By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
The Toy Association has unveiled its Holiday 2022 STEAM Toy Guide, which includes 30 officially accredited STEAM-based toys.
The STEAM Toy Guide features hands-on toys and activities that engage kids in science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Each toy on the list has passed a strict product evaluation process to earn an official STEAM Stamp of Approval.
The product evaluation process involves testing by both children and industry experts employed by The Toy Association’s partner, The Good Play Guide. The scientifically-proven evaluation method was developed in collaboration with The Good Play Guide’s founder, Dr. Amanda Gummer.
“These curated STEAM toys are wonderful options for parents and gift-givers seeking unique, educational, and engaging gifts for children this holiday season,” said Anna Yudina, Senior Director of Marketing Initiatives at The Toy Association.
“Each toy will spark kids’ curiosity and open them up to new worlds to explore, while supporting independent play and age-appropriate learning goals,” added Yudina.
“The list below offers richly rewarding, skill-building play for children as young as 18 months old, all the way up to tweens and teens.”
The annual list is also important for the licensing industry, as it serves as an early indicator of toys that are more likely to be successful, due to the value placed on The Toy Association’s accreditation.
The Holiday 2022 STEAM Toy Guide is listed alphabetically by company name below:
Alpha Group’s RC Alpha Speedster
Arckit’s Coastal Living
BitOGenius Inc’s Pixicade Quest
Blue Marble’s Mega Stunning Science Chemistry Kit
Blue Marble’s National Geographic Pottery Wheel for Kids
Connetix’s 120 Piece Pastel Creative Pack
Educational Insights’s Artie Max The Coding Robot
Edx Education’s My Gears Animal Set
Elenco’s MyHome
Geomag’s Pro-L 174pcs Kit.
Insect Lore’s Butterfly Garden
Insect Lore’s Ladybug Land
Klutz’s My STEAM Lab Color Science Kit
LeapFrog’s Magic Adventures Microscope
LEGO’s LEGO Friends Olivia’s Space Academy
LEGO’s LEGO Technic Material Handler
Magna-Tiles’s Metropolis 110-Piece Set
Melissa & Doug’s Wooden Project Workbench
Moose Toys’s Magic Maths
Picasso Tiles’s 108pc 2-in-1 Magnetic Marble Run Set & Racing Track Set
Picasso Tiles’s 250pc Engineering Construction Set
Plus-Plus USA’s Open Play Tube – 240 pc Basic Mix
Red Toolbox Ltd’s Stanely Jr. Take Apart XL Dump Truck Kit
Roylco, Inc.’s Lock Blox
Smartivity by Elenco’s Pinball Machine
Spin Master’s Kinetic Sand Swirl N’ Surprise
TOMY International’s Build-A-Johnny Tractor
VTech’s Marble Rush Spiral Starter Set
Yoto’s DUPLO – 1,2,3 Play with Me
Zing’s Stikbot Studio Series 2
The Toy Association’s STEAM toy accreditation program was launched in partnership with the independent organization, The Good Play Guide. The program was officially released in 2021 following years of research to identify and detail specific characteristics of worthwhile STEAM toys.
Initially founded in 1916, The Toy Association is a non-profit trade association that represents hundreds of manufacturers, retailers, and licensors involved in creating toys and entertainment products for children and youth of all ages.
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