Sam's Toy Box: STEM toys

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Friday's edition of Sam's Toy Box highlights toys that promote science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM.

They're important fields in today's society. And kids are going to have so much fun with these toys, they won't even realize how much they're learning.

LEGO DUPLO CREATIVE PLAY NUMBER TRAIN LEARN TO COUNT (LEGO)

-Catch the colorful new version of the LEGO DUPLO Number Train!

-Toddlers can load and unload the number bricks, line them up in the correct order, and stack them together into a number wall.

- A poster-playmat makes construction fun.

-With moving wheels, an opening roof, and friendly figures, the Number Train will transport toddlers to a world of imaginative, developmental play.

- Ages: 18 MOS+

- MSRP: $19.99

- Available: Major retailers

PIXICADE (BITOGENIUS)

-Kids can play the video games that they make!

-Draw, snap, play! Kids can draw a game on any white surface, take a picture with their device on the Pixicade app, and then play the game that comes to life in seconds.

- Kids can share the games that they make in the Pixicade arcade and send the games they make to others!

- Builds self-esteem, fosters creativity, and teaches skills like problem solving and literacy.

- Kids can make mistakes and then fix them. This teaches hem the skill of failing forward.

- Set includes two QR codes for more than 1500 games with seven different game types, three activity books that are loaded with ideas and examples, 30 instructional activities, more than 100 example games, one exciting avatar sticker sheet, and five specially designed game markers that represent different actions or avatars.

- Ages: 6+

- MSRP: $19.99

- Available: Walmart, Amazon, pixicade.com

PAPER BUTTERFLIES SCIENCE KIT (CRAYOLA)

-Kids can create beautiful paper butterflies that explode with color!

-Learn about the magical phenomenon of capillary action with this STEAM-powered kit - and make colorful one-of-a-kind Paper butterflies!

-Watch as colorful inks are absorbed into the wings of paper butterflies!

-This kit features everything needed to make 12 Wicking Paper Butterflies.

- Ages: 7+

-MSRP: $19.99

- Available: Amazon, Target, Walmart, Crayola.com

BACKYARD ADVENTURE 61PC (MAGFORMERS)

- Click! Connect! Create!

- Kids can build magnetic houses and invite friends to the party. With this set, kids can make houses and a playground.

-Characters included are Max, Maggie, and Minibot.

-Ages: 3+

- MSRP: $74.99

- Available: Target, Magformers.com

CANDY CLAW MACHINE (THAMES & KOSMOS)

-Kids can step right up and try their luck at grabbing a claw-full of candy!

- Assemble a working model of the classic claw machine complete with cranks, gears, and belts that move the claw arm in a cross.

- Hydraulic levers move the arm up and down, and open and close the claw. A spring-loaded trap door shoots the collected candy out at kids if they manage to succeed.

-Choose three different claw shapes to pick up, move, and drop the 10 lollipops and candy box decoys that are packaged with the machine.

-Experiment with different gear ratios to speed up the claw and hone those hand-eye coordination skills.

-No batteries or electricity required - just pure brainpower!

-Ages: 6+

-MSRP: $39.95

- Available: October - Target, Specialty retailers

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