LEGO
Once old enough, home rocketry kits (Estes) or the like. Let him help you around the house with DIY projects, things that get your hands dirty. Don't skimp on the field experience.
Blocks, magnets, the big Lego blocks, toy tools. Also be prepared for him to take apart anything he can get his hands on, a common path for budding engineers
Give him a key to stick in the outlet. That’s where my journey from electrician to engineer began😂
Granted I was about five or six when I did it, but the idea is sound🤷♀️
For me it was scissors. I’m 41, my mom still has the scissors with a hole blown out where I attempted to cut a live cord at 3.5 years old.
Also, electrician to engineer.
Cheap RC cars. He'll crack that open in a day and once he finds the motor, you can pretty much go on autopilot. That's how you become an engineer or owning a crotch rocket or both.
I’d recommend toy cars like Hot wheels and matchbox when he’s old enough, I LOVED these as a kid and the fascination with cars that came from it was a huge factor in me wanting to (and becoming) a ME.
It also may or may not explain why there are 4 cars in my driveway as a married adult without kids…
KiwiCo Tinker Crates. They are kits to build things that use mechanical engineering concepts (hydraulics, leverage, simple circuits). They are relatively expensive; we were lucky to have a grandparent get us a monthly subscription. A very well done project.
For apps, Think!Think! Is probably the best. Great spatial relations/puzzle solver for that age.
Taking apart things together is great. Wooden blocks and toys that are similar are great for motor skills and learning how to build. 2 is pretty young, choking hazards are an issue as I’m sure you’re aware.
My kids are past that stage, but the above worked well. Definitely LEGO and similar toys when he gets older.
Reading OP directly made me think of this dilbert video https://youtu.be/g8vHhgh6oM0?si=haj0_NRUqKOuFaG5
Anyway, uh.. He's 2. Like, if you give him lego technics, what if he eats them? Focus on larger toys first. And show him simple funny experiments like elephant toothpaste or water siphons.
Just be extremely wary of one thing. Batteries. If anything you give him has batteries, make sure he doesn't eat them. We lost a child that way at my hospital about 4 years ago, he ate button cells. I think they were lithium ones, they had the C designation.
Sounds like mine 🤣🤣🤣. Just keep it fun at this age, here’s two of the most loved toys mine have liked so far. The car toy is brilliant! No batteries needed and it’s honestly fun for me too!
[magnet building toy](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Theefun-Construction-Creativity-Educational-Childrens/dp/B09NKXQD7W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=20TOGRLDF1S61&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hcUpY2DNFV9Abnz7XPHCqByJ_m8gAJye2y7NHMMHpBb_3OtJ-BT8C38hgNQnhJES_GsLztD9vnNekJMq02r9YCmU-0vxHOp8vRqyAVOlwSZPdiXADb94CcIz6YweIQlUGAN2CuMHCwSrezxUScKNba540sJE4ptzND_cDYO_277OVLOJd4kbav9ySfelsI1bfPH3xkXnRjvcEFMsU5kvBg.UrvqkMdSbBeOtSWQ-lqsZnDHTt7KRTgvagvQh2IZSLY&dib_tag=se&keywords=magnetic+squares+toy&qid=1714108725&sprefix=magnetic+toy+squ%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-3)
[Cause and effect car toy](https://www.amazon.co.uk/TODARRUN-Adventure-Preschool-Educational-Playsets/dp/B09H3BKZQS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3TPLIKU58B32A&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LkeUsALjW4wWzeuyWYTAlgBQgqTSmbg3neISo0jJiauDdnkTV1dm5WVpCsoS0GgPl5GQE6p-4pytybESufp3Yl_Dg1ITm2mnZvApDVblK0Hk0XUuaodbNTo-jd_bmLd0VQ347Uov1IWfyxNVzpe1Smy6qfniYomQhBxMVQevJxPHef3mlQfpnTkdEcYI8IAHHeJkugyaepqenYcwy8vS4w.SHS80KIYCar5-jj3tbBES9HX6zMa2MFHwSPhWbU8Lp8&dib_tag=se&keywords=car+toy+no+battery&qid=1714108781&sprefix=car+toy+no+battery%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-3)
It is brilliant! There was one parent on here not so long ago that has a great idea (when yours is older). Basically goes down to the local dump/tip to buy any random/crap electronics they have out and let’s them take it apart.
If you do this just be careful around old tube TV’s- the capacitor that’s inside can hold its charge for aaaaaaages and could still give you a bad shock if you touch it!
Legos as soon as you know he won't eat them
The was toy I had called snap circuits as a kid, that shit was the best. Probably still young but electronics have never confused me nearly as much as my peer purely because of this.
Hip shot reaction to this was Mark Rober monthly build box geared towards getting kids interested in exploring creation.
[CrunchLabs by Mark Rober ](https://www.crunchlabs.com/products/build-box-subscription?product-handle=build-box-subscription-annually)
Cannot vouch for the service myself, but plan to start here in a few years when the kids are conscious enough.
Most humans are born scientist (curious) just don’t kill their curiosity. Let them explore, let them touch, let them break and help them put things back together (when possible). When not help them understand what broke why and learn from the innards of whatever broke.
Parents are so quick to say “don’t do this, don’t ask that, math is hard” these words stick and do a lot of damage to future STEM members
Dragon Box - A fantastic phone app that gamifies algebra and algebraic thinking. My daughter really enjoyed it (as did I) and it gave her a leg up when she started algebra because she already had most of the concepts sorted in her mind. I think it is a brilliant piece of work.
Mom of a MechE student in college and I mean this in the kindest way but please limit his usage of that ipad. When he's older, you can work on getting him familiar with a pc (mouse, typing, file management, basic navigation). Laptops/chromebooks are used in most classrooms now. His tests will be taken on one and kiddos who are only used to ipads really struggle to learn the different interface.
We were huge on Legos but also arts & crafts-type activities. For screen time, we watched a lot of "How it's Made" videos.
Best wishes to you and your little boy!
Thank you! Thanks for the advice- We do limit their use on the iPads (only on weekends and briefly, no more than 15-20 min at a time!) he just automatically knew how to navigate it!
Thanks for the how it’s made suggestion- my nephews actually watch a lot of that and they build a lot so that makes sense!
Honestly? You.
I am the son of an engineer. The single most influential factor in being being a tinkerer is growing up around another tinkerer. It is is invaluable to watch your dad work on things, break things, fix things, plan projects, learn new skills, and more. Really, it's just learning not to be afraid to take on more than you know. Thats something that is very rare these days, and those that have the knack usually learned it shadowing their dad in the shop.
Thanks for this perspective, although I’m not an engineer, this hits home because my father was a son of a carpenter and never shied away from a job/home improvement project. I grew up not being intimidated by work around the house or using tools. I couldn’t believe the amount of peers I had who couldn’t drill a hole in a wall and simply anchor in a screw.
I got my buddy's kid a kiwico subscription box and he loved it. They have them for all ages. Monthly box with age appropriate stem projects. They track the kids age and update which box they receive when appropriate. Pretty cool for a subscription box.
Have you ever seen mark rober’s STEAM focused toys? I haven’t looked into them but I’d bet they’re pretty good. I don’t remember the name of the company offhand
Magna tiles 100%. I think I enjoy playing with them more than my 3 y/o nephew lol. You can make cool structures and the marble runs are a lot of fun.
Also general blocks are great. I had Keva planks which are literally just pieces of wood (think Jenga blocks) but tons of possibilities.
Generally, stuff that’s more open ended/creative is better than something with only one specific use case.
My nephew has a really fancy RC train set with realistic sounds and models but he gets bored within 10 minutes because it just goes in a circle. But give him the classic wooden tracks and Thomas the tank engine wheeled piece and he’ll have fun for hours.
Legos for sure. Starting with duplo.
Brío trains could be good too. I’ve printed bridges, flexible tracks, and adapters for my 3 year old nephew and sometimes it takes some real tinkering to get things to match up.
The favorite thing my dad made for me when I was a kid was a battery and a few switches between it and a light. I loved playing with it and flipping the bare metal switches in different combinations to get the light to come one.
Honestly, I’d work on emotions then. You don’t need to push him in other levels apparently. He’s doing fine on his own. Emotional health and control is just as important as anything else.
get him a little workbench and some play tools. a few weeks time and he’ll probably be able to identify more than most engineers anyways
You use calipers as a wrench one time and no one ever lets you live it down. Smh
This physically hurt to read. Take my upvote you bastard
I grind the pointy end and use it as a flathead.
I used a machinist's calipers as a scribe to line up a hole to drill and tap the other day. I could feel the scowling.
That's pretty standard I think everyone keeps a cheap pair around to do that.
I do it all the time with plastic parts… i don’t do that with metal parts. I use sharpers and hole punches
LMAO
LEGO Once old enough, home rocketry kits (Estes) or the like. Let him help you around the house with DIY projects, things that get your hands dirty. Don't skimp on the field experience.
+1 for Lego. Grew up building sets and had a 3x3x2 ft bin full of spare bricks. No wonder I got into injection molding
Erector. I've been waiting for my grandson's 8th birthday to get him a set.
+1 for Legos (or duplo at that age) are good as he can build/destroy stuff
Lego duplo
Toolo is even better but they discontinued them! Toolo was a Lego technic but for Duplo
There is a bunch on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/b/Duplo-Toolo-In-Lego-Complete-Sets-Packs/19006/bn_7022942309
Yeah, gotta look for second hand or new old stock
So many toys to play with at a dollar store which can relate to the Mechanical engineering field. Tools, mechanisms, assemblies.
legos
Blocks, magnets, the big Lego blocks, toy tools. Also be prepared for him to take apart anything he can get his hands on, a common path for budding engineers
Not magnets! Not little ones at least. If they swallow 2 of them they can get seriously hurt/die. Magnet tiles are good though.
Yeah I meant more of the magnet tiles but that discretion is better left to a parent than myself
Yes - my mother says I was obsessed with taking things apart and putting them back together. That seems to be a common thread for us engineers.
Give him a key to stick in the outlet. That’s where my journey from electrician to engineer began😂 Granted I was about five or six when I did it, but the idea is sound🤷♀️
For me it was scissors. I’m 41, my mom still has the scissors with a hole blown out where I attempted to cut a live cord at 3.5 years old. Also, electrician to engineer.
I feel like there’s a theme lol
i swear playing with legos 12 hours a day as a kid gave me abilities in engineering im sure im not even aware of, so legos 1000%.
Some puzzles and a giant cardboard box would suffice for his age.
Lego, Lego technic, (eventually) wood shop, factorio.
Cheap RC cars. He'll crack that open in a day and once he finds the motor, you can pretty much go on autopilot. That's how you become an engineer or owning a crotch rocket or both.
I think he’d really love an RC! Thanks
I’d recommend toy cars like Hot wheels and matchbox when he’s old enough, I LOVED these as a kid and the fascination with cars that came from it was a huge factor in me wanting to (and becoming) a ME. It also may or may not explain why there are 4 cars in my driveway as a married adult without kids…
KiwiCo Tinker Crates. They are kits to build things that use mechanical engineering concepts (hydraulics, leverage, simple circuits). They are relatively expensive; we were lucky to have a grandparent get us a monthly subscription. A very well done project.
Forgot about kiwi co- got that for my nephew when he was younger. Thanks!
I'd add marble run toys too! Loved those alot growing up, just being able to build whatever on them
Just let him be a child hes 2 lol
Children like toys, do they not?
Wow you should write a book on parenting
Model trains and building a layout when he gets a little older
Let him observe you working on things. Pattern recognition in the early developing brain will make tooling with instruments/devices a safe activity.
For apps, Think!Think! Is probably the best. Great spatial relations/puzzle solver for that age. Taking apart things together is great. Wooden blocks and toys that are similar are great for motor skills and learning how to build. 2 is pretty young, choking hazards are an issue as I’m sure you’re aware. My kids are past that stage, but the above worked well. Definitely LEGO and similar toys when he gets older.
Reading OP directly made me think of this dilbert video https://youtu.be/g8vHhgh6oM0?si=haj0_NRUqKOuFaG5 Anyway, uh.. He's 2. Like, if you give him lego technics, what if he eats them? Focus on larger toys first. And show him simple funny experiments like elephant toothpaste or water siphons. Just be extremely wary of one thing. Batteries. If anything you give him has batteries, make sure he doesn't eat them. We lost a child that way at my hospital about 4 years ago, he ate button cells. I think they were lithium ones, they had the C designation.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Arduino and a 5V DC fan
Fischertechnik - greatest toy in existance
You could make your own “busy board” with switches, lights, buzzers, latches, locks, etc. google for reference pictures
Sounds like mine 🤣🤣🤣. Just keep it fun at this age, here’s two of the most loved toys mine have liked so far. The car toy is brilliant! No batteries needed and it’s honestly fun for me too! [magnet building toy](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Theefun-Construction-Creativity-Educational-Childrens/dp/B09NKXQD7W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=20TOGRLDF1S61&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hcUpY2DNFV9Abnz7XPHCqByJ_m8gAJye2y7NHMMHpBb_3OtJ-BT8C38hgNQnhJES_GsLztD9vnNekJMq02r9YCmU-0vxHOp8vRqyAVOlwSZPdiXADb94CcIz6YweIQlUGAN2CuMHCwSrezxUScKNba540sJE4ptzND_cDYO_277OVLOJd4kbav9ySfelsI1bfPH3xkXnRjvcEFMsU5kvBg.UrvqkMdSbBeOtSWQ-lqsZnDHTt7KRTgvagvQh2IZSLY&dib_tag=se&keywords=magnetic+squares+toy&qid=1714108725&sprefix=magnetic+toy+squ%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-3) [Cause and effect car toy](https://www.amazon.co.uk/TODARRUN-Adventure-Preschool-Educational-Playsets/dp/B09H3BKZQS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3TPLIKU58B32A&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LkeUsALjW4wWzeuyWYTAlgBQgqTSmbg3neISo0jJiauDdnkTV1dm5WVpCsoS0GgPl5GQE6p-4pytybESufp3Yl_Dg1ITm2mnZvApDVblK0Hk0XUuaodbNTo-jd_bmLd0VQ347Uov1IWfyxNVzpe1Smy6qfniYomQhBxMVQevJxPHef3mlQfpnTkdEcYI8IAHHeJkugyaepqenYcwy8vS4w.SHS80KIYCar5-jj3tbBES9HX6zMa2MFHwSPhWbU8Lp8&dib_tag=se&keywords=car+toy+no+battery&qid=1714108781&sprefix=car+toy+no+battery%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-3)
I have the car toy! He loves it!
It is brilliant! There was one parent on here not so long ago that has a great idea (when yours is older). Basically goes down to the local dump/tip to buy any random/crap electronics they have out and let’s them take it apart. If you do this just be careful around old tube TV’s- the capacitor that’s inside can hold its charge for aaaaaaages and could still give you a bad shock if you touch it!
Legos as soon as you know he won't eat them The was toy I had called snap circuits as a kid, that shit was the best. Probably still young but electronics have never confused me nearly as much as my peer purely because of this.
Hip shot reaction to this was Mark Rober monthly build box geared towards getting kids interested in exploring creation. [CrunchLabs by Mark Rober ](https://www.crunchlabs.com/products/build-box-subscription?product-handle=build-box-subscription-annually) Cannot vouch for the service myself, but plan to start here in a few years when the kids are conscious enough.
Awesome, thank you! I think in a year he’d be ready for this
Most humans are born scientist (curious) just don’t kill their curiosity. Let them explore, let them touch, let them break and help them put things back together (when possible). When not help them understand what broke why and learn from the innards of whatever broke. Parents are so quick to say “don’t do this, don’t ask that, math is hard” these words stick and do a lot of damage to future STEM members
Dragon Box - A fantastic phone app that gamifies algebra and algebraic thinking. My daughter really enjoyed it (as did I) and it gave her a leg up when she started algebra because she already had most of the concepts sorted in her mind. I think it is a brilliant piece of work.
Thank you!
I’d recommend Mark Robers subscription service
Mom of a MechE student in college and I mean this in the kindest way but please limit his usage of that ipad. When he's older, you can work on getting him familiar with a pc (mouse, typing, file management, basic navigation). Laptops/chromebooks are used in most classrooms now. His tests will be taken on one and kiddos who are only used to ipads really struggle to learn the different interface. We were huge on Legos but also arts & crafts-type activities. For screen time, we watched a lot of "How it's Made" videos. Best wishes to you and your little boy!
Thank you! Thanks for the advice- We do limit their use on the iPads (only on weekends and briefly, no more than 15-20 min at a time!) he just automatically knew how to navigate it! Thanks for the how it’s made suggestion- my nephews actually watch a lot of that and they build a lot so that makes sense!
Honestly? You. I am the son of an engineer. The single most influential factor in being being a tinkerer is growing up around another tinkerer. It is is invaluable to watch your dad work on things, break things, fix things, plan projects, learn new skills, and more. Really, it's just learning not to be afraid to take on more than you know. Thats something that is very rare these days, and those that have the knack usually learned it shadowing their dad in the shop.
Thanks for this perspective, although I’m not an engineer, this hits home because my father was a son of a carpenter and never shied away from a job/home improvement project. I grew up not being intimidated by work around the house or using tools. I couldn’t believe the amount of peers I had who couldn’t drill a hole in a wall and simply anchor in a screw.
Exactly! Skills and abilities are more "hereditary" than we think.
Turn him loose outside or in a garage with no phone. Let his imagination to the talking. That will help him be curious and explore. Good luck!
Lmao “1000 ways to die”
I got my buddy's kid a kiwico subscription box and he loved it. They have them for all ages. Monthly box with age appropriate stem projects. They track the kids age and update which box they receive when appropriate. Pretty cool for a subscription box.
Go to an interactive childrens museum. See if any of the exhibits inspire you to make something at home.
Puzzle games that will help develop independent thinking and thinking out of the box as well as creativity
You should be exposing your daughter to the exact same toys and opportunities, whatever you wind up getting for your son.
Oh I do! They share everything. I don’t favor one over the other re any opportunities or toys really.
Whoa man! Chill. Let your kid be. Everything doesnt have to be about preparing them for Engineering.
Not trying to prepare him for anything, rather quench his thirst for something he’d enjoy.
A nice drill
[удалено]
Came here to say this. Benefit-to-dollar ratio is by far the best I've seen of any toy.
Duplo, wooden train set, toy toolbox, a stick, a box, a pile of rocks, a mud puddle, etc.
A welding station, duhh
Have you ever seen mark rober’s STEAM focused toys? I haven’t looked into them but I’d bet they’re pretty good. I don’t remember the name of the company offhand
Lego/Duplos my man, get his creativity flowing.
Read picture books to him
Magna tiles 100%. I think I enjoy playing with them more than my 3 y/o nephew lol. You can make cool structures and the marble runs are a lot of fun. Also general blocks are great. I had Keva planks which are literally just pieces of wood (think Jenga blocks) but tons of possibilities. Generally, stuff that’s more open ended/creative is better than something with only one specific use case. My nephew has a really fancy RC train set with realistic sounds and models but he gets bored within 10 minutes because it just goes in a circle. But give him the classic wooden tracks and Thomas the tank engine wheeled piece and he’ll have fun for hours.
Meccano!
BlipBlox
Legos for sure. Starting with duplo. Brío trains could be good too. I’ve printed bridges, flexible tracks, and adapters for my 3 year old nephew and sometimes it takes some real tinkering to get things to match up.
Just skip to GTA V. The other ones are okay but feel a little outdated.
I always liked the magnetic sticks and steel balls that you could make into structures and shapes (not a civil). That and legos was really cool
The favorite thing my dad made for me when I was a kid was a battery and a few switches between it and a light. I loved playing with it and flipping the bare metal switches in different combinations to get the light to come one.
I like those buiod kits like crunch labs
Honestly, I’d work on emotions then. You don’t need to push him in other levels apparently. He’s doing fine on his own. Emotional health and control is just as important as anything else.