STEM Archives - Rave & Review

Meet Piper, the DIY STEM computer kit for kids

As a parent, I’m always looking for toys that aren’t *just* toys for my kids. I want toys that inspire learning, ones that will resonate with the kids, and mostly I want toys that won’t get abandoned as soon as the shiny luster wears off. Well parents, I found the holy grail of presents for … Read more

Build, learn, and play with Modarri cars

My son has been obsessed with cars since he first learned to grasp. He’s gone through stages with every scale toy or model car at this point, but there are certain cars that stand the test of time and get played with year after year. On that short list are Modarri cars, the DIY toy … Read more

A whole new way to have fun while building with Geomag Toys

If I was describing the differences between my toys growing up and the toys my kids love, the biggest differences wouldn't be what you would probably expect. It isn’t technology, computers, or gadgets that set them apart. No, the biggest difference I see is the intelligence in the design of toys these days that takes learning toys to a whole new level.

Instead of basic blocks like I used to play with, now children's building tools are more advanced and so much cooler. Just look at Geomag, the maker of awesome magnetic construction toys that have been huge in Europe for years and are just now re-entering the US market. Using super strong magnets within magnetic rods and non-magnetic spheres as well as accessories, the Geomag sets allow you to build not just up, but also out, around, and within so you can build so much more than ever before. Because the magnets hold your design in place, you don’t have to worry about a strong gust of wind knocking everything down and can build in all directions until you have created your masterpiece.

Build & Imagine with Malia’s Beach House

My daughter loves to build. Whether we’re talking bricks, blocks, or random items she’s squirreled away just for her building purposes, she’s all about it. And, while she’s really good at following directions and building pre-designed buildings and objects, I’ve noticed that she really prefers building toys where she can be the designer. That’s where Build & Imagine sets come in.

Build & Imagine is a brand new line of magnetic construction sets that inspire kids to build whatever they would like. Their unique magnetic dual-sided building panels make it easy for even kids as young as 4 to create structures that they can play with using their included accessories and magnetic dolls.By putting your child in the role of designer and architect, you are giving them the keys to all sorts of imaginative play. They can decide what panels to utilize in their design, which rooms they want to create, and they can even decorate and play when they are done building.

Our love of GoldieBlox begins!

Anyone who knows my kids knows all about their deep desire to understand how things work. They are rarely content with a simple explanation of the facts and instead require an in-depth analysis of everything that perplexes them. It is likely this knowledge that led many close friends and family members to reach out via phone calls, my inbox, and various messaging systems with a suggestion of a brand they knew my kiddos would flip for: GoldieBlox One click to the GoldieBlox homepage and I was instantly smitten. This wasn’t just a toy my kids would love, this was a toy that I would have designed for them if only I knew how. It includes all of their absolute favorite things: building things, imaginative play, and figuring out how things work in a really fun way that the whole family can get involved in.

For those of you who have been emailing over the past year begging me to get the GoldieBlox toys for my kids, I say thank you. You will be very happy to know it was literally love upon first #unbloxing and even though they have only been playing with their own GoldieBlox toys for the past few weeks, they are just as enthralled with them as you probably guessed.

If you want to see how excited we are about GoldieBlox, you should go ahead and watch this video:

For those of you who haven’t heard about GoldieBlox or seen their adorable Super Bowl commercial, you are probably wondering what makes this building toy different, and the short answer is: a lot.