Happy Thursday friends! I’m wrapping up these guides (only two left to go!) and my own Christmas shopping.  Here are a few ideas for the budding scientists and engineers out there.

I’m not a huge fan of toys that talk or make noise, but a few of my friends have purchased this microscope for their eager little scientists (ages 3-6) and raved about it, so I thought I’d link it here.  We never purchased one since we received a Brock Magiscope as a gift and that was a good scope to grow up with and even keep for the grandkids, but I did snap one of these up for my 3 y.o. nephew along with these binoculars.

 

The Squishy Human Body from Smart Lab was brought in by a family in our Classical Conversations Co-op and it was such a hit! My youngest was absolutely fascinated and loved that the pieces were flexible instead of hard plastic. (At time of posting it’s nearly 50% off!)

This organ apron is crazy cool and perfect for a little one interested in health and the  human body.

This frog dissection kit has received a lot of love in our home and has held up extremely well!

 

A subscription to MEL Science for kids 10+. We’ve been getting these Chemistry sets for over a year now and love them!

Every year the boys ask for beautiful science books. This was one of our favorites.

–A nice supply of owl pellets
-membership to the science museum
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For the Engineers:

We have loved using Snap Circuits for many years. They are currently on sale at time of posting but they usually have a good deal on these a few times leading up to Christmas. Snap Circuits is a wonderful stepping stone to more advanced kinds of kit.

Magformers have been our go to for many years. (I’ve linked one kit, but be sure to check out the others!) The larger kits are pricey but every holiday season they go on sale, often up to 40% off. Its a good one to keep an eye on.  We have a large basket of these in the classroom just for play during study hours. They’ve been a great tool for us and very helpful during geometry lessons too.

My boys love LEGO. My favorite LEGO lines is the Lego Technic series. With kits starting at $15, these sets are all about engineering gears and mechanical pieces. The boys are always thrilled to build their little working machines. The Power Functions Motor Kit is a wonderful option for kids that want to tinker and create their own machines.

 

The Keva brand is another excellent option for creative building. This set is designed for building all sorts of contraptions and lends itself easily to free play.

-Their own tools

-A trip to Home Depot for PVC Pipes or wood or whatever it is they need to create things.  Let them make a big mess in your backyard. If you’re blessed with a Grandpa, ask him to come over and build a trebuchet or a trellis with your child. Let them get their hands dirty and full of blisters and cuts. Those with tinkering minds need time and room to fiddle and practice.