Pitch: Players (age 6+) build “spinning machines”—a.k.a. wheels on pegs, bound with ribbon—to accomplish different missions, dictated in an accompanying storybook about a young builder named Goldie Blox. (Creator Debbie Sterling holds a degree in engineering.)
Payoff: The narrative aspect is especially appealing to girls, who prefer character-driven play. And once they’ve completed a few missions, it’s easier for them to get interested in and excited about mechanical engineering—a field that’s currently dominated by men.
Price: $29.99; available here.