The Blog girlsGirls In Stemchristmas gifts

10 Gift Ideas for Your Little Stemette This Christmas

Whether you're a little Stemette (a STEM loving girl) or have a little Stemette in your life, Christmas is the perfect time to shop around for those presents that are going to get you, or someone you know, on the path to becoming part of the next generation of girls in STEM.
Open Image Modal
By 

Founder and CEO of Stemettes

Founder and CEO of Stemettes
|

Co-authored by Jacquelyn Guderley, Managing Stemette on the Stemettes project

During my keynote at the WomenShiftDigital conference this year, as well as sharing best practices I've seen for getting girls into Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths (STEM) from a young age, I spoke about the difference between thatviral Goldieblox advert and the very 'traditional' LEGO advert we've seen on the television this Christmas. It's been said various times that STEM stereotypes start at an early age and are reflected in the toys we give children, in particular girls.

Open Image Modal

There may have been some softening in the gender split in kids' entertainment over time, especially as increasingly (though not exclusively) technology-assisted fun is finding its way into most homes; tablet-based games for the entertainment seeking child being very much the norm these days. But large toy retailers still have their warehouse shelves lined with garages 'for boys' and kitchen sets 'for girls'; cars for boy racers-to-be and imitation cottage pies in imitation ovens for mums-to-be. While it is great to see tablets at the top of various 2013 Top Christmas Toys lists, it is swiftly followed by the likes of 'Sofia the first talking Sofia Doll and Animal Friends' and the 'Barbie Dreamhouse'. Unavoidable, but surely there must be more out there.

Clearly this is only the beginning of technology acting as a leveller in the great gender imbalance traditionally perpetuated by the kids' toys and entertainment industry. And, in this day and age, it's no secret that that the stimuli we provide young children with inform their interests and pursuits, which go on to colour their perspective on the world and their place in it thereafter. The equation seems simple. If we want more STEM-minded girls, girls that feel that the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths worlds are ones they could belong in, we need to give them the opportunity settle in early. Even if it is from the comfort of their bedroom.

So, whether you're a little Stemette (a STEM loving girl) or have a little Stemette in your life, Christmas is the perfect time to shop around for those presents that are going to get you, or someone you know, on the path to becoming part of the next generation of girls in STEM. And they do exist! With Christmas fast approaching, we thought we'd save you some of that looking around by giving you a helping hand and coming up with our pick of presents that will get any little Stemette excited this Christmas.

Top 10 gifts for your Little Stemette this Christmas
Goldieblox(01 of10)
Open Image Modal
Toys for future inventorsGoldieblox are construction toys designed by girls for girls. With a Goldieblox set, young inventors have the tools they need to create amazing things following exciting design briefs, while developing confidence in spatial skills. With Goldieblox, girls can get building and get well on their way to becoming budding female engineers.Suitable for ages 8+.Price: £71.90. Order from Amazon. (credit:Flickr:ricarose)
Roominate(02 of10)
Open Image Modal
Every girl is an Artist, Architect, Engineer and VisionaryRoominate is the original wired doll house, allowing you to build your own dolls house and then electrify it and add moving accessories to your miniature house, such as a working windmill or a merry-go-round. Have fun with STEM while building your confidence in your hands-on construction skills. The creators of Roominate Toy (two female engineers) aim to inspire the next generation of female technology innovators and engineers.Age suitability varies, but starts at 6+.Price: $9.99 to $199. Order from the website.
LEGO(03 of10)
Open Image Modal
A sizeable number of women engineers we've had on the project have grown up loving LEGO, and earlier this year they even revealed a new female scientist figurine. LEGO has a ton of sets designed to get young girls using their spatial and hands-on skills, through building with their well-loved LEGO blocks. And for those little Stemettes who like to live in the fast lane, LEGO Technic also lets you build motorised lego creations. Sets are themed, and with themes from Lord of the Rings to SpongeBob Squarepants, there is sure to be something to excite every little Stemette.Age suitability varies, but start from 0 years. Check individual packs for more information.Price: £4.99 to £299. Order from the Lego Shop.
Makey Makey(04 of10)
Open Image Modal
An invention kit for everyoneThe best way to understand Makey Makey is to visit the website and watch the videos. Essentially it is a tool which allows you to bring static objects and drawings to life by connecting them to a computer programme or the internet. With a series of crocodile clip connectors, soon you could be using a picture you drew yourself or objects you have lying around your house to as a touchpad to control action taking place on your computer. Soon you could even be playing the piano on some bananas (a visit to the website is a must)!Price: $49.95. Order from the Makey Makey shop (worldwide delivery) or Amazon UK. (credit:Flickr:Waag Society)
3Doodler(05 of10)
Open Image Modal
The world's first 3D printing pen3Doodler is a pen that can draw in the air! It's not like any pen you will have seen before, able to doodle in three dimensions instead of two. It does this by melting and cooling coloured plastic (a bit like a 3D printer) to create rigid, freestanding structures in any shape you like.The first batch of orders arrived in time for Christmas. Only available for pre-order for Feb 2014 currently.Price: $99. Pre-order from the 3Doodler website (worldwide delivery). (credit:Flickr:%u6E96%u5EFA%u7BC9%u4EBA%u624B%u672D%u7DB2%u7AD9 Forgemind ArchiMedia)
Loog Guitar(06 of10)
Open Image Modal
The creators of the Loog Guitar wanted a solution to how overwhelming 6-string guitars can be for kids and beginners. But little hands will struggle no more, as the 3-stringed Loog Guitar means that kids can easily tune, play and listen to notes they play. It cuts out much of the frustration, as kids can get playing and listening to their own music with great ease from the off. And the guitar is built and assembled by you at home in a quick 15 minutes, so you can say you’ve put together your own instrument!Suitable for ages 6+.Price: $149 (basic guitar). Order from the Loog Shop.
littleBits(07 of10)
Open Image Modal
littleBits is made up of tiny circuit-boards that can be snapped together with magnets. Each “bit” has its own specific function, including things like light, sounds, sensors, buttons and motors (just for starters) and snap together to make much larger circuits. The makers of littleBits compare it to LEGO, but instead of creating structures, littleBits gets kids (and adults!) creating sophisticated electronics with little electronic knowledge.Suitable for ages 8+.Price: littleBits Kits $99 – $199 (individual modules start at $12). Order at the littleBits Shop.
PixelPress(08 of10)
Open Image Modal
Pixel Press is an iOS & Android app that lets you draw your own video game level and share it with others. Simply draw a level, take a picture, design it, play & share. And absolutely no coding is required, so you can get started right away. If you don’t fancy creating, you can play levels designed and shared by your friends and other members of the PixelPress community. New levels are created all the time, so no Stemette will bore of this!Currently only available for pre-order.Price: $10 for the app, $15 for the sketchpad. Pre-order from the PixelPress Shop.
Electronic Kits from Maplin(09 of10)
Open Image Modal
Maplin offers a range of electronics kits, perfect for any little Stemette who wants to start understanding and experimenting with electronics.All are suitable for ages 8+. Price: £9.99. Currently 3 for 2. Robotic Beetle Build a robotised beetle creature, complete with moving legs with the Robotic Beetle kit. Order here. Amazing Alarm System Build an alarm system that really works, featuring a ‘siren’ buzzer and spinning colour indicator. Order here. Amazing Space Cleaning Robot For all those clean and tidy Stemettes out there, you can learn about mechanical and electrical concepts like motion from motors. Order here.Amazing Maze Challenge Use your skills to pass the wand through the maze without touching the wire. Meanwhile, you will be learning the concepts of open and closed circuits in electronics. Order here.
Raspberry Pi(10 of10)
Open Image Modal
The Raspberry Pi is a miniature computer that can plug into your TV and a keyboard. It can be used for many of the same functions as your regular PC, all on a credit card sized board! Spreadsheets, word processing, games and high definition video are all possible with the Raspberry Pi. The makers of Raspberry Pi hope that one day this mini computer will help kids all over the world to realise how fun computer science can be!Price: £24 – £31 for the board (bundles available). Order from Raspberry Pi or pick up from Maplin. (credit:Flickr:GijsbertPeijs)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip