It’s Never Too Early for STEM!
11 STEM-Themed Books for Babies and Toddlers
by Devon A. Corneal
It’s unlikely that your newborn can program a computer and even less likely that she understands rocket science. But it’s never too early to learn, right? At least that’s the thinking behind a collection of STEM books geared towards kids whose big challenge this week is figuring out how their hands work. Someday, however, those hands will be able to type our software code, build a toy robot, or create a circuit. Until then, we’ve compiled a list of books that might help them get familiar with the fascinating worlds of science, technology, engineering, and math. Things are going to get interesting!
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Baby Loves Structural Engineering!
Architecture is the perfect marriage of engineering and art — a building should be both as beautiful and sturdy as possible. Using toy blocks and comparing them to famous real-world buildings, this clever board book introduces littles to architectural structures and the basics of construction. Who knows what kind of block towers they’ll come up with after reading?
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Big Ideas for Little Environmentalists: Restoration with Wangari Maathai
Trees are an essential part of the earth’s ecosystem. Wangari Maathai saw how Kenya’s tree loss affected the environment, animals, and people. She worked hard to restore her country’s tree population. Little children will love this story of one person making a difference through hard work and perseverance.
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Robots, Robots, Everywhere!
Feed your child’s robot obsession with this Little Golden Book. Babies and toddlers will learn how robots and machines are becoming more essential to society every day. Fun illustrations and rhyming text make this a fun read-aloud for parents and children.
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Bathtime Mathtime
Former television star and now mathematician Danica McKellar thinks it’s never too early to understand math. Which is why her book brings counting and numbers to bathtime. After all, dirty toes, rubber ducks, and bubbles are a great way to give your kids a friendly and accessible introduction to all that math has to offer.
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High Chair Chemistry
Babies and toddlers are naturally curious explorers, so why not nurture their love of learning with an interactive storytime? Introduce your toddler to the basic chemistry concepts with this fun book in the Big Science for Tiny Tots series that combines science and play. Caregivers will love the tongue-in-cheek humor of the dialogue, while photos of adorably messy babies will happily absorb little tots. Also check out Bath Time Physics for that post-meal clean up.
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Women in Science
This New York Times bestselling board book celebrates female scientists and their discoveries. Colorful, stylized illustrations accompany facts and info about some of the most influential women in STEM. It’s a must-read for tiny scientists!
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Baby Loves Coding!
Coding is both simple and amazingly complex at the same time. Recognizing this paradox, Ruth Spiro has found a way to introduce the building blocks of coding — like algorithms and sequencing — in a developmentally appropriate way. Cute and colorful illustrations will keep your baby interested until the very end. Later on, you can pick up My First Coding Book, to help your future software developer take the next steps toward creating their own innovative codes.
If you’re a fan of Baby Loves Coding!, you’ll enjoy Spiro and Chan’s other books in the series as well, including Baby Loves Green Energy!, Baby Loves Gravity!, and Baby Loves Quarks!
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Touch & Learn: Things that Go
Tiny grabby hands will love this touch-and-feel book about vehicles. Babies and toddlers will explore and learn about things that go on land, in the sea, and in the sky. Plenty of interactive elements and colorful illustrations make this an excellent choice for squirmy readers.
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Hello, World! Solar System
When you’re only a couple of feet tall you spend a lot of time looking up. Which makes your little one an expert at examining the sky. So why not teach them about the solar system while you’re at it? This bright and engaging book is the right size for tiny hands and expanding minds.
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How Does a Butterfly Grow?
Take your baby through a swallowtail butterfly’s life cycle with this sturdy board book. Vibrant illustrations, fun facts, and plenty of flaps to lift make this informative book a must-have for curious young minds.
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Baby 101: Anatomy for Babies
This is the cutest anatomy book you’ll ever read. Teach your child about all their body parts, from their toes to their nose. Babies will love learning and pointing to each body part as the book names it.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2022.