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Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning is essential to a student’s core curriculum. Educators around the world are putting an emphasis on STEM learning in the classroom to improve STEM literacy and prepare students for the rapidly growing STEM workforce. One way parents can aid their child’s education is by implementing STEM lessons at home during the school year and summer months.
Regardless of parent skillset, there are easy, effective ways to get students engaged at home. STEM kits offer parents and children all the tools they need to engage in STEM at home without the need to purchase additional materials. In this article, STEM Sports® has compiled a list of the best STEM kits for middle school-aged students. With step-by-step instructions, these STEM kits allow students to take control of their education, explore new interests, and improve their STEM literacy skills at their own pace in a comfortable environment.
*Pricing in this blog is based on website pricing as of February 5, 2023. These are subject to change at the discretion of each vendor.
Why You Should Buy It: The Basic Introduction to Chemistry Kit comes with 30 introductory chemistry lessons children can do over a period of time at home. Each lesson introduces new chemical reactions that can be directly applied to chemistry concepts they are learning about in the classroom. This kit is a great resource for children who need additional help in chemistry or chemistry fanatics who want to expand their knowledge in this area. An additional benefit of this kit is there are extension kits available for purchase as children complete lessons and are ready to move on to more complex, challenging lessons.
Focus Skills: This STEM kit introduces students to science, specifically chemistry.
Price: $79.95
Why You Should Buy It: The Strawbee Robotics Kit is a great way to introduce children to engineering and technology at home. Using detailed instructions, children will use their imagination and critical thinking skills to build and code a fully functional robot. Coding jobs are in high demand, which is making the need for qualified, passionate coders increasingly important in the STEM workforce. By instilling this skill in middle school-aged students, parents can help set their children up for success in their future careers.
Focus Skills: This STEM kit teaches students key engineering and technology skills.
Price: $75.00
Why You Should Buy It: The Wind Energy Science Kit introduces students to science and engineering concepts through real world, hands on examples. During this lesson, children build their own wind turbine, spending time to perfect angles, weight, and resistance,creating a functional windmill used to generate electricity. This provides parents with the opportunity to talk to their child about earth science, physics and engineering careers that use these skills to better society and the future of the planet.
Focus Skills: This STEM kit teaches children key science and engineering skills.
Price: $199.00
Why You Should Buy It: The STEM Sports® All Star Kit is a recurring monthly subscription STEM education program that uses sports as a way to facilitate hands-on learning. The STEM kit is offered for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8 to ensure alignment with skillset, classroom curriculum, and educational standards. Each month, children will receive a turnkey box that uses a different sport as the application of how STEM concepts can be applied to the real world. This benefits children in understanding why what they are learning is important and what jobs utilize these skills.
Focus Skills: This subscription kit highlights all areas of STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Price: $24.99 / month
Why You Should Buy It: The Carolina Cross-Sectional Human Eye Model is a foam model showing the inner anatomy of the human eye. This model is five times larger than the average human eye and comes with a full guide and diagram for the lesson. Children use the guide to fill out their diagram and learn more about the different parts of the eye and how they work together to allow full vision and function. This is a great and cost effective STEM kit for a child who is currently learning about biology and anatomy and/or has an interest in the medical field.
Focus Skills: The human eye model introduces students to science, more specifically, biology and anatomy.
Price: $22.10
Why You Should Buy It: The GoCube is similar to a traditional Rubix Cube. However, this cube utilizes Bluetooth technology and an IOS/Android application. Once purchased, children have access to hundreds of STEM lessons, games, and puzzles meant to be done at home or on the go. Outside of the direct STEM benefits this product provides, it also helps strengthen memory, problem solving skills, and other 21st century skills linked to success in the workforce and classroom.
Focus Skills: The GoCube teaches STEM skills and 21st century learning skills through interactive app puzzles and games.
Price: $99.95
Why You Should Buy It: The Kitables Mini Drone is an at home STEM kit that transforms middle school children into robotics engineers. Using step-by-step online instructions, children use their imagination and engineering skills to construct a working drone from scratch. Once the drone is properly built, children will go outsid,play with their drone, and witness how their building and electrical skills are applicable to real world activities and technology.
Focus Skills: The Kitables DIY Mini Drone Quadcopter Kit highlights core science, technology, and engineering lessons for children.
Price: $59.99
Why You Should Buy It: The Elevate Prep Math Game is the perfect addition to family game night or after school activities with friends! The interactive math game helps children strengthen their subtraction, multiplication, and division skills in a fun, fast paced environment. The game promotes the use of math literacy and allows children to practice in a safe environment where getting the answer wrong and trying again is okay. As these skills are strengthened, children will see improved scores on exams/standardized tests and will be more comfortable using these skills in day to day life.
Focus Skills: The Elevate Prep Math Game promotes math learning through play.
Price: $18.99
Are you interested in learning more about the benefits of STEM learning and how it can be implemented with K-12 students? Read these comprehensive blogs about STEM education for kids:
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