets older. STEM toys can enhance divergent thinking skills in a number of ways, whether your daughter is building, solving a puzzle, or working on a science experiment. Divergent thinking is a practical skill that can benefit her in school and in her career, so early introduction of these skills is key.

Developed Spatial Skills

Spatial skills refer to the ability to understand and recognize the spatial relationships between different objects. Strong spatial skills are a practical life skill, whether she’s navigating, repairing something, estimating distance, or measuring something. STEM toys help build spatial skills by challenging kids to compare relationships between different objects like blocks.

Strong Problem-Solving Skills

Many STEM toys present a problem that your daughter will have to solve. Perhaps she’s conducting a science experiment and has to develop a hypothesis to predict the outcome. Maybe she’s working with Snap Circuits or magnetic tiles and has to put them together in a certain order. Identifying a problem and determining a solution is a life skill that your child will use throughout their academic and professional careers, so get them started early with STEM toys that help to develop these skills.

Shopping for STEM Toys for Girls

The number of STEM toys available today is vast, which can make choosing the right toy challenging. These toys come in an array of styles, so you can start your search for the perfect toy by considering what type of STEM toy appeals to your daughter’s tastes. Here are a few shopping tips to consider on your search.

Science Toys

Science toys in this category engage girls’ curiosity as they explore the fascinating world of science. They can learn about basic scientific principles and even apply them in real life by conducting kid-friendly experiments from the comfort of home.

Technology Toys

Got a computer wizard in the house? Give her some technology toys to boost those skills even more. Basic coding, for example, is fun for kids to learn with the right toys in the home. 

Engineering Toys

A girl who loves to solve problems will be delighted by engineering toys. They challenge her to identify problems and devise solutions, challenging her critical thinking skills. Plus, these toys can be fun and engaging, keeping her interest time after time.

Math Toys

If you want to develop her math skills, look for STEM toys that build on these foundational skills. Toys allow kids to practice counting, simple math facts, and patterns, which are all important skills that can help them in the classroom. 

My STEM Toys for Girls Reviews

Check out this list of the top STEM toys for girls to find one that she will love.

Cossy Kids Magnet Building Tiles

Cossy Kids Magnet Building Tiles are a toy that offers countless opportunities for exploring her creativity and challenging her building skills. While these magnet tiles might seem simple, they offer a variety of ways that she can build fascinating creations. Mom and Dad can get in on the fun, too, by challenging her to create different types of buildings.

These magnet tiles are great for early STEM skills because girls can begin to explore three-dimensional shapes. They can test magnetic polarities and work on their architectural skills that will require both creativity and problem solving. 

Parents love these building tiles because they can be used in so many creative ways. Girls can build structures, create roadways for cars to ride on, and even add glowsticks to their creations to light them up. As a result, these magnet tiles aren’t just building STEM skills early. They’re also keeping kids busy with an educational toy. 

Parents are also pleased because these magnet tiles are compatible with other styles and brands. So, if you already have some tiles and want to add to your collection, these will likely be compatible with the ones you already own. If you have some of these magnet tiles, you probably know that you can never have enough.

While some parents found these tiles to be less sturdy than other styles, overall, they’re well received for the quality and price.

GMEM Flower Garden Building

Let her create a beautiful, colorful tabletop flower garden anywhere in the home with the GMEM Flower Garden Building set. This set includes 12 bases, 11 colored garden modules, stem and leaf pieces, and 27 bright flowers. In all, she’ll have 148 flower pieces that she can arrange and rearrange to create floral arrangements she loves.

This flower garden building set focuses on several key STEM skills. First, she’ll practice her hand-eye coordination every time she creates a flower arrangement. Some parts can be small, and fitting them into the appropriate holes requires strong coordination skills. Next, she can use this set to practice patterns, creating different flowers or coordinating ones, depending on her preferences. Plus, the flower arranging will challenge her creativity skills as she strives to create different arrangements every time.

Parents rave about this flower garden set because, simply put, their girls love it. They come with enough pieces that kids can mix and match them to make various arrangements, with every play session offering an opportunity to create a new set. Even more, the bases ensure that her arrangements remain sturdy enough that she can carry them to show off her creation to Mom and Dad. The pieces are crafted of recycled plastic, which makes them supremely durable, holding up well under continued use. 

While most parents appreciate this garden set because their girls can create different arrangements, some parents say that the toy doesn’t hold their attention for long. However, even if it’s an activity that only entertains her for a bit, chances are she’ll return to it because it’s fun, simple, and engaging. Plus, it builds those important STEM skills.

Jack in the Box Space Explorer

Engage her interest in science with the Jack in the Box Space Explorer set. Perfect for elementary school-aged kids, this set includes six space-themed activities ideal for your aspiring astronaut. Whether your daughter has an interest in space or simply wants a basic introduction into this topic, this set can be a fun and engaging option that she’ll enjoy.

The six activities include a kaleidoscope craft, solar system mobile, constellation streamer, rocket science experiment, space explorer board game, and a lesson on the phases of the moon. The crafts challenge her creativity and hand-eye coordination, making them STEM focused. The board games and lessons offer an introduction into space, enhancing her scientific knowledge.

So, what do parents think of this set? They find the crafts to be engaging and, for the most part, mess free, making them an easy activity to do at home. The activities are involved enough that the set provides hours of fun––perhaps even days of entertainment if she does one activity per day. Each craft or activity is carefully packaged, making it easy to pull out just one activity at a time and have all of the right supplies on hand.

The drawbacks are few, but some parents noted that the science experiment required additional supplies that they didn’t have on hand. Others hoped for more clear instructions for some of the activities for a smoother process.

Brain Flakes Plastic Disc Set

The Brain Flakes Plastic Disc Set encourages her building and engineering skills in new and creative ways beyond traditional blocks. This disc set includes 500 pieces, giving her everything she needs to create a variety of designs. The discs are a bit smaller than traditional blocks, but they’re easy enough for kids in kindergarten and up to snap together to make some interesting creations.

Your girl will discover several STEM benefits when she plays with this plastic disc set. Kids will work on their spatial thinking skills as they play with these toys. Using these smaller discs will require hand-eye coordination and dexterity. Kids can practice early engineering skills by building vehicles with these flakes.

This set includes an idea booklet that can give some inspiration as she begins to build and create with Brain Flakes. However, it won’t be long before her imagination takes over and she creates a variety of designs, all on her own.

Parents love this disc set because their kids love them, too. They say that the 500-piece set gives kids everything they need to build amazing creations. They love that the set includes a storage bin, which makes it easy to keep small pieces tucked away. Best of all, they’re inspired by their children’s creativity, which is showcased when they play with this engaging toy. Some parents did note that the idea booklet doesn’t include clear instructions for building.

Snap Circuits

Snap Circuits are a STEM toy that kids can enjoy as early as elementary school. The key is finding an introductory set perfect for a girl new to the concept. When you do, she’ll enjoy some STEM skill building while challenging herself.

This Snap Circuits set includes 300 parts and allows your daughter to try 60 experiments. She’ll receive snap wires, a slide switcher, a resistor, a microphone, and capacitors. Together, she can use these real circuit parts to learn the basics about how electronics work. If she’s around age 7 or 8, she will probably be able to work on this on her own. Younger kids may need your help getting started.

This circuit set is kid friendly, requiring no soldering or tools. Instead, as the name implies, the parts simply snap together. Parents rave about these circuits for a few reasons. First, they love the array of projects that kids can try out. Projects range from simple to more complex, making them suitable for every skills level. The pieces are easy to manipulate and arrange, making it easy for your daughter to pick them up and assemble them. With so many experiments and project ideas included, there’s plenty of ways to play with these Snap Circuits, providing seemingly endless fun and learning at the same time.

Some parents found the experiments hard for kids to follow, but this depends largely on their skill level and interest in electronics building. Consider her interest in a toy like this before shopping to ensure it’s a hit.

Rush Hour Traffic Jam Logic Game

Enhance her logic and critical thinking skills with the Rush Hour Traffic Jam Logic Game. This game might seem simple enough, but it’s packed with more than 40 logic games that can challenge her. Building logic and critical thinking skills can benefit her as she explores STEM concepts in school and beyond.

This game includes a grid and cars, which your daughter will use to complete the challenges included. Challenges range from beginner to advanced, so this game can grow with her as her critical thinking skills develop. She’ll develop reasoning and planning skills as she tries to get those cars out of a traffic jam to solve each challenge. 

Parents love this challenge game for several reasons. First, it pushes kids to think critically and get creative to solve each puzzle. Best of all, they have a game in front of them that doesn’t require any electronics or screen time. Some parents find it to be an effective game for teaching easily frustrated children how to overcome obstacles and frustration. Thanks to different challenges, this game can appeal to everyone in the family. Younger children can play the easier challenge games, and even Mom and Dad can give the expert games a try.

Some parents remark that the quality of the cars themselves could be better. Others state that their kids found this game to be frustrating or too challenging. So, consider your daughter’s personality when you’re shopping for STEM toys to determine if this game is a good fit.

Kid K’nex

Many foundational STEM skills begin with basic building. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to build and create beyond basic blocks. Kid K’nex are another fun option that challenge kids to think creatively, test their hand-eye coordination, and problem solve to design different structures and vehicles.

This set includes 116 pieces that come in various shapes and sizes. They’re flexible, allowing your child to shape them to suit their building needs. Your set comes with 60 building ideas that can inspire their building. Or, they can simply use their creativity to come up with different building ideas on their own.

While Kids K’nex are easy enough for kids entering kindergarten to use, they also grow with kids, making them engaging enough for all elementary schoolers. Parents say that the K’nex are a great alternative to LEGOs or traditional building blocks, allowing kids to build in different and more creative ways. The set includes wheels, which allows kids to build different vehicles that they can play with once created. Parents also found that their kids could follow along with the recommended building ideas, allowing them to develop their confidence in their building skills before trying to build on their own. 

Unlike similar products in this STEM category, these toys do not come with a storage bin, although some parents say the box is sturdy enough to use to store the parts. Some parents had an issue with some pieces breaking. However, the toy comes with a parts guarantee, so any missing or broken parts of pieces can be easily replaced by the manufacturer.

Shifu Orboot Interactive Globe

Explore the globe in a new, technologically advanced way with the Shifu Orboot Interactive Globe. This STEM toy teaches a variety of science concepts. Kids will learn about how to explore maps, they’ll check out the cultures and climate in different countries around the world, and they’ll discover what animals and monuments exist in the different countries they select.

Activities touch on geography, history, and environmental science topics. As a result, this globe is an engaging, educational tool that introduces science concepts for elementary school-aged kids.

With your purchase, your daughter will receive the globe, a passport, stamps, and flag stickers for different countries. To get the most out of this globe, you pair it with the Orboot Globe+ app, which is compatible with iOs and Android devices. Unfortunately, it’s not yet compatible for Amazon devices like Kindle Fires, so make sure you have a tablet that works with the app before you buy.

Parents appreciate this globe for a few reasons. First, they find that it’s engaging enough to hold kids’ interest. It helps them learn about different countries and cultures, which broadens their knowledge and is a nice complement to school-based learning. Kids are able to operate the globe and corresponding app independently, allowing them to stay on task without too much help from Mom and Dad. 

Some families had issues with the app, finding it hard to adjust to or facing occasional crashing. Other families found that some countries were missing or some information about cultures was a bit inaccurate. Overall, though, this globe is a sound educational toy for kids who can build their knowledge of different countries, all from the comfort of home.

Plugo Count

If you have a daughter who loves math or perhaps even needs to work on her math skills, consider Plugo Count, a game that makes math learning interactive and fun. To get the most out of these math games, the Plugo Count requires an iPad, Android, or Kindle tablet for use. Use the Plugo app on your device to pair it with the game for interactive math fun.

Once you have your app downloaded and ready to go, your daughter can select from five STEM games with more than 250 progressive levels. So, she’ll never get bored as she navigates through different games and activities. These activities are well suited for kids ages 5 to 10, meaning she can use this toy for years to come. 

Parents find plenty of features to celebrate in this game. In fact, teachers even praise this game, finding it to be the most popular math activity in their classroom. Parents describe their kids excitement as they work through different math games. They state that this game, along with the compatible app, truly make math fun, taking away their kids’ fears or frustration related to math. Parents also find that the different levels make these games suitable for kids of all ages, allowing the activity to grow with their child’s math skills. 

The primary complaints related to Plugo Count are compatibility issues with the app. Like any technology-based toy, there can be glitches with your device and the app. Overall, though, parents say that the game and app work well together to create math challenges for kids.

SNAEN Science Kit

Inspire her inner scientist with the SNAEN Science Kit. This kit includes 30 science experiments that she can do from the comfort of home––no science lab required. The kit includes 15 science experiment cards, scientific principles for 30 experiments, and all the tools she needs to complete the experiments. Goggles, measuring spoons and cups, funnels, droppers, balloons, and more are just some of the included items. In total, you’ll receive 47 pieces so that she’s ready for scientific exploration. Fortunately, all you need to provide is water or oil to help complete the experiments––everything else you need is included.

The experiments in this collection work well for a range of ages. Kindergarteners might need some help from parents to understand the instructions, while older elementary schoolers can probably tackle some of the experiments themselves. 

Thanks to the variety of experiments, kids can develop different STEM skills depending on the experiment they select. They’ll enjoy an early introduction to basic scientific principles, whether they’re learning about mixing water and oil, inflating balloons, and so much more. This kit provides a nice, well-rounded introduction to the science lover.

Parents find that these experiments are engaging and enjoyable for elementary-aged kiddos. Your child’s age and level of independence will determine whether they need help conducting these experiments. At a minimum, they will probably require some parental supervision simply to minimize the mess and ensure the experiment goes off without a hitch. Some parents found the experiment cards to be tough for younger children to follow, so you might want to stick around to make sure your daughter has no trouble with her experiment of choice.

Conclusion

Our pick for the best STEM toys for girls is the Brain Flakes Plastic Disc Set. This set challenges her STEM skills in a number of ways. The discs require hand-eye coordination and focus to assemble. The set pushes her critical thinking and problem solving skills to build and challenges her creativity at the same time. Plus, it comes with plenty of pieces and is a set that can grow with her as her STEM skills develop.