Friday, October 19, 2018

Our pick of the best engineering toys


Do you have a child in your life who loves tinkering and building? Engineering toys develop so many important learning skills and behaviours, including  problem solving skills, analytical and critical thinking skills, creativity, intellectual curiosity, flexibility and perseverance – all while your child plays! And these STEM toys are not just for little kids – there are ideas for preschoolers through to teenagers. 


The Amazing Clock Kit
Image result for The Amazing Clock KitThis is a discovery kit with a difference. Both sides of the wind-up clock are transparent, meaning that the workings of the clock are completely visible. So rather than being a tool to help children learn how to tell the time, this is designed to give them an understanding of how a clock actually works. They will be able to see how the swinging pendulum causes the different cogs and springs to rotate, move, turn the hands of the clock and make the bell chime too - all in only 13 steps. Once fully wound the Clock Kit should run for around 6 hours.
 Age 5-11


Learning Resources Playground Engineering Kit
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Encourage your child to come up with their own designs or they can follow the Challenge Cards, which include how to build different pieces of equipment on a playground (a twisty slide, a swing set, a seesaw, and more). Reproducible worksheets based on the engineering design process are included in the Guide.
Age 5+





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4M Robotic Hand Kit
Create a fiendish moveable robotic hand and amaze your friends with the clever automation in this exciting science project. Contains all plastic mechanical parts, string etc and detailed instructions.
Age 8+

SmartLab Demolition Lab Triple Blast Warehouse
Any game that starts with a caution to clear a 1 foot area because the cardboard panels will fly in all directions is going to be fun!  The adults will all want a go with this game too!
Image result for SmartLab Demolition Lab Triple Blast WarehouseAssemble cardboard wall panels to build a structure and strategically place the 3 blasters to knock it down.  With plenty of building panels, smoke stacks, roof pieces etc. you can construct a variety of buildings, decide on how many blasters to use and where to place them and detonate to demolish – BOOM! Don’t forget to sound the alarm before you blast the building – remember Health & Safety! Learn about the science of gravity, kinetic energy and momentum or just have endless fun.  
Age 8+

Klutz Lego Crazy Action Contraptions
Image result for klutz lego crazy action contraptionsWe love this fantastic book of LEGO projects, which comes complete with the 87 LEGO pieces (including bricks, gears, axles and rubber bands) needed to complete each of the contraptions. There are 16 projects to undertake and thanks to the clear step-by-step instructions and diagrams they can be completed without frustration! From the Speedster to the Squeeseclaw Grabber to the Rocket Racer and Time-Killing Machine, there are hours of endless fun and challenges here for any budding mechanic!


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4M Maglev Train
Construct an amazing Maglev Train model over 40 cms long and discover for yourself how they work with this super-fast model!  Using the power of magnetism, the train zooms smoothly along its special track.  Eco-engineering in action!
Age 8+



Kids First Intro To Engineering 
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By engaging in hands-on activities, children will learn how engineers apply their scientific and technical knowledge to design machines and devices. Build simple devices using these basic components. Investigate engineering with air (and in the air) by building a helicopter, a parachute, a glider, and an air-powered carousel. Then, build a diving bell, a sailboat, and a paddle boat to experiment with engineering in water. Finally, find engineering in your own home with experiments modelling the telephone and television.
Age 5-7

Engino STEM Amusement Park Set - London Eye & Ferris Wheel
Image result for Engino STEM Amusement Park Set - London Eye & Ferris Wheel
STEM Amusement park set includes a geared motor to power four large-scale models of the Ferris wheel, London Eye , merry go round & booster ride. Also includes a hands on activity book with theory and exciting experiments and quizzes with their solutions.
Age 8-16

SmartLab Crash Test
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Build a crash cart, strap in Impact Jack and learn about full throttle crash testing!  Jack is a scientific crash test dummy with an impact sensor that glows red when he’s been hit too hard and green when he’s safe. Learn about forces and how they impact on Jack.  Add a roll cage, bumper and seat belt to make it safer and to offer more protection.  Investigate crumple zones, air bags and shock absorbing bumpers.  Includes leaflet with instructions and simple explanation of the scientific principles involved.  
Age 8+

Thames and Kosmos Structural Engineer
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With this kit of modular building pieces, children can learn the basics of structural engineering by conducting a series of 20 model-building experiments. Each model demonstrates a basic principle of mechanical physics or structural engineering in a hands-on way.
Age 8+

Zoob S.T.E.M challenge
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ZOOB BuilderZ S.T.E.M. Challenge gives you the tools you need to design and build creations to solve challenges, such as hitting targets and making balls bounce. ZOOB is not like any other building set – the pieces include gears, axles and joints that snap, click, and pop together! With rotating, spinning and extendable parts you can actually design a toy to play with, instead of just building something to look at. Create monsters—or vehicles—or monsters that turn into vehicles! The possibilities are as endless as your imagination! Comes with 175 classic ZOOB pieces, plus wheels with axles and rubber tires, a high-bounce ball 24 rubber bands, 2 foam play pads, string, 26 ZOOB challenges plus 9 Bonus challenges, 5 instruction guides to build 40 creations.
Age 6+

Gears Activity Set
Image result for Gears Activity SetAward-winning construction set for young engineers, with easy to assemble primary coloured gears. 95 piece set features activity book, gears, pillars, cranks and interlocking plates for endless designs. Just turn the crank and watch the gears go round. Encourages dexterity and problem solving. 
Age 5+






4M Tin Can Cable Car
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Award winning, cool mechanical science project that recycles an empty fizzy drink tin can!  Create your own unique cable car, install it in your bedroom then watch it go up and down – to and fro.  Great for sending messages from one side of a room to the other! 
Age 8+

Haynes Internal Combustion Engine
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With this Haynes 4 Cylinder Engine construct a fully working model of a petrol car engine with ignition sound and illuminating spark plugs. The model is fun to put together and the kit contains all the tools you'll need. There are over 100 parts to assemble so this will provide hours of entertainment. It comes complete with its very own Haynes manual giving clear step-by-step instructions.
Age 10+


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