How The Toy Association’s STEAM Accreditation Supports Toymakers in Challenging Times

November 1, 2021 | In recent decades, the toy market has seen a steady influx of toys that claim to encourage skill development in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) subjects, so it’s no surprise that by 2025, STEAM toys are predicted to account for a hefty $9.5 billion share of the global toy market.

Dr. Amanda Gummer, child psychologist and founder & CEO of the Good Play Guide,™ discusses how the newly launched STEAM Accreditation Program and STEAM Toy Assessment Framework, both developed in partnership with The Toy Association, can help manufacturers prove that their toys truly foster STEAM skills and reassure parents that they’re not being hoodwinked by disingenuous marketing.

According to Gummer, here are a few ways getting toys STEAM-accredited can help toymakers maximize the learning potential of their products and help children build a love of STEAM through play:

  • Make it fun! It’s stating the obvious, but a good STEAM toy should focus on STEAM skill development and (more importantly) be exciting to play with. If it doesn’t do both, children won’t play with it for long. A great toy should trigger emotions – joy, surprise, a bit of frustration, tension, wonder, etc.
  • Make sure it’s challenging (but not too challenging!) Children are motivated to try when they are challenged just the right amount. Too much challenge turns children off. Too little and they’re not stimulated. Does your STEAM toy motivate children to persevere? Is the reward worth the effort?
  • Know your target market. When developing a toy, make sure the skills it promotes are appropriate for the age range you’re designing it for.  Have most children in that age range got the requisite motor skills to physically manipulate the toy? Do they have the conceptual understanding they need to get the most out of the toy? Do typical children in that age range engage in play the way you think they do?
  • Offer open-ended, child-led play. Children are endlessly creative when they play. If a toy can only be played with in set ways, there’s no space for curious exploration.  Some children enjoy playing within constraints, but a large majority don’t. A good STEAM toy should allow children to lead the play experience, to play with it on their terms and with minimal guidance from an adult.
  • Give it a hands-on element. In a world filled with screens, toys that encourage varied physical interaction are essential.  In how many ways can your STEAM toy be handled, pushed, pulled, snapped, turned, twisted, squeezed? Toys that allow varied physical feedback offer the most potential for brain development.  Even better, toys that require coordinating both hands help children develop bilateral integration skills, which strengthen communication between the two sides of the brain.
  • Make it inclusive. Demand is growing for toys that can be embraced by a diverse range of children, regardless of their culture, gender, abilities, and social circumstances. Developers of good STEAM toys make design choices with all these factors in mind.
  • Support parents. A lot of parents are intimidated by the terms ‘STEAM’ and ‘STEM.’  A good STEAM toy includes supportive materials, such as video demos, graphic instructions, or access to a website filled with ideas and how-tos. These give parents and caregivers the best chance of encouraging and supporting their children. Increasing parents’ confidence is likely to have a positive impact on their children’s confidence too.

All toys submitted for accreditation undergo rigorous testing – first by children and then by experts at the Good Play Guide. Successful toys get The Toy Association’s official STEAM stamp of approval to use on packaging, websites, and printed materials, among other benefits. More importantly, accreditation proves that a toy really is worthy of the STEAM label and serves to satisfy consumers that they are buying wisely.

Complete details about the STEAM Toy Accreditation Program can be found online at ToyAssociation.org/STEAM or by visiting goodplayguidehq.com/steam-program. Questions about program may be directed to steam@toyassociation.org.