I'm sure you're being bombarded with "gift guides" this time of year... but this one is a little different. Listed below are gifts that foster learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Not a gift guide for just girls but surely recommended for them. :)
Part 1: Toys
I know this is a book and it's listed in the toys but it is so interactive and fun that it plays more like a toy. This book is geared for a younger reader but honestly all of my kids love it! It teaches about sequence and coding in a way that is easy and fun. My kids fight over it. A lot. So maybe buy one for each kid.
I know everyone loves the Magnatiles and I do too, but I bought these on a whim one day and they have turned out to be a huge hit. And again these have been loved by ALL ages. I've had them for several years and my babies have all had a turn playing with them because of the easy to hold shapes and because they are too big for the mouth I didn't have to stress about choking. Win Win. Also I know they are a little pricey but I'd say mine have more than paid for themselves in actual intellectual play.
This is on mylist for this year. My kids love LEGOs and can play with them for hours so this interactive book with ideas on creating moving LEGO creations will hopefully provide much more of that good time play. It has really great reviews all though it does warn you that you should have a fair amount of LEGO's to start with in order to create all the different chain reactions. I'm excited to see my kids face when they open this one.... and their Dads'. :)
I took my girls to a STEM fair once and they had this on a table for guests to play with. It was fun and entertaining and again I saw all ages trying it. It is on my list to get eventually, when my baby won't try and eat them.... it's happened. :(
This was another popular toy at the STEM fair. It helps teach a lot of good things like electrical current, coding and more. And they will sit and play at it until they figure out how to get the little fan to move. It's great.
Part 2
I love books, especially as gifts because they are easy to store. :) So here is a list of female empowering books that I love.
6. Herstory
This is a wonderful book with a lot of wonderful female examples for your little grls to read about and hopefully inspire.
My oldest won this book at school and was in love from the beginning. It is an adorable story about a girl that dreams of being an engineer but questions herself until a family member who looks a lot like Rosie Riveter, inspires her to keep working hard. I am all about books that inspires girls to be creative and shows them that they can be engineers too. It is one of Amazon's best sellers
This is a wonderful book about 13 different women who have changed history. It's not just great stories but the illustrations are adorable. Love how it shows the variety of great women too.
9. Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women
You can tell by the title why I love this one. :) nough said.
10. Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
Women in science. Women in science will change the world. Let's help more of them get there.