Best 2023 STEM Gifts for Kids and Families

GraviTrax Starter Set

Recommended Age: 8+

Did your child go to our Camps for Curious Minds space and physics camps and fall in love with building marble tracks? This open-ended GraviTrax starter set would be great for them! With this toy, they will be able to experiment with the power of gravity to build endless combinations of track systems.

Available at Calico Toy Shoppe in West Seattle – $75 at the time of publishing

T-Rex Robot Kit by Alicorn Inc.

Recommended Age: 8+

If your child is mesmerized by all things dinosaurs and loves our dinosaur exhibit, then this robotic T-rex kit might be the perfect gift! Kids can learn all about the basics of robotics while building this hands-on dinosaur activity. Encourage their growing curiosity through the power of play!

Available at Robot Vs. Sloth in Pike Place – $22 at the time of publishing

PacSci Gift Membership

Recommended Age: 0-99

Give the gift of endless discovery and learning this holiday season with a PacSci membership. With unlimited access to captivating exhibits like the Tropical Butterfly House, mesmerizing planetarium shows, and the inventive Tinker Tank maker space, families indulge in boundless exploration. By becoming a member, you’re not just gaining access; you’re supporting transformative educational programs like Digital Discovery Workshops and summer camp scholarships. Join a diverse scientific community, fuel innovation, and enjoy benefits while creating lasting memories. If memberships are purchased online, you will receive a 10% discount!

Available on our website – $49.50 to $269.10 at the time of publishing

*10% online discount is applicable to Annual Pass, Family, and Feature Family membership, and gift memberships. Discount only available for online purchases. Cannot be retroactively applied to past purchases. Cannot be combined with any other discount, promotion, or special offer.

DIY Glowing Squishy Slime

Recommended Age: 6+

At our ChemLab Inc. and Building Blocks summer camps, we’ve seen the thrill and educational fun of slime experiments. These kits foster tactile learning, igniting curiosity in chemical reactions and polymer science. Perfect for entertaining on rainy days or sparking a lifelong love for scientific exploration, slime experiment kits are an ideal choice for curious young minds.

Available at Clover Toys in Ballard – $7 at the time of publishing

Green Toys Dough

Recommended Age: 2+

Fuel your family’s curiosity at home with the Green Toys Dough Pack, an ideal companion for our Curiosity at Home: Animal Tracks activity. Crafted from organic flour and food-grade coloring, this safe and simple-to-use dough offers creative delights for kids aged two and up. Encourage hands-on learning with our Animal Tracks activity and let your family explore the world of animal footprints while enjoying the sensory joy of molding and shaping with this eco-friendly dough.

Available at Learning Express in Renton – $7.50 at the time of publishing

Cosmic Space Projector

Recommended Age: 3+

The Cosmic Space Projector offers an awe-inspiring journey through the universe for kids enamored with our on-site planetarium and/or our portable planetarium used in Science on Wheels. Its immersive display fosters curiosity about astronomy and space exploration in young minds. It will not only entertain, but also inspire a fascination with the cosmos, making it a perfect choice for nurturing the curiosity of budding astronomers and space enthusiasts.

Available at Lakeshore in Bellevue – $24.99 at the time of publishing 

Arduino Student Kit

Recommended Age: 11+

For students captivated by coding during our robotics camps, the Arduino student kit is the perfect continuation. Tailored for older youth, it serves as a gateway into coding and electronics, fostering problem-solving, logic, and creativity. Beyond circuit assembly, it inspires innovation, empowering them to engineer real-world solutions, and making it an indispensable tool for their learning journey.

Available online at Arduino store – $76.20 at the time of publishing

Botley® the Coding Robot Activity Set 

Recommended Age: 5+

Botley provides an immersive, screen-free introduction to coding, fostering logic and problem-solving skills for young children. Its user-friendly features and interactive challenges engage kids in hands-on programming exploration. Drawing from the enthusiasm seen with a comparable robot in our Engineering Science on Wheels experience, we’re confident that Botley will entertain and inspire young minds to explore the thrilling realms of robotics and coding.

Available online on Learning Resources – $74.99 at the time of publishing

LEGO® Duplo Brick Box

Recommended Age: 2+

The LEGO® Duplo Brick Box serves as an excellent gift, especially for kids who love the engineering process and have engaged in our Science on Wheels engineering Lesson, ‘Machine Makeover.’ Duplo blocks spark creativity and problem-solving skills, allowing young engineers to enhance their understanding of engineering concepts while fostering their love for building and innovation.

Available at Guppies in Ruston – $34.99 at the time of publishing

Portable Microscope 2.0

Recommended Age: 5+

Are you looking for an easy-to-use portable microscope to take on your family adventures? This microscope has a kid-friendly design and is built to handle drops from little hands. Learners in our biology-themed camps love to use similar microscopes to explore the world around them in detail. Kids can explore the world with up to x40 magnification both indoors and outdoors!

Available at Guppies in Ruston – $34.99 at the time of publishing

Dissect It: Frog Lab

Recommended Age: 6+

Introduce your child to the wonders of biology with our synthetic Dissect-It® dissection kits, inspired by the engaging lessons from our Science on Wheels Blood and Guts experience. These kits offer a safe and fascinating hands-on exploration without the need for real specimens. With this dissection kit, kids can explore anatomy in a realistic way, making learning about animal features and skeletal systems an exciting and educational adventure right at home.

Available at Snapdoodle Toys in Ballard – $17.99 at the time of publishing

Insect Lore Live Butterfly Garden

Recommended Age: 6+

The Insect Lore Live Butterfly Garden is an ideal gift for kids enamored with spending time in our Tropical Butterfly House. This enchanting kit offers an immersive experience, allowing children to witness the magical transformation from caterpillar to butterfly up close. It inspires an educational adventure that fosters curiosity about the life cycle of butterflies.

Available at Snapdoodle Toys in Ballard – $29.99 at the time of publishing

Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner

Recommended Age: 5+

“Over and Under the Pond” by Kate Messner is the perfect holiday gift for your child, building on their curiosity for nature and ecosystems. PacSci offers this book as an extension activity following our popular Digital Discovery Workshop “Ecosystem Investigators.”

This book beautifully explores the hidden world beneath the surface of a pond, offering a captivating journey into aquatic habitats. It inspires a sense of wonder and discovery, fostering an appreciation for the interconnectedness of nature.

Available at Queen Anne Book Company in Queen Anne – $17.99 at the time of publishing

Kids Plant-Flower Pot with Seed Paper

Recommended Age: 6+

Camps for Curious Mind’s “Ready, Seed, Grow!” summer camp is a favorite for many Seattle campers. If you’re looking for a sustainable gift this holiday season, then this gardening set would be a perfect fit! This set comes with almost everything that your little one could need to start a garden of their own.

Available at Bootyland Kids in Capitol Hill – $20 at the time of publishing