Feature - STEM & Educational

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.

Learning 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 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 STEM toys for themselves. Jade has seen success among kids with the likes of The Source Wholesale’s Construct and Create Robotic Hedgehog, which she says looks ‘very, very cool’ and appeals massively to older kids, who are more than happy to pick it out for themselves. She adds: “Generally speaking, though, it’s parents and grandparents that are buying STEM and educational toys for their kids and grandkids. The feeling is very much that if they’re going to buy a toy, they’d like it to have an educational element as well as the fun.”

Zac Chapman, buyer at Oldrids & Downtown, Lincolnshire, agrees. “When it comes to STEM toys, people are looking for something more, something that develops their children,” he says. “That mindset works well for us because such toys make perfect gifts, and the educational elements can be used as a great selling point. We stock a range from Learning Resources which has been a strong seller; due to its success, I imagine that we will grow that range in the next few years.”

Many of the products within Learning Resources’ STEM and educational ranges have a strong tech element to them, such as its coding toys. And while the application of tech is something seen across many a STEM line-up, Simon Tomlinson, head of marketing at Learning Resources, says it is by no means the be all and end all of a top product.

“We know that young children learn best by doing, and whilst we expect the market for tech related educational toys will continue to grow, we are equally certain that our products will remain relevant and valuable,” he states. “We know that 66% of parents see themselves as the primary educator of their children. Traditional play is social and involves playing with other children or adults and is critical to our development as people. When we develop products, we ensure that they are easily accessible to children, so they can learn by themselves as well as with others. Although we make some electronic products, like Botley the Coding Robot and the Code & Go Robot Mouse to help kids learn the concept of coding at an early age, most of our products are traditional in nature, and have been and will continue to be, hugely successful.”

In researching this piece, two retailers did flag an area they feel could be improved upon by the sector – the inappropriate and unnecessary gendering of STEM products. This is something Alison Quill, owner of Brightminds online toy store, finds particularly irksome, telling me that she finds it disappointing that in 2021, she still sees STEM kits featuring pictures of ‘grey-haired [adult] professors’ and no images of women or girls. “Some manufacturers still think girls' science is bath bombs and bubble bath,” she says. She’s not alone – when I put this issue to Jade Oliver-Deacon, she said: “I wholeheartedly agree with Alison. There is a slow shift away from gendered STEM toys, but slow is the word.”

This is hopefully something those manufacturers guilty of such behaviour will soon address, though Toy World is pleased to see very little evidence of excessive gendering among the products featured in this issue. There’s still a gender imbalance in STEM studies and careers; according the recent UCAS data provided by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), only 35% of STEM students in higher education in the UK are women, with just 19% studying Computer Sciences or Engineering & Technology. And while the percentage of women in the workforce with STEM careers is growing, it still sits at only around 25%. Empowering girls and young women to enjoy STEM toys that don’t push them towards more ‘girly’ topics has to be a solution to addressing this inequality.

On a lighter note, sustainability is starting to creep through into STEM. Science4you’s Eco-Science range, available through Vivid, puts the environment, sustainability and learning to the fore, allowing kids to learn about renewable energy, plants, weather, climate change and much more. SmartLab is also tapping into the current demand among kids for products that are sustainable and kind to the environment. Organic Science Lab lets kids make natural dyes and biodegradable plastics using sustainable materials, all packaged in a recyclable, plastic-free outer and sleeve.

George explains how SmartLab stands out at retail, saying: “SmartLab products are packaged and designed for optimum retail shelf and POS presence, for small and large planograms, end caps and custom displays. The SmartLab brand identity includes packaging designs, colour and categories for our toys to be displayed together as a complete line, or individually and alongside other toys of the same genre.” Galt’s John McDonnell also took the opportunity to share with retailers what the company’s STEM and educational assortment offers, telling me that Galt products offer a good price point designed to achieve quick stock turnaround and giving retailers ‘a good return for shelf or catalogue space’. He adds: “Galt toys are of a proven quality which means trouble-free retailing. On top of that, Galt operates with stock levels that assure a first-class service. There’s a broad range, yearly investment in product development, and our area managers are there to communicate Galt offers directly to our retailers. This year, Galt is concentrating on the basics, overcoming logistics difficulties to get the right stock, at the right time, to the retailer. Trade press helps to inform the buyer as to what is available, and Galt POS and bright packaging helps to reach the consumer. Most importantly, the Galt area managers are on hand every day to communicate Galt’s offers to the retailers.” Over at Learning Resources, the focus is on using the full range of marketing platforms at its disposal to raise general awareness of its STEM and educational products. Targeted activity will also capitalise on consumer behaviour and demographics, underpinned by seasonality and market trends. In-store, the company is working alongside retailers to offer bespoke product packages that create themed educational ends or sections - input from its retail partners in this regard is welcomed. Finally, Brainstorm is supporting its ranges with comprehensive marketing throughout the year that will accelerate during Q4. My Very Own Solar System will be advertised on both TV and YouTube during September, November and December, with a call-out for the popular My Very Own Moon to help drive complementary purchase of this related product. Debra adds: “PR will also continue to underpin our marketing activity, and we will be taking part in a Christmas Virtual Power Pitching to key media representatives in September too.” In this feature, Toy World puts the latest STEM and educational toys under the microscope.