Gift Ideas for Readers Who Love The Way Things Work
Inspire STEM-minded learners with gifts that encourage them to experiment, assemble, and create.
If you’ve got a kid who’s inspired by The Way Things Work and who loves taking things apart and putting them back together, these hands-on gifts will keep them busy.
SOMETHING YOU WANT
Thames and Kosmos Physics Workshop
With the 64-page manual and 300 building pieces, you can make windmills, two-speed cranes, pinball games, sail-powered cards, hammering machines and more. And that’s just with the manual!
Electro Dough Kit
Genius: If salt conducts electricity, why not salt- based play dough? Kids as young as 4 can mold working race cars and robots out of play dough, then use a mobile app to control their creations.
CanaKit
Put computer power right into your kids’ hands by letting them construct their own working computer running Raspberry Pi 4. This box of parts turns into a usable computer that you can then use to design your own programs.
SOMETHING YOU NEED
Leatherman Charge TTi
This multi-tool means you’re always ready for a little hands-on investigation.
SOMETHING TO WEAR
Forget Lab Safety, I Want Super Powers T-shirt
Wear your passion for lab science on your t-shirt.
SOMETHING TO READ
The Frank Einstein series by Jon Scieszka
Engineer Academy by Steve Martin and Nastia Sleptsova
Rosie Revere's Big Project Book for Bold Engineers by Andrea Beaty
The Nick and Tesla Mystery series by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith
The Secret Coders series by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes
This gift guide was originally published in the fall 2018 issue of HSL.
If you’ve got a reader who’s always ready for an excuse to hang with the gang from River Heights, one of these gifts might be a fun addition to your holiday wish list.