2020 STEM & Aerospace Gift Ideas for Teens

Before you think, “hey, this is for little kids” – this kit is for all ages. A 1x kit comes with 18 panels, 10 braces, 80 connectors and 1 carrying case. This indoor kit exercises those problem-solving, creativity and ingenuity.

Check out the Nerf Battle Fort design on their site.

Add more kits for more complex design options. 1x kit is $77.

30 Days Lost in Space Sci-Fi Adventure

Your Challenge: We’re sorry to say it, but you seem to be stuck 100 feet underwater on some alien planet. No worries though, we’ve dealt with this situation thousands of times. We know this may sound overwhelming, but you need to learn to code and wire so you can fix your destroyed control panel. 30 missions in 30 days. This is a badass adventure that comes with 30 mission videos and several bonuses. Starts at $35.

Little Bits Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit

Who wouldn’t want to build their own R2D2? Complete Droid kit: includes all electronic blocks, Droid parts, 9V battery, and free app.

Raspberry Pi – Learn to Code Out of the Box

Build your own computer with Raspberry Pi, a foundation with a mission to get the power of computing and digital making into the hands of people all over the world. This organization does this so that more people are able to harness the power of computing and digital technologies for work, to solve problems that matter to them, and to express themselves creatively. This bundle has everything you need – all you have to do is use the included HDMI cable and hook it up to an HDMI port on a tv or extra monitor you already have. Get the bundle with 4GB Amazon or Vilros direct for $99.99.

Structural Engineering: Bridges and Skyscrapers

One of my favorite classes in college was Statics. This kit touches on some of those basics, but with FUN! Build 20 different models that each teach about force, load, compression, tension and more. $35 on Amazon

Mini Quadcopter

Why a mini? Because you can fly it indoors. And learning to fly around obstacles in your house hones your piloting skills. Fast fact: We need more drone pilots (and pilots in general). $18 on Amazon.

Operation Escape Evil Board Game

Escape EVIL is a game where you are 1 of 4 scientists who have to figure out how to use common available materials that happen to have fascinating chemistry applications to escape Earth Vision Industrial Laboratories (EVIL). $33 on Amazon.

KidzLabs Robotic Hand

Don’t let the moniker fool you; this kit works for teens, especially those with an interest in robotics. $10.99 on Amazon.

Star Wars Folded Flyers

Sometimes simple is better. Who doesn’t love paper airplanes? And Star Wars? Nothing more fun that these fun flyers. $17.99 on Amazon.

Water Rocket Kit

You can shoot off model rockets in the winter. This active kit means you get to launch what you build – outside! $19.99 on Amazon.

Model Rocket Launch Kit

Not keen on water rockets? This kit comes with the model rocket you build yourself plus the launching pad. You’ll also need model rocket engine, starters, recovery wadding, and glue. This kit is $24.99 from Amazon, but you can also check out Estes Rockets for more options.

Looking for a book? Try one of these:

Looking for movies?
Check out our list of 8 Movies to Inspire You to Work in STEM or Aerospace

From the small screen: Macgyver The Original Series
This series seriously inspired me to flex those engineering muscles and never go anywhere without duct tape. 🙂 Secret agent who hates guns and uses physics, chemistry, engineering and more to complete the mission. You can get the whole series on DVD from Amazon or watch individual episodes and seasons on Amazon Prime Video.

Already have STEM & Aerospace Teens in your world? Here’s some ideas for them:

From Cognitive Surplus:

Flight Science Shoulder Tote