The Best STEM Kits for Tweens
Use these STEM kits for tweens in your lesson plans or give them to your older kids as gifts. They’ll love them!
If you’re like most homeschooling moms, you’re always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to keep your tween engaged in learning.
These kits help teach kids about science, technology, engineering and math. There are many different types available, so it can be tricky to figure out which one is right for your child.
That’s why I’m sharing some of the best ones for middle schoolers.
Why Teach STEM in Middle School?
There are a few different reasons STEM should be a regular part of your homeschool.
For one, exposure to these subjects often helps improve students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It also increases their confidence in their ability to do well in these subjects.
When we add these to our middle school lesson plans, we’re helping prepare our kids for the rigors of high school and college coursework in these subject areas.
Also, students who are interested in STEM are more likely to continue their education past high school, into careers in these fields. These are growing, in-demand industries, so it makes sense to expose your tween to these subjects to see if they have any interest or aptitude toward them.
Why Use a STEM Kit
One word – convenience!
If you’ve ever put together a STEM focused activity, you know it can be a hassle sometimes. From coming up with the project idea to scrambling to finding everything you need, doing it all yourself takes a lot of time and energy.
That’s why I love using kits, especially for these subjects. When you use one of these boxes, they’ve already done a lot of the work for you. Aside from the occasional household item or tool, everything you need is in one handy package.
And, along with the instructions, lots of them contain mini-lessons to help tweens understand the learning behind the creation.
How to Choose a STEM Kit for Older Kids
First, you need to decide whether you’re looking for something that encompasses all aspects of STEM or a singular subject.
When choosing a pre-made kit for older kids, it’s important to consider their interests and abilities. If your child loves tinkering with things, they might enjoy a project that involves building things or taking things apart.
If they’re more interested in science, something that focuses on experiments might be a better fit.
Does your tween excel at math and love puzzles? If so, a kit that involves problem-solving could be the perfect choice.
To get the most out of an all-in-one kit, you’ll want to pick one where the project and your tween’s interest align.
Also, if you want your tweens to work on the project independently, make sure you choose something that they can do with minimal help.
Luckily, there are dozens of quality kits available that make perfect gifts or you can easily add to your homeschool lesson plans. Below, you’ll find 20 that are perfect for kids 9-13.
Hopefully, you’ve found something that will spark your tween’s interest and get them excited about science, technology, engineering, and math.
Any links in this post may be affiliate links. See my disclosure statement.
Additional STEM Ideas
Here are some other hands-on activities you can do with your tweens as you study the various STEM subjects.
- Fun math games for middle school.
- Science experiments you can do at home with tweens.
- Help your older kids learn how to code.
- STEM activities for middle schoolers.
Gifts for Tweens
If you’re looking for more gift ideas for your older kids, check these out.
- Gifts for Gamers
- Art Kits for Teens
- Stocking Stuffers for Teens
- Gifts for Harry Potter fans in your life.
- Cool gifts for middle school boys.
- Tween girl gifts that they’ll love.
STEM Kits for Tweens
If you're looking for an educational gift for your older kids or for a fun addition to your science lessons, these STEM kits make a great choice for middle schoolers.
What do you get when you get involved in this roller coaster challenge? Half logic, half building and 100% fun!
Tweens can build their own wooden dinosaurs that really move with this kit. They'll build skills in engineering and small motors, while having a ton of fun.
Explore the world of electronic circuits with this stem kit. It has everything you need to create over 500 projects, without tools!
Enter the exciting world of coding with a friendly little Bot buddy! This is an awesome way to explore STEM topics.
Inspire creativity and building skills with an unlikely outlet; drinking straws. This is a unique way to encourage stem play.
Tweens can build 12 different solar powered robots with this kit that can move on land and water.
No need to head to the fair for a thrilling ride, kids can build their own swing ride and watch it go around and around!
Tweens can build their own hydraulic arm with this awesome STEM kit.
This wooden Ferris wheel kit is awesome because it really works! It is challenging enough for adults to build, but so much fun that kids can't resist it.
Featuring 847 LEGO pieces that kids can build and rebuild into 5 cool multifunctional robots including a dancing robot, a cat, a rover, an auto-builder and a guitar!
If your tweens are showing interest in learning how to code, this is the perfect kit for them.
This kit gives kids an introduction to how electrons work in a fun package.
This kit will have your kids building their own super cool and functional robot!
If you have a gamer in the house, this build your own video game is a must have. Everything your child needs to create a video game is included, except for the imagination!
This construction kit will help tweens understand the laws of physics through the building of 6 different assemblies.
When you use this kit, tweens will have everything they need to create 4 different projects including a bubble machine, a car, a bicycle and a doodling robot.
This kit creates an anti gravity kit that levitates! This is such a fun STEM project for tweens.
Build a candy dispenser that is functional with this epic stem kit.
Play your way through the challenges to build spatial reasoning and planning skills while having a lot of fun!
There are over 50 pieces in this kit that kids can use to complete 10 different projects that all use electric motors.
What’s your favorite STEM kit for middle schoolers?
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