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.

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SOMETHING YOU NEED

Leatherman Charge TTi

This multi-tool means you’re always ready for a little hands-on investigation.

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SOMETHING TO WEAR

Forget Lab Safety, I Want Super Powers T-shirt

Wear your passion for lab science on your t-shirt.

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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.

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