The Best Toys That Help With Engineering

My eldest who is 6 loves any toys that involve building something. He gravitates towards anything that he can use to build buildings, cars, bridges, etc. He is so fascinated with these types of toys that it is sometimes impossible to get him away to do other activities.

I don’t want to dampen his love for building things, but I like to encourage it as much as possible. He already knows that he wants to be an Engineer. That’s awesome for a 6-year-old already figuring out his chosen career path.

It’s no surprise to me that most schools have adopted a curriculum known as STEAM (formerly STEM). STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.

I love that the schools are helping children explore the basics of education and more into other aspects of learning from a very young age.

So here are a few suggestions of toys that my two boys (ages 4 and 6) have tried that are really good for developing Engineering skills. Since I advocate for having a balance with screen-free play, I try to mix up their activities as much as I can to help them to be well-rounded.

“These toys are great for developing engineering and mechanical skills in kids”

Lego

Legos are one of my son’s favorite toys to engage with. He can play with it for hours if you allow him to.

Lego building that involves following directions or just free play with loose LEGOs is both ways that can be done to help develop directional and critical thinking.

If you would like to learn how I built this LEGO table read my blog post on How To Make A Lego Table From Ikea Lack Center Table

Rocking Rover and Bionic Plane

This toy was a hit with my boys! It kept them entertained, and at the same time, offered problem-solving and fine motor skills required for 3 to 5 years old during development.

The toy came with pieces that were pretty easy to put together with a little grown-up help. When the toy was fully assembled, however, boy oh boy, they were so amazed that they were able to build something from scratch that actually moves. Yes, it is that entertaining and I highly recommend it.

Magformers and magblocks

My kids have had this toy since the baby stages and have done so well with them when it comes to creative play. They have carried these toys around so much that they could be found in every room.

This is perfect for STEAM education as well where they are working on fine motor skills and problem-solving. They can also learn their shapes, colors, and how to build.

Picasso Tiles

Picasso Tiles are also fun to use and can help with engineering, problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination. It can also help with color recognition, counting, sorting, attention, and focus by using their hands to foster Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math skills.

They can use their imagination to build anything with the pieces that are available with this toy.

Picasso Tiles 2

This is another toy from the Picasso brand that I also think is a great STEAM toy as well.

It can definitely help to develop engineering skills and imaginative play. It can also help with color recognition, counting, sorting, attention, and focus by using their hands to foster Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math skills.

They can use their imagination to build anything with the pieces that are available with this toy.

Foam Building blocks

I love these foam building blocks! They are definitely a favorite with my kids for screen-free play.

It helps them to flex their creative muscle and make designs from the foam blocks themselves. Very useful for building engineering skills. It can also help with imaginative play, shape, and color recognition.

Tetris Building blocks

I love these Tetris building blocks!

They are definitely great for developing engineering skills, color recognition, and attention and focus.

They are unfortunately not available on Amazon anymore. These were seen at the Glazer Children’s Museum.

Here is something similar that can be used.

Big Blue Block sets

Who wouldn’t love to play with these building blocks? I think they are a really fun and creative way to explore building things and at the same time figure out how to make them functional.

It is a great activity for building not only engineering skills but also imaginative play, hand-to-eye coordination, and definitely teamwork.

This was also available at Glazer Children’s Museum. You can however purchase this directly from the makers’ website Imagination playground block set. It is also great for backyard fun!

Osmo Kits

My computer-savvy sister, wants my kids to be ready for the world of computer science and technology. She has introduced them to this really cool toy that helps them to get started with the early stages of coding.

It is designed for ages 5–10. It builds coding skills in progression with 3 hands-on learning games. You can watch your child learn to code as they connect colorful blocks of code in the physical world to chart the adventure on their screen.

They also have other kits available depending on the age and stage of development of your child. It is definitely worth checking out.

If you would like more tips on activities that you can do with your kids check out my blog post on:

• 10 Fun Screen-Free Activities For A 3 To 5 Year Old
• 12 Movement Activities For Kids To Stay Fit
• How To Make Sensory Bins For Kids

Did you find the strategies listed in this article helpful? What were some of your favorite tips? How have they worked for you? Leave a comment below, I’d love to know what you think.

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my email newsletter to get any NEW POSTS or Mommy Inspired FREEBIES that I have available for you, to help you on your parenting journey.