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Parents’ Choice: Top Toys for Kids Who Love Engineering

Parents’ Choice: Top Toys for Kids Who Love Engineering
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Noodle Staff profile
Noodle Staff November 23, 2015

Know a kid who loves problem-solving or aspires to be an engineer? Check out this list of seven Parents' Choice–recommended toys for kids, suited to ages 3 through 13.

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Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certificate

Offered By University of South Florida logo
In this course, participants learn core principles, concepts, and methods of continuous improvement and explore the history of continuous improvement efforts. In a series of lectures, Master Black Belt in Six Sigma Shane Wentz, Ph.D., enables learners to enhance, optimize, and stabilize business processes and to augment quality control through varied methodologies. Participants gain the skills and knowledge to reimagine internal processes, engage in advanced problem-solving, and empower employees. The course covers high-level foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC processes before diving deep into Lean Six Sigma methods. Learners will analyze the tools of process mapping, Kaizen (a continuous improvement method/tool deemed a prerequisite for Lean transformation success), Lean (a continuous improvement philosophy that emphasizes streamlined workflows and reducing waste), and the process improvement methodology driving DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Beyond Silicon Valley

Offered By Case Western Reserve University logo
Entrepreneurs fostering new ventures outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley face significant challenges. These markets are unlike Silicon Valley, and they will likely remain so. That doesn't mean they can't nurture and sustain new businesses. In transitioning markets that lack abundant private sector financing, creative approaches from government officials, donors, and business leaders can fill the void to support entrepreneurial activity. Northeast Ohio (where Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University are located) has become a laboratory for such innovative solutions. During our time together in this course, we will explore some of these creative approaches to promoting regional entrepreneurship. Northeast Ohio has seen a massive infusion of government and donor resources for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has promoted regional development (including job creation and follow-on funding) through alternative methods of financing startups. It has not been easy. The region has made progress, but it remains to be seen whether it has struck upon an enduring formula. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government policymakers and donors typically seek quicker returns on their support programs, which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. This course includes case studies and first-person testimonials from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs discovered and procured resources from various programs and intermediary organizations. You will hear from business people still in the process of developing their companies as well as those whose ventures have flourished. Our focus will extend beyond Cleveland to selected markets around the world, including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China. You will learn about international incentives and other supports available to developing startups and small businesses across the globe. This course examines how different communities around the world approach implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. I will ask you to reflect on how to apply the principles we learn to growing entrepreneurship where you live. The social interactive features of the online platform will enable students from around the world to share ideas and learn from one another. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures; this course is different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length. They have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting. ## __What type of person takes the *Beyond Silicon Valley* course?__ - Active and aspiring businesspeople in communities looking to initiate new startup ecosystems or bolster existing ones - Current and prospective entrepreneurs who want to learn about funding sources, risk management, and the lifecycle of startups - Professionals who work in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic institutions, and various private funds that fund startups - Anyone curious about how to create and grow startup ecosystems outside the major tech hubs - The principles Beyond Silicon Valley teaches have been drawn from and applied to startups worldwide, from small villages to megalopolises. You'll study success stories spanning the globe from Vietnam to Kosovo to Botswana. ## __What will you learn in *Beyond Silicon Valley*?__ - How and where startups can find funding to get their businesses off the ground - What role government can play in encouraging startups and a healthy startup ecosystem - How anchor institutions such as universities and healthcare systems participate in startup ecosystems - How nongovernmental organizations support startups - How to raise funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerators - How to navigate challenging periods in the startup lifecycle - The importance of mentoring in successful startups

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certificate

Offered By University of South Florida logo
In this course, participants learn core principles, concepts, and methods of continuous improvement and explore the history of continuous improvement efforts. In a series of lectures, Master Black Belt in Six Sigma Shane Wentz, Ph.D., enables learners to enhance, optimize, and stabilize business processes and to augment quality control through varied methodologies. Participants gain the skills and knowledge to reimagine internal processes, engage in advanced problem-solving, and empower employees. The course covers high-level foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC processes before diving deep into Lean Six Sigma methods. Learners will analyze the tools of process mapping, Kaizen (a continuous improvement method/tool deemed a prerequisite for Lean transformation success), Lean (a continuous improvement philosophy that emphasizes streamlined workflows and reducing waste), and the process improvement methodology driving DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Beyond Silicon Valley

Offered By Case Western Reserve University logo
Entrepreneurs fostering new ventures outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley face significant challenges. These markets are unlike Silicon Valley, and they will likely remain so. That doesn't mean they can't nurture and sustain new businesses. In transitioning markets that lack abundant private sector financing, creative approaches from government officials, donors, and business leaders can fill the void to support entrepreneurial activity. Northeast Ohio (where Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University are located) has become a laboratory for such innovative solutions. During our time together in this course, we will explore some of these creative approaches to promoting regional entrepreneurship. Northeast Ohio has seen a massive infusion of government and donor resources for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has promoted regional development (including job creation and follow-on funding) through alternative methods of financing startups. It has not been easy. The region has made progress, but it remains to be seen whether it has struck upon an enduring formula. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government policymakers and donors typically seek quicker returns on their support programs, which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. This course includes case studies and first-person testimonials from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs discovered and procured resources from various programs and intermediary organizations. You will hear from business people still in the process of developing their companies as well as those whose ventures have flourished. Our focus will extend beyond Cleveland to selected markets around the world, including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China. You will learn about international incentives and other supports available to developing startups and small businesses across the globe. This course examines how different communities around the world approach implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. I will ask you to reflect on how to apply the principles we learn to growing entrepreneurship where you live. The social interactive features of the online platform will enable students from around the world to share ideas and learn from one another. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures; this course is different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length. They have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting. ## __What type of person takes the *Beyond Silicon Valley* course?__ - Active and aspiring businesspeople in communities looking to initiate new startup ecosystems or bolster existing ones - Current and prospective entrepreneurs who want to learn about funding sources, risk management, and the lifecycle of startups - Professionals who work in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic institutions, and various private funds that fund startups - Anyone curious about how to create and grow startup ecosystems outside the major tech hubs - The principles Beyond Silicon Valley teaches have been drawn from and applied to startups worldwide, from small villages to megalopolises. You'll study success stories spanning the globe from Vietnam to Kosovo to Botswana. ## __What will you learn in *Beyond Silicon Valley*?__ - How and where startups can find funding to get their businesses off the ground - What role government can play in encouraging startups and a healthy startup ecosystem - How anchor institutions such as universities and healthcare systems participate in startup ecosystems - How nongovernmental organizations support startups - How to raise funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerators - How to navigate challenging periods in the startup lifecycle - The importance of mentoring in successful startups
Article continues here

Tinkerers everywhere, rejoice!

If your child has a knack for resourceful problem-solving, expresses an interest in machines, and loves to build, then these toys will further pique those interests.

Give fledgling engineers the tools and training to reimagine the world around them — from their own kitchens to outer space. Here are some excellent toys that can develop engineering skills:

1. Kids First Aircraft Engineer

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What it is: A building set that encourages kids to construct various forms of transportation (from a helicopter to a solar glider) as they progress through a narrative of the fictional Omega family’s vacation

Parents’ Choice Award®: Gold — “an attractively illustrated story that has assembly instructions built directly into it"

Number of players: 1+

Recommended for lovers of: Interactive storytelling, aircraft, imaginative play, building

Ages: 3–5

Price: $44.99 (purchase{: target="_blank" rel="nofollow" })

2. Kids First Amusement Park Engineer

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What it is: A building set that encourages kids to construct a range of amusement-park rides (from a log flume to a merry-go-round), learning key physics concepts and vocabulary in the process, as part of a narrative about the fictional Omega family

Parents’ Choice Award®: Gold — “provides excellent long-term play and learning values as well as hours of imaginative and creative play"

Number of players: 1+

Recommended for lovers of: Interactive storytelling, physics, imaginative play, building

Ages: 3–5

Price: $64.99 (purchase{: target="_blank" rel="nofollow" })

3. Kids First Automobile Engineer

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What it is: A building set that encourages kids to construct a range of vehicles (from a fire engine to a crane), learning about basic physics concepts and tools in the process, as part of a narrative in which the fictional Omega family travels through town

Parents’ Choice Award®: Gold — “[young children] practice and hone fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, following-of-directions, patience and persistence"

Number of players: 1+

Recommended for lovers of: Interactive storytelling, vehicles, physics, imaginative play, building

Ages: 3–5

Price: $44.99 (purchase{: target="_blank" rel="nofollow" })

4. The Kids’ Book of Simple Machines: Cool Projects & Activities that Make Science Fun!

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What it is: A thoroughly engaging book that describes six simple machines — wedge, wheel and axle, inclined plane, screw, and pulley — and their ubiquity in daily life, detailing easy related projects for kids

Parents’ Choice Award®: Gold — “for junior engineers, this is a great book; for any curious child, it could be an ‘aha’ moment"

Recommended for lovers of: Reading, hands-on building, experimentation

Ages: 5–9

Price: $14.95 (purchase{: target="_blank" rel="nofollow" })

5. Maker Studio: Winches Set

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What it is: A kit that challenges young learners to use its contents, together with household items, to construct machines and solve problems.

Parents’ Choice Award®: Silver — “well-designed and well-priced"

Number of players: 1

Recommended for lovers of: Building, repurposing, visual learning, machines

Great to pair with: The New Way Things Work{: target="_blank" rel="nofollow" } by David Macaulay

Ages: 8+

Price: $19.99 (purchase{: target="_blank" rel="nofollow" })

6. Remote Control Machines: Space Explorers

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What it is: A building kit for constructing several machines (at three levels of difficulty), including a space shuttle arm, that can be operated by remote control

Parents’ Choice Award®: Gold — “a wonderfully rich learning experience"

Number of players: 1+

Recommended for lovers of: Building, problem-solving, robotics, astronomy

Ages: 8+

Price: $99.99 (purchase{: target="_blank" rel="nofollow" })

7. Chibi Lights LED Circuit Stickers

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What it is: An LED light kit that allows kids to build circuits while learning about current, switches, series vs. parallel, and light design

Parents’ Choice Award®: Gold — “excellent long-term play value"

Number of players: 1+

Recommended for lovers of: Problem-solving, building, electronics

Ages: 13+

Price: $30.00 (purchase{: target="_blank" rel="nofollow" })

To discover other great educational toys for kids with a variety of interests, check out all nine gift guides from Noodle and Parents' Choice®.

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Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certificate

Offered By University of South Florida logo

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Beyond Silicon Valley

Offered By Case Western Reserve University logo

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