A big thanks to KiwiCo for sponsoring this post. The power of STEAM toys in a kid’s life is monumental! All opinions are my own.

I witnessed something alarming in the dentist waiting room recently. A young boy–maybe around 8 years old was scrolling through TikTok videos and the scariest thing was not that he was engaged in TikTok, it was that his attention span was 3 seconds long.

If a video didn’t spark his interest in three seconds, he’d swipe to the next. In a matter of a minute, he’d probably went through 20 videos. This topic has been on my radar ever since I watched a presentation given by a pediatric psychiatrist on the deadly effects that screen consuming has on kids’ brains today. ADHD, sleep disorders, and loss of cognitive ability to name just a few.

Is this what we are becoming?

Are we okay with this direction that a promising generation is heading?

Instead of handing kids a screen, here is a better alternative.

The Power of STEAM Toys To Turn Kids Around

You can give young minds a phone that requires no intellectual output–no critical thinking, no problem-solving, no brain power–or you can provide them with STEAM toys that ignite their heads and hands with creative thinking and cerebral fireworks.

Our favorite STEAM toys hands down are KiwiCo projects. Every month is a new adventure and with 9 lines to choose from, they have literally every project for every age and each one is SO MUCH FUN!

Know what this is? It’s a homemade music box that came in his Eureka Crate this month.

Do you know how long this kid was completely engrossed for? 1.5 hours!

The Eureka Crate is made for ages 12-100 and even though he’s only 9 years old and this project pushed him a bit, he was able to work through this STEAM toy and the payoff was HUGE!

Set Them Up for Success

Yes, it may be easier to give a kid a screen. But what are the repercussions? 

KiwiCo STEAM projects are doing something much more important than entertaining kids. They are sparking innovation. They are helping kids think outside the box and fire their brains on all cylinders to figure out how something works. 

Here’s what Shelley had to say:

“That music bax was legit and so, so cool. A little harder than normal, but Cole was up for the challenge and did most of it by himself. I love that the KiwiCo projects are growing with him and challenging him a bit more each time. Very age-appropriate!”

Start Your First Box for as Low as $11.98

Set your own kids, grandkids, nieces, or nephews up for success and get your first KiwiCo box for as low as $11.98 (depending on which Crate you choose). 

Use code HOWDOESSHE here!

The whole family will get involved and you’ll find that these are perfect to do on a Sunday afternoon when boredom usually strikes.

STEAM toys are instrumental in nurturing critical thinking skills. Through experimentation and trial-and-error, your kids learn to analyze situations, make informed decisions, and execute plans. They can’t do any of this watching TikTok.

Kids who regularly do KiwiCo projects will benefit in SO MANY aspects of life. Whether unraveling the mysteries of a Tinker Crate or exploring the principles of mechanics by making a walking monster, children are challenged to think critically and make connections between science and the world of play.

Oh, and they’re a having a heck of a lot of fun too!

We are raising the next generation of doctors, engineers, artists, and chefs. But they’re not going to get there scrolling through mindless 3-second videos.

Let’s put something better in their hands.

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