These STEM toys from 2015 are helping to inspire the next generation of Makers.
STEM education has been a growing venture in schools across the country, with even the President himself making it a priority to encourage students as young as grade-school to pursue the science, technology, engineering and math disciplines. After all, these fields are changing the world rapidly within the areas of innovation, economic growth and employment. But let’s face it; these subjects don’t come easy to everyone, so how do we instill STEM in kids?
With this in mind, many startups have sought out new and exciting ways to entice the younger generation to explore their creativity and develop an interest in hands-on learning. Testament to that, here are several products from 2015 looking to inspire the next generation of Makers.
littleBits Gizmos & Gadgets
The Gizmos & Gadgets Kit is the ultimate invention toolbox, complete with motors, wheels, lights , switches, servos, buzzers and even the tools to build a remote control.
Jewelbots
Jewelbots are programmable friendship bracelets that teach girls the basics of coding.
Thimble
Thimble is a monthly subscription service that delivers fun electronic projects with guided tutorials and a helpful community.
Touch Board Starter Kit
Bare Conductive’s Touch Board Starter Kit contains everything you need to transform surfaces, objects or spaces into sensors.
Makey Makey GO
Small enough to fit on your keychain, backpack or bracelet, Makey Makey GO turns everyday objects into touchpads and combines them with the Internet. Say hello to the world’s first invention kit.
RePhone
RePhone from Seeed Studio allows Makers to create a phone themselves in minutes and hack a new way to communicate with things.
mBot
mBot is an all-in-one, Arduino-compatible robot that supports wireless communication and employs Scratch 2.0-like coding.
Ringo
Ringo is a miniature digital pet robot equipped with an accelerometer, a gyrosocope, six RGB LEDs, as well as sound and communication sensors.
Wink
Wink is an Arduino-driven robot designed to help transition students from graphical programming to more powerful written code languages. It’s also the sibling of the aforementioned Ringo.
Kano
Kano is a computer and coding kit for all ages that’s as simple as LEGO, powered by Raspberry Pi.
Primo Cubetto
Primo Cubetto is a smart wooden robot designed to teach kids the basics of coding away from the screen.
Petduino
Petduino puts a DIY twist on the old-school Tamagotchi.
STEMI
STEMI is a hexapod that can be built right at home and controlled via smartphone.
mCookie
mCookies are quarter-sized, stackable modules from Microduino that enable young Makers to bring their LEGO projects to life.
Modulo
Modulo is a set of tiny modular circuit boards that takes the hassle out of electronics.
The Crafty Robot
The Crafty Robot is a paper toy unlike any other — plug it into a USB port for 30 seconds, unplug it and you’ve got a moving robot.
Kamigami
Kamigami is an origami-style robot you can construct and program by yourself. Each one can be configured with a unique set of behaviors and characteristics through a drag-and-drop interface.
Phiro
Phiro is a LEGO-compatible robotics toy that children can play with, code and innovate in various ways.
Quirkbot
With Quirkbot, young Makers can devise and configure quirky robots (hence its name), blinking outfits and weird sounding creatures out of regular drinking straws.
Cannybots
Cannybots are LEGO-compatible, smart toy cars that introduce kids to the worlds of robotics, programming and 3D printing.
3DRacers
3DRacers is a Mario Kart-like indoor racing game that lets anyone design and 3D print their own car.
Volta Flyer
Volta Flyer is the world’s first DIY airplane kit that is solely powered by the sun.
Roby
Roby is a 3D-printed robotic machine that not only drives on four wheels, but can walk on two. If it falls, it can even pick itself up again with its pair of arms.
O Watch
O Watch is a DIY smartwatch for a kid, by a kid.
LocoRobo
LocoRobo is a cute, inexpensive robot capable of being wirelessly programmed.
KamiBot
KamiBot is a programmable, smartphone-controlled paper robot.
Pixel Pals
Pixel Pals are easy-to-build, fun educational kits that grow from a project to a friend you can program.
Fiat Lux
Fiat Lux is an Arduino-compatible kit specifically designed for unique wearable projects.
AZIBOt
AZIBOt is an open source, 3D-printed robot kit for STEM education in Africa.
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