12 of the coolest educational tech toys for kids | 2016 Tech Gift Guide

by | Dec 6, 2016 | Holiday Tech Gifts | 116 comments

12 of the coolest educational tech toys for kids | 2016 Tech Gift Guide

Yay! We’re so happy to be back with our annualĀ Cool Mom TechĀ Holiday Tech Gift Guide, all fresh and new for 2016. And to kick it off, we’ve got the coolest educational tech toys for kids of all ages.

Whether you’re shopping for a curious preschooler or a teen who loves STEM, we’ve got 12 ideas that will keep your favoriteĀ kidsĀ busy, happy, and learning.

Of course, itĀ wouldnā€™t be a Cool Mom Tech guide without a fab giveaway. This yearā€™s fantastic prize: A brand new iPad Air 2 and designer case!

Because with so many awesome tech toysĀ for the kids here, we had to offerĀ something up justĀ for you too, right? Unless you want to share. But that’s totallyĀ up to you.

ā€“ Donā€™t miss aĀ chance to win an iPad Air 2 and designer case Ā from Cool Mom Tech!
Details below ā€“

There has been no compensation for inclusion in our guide; all items are selected by our editorial team.Ā CMT is an rstyle and Amazon affiliate.

Educational Tech Toys for Younger Kids

The coolest tech toys for kids: Cubetto | Holiday Tech Guide

Cubetto

This clever toyĀ teachesĀ young kids the concepts of coding, even before they know how to read. No screens required, either. Along with this cute little robot, you’ll get maps, stories and more, all of which will keep kids engaged withoutĀ the glowingĀ light of an LED screen — or your cellular data. ($225+, Primo)

 

The coolest tech toys for kids: littleBits Rule Your Room Kit | Holiday Tech Guide

littleBits Rule Your Room Kit

Our own kids adore littleBits kits and so do we, since theyĀ give curious kids so manyĀ ways to create their own super cool inventions through circuitry. TheirĀ new Rule Your Room Kit gives kids the tools they need to make all sorts of gadgets out of stuff they might have sitting in their room. Hmm, we wonder what our tweens could make out of piles of laundry and potato chip bags?Ā ($99.95, littleBits)

Related: The coolest STEM gifts and toys for kids of the year

 

 

The coolest tech toys for kids: Code-a-pillar | Holiday Tech Guide

Code-a-pillar

For a fun, hands-on tech toy that’s perfect for preschoolers, the new Fisher-Price Code-a-pillar is a great choice. We featured it when it first launched earlier this year, and since then, so manyĀ parents of littles have let us know that it’s been a sound investment. Kids will beĀ exposed to the mostĀ basic concepts of coding by rearranging the noise-making sections, then watching how their choicesĀ affect the way their caterpillar moves. ($49.99, Fisher-Price)

 

The coolest tech toys for kids: Play-Doh Touch Shape to Life Studio | Holiday Tech Guide

Play-Doh TOUCH Shape to Life Studio

For Play-Doh loving kids, their newĀ new TOUCH Shape to Life Studio makesĀ a fantastic educational tech toy for holiday gifting. Kids create various Play-Doh creatures, then you can scan them using the free companion app on your smartphone or tablet. In a matter of seconds, their original creation is plopped into the middle of a video game that’s both educational and super engaging. Just don’t be surprised if a poop emoji makes its way onto the screen. It only took our own kids a few minutes to get there. ($39.95, Apple)

Related: 3 fantastic STEM toys for preschoolers

 

Educational Tech Toys for OlderĀ Kids, Tweens + Teens

 

The coolest tech toys for kids: Osmo Coding | Holiday Tech Guide

Osmo Coding

There’s no shortage of fun things you can do with Osmo, one of our favorite educational tools since its launch, because theyĀ keep creatingĀ fantastic additions you can use withĀ your existing Osmo. Kids as young as kindergartenĀ all the way through middle school will learn STEM concepts like coding with the hands-on experience of playing with real blocks, taking the learning beyond what they get fromĀ typical screen time. ($49.99, Amazon)

 

The coolest tech toys for kids: Cubelets | Holiday Tech Guide

Cubelets

Kids absolutely loveĀ building their own robot, airplane, and more with Cubelets, magnetic blocks from Mod Robotics Studio that can be manipulated and controlled via aĀ companion app. If you’ve got LEGO lovers, or kids who love building with their hands and want to take it to the next level, this is a tech toy they’ll adore, whether you start with the set of 6 or splurge on the 12-pack. ($159+, Amazon)

Related: 5 cool STEM toys for kids that are all about math

 

The coolest tech toys for kids: Cozmo by Anki | Holiday Tech Guide

Cozmo by Anki

From the makers of the brilliant Anki Overdrive race carsĀ which we’ve loved, comes this new AIĀ robot pet that kids can customize to do all sorts of very cool things. So perfect for theĀ limited daylight of winter. In fact we love it so much, you’ll also find it in our Cool Mom Picks holiday gift guideĀ as one of our favoriteĀ splurge gifts for kids you really want to spoil. Ā ($179, Amazon)

 

 

The coolest tech toys for kids: Wonder Workshop Robots | Holiday Tech Guide

Wonder Workshop Robots

If there’s a tech toy our kids keep coming back to over and over again, it’s the adorable Wonder Workshop Robots, Dot and Dash, which grows with them. These little guysĀ teach kids of all ages about coding, engineering, and more. You can buy them either together or separately — though we think you get more out of the pair — then program them forĀ progressively harder, more complex tasks as your kids get older, whether it’s delivering snacks, shooting catapults, knocking down LEGO towers, or bothering siblings. Ha. (prices vary, Wonder Workshop)

Cool tech toys for kids: Parrot Swing Minidrone | Holiday Tech Guide

Parrot Minidrone

Parrot is a recent Cool Mom Tech sponsor but a longtime favorite of oursĀ — and tons of kids and adults who are obsessed with their truly top-notch minidrones. There’s a good selection so you can findĀ theĀ perfect holiday gift for kids, tweens, teens, and even adults who want to try their hand at flying a drone, and putting the laws of physics to the test. How much paper can the Mambo Minidrone grasp at once? How high can the Swing Minidrone go in a set number of seconds? All you need are plenty of batteries and the optional Flypad controller or just use your smartphone. From there, it’s super easy toĀ get all of the Parrot MinidrnesĀ unboxed and in the air — and get your kids playing outside. Yes, even when it’s cold out. Ā ($119.99, Parrot)

 

The coolest tech toys for kids: BoseBuild Speaker Cube | Holiday Tech Guide

BOSEBuild Speaker Cube

If your kids have been begging for their own Bluetooth speaker, we say, give them oneĀ they have to build themselves, first. The BOSEbuild kit comes with everything they’ll need to create their own working BoseĀ speaker. And it sounds great. Because, Bose. ($149, Amazon)

The coolest tech toys for kids: BitsBox Deluxe Box | Holiday Tech Guide

Bitsbox Deluxe Box

WeĀ were introduced to Bitsbox as aĀ Spawned podcastĀ sponsor,Ā and since then, ourĀ kids have been creating their own apps thanks to the cool super cards that come in each subscription box that actually teach your kids how to code. The Deluxe Box comes with cool activities, stickers, an “Apper Keeper” and more, all packaged for gift giving with the first oneĀ shipped right to your lucky recipient in time for the holidays. ($19.95+, Bitsbox)

 

 

The coolest tech toys for kids: BB-8 with Wrist Band | Holiday Tech Guide

 

Sphero BB-8 with Force Band Wrist ControlĀ andĀ Sphero SPRK Edition

Also a top pick in ourĀ splurge gifts for kids,Ā the newĀ evolution of last year’s hot Sphero BB-8Ā robot is again arguably the hottest tech toy of the year. The robot can now be controlled with the flick of your kid’s wrist, bringing The Force to life in a way they’ve only seenĀ in the Star Wars movies.

Cool educational tech toys for kids: Sphero SPRK Edition teaches coding and is so fun!

That said, if Ā you want an option that’s moreĀ educational, check out the Sphero SPRK Edition which is designedĀ to teach coding. Because your kid’s own input is required to get it moving. Ā ($199.99, Best Buy; $89.90 on sale, Amazon)

 

 

Whoo! The Cool Mom Tech Holiday Tech Guide Giveaway

Cool Mom Tech Holiday Tech Guide giveaway!

We’re so excited to giveĀ away a 32G iPad Air 2 (WiFiĀ only) to one lucky winner!Ā 

To enter forĀ a chance to win:

1. Subscribe to Cool Mom Tech.Ā If youā€™re already a subscriber, leave us a comment telling us that you are.Ā (Be sure to use the same email that you subscribed with so we can double-check. Donā€™t worry, no one can see it but us.)

For additional entries:ā€Ø

1. Follow Cool Mom Tech on Twitter AND tweet a link to this post with the hashtag #CMTHoliday. Be sure to tweetĀ something fun, like ā€œI am LOVING this yearā€™s @coolmomtechĀ #CMTHoliday guide LINK!ā€ Hey, you can even share your favorite gift idea seen here. You can get up to 7Ā additional entries (one for every post in our tech gift guide).

2. Like Cool Mom Picks on Facebook AND share a link to this post on your feed. Make sure to send your link (or screenshot if itā€™s a private update) to info@coolmompicks.com with CMT CONTEST in the subject to be entered. You can get up to 7Ā additional entries (one for every post in our tech gift guide).

Contest ends at 11:59 pm PST on December 26, 2016. Void where prohibited. US only please, 18+, see our general contest and giveaway rulesĀ for other details. Good luck!

Visit all our holiday tech guide posts:Ā 
* 12 of the coolest educational tech toys for kids
* 15 custom photo gifts to make your friends and family swoon
* 15 awesome travel tech gifts for the frequent flyer or weekend warrior
* 10 stylish holiday tech gifts for the fashionista
* 24 of the coolest geeky gifts for kids and teens to keep the holidays nerdy and bright
* 28 seriously cool tech stocking stuffers for everyone on your list
* 22 fantastic holiday tech deals to reward you last-minute shoppers

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Written by Cool Mom Staff

We spend our time looking for cool stuff so you don't have to. Hope this one fits the bill.
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