Editor’s pick
Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set
Build a maze, plan the route, and code a mouse to the cheese
About $70brand list price View on Amazon
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Classroom & Homeschool Favorites
For teachers and homeschool families, a good STEM kit is reusable, durable and comes with structured activities. These are the picks that hold up to many hands.
The shortlist
If you only read one thing.
Our three favorites from this guide. The full list follows below.
- No. 01
Magna-Tiles Classic 100-Piece Set
“Best for kids who love building towers, houses and garages.”
About $120brand list priceView on Amazon - No. 02
Makeblock mBot2 Coding Robot
“Best for kids who want to build a real robot and code it in blocks or Python.”
About $150brand list priceView on Amazon - No. 03
Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set
“Best for kids who want to code a robot without a screen.”
About $70brand list priceView on Amazon
28 picks
Products
Editor’s pick
Magna-Tiles Classic 100-Piece Set
Translucent magnetic tiles that turn flat shapes into 3D builds
About $120brand list price View on Amazon
Editor’s pick
hand2mind Numberblocks MathLink Cubes 1-10 Activity Set
Build the Numberblocks characters and see how numbers really work
About $30brand list price View on Amazon
Editor’s pick
ThinkFun Gravity Maze
Marble-run logic puzzles where every tower placement counts
Typical price $25 – $50 View on Amazon
Editor’s pick
Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100
Real electronic parts that snap together, no soldering
Typical price $25 – $50 View on Amazon
Editor’s pick
Sphero indi At-Home Learning Kit
A little robot car kids program with colored cards
Typical price $100+ View on Amazon
Editor’s pick
Makeblock mBot2 Coding Robot
Build a sensor robot, then code it from Scratch to Python
About $150brand list price View on Amazon
Editor’s pick
Snap Circuits Classic SC-300 Electronics Kit
Build working circuits without a single wire or solder joint
Typical price $50 – $100 View on Amazon
Editor’s pick
Elenco Practical Soldering Project Kit
Learn to solder by building a working two-tone siren
About $15brand list price View on Amazon
Learning Resources Botley 2.0 Coding Robot Activity Set
A screen-free coding robot with room to grow into longer programs
About $100brand list price View on Amazon
Thames & Kosmos Kids First Coding & Robotics
Build Sammy the robot, then program him with code cards
About $140brand list price View on Amazon
SmartMax Start Magnetic Discovery Set
Chunky magnetic bars and balls that show attract and repel
Typical price $25 – $50 View on Amazon
Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! Deluxe Building Set
Snap gears onto pillars and crank to watch them all turn
About $35brand list price View on Amazon
Learning Resources Primary Science Lab Set
Real-looking lab tools sized for preschool scientists
About $40brand list price View on Amazon
Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. My First Microscope
A real microscope with two big eyepieces made for little kids
Typical price $25 – $50 View on Amazon
LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box (10696)
484 open-ended bricks for kids who'd rather invent than follow
About $35brand list price View on Amazon
ThinkFun Rush Hour Traffic Jam Logic Game
Slide the cars to free the red one: logic in a small box
Typical price Under $25 View on Amazon
ThinkFun Circuit Maze
A logic puzzle where the reward is lighting up a real circuit
Typical price $25 – $50 View on Amazon
National Geographic Earth Science Kit
Volcanoes, crystals, gem digs and tornadoes in one box
Typical price $25 – $50 View on Amazon
Wonder Workshop Dash Robot
A responsive robot that grows from drag-and-drop to real coding
About $190brand list price View on Amazon
4M KidzRobotix Tin Can Robot
Turn an empty soda can into a walking robot
Typical price Under $25 View on Amazon
Sphero BOLT+ Coding Robot
A sensor-packed robot ball with a screen kids can program
About $200brand list price View on Amazon
Makeblock mBot Robot Kit
The classic build-and-code robot for first-time roboticists
About $70brand list price View on Amazon
Snap Circuits Pro SC-500 Electronics Kit
The bigger Snap Circuits set for kids who want 500+ projects
Typical price $50 – $100 View on Amazon
Thames & Kosmos Electricity & Magnetism Science Kit
62 experiments that make magnetic fields and current visible
About $60brand list price View on Amazon
ELEGOO UNO R3 Super Starter Kit
A budget Arduino-style kit packed with sensors and motors
About $45brand list price View on Amazon
Sphero RVR+ Programmable Robot
A rugged, ready-to-drive robot rover that teens can hack
About $340brand list price View on Amazon
A Beginner's Guide to Circuits
Nine quick breadboard builds with no soldering required
About $20brand list price View on Amazon
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