The picks
STEM Gifts for Kids Who Love Art
Some children who say they do not like science love making things. These are the STEM toys where the making comes first.
By Sawyer V. · Published
The short answer
Start with Circuit Scribe or Squishy Circuits. Circuit Scribe publishes a conductive ink pen that draws working circuits on paper, rated 8+. Squishy Circuits publishes conductive and insulating dough with 25 LEDs in five colors. For designing rather than drawing, KEVA’s 200 identical planks and magnetic tiles build anything.
Block & Beaker earns a commission when you buy through our links, at no cost to you. It never changes a ranking, and we say so plainly when the right answer is the cheaper set, or nothing at all. Full disclosure · How we pick.
At a glance
The picks, ranked
Tap any row to jump to the full reasoning. Prices come live from Amazon where we have them and read “check price” where we don’t — never a number we cannot stand behind today.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best for kids who draw Circuit Scribe Basic Kit A conductive ink pen, a stencil and six magnetic modules — the circuit is a drawing. | Eight and up | |
| 2 | Best for kids who sculpt Squishy Circuits Standard Kit Three conductive doughs, one insulating dough and 25 LEDs in five colors. | A child who loves modeling dough | |
| 3 | Best for kids who design KEVA Structures 200 Plank Set 200 identical pine planks with no connectors — the design is entirely the child's. | Five and up | |
| 4 | Best for color and pattern CONNETIX Rainbow Creative Pack, 100 Pieces 100 tiles including window, door and fence pieces, ultrasonically sealed and riveted. | Three and up | |
| 5 | Best for kids who make games and music Makey Makey Classic A board that turns anything conductive into a keyboard key. | Eight and up, with a computer | |
| 6 | Best for pattern Q-BA-MAZE 2.0 Big Box 72 interlocking cubes in five colors with three exit types — a structure that is also a design. | Six and up | |
| — | Not really a making kit NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Slime Kit & Putty Lab Seven premade putties and one DIY slime lab — mostly ready-made. | Sensory play |
7 picks, including 1 we tell you to skip. Ages shown are the manufacturer’s own rating, not ours.
Making comes first
A child who draws, sculpts or designs already does what these toys ask: imagine a shape, then make it. The difference from an art set is that the thing they make also does something — lights up, carries a marble, or plays a note.
The arithmetic
What the child makes, by product
| Circuit Scribe Basic Kit | Drawings that light up · 8+ |
|---|---|
| Squishy Circuits Standard | Sculptures with LEDs · age not published |
| KEVA Structures 200 | Structures from 200 identical planks · 5+ |
| Connetix Rainbow 100 | Buildings with windows, doors and fences · 3+ |
| Makey Makey Classic | Controllers made from conductive objects · 8+ |
| Q-BA-MAZE 2.0 Big Box | Branching cube structures in five colors · 6+ |
| Mega Slime Kit | Seven premade putties, one DIY lab · 8+ |
Drawing and sculpting circuits
These two are the heart of the page. Circuit Scribe turns a pen line into a wire; Squishy Circuits turns a lump of dough into one. Both teach the same first idea — a circuit is a complete loop — through a material an art-loving child already knows how to use.
Choose by medium. A child who is always drawing gets Circuit Scribe; a child who is always modeling gets Squishy Circuits. See circuit kits for kids for every format side by side.
Design without instructions
KEVA planks, Connetix tiles and Q-BA-MAZE cubes all publish an open system rather than a finished model. For a creative child, that is the point: the box contains materials, and the design is theirs.
Art that does something
Makey Makey is the unusual one. The creative work is the controller itself — whatever conductive objects the child wires up — and the computer does the rest. It suits the child whose art tends toward games and sound.
Worth knowing before you buy
Squishy Circuits publishes no age rating on its product page, so judge the dough and LEDs as small parts and keep them from any child who still puts things in their mouth. Circuit Scribe runs on a 9V battery; store spares in their packaging.
So which one
Always drawing, eight or older: Circuit Scribe.
Always modeling: Squishy Circuits.
Always building, five and up: KEVA Structures 200.
Three to five: the Connetix Rainbow Creative Pack.
Say the unwelcome thing
Do not buy a kit that does the making for them
A creative child wants to make the thing, not open it. Kits that arrive mostly finished — premade putties, pre-printed models — use up the part of the gift they would have enjoyed most.
Where to go next
The Circuit Scribe review and the Squishy Circuits review cover the two top picks. Wooden building sets covers KEVA and the other plank systems.
In full
Every pick, and what is wrong with it
Published specifications only, each linked back to the page it came from. Where a manufacturer publishes nothing, the row says so — we do not fill blanks in.
1. Best for kids who draw
Circuit Scribe Basic Kit
Circuit Scribe · Basic Kit · maker rates it 8+
A conductive ink pen, a stencil and six magnetic modules — the circuit is a drawing.
- Modules
- 6 — a 9V battery adapter with 9V battery, 2 LEDs, a switch, a blinker and a dimmer
- Pen
- Conductive ink pen — draws working circuits on paper
- Also included
- Circuit stencil, jumper sticker sheet, steel canvas
- Projects
- Inventor's Notebook with 8 pages of circuit drawing projects
Circuit Scribe publishes six modules — a 9V battery adapter with a 9V battery, two LEDs, a switch, a blinker and a dimmer — plus a conductive ink pen, a circuit stencil, a jumper sticker sheet, a steel canvas and an 8-page Inventor’s Notebook, rated 8 and up.
For a child who draws, this is the one. The wire is a line they made, so a greeting card or a picture can become a working circuit with a light that blinks or dims.
Once the notebook is done, any drawing is a possible circuit, which is why it stays open-ended after the guided part ends.
Replay signal
- Open-ended or one-shot
- Open-ended once the notebook is done — any drawing can become a circuit
- Does anything run out
- The ink runs out; the six modules and the steel canvas do not
- Room to grow
- A Basic Kit Plus publishes a 27-page workbook covering series, parallel and short circuits
Why we say so: Circuit Scribe publishes six magnetic modules including a blinker and a dimmer, a conductive ink pen and a steel canvas, rated 8 and up. Drawing the wire is the specification that matters — the child sees the circuit as a line they made, which is closer to a real schematic than any snap-together format.
What’s wrong with it
The ink runs out; the modules and steel canvas do not.
| Modules | 6 — a 9V battery adapter with 9V battery, 2 LEDs, a switch, a blinker and a dimmer |
|---|---|
| Pen | Conductive ink pen — draws working circuits on paper |
| Also included | Circuit stencil, jumper sticker sheet, steel canvas |
| Projects | Inventor's Notebook with 8 pages of circuit drawing projects |
| Stated age | 8 and up |
| Consumables | The pen's ink is used up; modules and canvas are reusable |
Every figure above is from Circuit Scribe, Basic Kit. Blanks are shown as “not published” rather than filled in.
2. Best for kids who sculpt
Squishy Circuits Standard Kit
Squishy Circuits · Standard Kit · maker rates it Not published on the maker's product page
Three conductive doughs, one insulating dough and 25 LEDs in five colors.
- Conductive dough
- 3 containers, 3.5 oz each — red, green and blue
- Insulating dough
- 1 container, 3.5 oz, white
- LEDs
- 25 — 5 each of red, green, white, yellow and blue
- Also included
- 1 battery holder and 1 piezoelectric buzzer
Squishy Circuits publishes three 3.5 oz containers of conductive dough in red, green and blue, one 3.5 oz container of white insulating dough, 25 LEDs — five each of red, green, white, yellow and blue — a battery holder and a piezoelectric buzzer. Its product page publishes no age rating or battery requirement, and we do not borrow a retailer’s figure.
Two doughs is the whole idea: one carries current and one blocks it. A child sculpts a creature, presses LEDs in for eyes, and learns insulation by where the white dough goes.
Replay signal
- Open-ended or one-shot
- Open-ended — the dough is shaped into whatever circuit the child imagines
- Room to grow
- Twenty-five LEDs in five colors is enough for circuits with several branches
Why we say so: Squishy Circuits publishes two doughs — three containers that conduct and one that insulates — plus 25 LEDs and a buzzer. Two doughs is the whole design: one carries current and one blocks it, so a working circuit is built by shaping clay rather than by following a diagram.
What’s wrong with it
The maker's product page publishes no age rating or battery type.
| Conductive dough | 3 containers, 3.5 oz each — red, green and blue |
|---|---|
| Insulating dough | 1 container, 3.5 oz, white |
| LEDs | 25 — 5 each of red, green, white, yellow and blue |
| Also included | 1 battery holder and 1 piezoelectric buzzer |
| Stated age | Not published on the maker's product page |
| Battery requirement | Not published on the maker's product page |
Every figure above is from Squishy Circuits, Standard Kit. Blanks are shown as “not published” rather than filled in.
3. Best for kids who design
KEVA Structures 200 Plank Set
KEVA Planks · Structures 200 · maker rates it 5+
200 identical pine planks with no connectors — the design is entirely the child's.
- Planks
- 200, solid pine, precision-cut to identical dimensions
- Plank size
- About 4 1/2 in long x 3/4 in wide x 1/4 in thick
- Connectors
- None — planks stack with no glue, clips or notches
- Includes
- Idea booklet
The maker publishes 200 solid pine planks, precision-cut to identical dimensions, with no glue, clips or notches, an idea booklet, rated 5 and up.
Identical pieces are the most open design brief there is. Nothing constrains the build but balance, so the result is pure design — architecture at the scale of a living-room floor.
Replay signal
- Open-ended or one-shot
- As open-ended as construction gets — every plank is identical, so nothing constrains the build but balance
- Does anything run out
- Nothing runs out, and wood does not break the way plastic clips do
- Room to grow
- The same planks are used in adult-level structural challenges; there is no ceiling
Why we say so: The manufacturer publishes that the planks are precision-cut to identical dimensions and use no connectors of any kind. Identical, connector-free pieces is why this set has no upper age limit: the difficulty comes entirely from what the child attempts, not from what the box permits.
What’s wrong with it
Suits a child who likes to invent rather than follow.
| Planks | 200, solid pine, precision-cut to identical dimensions |
|---|---|
| Plank size | About 4 1/2 in long x 3/4 in wide x 1/4 in thick |
| Connectors | None — planks stack with no glue, clips or notches |
| Includes | Idea booklet |
| Stated age | 5 and up |
| Consumables | None |
Every figure above is from KEVA Planks, Structures 200 Plank Set. Blanks are shown as “not published” rather than filled in.
4. Best for color and pattern
CONNETIX Rainbow Creative Pack, 100 Pieces
Connetix · Rainbow Creative Pack 100 pc · maker rates it 3+
100 tiles including window, door and fence pieces, ultrasonically sealed and riveted.
- Pieces
- 100
- Stated age
- “Recommended for builders aged 3+”
- Material
- “non-toxic, BPA and phthalate-free ABS plastic”
- Construction
- “ultrasonically sealed and riveted for extra safety”
Connetix publishes the Rainbow Creative Pack with 100 pieces — including window and door pieces and fences — in non-toxic, BPA- and phthalate-free ABS, “ultrasonically sealed and riveted for extra safety”, with a travel bag, recommended for builders aged 3+.
The window, door and fence pieces push play toward buildings and scenes rather than abstract towers, which is how a young child who loves drawing houses tends to build too.
Replay signal
- Open-ended or one-shot
- Open-ended, and the window, door and fence pieces push play toward buildings rather than abstract towers
- Does anything run out
- Nothing runs out
- Room to grow
- Connetix publishes ball-run and expansion packs that attach to the same tiles
Why we say so: Connetix publishes the age rating, the material and the ultrasonic-seal-plus-rivet construction, and sells ball-run packs built for the same tiles.
What’s wrong with it
A tile set, so structures stay simpler for longer than with bricks.
| Pieces | 100 |
|---|---|
| Stated age | “Recommended for builders aged 3+” |
| Material | “non-toxic, BPA and phthalate-free ABS plastic” |
| Construction | “ultrasonically sealed and riveted for extra safety” |
| Includes | Window and door pieces, fences, and a travel bag |
| Consumables | None |
Every figure above is from Connetix, Rainbow Creative Pack 100 pc. Blanks are shown as “not published” rather than filled in.
5. Best for kids who make games and music
Makey Makey Classic
JoyLabz · Classic · maker rates it 8+
A board that turns anything conductive into a keyboard key.
- Contents
- Makey Makey board, USB cable, 7 alligator clips, 6 connector wires, visual project start guide, sticker
- Computer
- Required — Mac, Windows, Chromebook or Linux; any device that supports a USB keyboard or mouse
- Software
- “No programing knowledge needed. No software to install.”
- Stated age
- “Ages 8 to infinity”
JoyLabz publishes the Makey Makey board, a USB cable, 7 alligator clips, 6 connector wires, a visual project start guide and a sticker. It works with Mac, Windows, Chromebook or Linux — any device that supports a USB keyboard or mouse — with no software to install and no programming knowledge needed, for “Ages 8 to infinity”.
The board registers as a keyboard, so whatever conductive object the child wires in becomes a key for a game or a music program on the computer. For a creative child, the controller is the art project.
Replay signal
- Open-ended or one-shot
- Genuinely open-ended — any conductive object can be wired in as a control
- Does anything run out
- Nothing runs out
- Adult required
- Not after the first connection; nothing needs installing
Why we say so: JoyLabz publishes that no software install and no programming are needed, and that the board works on any device supporting a USB keyboard or mouse. That compatibility statement is the mechanism: the board registers as a keyboard, so whatever the child clips to it becomes a key.
What’s wrong with it
A computer is required, and nothing happens without one.
| Contents | Makey Makey board, USB cable, 7 alligator clips, 6 connector wires, visual project start guide, sticker |
|---|---|
| Computer | Required — Mac, Windows, Chromebook or Linux; any device that supports a USB keyboard or mouse |
| Software | “No programing knowledge needed. No software to install.” |
| Stated age | “Ages 8 to infinity” |
| Consumables | None |
Every figure above is from JoyLabz, Makey Makey Classic. Blanks are shown as “not published” rather than filled in.
6. Best for pattern
Q-BA-MAZE 2.0 Big Box
MindWare · 48168W · maker rates it 6+
72 interlocking cubes in five colors with three exit types — a structure that is also a design.
- Cubes
- 72, in five colors
- Cube mix
- 18 bottom-exit, 36 single-exit, 18 double-exit
- Marbles
- 20 steel
- Stated age
- 6 and up
MindWare publishes 72 cubes in five colors — 18 bottom-exit, 36 single-exit and 18 double-exit — with 20 steel marbles, rated 6 and up.
Five colors of interlocking cubes make the build look as considered as it works. For a child who arranges colored pencils by shade, that matters.
Replay signal
- Open-ended or one-shot
- Genuinely open-ended — the cubes interlock in any direction, so there is no single correct structure
- Does anything run out
- Nothing runs out
- Room to grow
- MindWare sells stunt and expansion sets that clip into the same cubes
Why we say so: MindWare publishes the 72-cube count, the exact exit-type mix, the 20 marbles and the ages 6+ rating. Three different exit types is what makes a structure branch rather than follow one fixed path.
What’s wrong with it
Twenty steel marbles is the part that goes missing.
| Cubes | 72, in five colors |
|---|---|
| Cube mix | 18 bottom-exit, 36 single-exit, 18 double-exit |
| Marbles | 20 steel |
| Stated age | 6 and up |
| Material | Phthalate-free and BPA-free ABS plastic |
| Consumables | None, though marbles are the part that disappears under the sofa |
Every figure above is from MindWare, Q-BA-MAZE 2.0. Blanks are shown as “not published” rather than filled in.
Skip this one
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Slime Kit & Putty Lab
National Geographic · NGMEGASPL · maker rates it 8+
Seven premade putties and one DIY slime lab — mostly ready-made.
- Varieties
- 8 in total — 7 premade plus 1 DIY slime lab
- Premade types
- Magnetic putty, fluffy slime, glow-in-the-dark putty, liquid slime, color-changing putty, snotty slime, bouncing putty
- DIY portion
- One glow-in-the-dark slime lab with a stir stick
- Storage
- 8 tins
National Geographic publishes eight varieties in total — seven premade putties and slimes plus one DIY glow-in-the-dark slime lab — in 8 tins, with a learning guide, rated 8 and up.
It appears on creative-gift lists because it looks like an art material. On the published contents, it is a putty collection with one small experiment; a child who loves making things gets more from dough that lights up.
Replay signal
- Open-ended or one-shot
- The seven premade putties are reusable toys rather than one-shot experiments
- Does anything run out
- Only the DIY lab runs out
- Room to grow
- Magnetic and color-changing putty demonstrate real properties, not just texture
- Adult required
- Not for the premade putties; briefly for the DIY mix
Why we say so: National Geographic publishes seven premade varieties plus one DIY lab. That ratio is the review: most of this kit is a reusable sensory toy with a science label, and one eighth of it is the experiment.
What’s wrong with it
One-eighth of the kit is the part a child actually makes.
| Varieties | 8 in total — 7 premade plus 1 DIY slime lab |
|---|---|
| Premade types | Magnetic putty, fluffy slime, glow-in-the-dark putty, liquid slime, color-changing putty, snotty slime, bouncing putty |
| DIY portion | One glow-in-the-dark slime lab with a stir stick |
| Storage | 8 tins |
| Includes | Full-color learning guide |
| Stated age | 8 and up |
| Consumables | Partly — the DIY ingredients are used once; the putties are reusable |
Every figure above is from National Geographic toys, Mega Slime Kit & Putty Lab. Blanks are shown as “not published” rather than filled in.
We are not putting a buy button on this one. It is easy enough to find if you want it anyway — but we would rather send you to something that gets played with twice.
Questions people actually ask
Frequently asked
What is a STEAM toy?
STEAM adds the arts to science, technology, engineering and math. In practice it means a toy where the making — drawing, sculpting, designing — is part of the science, like a conductive ink pen that draws working circuits.
What is a good STEM gift for a creative child?
One that starts with making. Circuit Scribe publishes a conductive ink pen that draws working circuits, rated 8+, and Squishy Circuits publishes conductive and insulating dough with 25 LEDs. For designing, KEVA publishes 200 identical pine planks at 5+.
What age is Circuit Scribe for?
Circuit Scribe publishes its Basic Kit for 8 and up. It runs on a 9V battery, which is included with the battery adapter module. The Circuit Scribe review.
What age is Squishy Circuits for?
Its product page does not publish one, and we do not borrow a retailer's figure. Judge the dough and LEDs as small parts, and keep them from children who still mouth things. The Squishy Circuits review.
Sources
Where these figures came from
Every specification on this page traces to one of these. If a manufacturer publishes nothing on a point, the page says so rather than filling the gap.
Read next
Where to go from here
Back to Gift Guides, or read how we pick.