Full STEAM Ahead: A Deep Dive into the Category Shows Why STEAM is for Everyone

Parents today know that playtime is more than just play. It’s an opportunity for kids to learn, grow, and develop essential skills, when given the right tools — or toys.

STEM products have earned a place in the toy aisles and the category is here to stay. This sector of educational toys has grown to include the arts, and as such has evolved into STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics), with the same mission to inspire innovation and encourage creative thinking in kids. After all, it’s been said that kids today are the leaders of tomorrow.

Toy companies saw a surge in demand during the pandemic, and as a result, parents today are more conscious of what their kids are exposed to and the value their toys bring to the play experience. “The demand for STEAM toys, both from parents and kids, has been strong for several years and it continues to grow steadily,” says Lili DeSisto, Marketing Manager, Thames & Kosmos. “Particularly in the past decade or so, with an increased need for qualified individuals to fill careers in STEM, there’s been a push for products to help kids learn about and spark an interest in these subjects.”

While the trend may have originally started as an effort to nudge kids into STEM careers, toy manufacturers are now making sure their products are easily accessible to all kids — whether they’re interested in these subjects or not. Professor Maxwell’s VR Atlas 2.0 from Abacus Brands takes kids on a worldwide journey to discover Earth’s wonders, cultures, cuisines, currencies, wildlife, and more. It’s easy to understand and focuses on day-to-day life.

In one instance, kids will drive over the Golden Gate Bridge during a virtual reality experience, then be able to explore how suspension bridges are made and how triangles — one of the shapes they’ll recognize in structures like the Golden Gate Bridge and others — absorb and distribute weight.

“STEAM is all around us, you just have to stop and look,” says Steve Rad, CEO, Abacus Brands. “Kids are born with an intrinsic desire to learn and it is up to the parent, and the responsibility of the toy maker, to provide opportunities for STEAM to be incorporated into their play as they grow.”

Toy manufacturers in this space agree that when it comes to getting kids involved with STEAM products, the earlier the better. Aside from teaching kids about STEAM concepts, these products aim to help kids hone important life skills that are vital to their success and futures as adults.

“STEAM is incredibly important for the overall development of children at any age,” DeSisto adds. “STEAM subjects and STEAM toys don’t just teach technical or scientific lessons, they also teach important life skills such as critical thinking, manual dexterity, perseverance, problem-solving tactics, and so much more. By playing with a STEAM toy, kids learn about trial and error, that things don’t always work right the first time, and that’s okay! STEAM toys encourage curiosity and nurture a child’s confidence to attempt the difficult, despite the potential for failure.”

Recently, licensing and themed products have become more prominent in the STEAM sector as companies appeal to kids who carry the misconception that they have to be well-versed in science or technology to enjoy these kinds of toys. “Licensing adds a layer to the journey, as kids are more willing to listen to Bill Nye than they are to their teachers or parents, so yes, it sure does help elevate the experience in making learning fun,” Rad explains, referencing Abacus’ Bill Nye’s VR Science Kits. “But incorporating licensing into a toy isn’t about just taking any old toy and slapping a recognizable brand that may be appealing to the consumer on it. A proper license and partnership is about supporting an already thoughtful play pattern in a toy, and positively reinforcing and supporting it with a license to help kids absorb and retain the meaningful material.”

Thames & Kosmos released the Tasty Labs: Wizard Potion Science Kit this year. The kit is a combination of pretend play and real science as kids follow a storybook-style manual to concoct five unique, potable potions while simultaneously discovering the science that happens in the kitchen. It teaches a plethora of chemistry concepts such as chemical reactions, polymers, solutions, density, and more.

Similarly, a kid who loves Jurassic World may not ask for a STEM kit for their birthday, but would still be interested in Thames & Kosmos’ Jurassic World: Dinosaur Dig set, in which kids dig out their own Blue the Velociraptor figurine. By following the manual to excavate the dinosaur, they’ll get a peek into the world of paleontology, fossils, DNA, and more.

“There are still loads of kids who claim to dislike STEAM,” DeSisto adds. “More likely, though, they’re either intimidated by what they think STEAM is or they just don’t realize how all-encompassing these subjects are. Incorporating well-known characters or themes can be helpful to get kids who think they don’t like STEAM to give it a try.”

Blue Marble’s partnership with National Geographic allows the company to offer kids authentic and unique experiences with its products by utilizing National Geographic images and content. Blue Marble’s National Geographic Hobby Pottery Wheel, a 2023 Creative Toy of the Year winner, features an arm tool that helps kids center their clay and open up a pot. An accompanying illustrated Learning Guide teaches kids about clay, the physics of making pottery, and how cultures from around the world have used both throughout the ages.

“I think the magic of Blue Marble is that we make STEAM so fun and exciting that kids don’t even realize they’re learning,” says Jordan Willing, CEO, Blue Marble. “When STEAM feels like more school after school, it turns them off, but the way we do it, STEAM is an exciting activity for everyone.”

Some companies are taking on topical subjects in order to open discussions with kids about the world we live in. Presenting complex information and ideas such as global warming, artificial intelligence, global geography, computer science, and environmental changes and complications in a way that kids can understand and retain may seem challenging, but it’s certainly not impossible.

“These are all major events, advancements, and obstacles that are unfolding in real-time, all around us,” DeSisto says. “It is our duty as an educational toy company to create ways to make these complicated ideas more digestible and perhaps interesting enough to spark young learners’ curiosity so they take an active role in changing our world for the better.”

Retailers — are you looking for new products that support STEAM concepts? If so, The Toy Book team has curated a few picks to help get you started. Check them out below!

A version of this feature was originally published in the 2023 Innovation & STEAM issue of The Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!