“People are thinking about it for younger ages, as well — baby books, preschool toys to introduce coding and programming concepts,” Gajdzik says. She adds that companies are also increasingly responding to parents’ desire for more screen-free, unplugged toys — card games, block- and tile-based puzzles, and building kits, for example.

The Ten Best STEM Toys to Give as Gifts in 2020

Stretch young learners’ minds with everything from card games to robotic spheres

At any rate, that’s the impression one gets while leafing through the 2020 edition of Purdue University’s Engineering Gift Guide. …