Nick’s Picks for Tech Toys
So many of my previous picks for educational toys remain among my top choices (now at lower prices), but this year I’m focussing on just five stand-out tech toys. Don’t forget to check out potential deals on my previous years’ picks at the bottom of this post.
Sphero Specdrums
Sphero’s rolling robots have been featured on Nick’s Picks no less than five times. Their latest product allows you to take your creativity in an entirely different direction. Just place Specdrum rings on your fingers and tap on the included play pad, or any surface to create your own music. The Specdrum rings turn different colors into different sounds. You have to see it to really appreciate it.
Specdrum apps allow you to create beats, loops and sounds with digital drums, keyboards, and more. They also work with a number of other apps including Garageband.
Ages 8+
$64.99 (one ring)
$99.99 (two rings)
Square Panda Phonics Multisensory Sight, Touch, and Sound Playset for Kids Learning to Read
Square Panda is a research-based, multi-sensory, phonics learning system that works with iPad and Android tablets. Early readers move 3-D plastic letters onto the playset; each letter is sounded out phonetically as it appears on the screen. Kids learn letter identification, phonemic sounds, decoding, and more as they play through a library of free learning games.
Ages 2-8
$49.50
Elenco Teach Tech “Mech-5”, Programmable Mechanical Robot Coding Kit
The Mech-5 stands out in a very distinctive way among the many coding robots that I have worked with. Kids engaging in coding using plastic coding buttons that they snap onto a mechanical coding wheel; no app is required! Kids will have fun while building and programming the Mech-5 to lift, kick, throw, and more.
Ages 10+
$30.36
Educational Insights Artie 3000 The Coding Robot
Creativity meets coding when kids design the code, and Artie 3000 draws the lines. Artie 3000 is perfectly adaptable to grow with the coding abilities of kids. Beginners can progress from remote-control mode and point-and-click to simple drag and drop coding with Blockly. Intermediate coders can bring in more advanced functions using Snap!, while advanced programming is available in Python and Javascript.
Ages 7-12
$62.99
LEGO Star Wars Boost Droid Commander
Kids will have a blast building 3 Star Wars droids. Their problem-solving and coding skills will be put to the test through more than 40 interactive missions featured as part of the free Lego Boost Star Wars app. The set includes more than 1,000 lego pieces, an interactive motor, a Bluetooth hub, and a color and distance sensor.
Ages 8+
$199.95
Looking for More Great Toys?
Top Educational Toys Under $50
The Best STEM Toys Under $25
The Best STEM Toys Under $50
The Best STEM Toys Under $100
5 Tech Toys Under $100
5 Tech Toys Under $50
5 STEM Toys Under $25
I only recommend products that I personally use or know their value, so you’re in good hands. Purchasing products through some of the links above may result in me receiving a couple of bucks (with NO additional cost to you). It helps offset the cost of hosting this site, but it’s certainly not enough to buy a pony. I do, however, appreciate your support!
Note: The prices listed above are current as of writing this post. If you find better prices on any of these items, please share in the comments below.
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