10 Best Robotic STEM Toys for Children to Spark Creativity & Curiosity

Robotic STEM toys are trendy among children. Not only do they make kids of all ages feel like they’ve ventured into the future, but they also provide various benefits, such as fine motor and problem-solving skills.

Moreover, these toys help kids develop a love of STEM – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which can turn into a career later in life.

Scientists have discovered that playing with robotic STEM toys increases spatial ability and creativity in children. It also improves their coding skills and self-efficacy. Most importantly, they learn to overcome failures by improving their robot design and code to meet the challenges their parents or teachers set forth. These skills, which children rarely get to learn at school, are essential for anything they choose to do in life.

Nevertheless, there are a few details you need to keep in mind before buying a robotic STEM toy for your child. For example, you must consider the educational value of the toy and your child’s age to ensure they play safely at their skill level. In this article, I have listed the best robotic STEM toys to challenge your child’s imagination.

Top 10 Robotic STEM Toys

Let us review my picks for the ten best robotic STEM toys available today.

Novie Interactive Smart Robot

Novie is an adorable interactive robot with unique hand-tracking technology. Children can wave their hands in various gestures to easily control Novie while it performs more than 75 actions, such as a smooth and impressive 360-degree spin. It can learn up to 12 intriguing tricks and celebrate by making silly noises.

There are three stages of play with Novie—beginner, intermediate, and advanced. These stages light up Novie’s eyes to help players easily differentiate between them. The toy is available in many colors, such as purple, blue, and green. It has four included button batteries, and its small footprint allows kids to carry it around in their bags easily. 

Wonder Workshop Dash

Dash and Dot are a robotic duo that will appeal to even adults. You just need to download the Wonder app to an Android, Apple, or Kindle Fire-compatible smart device and watch them come to life. These toys help children learn coding by letting them program each of Dash’s moves while operating lights, sounds, etc. Similarly, Dot is fully programmable to be a magic eight ball, light sword, and anything else your child wants to bring to fruition. 

Every purchase of Dash and Dot includes a 12-month subscription to Class Connect—an all-inclusive shop for children to learn about coding and take up challenges with their new robotic toys. Also, these toys are rechargeable and come with a proper charging cable.

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Also read: Why Coding should be a part of Homeschool Curriculum for Kids?

Think Gizmos RoboShooter Remote Control Robot

The Think Gizmos RoboShooter robot can do everything from talking to shooting disks and busting a move. It comes with 12 brightly colored disks that the player needs to load before getting the robot into position with the remote, taking aim, and firing. They can even program the robot ahead of time to move and fire on its own for an ambush.

The robot can walk forward and backward and greet you after turning on. In addition, it will demonstrate its moves when you press the “dance” button. The toy’s multiple functions will keep children entertained for hours, earning it a high entertainment value. However, since its design is not too sophisticated, it is more suitable for younger kids as an introduction to robotic toys.

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Also see: Best Remote Controlled Helicopters to Buy

Learning Resources Botley the Coding Robot Activity Set

Botley is a great toy to introduce your child to coding. It is a coding robot that helps kids develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking. It doesn’t require a smart device or app and comes with a remote control that children can use to program each of its moves. Moreover, kids will enjoy unlocking Botley’s hidden features as they navigate it around the house.

In addition to Botley and its remote control, the set comes with more than 70 pieces, including traffic cones and building pieces that children can use to create an interactive path for their robotic buddies. Botley is an excellent choice for children ages 5 and up because it helps them gain a significant headstart on learning about coding.

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Sphero BOLT App-Enabled Robot

The Sphero Bolt is highly futuristic in its appearance and functions because of its LED display and infrared detection. Children can program the baseball-sized robot’s LED matrix display as they wish, such as a heart or lightning bolt. It comes with customizable sensors (for example, infrared detectors) that inform the robot when there’s an object nearby. In addition, the Sphero Bolt’s waterproof and scratch-proof outer shell is durable enough to withstand minor jolts along the way.

Although the Sphero Edu app is necessary for the robot to work, it is compatible with Android, Apple, and Kindle devices via Bluetooth Smart. Thus, children can see their coding commands happen in real-time.

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ZOOB BuilderZ ZOOB Bot Moving Building Modeling System

The ZOOB BuilderZ kit offers a helpful beginning course in robotics because it contains everything children need to build their own functional bot. It comes with 49 pieces, two wheels, four tires, a pull-back two-wheel motor, and impressive light-up eyes. The kit includes instructions to build four ZOOB-Bots along with the required battery. It gives kids a choice to go by the book or develop innovative creations of their own. The pieces easily snap together and work smoothly with other ZOOB kits for expanded building.

Available at an affordable price, this kit is an excellent way to get children interested in robotics and start developing STEM skills.

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LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox

This quality robot kit from LEGO will impress everyone in the family with its wide range of multifunctional builds. The LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox comes with 847 pieces to help players build Auto Builder, Frankie the Cat, Vernie the Robot, M.T.R. 4, and Guitar 4000. All of them are programmable on the free LEGO Boost app, which is compatible with selected Android, Apple, and Kindle devices.

Children can program Vernie the Robot to dance and play a game or go out adventuring with the multi-tooled rover 4 (M.T.R. 4). The latter also includes various attachments, such as a spring-loaded shooter.

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Educational Insights Design and Drill Robot

This take-apart robot toy is suitable for children of ages 3 and up. It helps you introduce STEM subjects at a young age. Children will enjoy joining the brightly colored pieces, screwing in bolts with a screwdriver that is appropriately sized to fit their hands, and giving a final touch with decorative stickers.

The toy comes with 23 pieces and will keep kids engaged for hours as they watch their new robotic companion transform before their eyes. Moreover, the robot’s arms, head, and upper body swivel to provide additional play beyond regular construction. There is a great bonus for parents as well – the toy has no annoying lights or sounds.

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KinderLab Robotics KIBO 10 Home Edition

Kibo, a coding robot that kids can build and decorate themselves, is an excellent choice for children ages 4 to 7. Kids will undoubtedly enjoy the multiple play possibilities with this screen-free robot.

Designed by early education researchers at Tufts University, it allows kids to use a sequence of coding cards to change its actions. Also, it encourages creativity because kids can attach paper designs to its top and change them anytime they want. They can also draw directly onto Kibo’s whiteboard top with the included marker.

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Top Race Remote Control Robot Dog

Having a robot dog allows children to experience the joy of having a family pet without the necessary 24/7 care and added food, accessories, and more expenses. The Top Race robot dog toy expertly mimics the sounds and movements of ten different animals, including (obviously) a dog.

When you pat the dog on the head, it responds with sounds, music, dance, and lifelike movements. It also responds to voice-controlled commands and is operable via remote control. Although the remote control requires two AA batteries, the robot pet comes with a rechargeable battery for extended playtime.

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Robotic toys are a great way to incorporate educational STEM principles into children while entertaining them simultaneously. Coding and mechanical design are two skills that robots are especially good at promoting. I hope this article helps you buy an exciting new robotic STEM toy that entertains and educates your child in the coming years.

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Last update on 2024-11-21 using Amazon Product Advertising API.