Top 100 Educational Baby Toys for STEM Learning

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathmatics, which means a lot of parents are looking for the best educational baby toys for STEM learning.

Let’s start at the beginning. If you’re a parent or if you’re dialed into educational issues and news, you know that STEM is a huge buzzword right now.

There’s no denying that science, technology and math are key components to any schooling, but STEM isn’t just about teaching kids computers and complex math.

The elements of STEM start being developed long before little ones know how to add and subtract, and far before they know the difference between structural and civil engineering!

STEM skills in babies and toddlers are developed naturally by babies exploring and learning about the world, and we can give our babies fun ways to develop their STEM foundation through toys and activities.

I’m a firm believer in fun, and I also believe that early education should not feel like work.

Meaning: attempts to educate babies and toddlers should focus on fun first. Learning is an amazing byproduct that comes out of almost every activity a child does!

I have another belief regarding educational baby toys for STEM learning: the toys should be low or no-tech.

Non-electric toys just seem better for developing fine motor skills. It also puts the baby in the position of the leader, while battery-operated toys generally have the toy dictate to your child how it’s supposed to be used.

Think about it: electronics and technology only become more common as our babies grow. This is your chance to give your child exposure to the wonder of simplicity.

What should you look for in educational baby toys for STEM learning?

Seek out toys that encourage one or more of the following ideas or activities:

• Comparing
• Sorting
• Sequencing (putting things in order)
• Observing
• Speed and distance
• Cause and effect
• Questions
• Predictions
• Identifying shapes, numbers and/or letters
• Measuring
• Spatial sense
• Problem solving
• Building or balancing

Note: While I was compiling this list of top educational baby toys for STEM learning I couldn’t help but include some toys that are more appropriate for two or three year-olds. There are so many great toys to check out, but just be aware of the recommended ages before you buy them. 

It’s also worth noting that I’ve never minded when my own kids received toys that were slightly outside of their age group. It’s fun to set aside a toy until they’re the right age for it. When they do hit that age it’s like Christmas or a birthday all over again!

Top 100 Educational Baby Toys for STEM Learning:

1. The First Years Stacking Up Cups
2. Classic Wooden First Bead Maze
3. Stack and Count Parking Garage
4. Hide N Squeak Eggs
5. Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Corn Popper
6. PlanToys Roller
7. Melissa & Doug K’s Kids Take-Along Shape Sorter Baby Toy
8. Little Tikes Ball, Drop and Roll
9. Fisher-Price Rattle ‘n Rock Maracas Musical
10. Discover and Learn Plui Rain Cloud Tub Toy
11. Classic Wooden Shape Sorting Cube with 12 shapes
12. B. One Two Squeeze Blocks
13. Earlyears Squeak ‘n Stack Blocks Baby Toy
14. Infantino Textured Ball multi-set
15. Haba Magica Clutching toy
16. Melissa & Doug Match & Roll Shape Sorter
17. Boon Water Bugs Floating Bath Toys with Net
18. Melissa & Doug Nesting, Pairing, Stacking and Sorting Garages and Cars set
19. Hohner Kids Mini Rainmaker Rainstick
20. The Original Toy Company Pop Up Fire Truck
21. PlanToys Cone Sorting
22. Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Baby’s First Blocks
23. Mega Bloks First Builders Big Building Bag
24. Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Toy
25. Boon Cast Fishing Pole
26. Sassy Developmental Sensory Ball Set
27. Munchkin Caterpillar Spillers Stacking Cups
28. Hohner 4 Piece Baby Band
29. Playskool Busy Poppin’ Pals Toy
30. Fisher-Price Easy Stack ‘n Sounds Blocks
31. Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Rock-a-Stack
32. Melissa & Doug First Shapes Jumbo Knob Puzzle
33. Skip Hop Dunks Floating Toy Set
34. VTech Stack and Sing Rings
35. TOMY Choo-Choo Loop Toy Vehicle
36. Grimm’s Large Wooden Rainbow Conical Stacking Tower Made in Germany
37. BUCKLE TOY Toddler Early Learning Basic Life Skills Children’s Plush Travel Activity
38. Melissa & Doug Peek-a-Boo Bear
39. Fat Brain Toys SpinAgain
40. Boon Jellies Suction Cup Toys
41. Melissa & Doug K’s Kids Fish and Count Learning Game
42. Melissa & Doug K’s Kids Match and Build Blocks
43. John Deere Barnyard Shape Sorter
44. Vidatoy 10 Hole Cube for Shape Sorter and Maths Learning Wooden Toys
45. TUPPERWARE Shape O Ball Toy
46. Battat Sound Puzzle Box
47. Little Tikes DiscoverSounds Shape, Sort and Scatter
48. Hape Shake and Match Shape Sorter (7 Pieces)
49. Kiddopotamus King of the Shape Sorters Toy
50. Melissa & Doug K’s Kids Stacking Blocks
51. Melissa & Doug Locks & Latches Board
52. Bright Starts Drop & Giggle
53. Sassy Pop n’ Push Car
54. Plan Toys Stacking Tree
55. Battat Sort and Stack Toy
56. ALEX Toys Little Hands Button Art
57. Lauri Tall-Stacker Number Express
58. Learning Resources Letter Construction Activity Set
59. Boon Pipes Water Pipes Bath Toy
60. Peg Board Set – Montessori Toy for Toddlers and Preschoolers
61. Sassy Bucket Of Beads
62. Munchkin Float and Play Bubbles Toy
63. Learning Resources Mini Muffin Match Up
64. 30 Jumbo Toddler Lacing & Montessori Stringing Beads
65. Melissa & Doug Bead Sequencing Set
66. Pound Ball Chutes and Slides
67. Educational Insights Shapes Beanbags Set
68. Edushape Giant Tangram
69. Tube Locks Set with Wheels and Music Parts
70. Melissa & Doug 60-Piece Standard Unit Blocks
71. Gear Building Toy Set – Interlocking Learning Blocks
72. Gearation Refrigerator Magnets
73. LEGO DUPLO My First Number Train Building Set
74. LEGO DUPLO Creative Play All-in-One-Green-Box-of-Fun
75. LEGO DUPLO Creative Play All-in-One-Pink-Box-of-Fun
76. O Ball Anyway Stacker Toy
77. Squigz Starter 24 piece set
78. Educational Insights Design & Drill Activity Center
79. VTech Drop & Go Dump Truck
80. Fisher-Price Little People City Skyway
81. VIAHART Brain Flakes 500 Piece Interlocking Discs
82. Bristle Block Spinaroos
83. Tinkertoy Super Building Set
84. Cup Up 50 building set
85. Tot Tube – Tunnel Ramp Race Track
86. Tall Stacker Mighty Monkey Pegs & Pegboard Set
87. All About Today Board
88. Grimm’s Set of 4 Wooden Rainbow-Colored Rocking Boat Blocks
89. Haba Baby’s First Blocks
90. Lauri Tall-Stacker Building Set
91. Learning Resources Mathlink Cubes
92. Guidecraft 3D Feel & Find Play Set
93. 68-Piece Foam Wonder Blocks
94. Melissa & Doug 100-Piece Wood Blocks Set
95. Play-Doh Diggin’ Rigs Buzzsaw Playset
96. Dough Tools – 5 Piece Set
97. Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears!
98. Step2 WaterWheel Activity Play Table
99. Hape Totally Amazing Roller Derby Rolling Maze
100. Haba Lighthouse Stacking Game
101. HABA Fun with Sounds Wooden Discovery Blocks
102. Tolo Abacus Rattle
103. Grimm’s Giant Rainbow Wooden Marbles

Do you have any baby toys you can recommend for STEM learning?