I run an organization that campaigns for more girls to go into careers around science, technology and engineering (STEM). At our conference this year, we heard time and again about the poor careers advice in schools – and how we need to develop a love of science in girls by the age of 10. After that, we are fighting an uphill battle because girls have decided science is not ‘cool.’
And while we are a UK organisation, President Barack Obama has been campaigning on just this issue in the US. He said “I really strongly believe that we need to have more girls interested in math, science, and engineering. We’ve got half the population that is way underrepresented in those fields and that means that we’ve got a whole bunch of talent…not being encouraged the way they need to.” – President Barack Obama, February 2013
So, it is up to all of us to spark their imaginations! Whether we are parents, aunts, godparents, grandparents or just friends of the family.
And to make it easy, we’ve asked around to give you a great list of science gift ideas for girls, below, for holiday presents. Just think, you might spark the next Stephanie Jobs, Billie Gates or Matilda Zuckerberg!
Tips to Encourage in Girls a Love of Science and Tech
- Ban anyone in your family from saying ‘I was never any good at maths.’ We all have to add up shopping, check our bank accounts, or work out train times. Of course we can do maths, it is not a big issue. Don’t create the myth that maths is hard.
- Look up some of the great female role models in science and discuss them with young girls. Find the stories of Ada Lovelace, Esther Lederberg, Rosalind Franklin (who was played by Nicole Kidman in the play Photograph 51), the women codebreakers at Bletchley Park in the war – and this is a great article on women who have invented life-changing everyday things such as the fridge.
- Research careers in tech and science. The head of global R&D, Dr Sharon James at RB, is responsible for innovating on products from Durex and Dettol to Nurofen and Scholl. Can you find the female scientists who are making our lives easier or changing the world?
- Look at the gender pay gaps in different careers – science and tech jobs have very little pay gap. Discuss why pay gaps arise and how the girls in your family can make sure they get paid well – with careers in science, tech and engineering.
- Get girls in your family curious and asking questions. Why do cakes rise in the oven? Where does the electricity to charge their mobiles come from?
The key is to develop a love of science and tech by making those topics interesting and relevant to everyday life. We can’t rely on teachers to do this, so we are all going to have to become our own mini-careers advisers!
Have fun and please do let us know if you find other toys that we should add to this list – or if you have great success inspiring a young science mind with one of these gifts. Contact us @thewisecampaign or info@wisecampaign.org.uk.
Top 10 gifts for girls that encourage a love of science – researched by campaigning organisation WISE
1. LightUp Edison Kit
Snap together magnetic blocks to build circuits in seconds (no soldering or wiring needed). Learn core STEM concepts about electricity, circuits, and engineering with the Edison Kit.
2. Roominate Studio
Connect wall and floor panels to build your structure. Wire up the motor circuit to make spinning windmills, carousels, and elevators!
3. Learning Resources Design and Drill Centre
Select one of the four activity boards – a robot, rocket, car and boat – and then select bolts to fix to the board using the toy spanner.
4. 4M Potato Clock
Discover how to power a digital clock using only potatoes (then try apples and lemons).
5. Science4you – Human Body Kit – Educational Science Toy
Learn which systems make your body work, and find out how your heart is able to pump blood.
6. OWI 6-in-1 Educational Solar Kit
Solar powered six in one gadget – can become a car, boat or fan powered by sunlight alone.
7. Science4you – Chocolate Factory
Discover how to make chocolate lollipops and fun chocolate cups with balloons.
8. Science4you – Ecological Greenhouse
Learn how to grow and reproduce your own plants.
9. Science4you – Water Science
Learn the properties of water and how to create fantastic soap bubbles.
10. Think Fun Robot Turtles Game
Teach children as young as 4 the basics of computer programming.
New suggestions:
Detective Dot learn about coding – products from detectivedot.org
