Feature
STEM and educational
Every day’s a
school day
Toys that teach are a popular choice with parents, grandparents and caregivers, offering kids that little something extra while they play and imparting valuable life skills that will stand youngsters in good stead for their future – and inspire the talent of tomorrow. Rachael Simpson-Jones looks at how companies merge learning with play, and what topics and themes are proving most popular.
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earning and play often go hand in hand, but explicitly STEM and educational toys take what is often an organic process and make it an intrinsic part of the fun, requiring a delicate balancing act that finds a happy middle ground somewhere between ‘this is cool!’ and ‘I never knew water/circuits/prime numbers/the brain could do that’. There’s two ways of doing this; find a STEM subject and then the fun within it, or start with something fun and find the STEM within it. “Galt taps into the natural curiosity of children by taking STEM concepts that might be quite complex, and simplifying them without losing the essence of that concept,” explains John McDonnell, managing director, James Galt & Co. “We start with an interesting subject and then focus on breaking it down into simple and fun steps, leveraging our heritage in this space to create an age-appropriate product. Of course, to gain the most from a STEM or educational toy, kids need to understand the how and why behind the principles they’re investigating. To this end, Galt includes an attractive and colourful lab book with each of its sets, which include Rainbow Lab, Glow Lab and Body Lab, smaller sets such as Kitchen Lab, Bubble Lab and Nature Lab, the impressive Giant Science lab, and the licensed Horrible Science Range. As readers will discover on pages 64 and 66, SmartLab also puts books (or booklets) at the centre
of each of its STEM offerings, drawing on its strength within the publishing space and that of its parent company, Quarto. SmartLab’s major launch for 2021/22, Ultimate Squishy Human Body Lab with SmartScan Technology, comes with what senior brand manager George Scott says is ‘possibly the best book we’ve ever created’, a 32-page-long feast of facts and fascinating illustrations. Year after year, we hear that Space remains a (if not the) best-selling theme in STEM. This is certainly the case for Jade Oliver-Deacon, of The Toy Shop Okehampton. She says: “One of my best-sellers is the Brainstorm My Very Own Solar System, which launched this year. This all-in-one product has been so popular with my customers that it sold out within just a couple of days of stock arriving. It’s a brilliant kit and I’ve immediately placed another order to cater to demand among people who missed out the first time. Children love space because we don’t have a full understanding of it; anything to do with earth, the moon, planets or stars always captures the attention of kids.” Debra Tiffany, marketing manager at Brainstorm Toys, says the company advocates for the creation of toys that teach by stealth, meaning all its products are about entertaining and engaging children first and foremost. Brainstorm also focuses on creating products themed around subjects that children
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are consistently curious about, which is why space, dinosaurs and the outdoors, to name a few, are all top topics within the portfolio. “Our Brainstorm Toys and The Original Glowstars Company collections extend year-on-year,” she replies when asked what the company’s products offer from a retail perspective. “Our high-quality products, coupled with our continued marketing, means the Brainstorm name is synonymous with STEM toys. Retailers can grow their Brainstorm Toys selection thanks to a range of price points and innovative POS, and all products will easily stand on their own or complement other STEM ranges, such as Space. Everyone loves Space, whatever their age. It’s endlessly fascinating and our understanding of it is ever evolving, meaning our product ranges can also evolve over time.” Jade shares how Brainstorm’s STEM and educational toys can sometimes be put to novel educational purchases. See the World Through Others’ Eyes, unique ‘goggles’ that let the wearer observe the world around them in over 17 different ways, are apparently becoming increasingly popular with parents of autistic children keen to offer their friends and classmates an understanding of how and why their autistic child is different. Parent-led purchase means another balancing act is necessary; appealing to adult gifters while not putting off kids that may have a genuine interest in buying
