Take a look around you. What do you see? Likely, your phone, tablet, or laptop, your furniture, maybe your television and android box. You’ll see lights and switches and outlets. The walls and structure of your home. It’s all related to engineering.
Interests begin in childhood so today we are going to take a look at gifts for kids who are interested in engineering. Do you have a child who loves to tinker and build? Maybe you see traits like problem solving, analytical or critical thinking, curiosity and creativity. Maybe it’s time to check out some gifts to spur on your child’s engineering leanings.
You’ve likely heard of Bill Nye, the Science Guy. He is quoted as saying, “There’s nothing I believe in more strongly than getting young people interested in science and engineering, for a better tomorrow, for all humankind.” As parents, let’s do what we can to cultivate our child’s innovation by equipping them with opportunities to explore.
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Gifts for Young Engineers:
This Snap Circuits kit is a great starter kit to help tune your child into engineering. The end result is a usable, albeit quieter, radio that your child can take pride in having built. This kit comes with complete instructions, with pictures included, with additional circuit plans that come only with instructions. With simple snap-in parts, no soldering is required. Your child’s enthusiasm in this project will open new channels for their creativity.
Thames & Kosmos Remote-Control Machines
The remote control machines aren’t limited to one or two simple builds. In fact, you can choose from the Classic Edition, Deluxe Edition, Construction Vehicles, Custom Cars, Farm Vehicles, and Space Explorers with a combined 20 models of motor set-up to bring your child’s imagination to life. Each build comes with a wireless remote control unit so your budding engineer won’t be tied down with needless wires.
This engineering gift is sure to be on the mark and will engage both children and parents alike. The drawings within the instructions are small for some and some parts are quite fragile so care is needed. While replacement parts are available, those with a bend towards engineering will soon learn that precision and patience are essential keys to success.
K’Nex Intro to Simple Machines: Levers and Pulleys
With K’nex, your child can build 8 functioning replicas of actual machines, and countless creative opportunities to engineer their own. Intended for children in grades 3-5, this K’nex pack includes a teaching guide to such concepts as making work easier, classes of levers, ideal mechanical advantages, and pulley systems.
With 178 parts and pieces in this kit, parents will be thrilled to know that it comes with a plastic storage container to protect your feet from late night trauma in the midst of a late night walk down the hall.
ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run Logic Game
Engineering interests can be nurtured through games as well as activities. This ThinkFun game helps your child develop critical thinking skills as players work through challenges that build “spatial reasoning and planning skills.”
With almost 90% of the nearly 1600 Amazon reviews, this game is a runaway winner. Gravity Maze is described as a combination logic game, marble game, and STEM toy with 60 challenges that suit all skill levels, for boys and girls, ages 8 years and up.
Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst
Tinkering Labs encourages your young engineer to build everything from robots to cars, even adding to Lego making endless options in the creativity of a young mind. This single kit opens up a world of engineering creativity for your child. With 50+ parts, this kit comes with unique challenge cards to spur on the creative genius just waiting to break out of the mold.
Early users may need to pay closer attention to the instructions in their first builds as they get accustomed to the product. The vast majority of reviews of this engineering gift raved about the inspiring nature of the kit, the storage features, the high quality, and the flexibility of creation.
Freedom of Creating with Engineering
The options of gifts for kids interested in engineering are as endless as the creations themselves. Whether a young child who is beginning to explore their creative nature or a tween who is ready to tackle the next project there is something for everyone. By the very nature of having a leaning towards engineering, your child will enjoy the freedom of creation rather than the rote routine of just predetermined kit outcome.
The kits will help guide the interest, but parents will be able to witness their child’s true engineering nature in the creations that come after the initial build. After all, your child had to learn to walk before they could run, and your child will learn the basics of engineering before they dive into the advanced building that will come with time, honing of skills, and both your encouragement and engagement.