No, My Toddler Doesnt Need to Learn to Code – The New York Times

In fact, few researchers have studied the impact of STEM toys long enough to give weight to their claims, and those who have say the science is murky. Weve been studying toys for 10 years, and the one thing weve found thats consistent is that every child is different. And so Id be skeptical of any product that makes big claims, said Julia DeLapp, the director of the Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Still, big claims are not hard to find, like Learning Resources car tracks that teach key science concepts of gravity, inertia, friction, push/pull, and more; Thames & Kosmos DNA kits for kids 10 and up to learn about dominant and recessive genes, the makeup of cells, chromosomes and more; and LeapFrogs plastic garden toys that can allegedly teach a 9-month-old about early science concepts and the plant life cycle. (Fisher-Price and LeapFrog declined to comment for this story. Hand2Mind did not respond for comment. A spokesperson for Thames & Kosmos confirmed the company does not conduct trials or experiments with its toys.)

As great as this sounds, these companies dont provide any evidence that babies will, say, crawl away with any horticultural knowledge after playing with their toys.

Childhood experts say that although theres much to be wary of, plenty of STEM toys are beneficial so long as parents tailor their expectations.

DeLapp believes that for toddlers and preschoolers, the simplest toys are the most effective. For math, its toys that help children add and subtract, and for science its as simple as cause and effect. She recommends Tinkertoys, MagnaTile, Lego, Lincoln Logs and Plus Plus. For science, she points to a good old magnifying glass, allowing children to inspect insects and grass.

Simple, building toys are STEM toys, because they teach the foundations; like shapes, why a building topples over when the biggest piece goes on top, said DeLapp. Some of the oldest toys are still around for a reason.

Sandra Oh Lin, the founder of KiwiCo, which sends educational toys to kids once a month, said that her company tries to demystify STEM. A recent Kiwi Crate, for example, had children ages 3 to 4 dripping water through colorful tissue paper and onto a white tote bag, showing how bleeding dyes merged to make different colors.

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No, My Toddler Doesnt Need to Learn to Code - The New York Times