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So it's that time of year again, and I'm pondering gifts for the kids that will teach them Science, Tech, Engineering, Math (STEM) fundamentals without their knowing it. The google searches so far have produced addition flash cards with cartoon characters on them and the like, which is instant tedium. I saw this replica of the Digi Comp at Maker Faire a couple years ago and thought it would fill the bill, but $350 is a big risk to take on something they might only play with for 5 minutes. Have any Soylentils given STEM gifts that really have worked, capturing kids' imaginations and teaching them useful STEM concepts?
[Please indicate a suggested age-range for any gift you suggest. -Ed.]
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Ask Soylent -- STEM-based Gifts for Kids
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I'm mentally OVERDRAWN! What's that SIGNPOST up ahead? Where's ROD
STERLING when you really need him?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Marand on Wednesday December 16 2015, @06:55AM
Like someone above said, STEM interest is all sourced from the same place: curiosity. Instead of trying to find STEM-related things they might like, work off of their current interests instead. It doesn't even have to be a practical thing; a boring-seeming topic becomes a lot more interesting when you can see a connection between it and something you already think is cool or interesting.
For example, when I was a kid, for the longest time I was obsessed with spy stuff, ranging from interest in James Bond films and books to collecting spy-themed toys, so I'd tear through books on the subject matter and anything even remotely related to it. Doesn't seem very science-y, but it got me interested in things like optics (because of tricks like using mirrors to see around corners and learning how it worked); learning about how locks and lockpicks work; some chemistry because of things like "invisible" ink; how light works, ultraviolet/infrared light, etc.; and even cryptography.
Science is everywhere, you just need to connect it to what they already like. So, in my opinion, a better way to approach this question would be to list the kids' interests (and maybe age range) and ask for ideas on ways to turn those interests into learning opportunities. Anything else is going to seem contrived and agenda-pushing.