Science, Tech, Engineering and Maths, or STEM, are four fundamental school subjects being pushed harder and harder by the government. If you want to help them along, inspire your kids with these scholarly gadgets so fun, they won’t even realise they’re learning
BRAINBOX MATHS
Could someone have unlocked the secret to making maths enjoyable? Explaining your Venn diagrams from your tally charts, this game was created by a teacher with 30 years’ experience and manages to strike a superb balance between learning and fun. Study one of the play cards for 10 seconds and then answer a question based on the roll of a die; if you answer correctly, you keep the card and the person with the most cards at the end wins. Play as a group or alone. £7.34
GOLDIEBLOX AND THE SPINNING MACHINE
Created by an engineering graduate who wanted to inspire females into the world of engineering, the character Goldie builds a spinning machine to help her dog Nacho chase his tail. Designed to help build spatial skills, introduce engineering principles and problem-solve, this set has 16 design ideas and an almost unlimited amount of building possibilities. £20.65
RASPBERRY PI B+
This single board computer is the ideal gateway for beginners wanting to jump into the world of programming. You have all the ports and USB slots you’ll need to hook up external monitors and other peripherals, plus a micro SD card slot on which you save all your hard work. The Raspberry Pi community is vast so you’ll have plenty of inspiration from other users. £34.99
ROBOTIC ARM KIT
Combining building skills with an introduction to electronics, this superb kit is perfect for anyone wanting to dip a toe into the robot world. When built, the arm plugs into your PC via USB, giving you total control over its movements in real time. Programme it, then sit back and marvel as it tidies up your desk space. £34.99
XYZ BUILDS
This construction set is designed for kids of any age and aims to unleash engineering skills. The highly durable and extremely strong sheets can be slotted together to create all manner of structures, storage spaces and even a place to sit. This starter pack contains 50 sheets in a mix of yellow, green, red and blue to get you started. There are no instructions, but plenty of inspiration on their website, so your imagination is the only real limit to what can be created here. £34.99
KITCHEN CHEMISTRY SET
There are chemistry sets aplenty along the virtual aisles, but this one contains instructions to conduct 40 experiments in the kitchen. All the experiments are safe and there is an activity mat to keep the mess to a minimum. £14.99