The Toy Association™ Unveils 2025 Back-to-School STEAM Toy Shopping List

15 Toys That Blend Learning & Play

NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As families tackle their back-to-school shopping, The Toy Association™ is helping parents to think beyond backpacks and folders with its 2025 "Back to School STEAM Toy Shopping List."

The "top 15" list features toys that combine fun and learning, each earning the official "STEAM Stamp of Approval" from The Toy Association and child development experts at The Good Play Guide™. These toys and games are recognized for helping children build critical skills across science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.

"More than ever, parents are looking for playthings that serve double duty, offering something fun that also gives their child an academic edge," said Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. "Toys are the tools of play, and they are also terrific for building lifelong skills and sharpening young minds ahead of the school year." 

The "Back to School STEAM Toy Shopping List" (listed alphabetically by product name):

100 Wood Blocks Set (Melissa & Doug)

12" Pro Balance Bike (Strider Sports Int'l Inc.)

400 KEVA Planks Maple with Canvas Tote (KEVA Planks)

Bobby Fischer Learn to Play Chess (Wood Expressions)       

CONNETIX 48 Piece Roads Creative Pack (Connetix)

Cooper the STEM Robot Classroom Set (Learning Resources)

Giant Butterfly Garden (Insect Lore)

Learn to Build - Basic Mix (Plus-Plus USA)

Mega Magic Set (Blue Marble)

Ollyball 22" MEGA-Sized PLANET EARTH (VICTURY SPORTS LLC)

Rail Racers Deluxe 90-Piece Set (MAGNA-TILES)       

Rolly Poly (Math For Love LLC)

TOSY Magnet Cubes (RoboFi)           

Wise Block - Military Helicopter (Alpha Toys)  

Wooden Microscope (QToys)

Each toy on the list has passed a comprehensive evaluation process grounded in The Toy Association's "STEAM Toy Assessment Framework," developed in collaboration with The Good Play Guide. The products were tested in play sessions with children, then assessed by The Good Play Guide's child development experts* to ensure they deliver meaningful learning through hands-on engagement.

From hands-on kits that invite kids to understand the natural world to building sets that teach engineering principles and games that sharpen strategic thinking, this year's list highlights how children learn best in the classroom and at home: through play that's immersive, imaginative, and rooted in real-world concepts.

Now in its fifth year, the STEAM Toy Accreditation Program was created to help families and educators identify toys that support key developmental outcomes. The Toy Association, a long-time advocate for the educational benefits of play, continues to expand its work through industry education, consumer resources at TheGeniusofPlay.org, and research partnerships.

To learn more about the accreditation process or explore additional STEAM-accredited toys, visit toyassociation.org/STEAM or reach out to [email protected].

About The Toy Association™  toyassociation.org / toyfoundation.org / peopleofplay.com / thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.org

Founded in 1916, The Toy Association^™, Inc. is the business trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $155.7 billion, and its roughly 900 members drive the annual $42 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, governments, consumers, and the industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.    

As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair^™ in New York City; hosts marketplace activities in Los Angeles; engages in state, federal, and international advocacy on behalf of its members; supports the inventor and design community through People of Play™ and its numerous assets and events, including the consumer-facing Chicago Toy & Game Fair; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard. The Toy Association's philanthropic arm is The Toy Foundation^™, a 501 (c)(3) children's charity that acts as the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered the joy of play to 33 million children in need worldwide.

About The Good Play Guide™ goodplayguide.com 

The Good Play Guide™ is the official accreditation body for the STEAM Accreditation Program. Founded by Dr. Amanda Gummer, who has a PhD in neuropsychology and over 20 years of experience working with children and families, The Good Play Guide uses a scientifically proven method to evaluate toys. Every toy submitted for evaluation is firstly tested by the important people – children. While the children play, they are observed by professionals who have been trained to carry out research with children in a robust and ethically responsible way. The toys are then evaluated by The Good Play Guide's team of experts to ensure they meet the strict criteria set in The Toy Association's "STEAM Toy Assessment Framework."

SOURCE The Toy Association