The holidays are quickly approaching, so companies are beginning to sell a wide range of exciting products. One market in particular though has grown in popularity over recent years—tech gifts for kids—and for good reason. According to the , computer and information technology jobs are projected to grow 15% over the next decade. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Today’s kids will be grateful that they got into tech at an early age because they will have their choice of exciting and rewarding careers, ranging from farming to medicine to urban planning—the possibilities are limitless. Meanwhile, the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they’re developing in studying technology will also positively impact their academics at school, which will give them more confidence in the future. With unique tech gifts now available specifically for kids, they can get an early start on developing tech skills in a fun, innovative way. To help parse through the many options online, we’ve compiled a holiday gift guide with Five Tech Favorites for 2022. 1. OSMO’s Explorer Starter Kit Technology is becoming an inevitable part of childhood, but OSMO proves it isn’t a bad thing. Named one of , OSMO combines hands-on play with digital tools to promote ; using objects in the physical world to ground abstract concepts so kids can focus on growing their skills instead of getting wrapped up in theories. Time Magazine’s Best Inventions embodied learning The Explorer Starter Kit is one of Osmo’s best holiday gifts, combining activities from three top-selling sets for a total of nine interactive games. Ideal for ages 5-12, it pairs with supported devices to make spelling, physics, and computer programming easy and fun. Games like bring drawings to life while simplifies coding for kids. Check it out! Monster Coding Awbie 2. A Year of Coding for Kids: A Tynker Subscription A might be the best coding gift for kids this holiday season, but, hey, we’re a little biased! Tynker’s award-winning curriculum is vast, offering over 5,000 learning modules organized in unique six levels with more than 300 lessons. gift subscription to Tynker These courses and activities will enable your child to master programming and easily progress to real-world text languages like JavaScript and Python. Plus, each level is self-paced, so kids aren’t pressured to learn everything at once. In addition to web development and block coding courses, Tynker also goes beyond basic coding to offer in Minecraft Modding, App Development, Data Science, Game Design, Art, Music, AI, Robotics, and more. specializations Kids receive mastery certifications after each completed level and can even learn on the go with mobile apps. Best of all, Tynker utilizes a gamified, story-based format. This playful approach to learning promotes independent project-building and problem-solving can build competency 5x faster than traditional learning. and Tynker offers different subscription options for individuals and families. A year-long subscription includes core and elective courses, powerful creativity tools, image processing, pre-AP Java, a fun and safe Tynker community, and more. Did we mention that all of Tynker’s programs are approved (and used) by thousands of educators worldwide? 3. An Unlimited Subscription to EPIC! With over 40,000 books from 250+ publishers, EPIC is an at-home library for kids. Comprehension and fluency are just as important as technical skills — and critical to helping your child succeed in a STEAM career. With an , kids can read, or listen to, as many books as their heart desires. EPIC also offers educational videos on a variety of topics from math and science to yoga and DIY projects. unlimited subscription EPIC’s books on robotics and lego construction made it an obvious choice for our holiday gift guide, but so did its narrative offerings. Cultivating a curious mind is key to honing inventive skills, and Epic has plenty of fictional stories to stoke your child’s imagination and encourages them to think outside of the box. Take a look! 4. Sphero’s Specdrums Among all of Sphero’s products, the Specdrums stand out to us as one of the best tech gifts of 2022. In combination with the included playing pack and the Specdrums Mix app, kids can use these rings to create music from any surface; your child can tap away on shoes, toys, or the dining room table to create their own beats and loops. These gadgets are in high demand, so if they’re sold out by the time you do your holiday shopping, we recommend as well. Your child can build their own synth guitar or hands-free drum while strengthening their innovative mindset. Sphero’s Electronic Music Inventor Kit 5. Artie 3000 Last but certainly not least on our list of gift ideas for kids, we have Artie 3000. Artie is a coding robot that makes art. Using the code that your child writes, Artie draws on paper, creating everything from simple shapes to intricate illustrations. Its pre-programmed designs start kids on coding right away, though they also offer structure if free-form is intimidating. Even if your child chooses not to pursue a career in technology, these gifts will equip them with skills that will remain beneficial to them throughout their life. Problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork are competencies required for all education and job paths. Start preparing your child with a fun, engaging, and lifelong gift, and they will surely thank you now and in the future. About the Author is the Chief Growth Officer of Tynker, with 20 years of experience helping startups grow into successful businesses. Lomit has previously played a critical role in scaling growth at startups, including Roku (IPO), TrustedID (acquired by Equifax), Texture (acquired. by Apple), and IMVU (#2 top-grossing gaming app). Lomit Patel Lomit is a public speaker, author, and advisor, with numerous accolades and awards throughout his career, including being recognized as a Mobile Hero by Liftoff. Lomit's book is part of Eric Ries' best-selling "The Lean Startup" series. Lean AI Also published here

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