Chris 'The Toy Guy' Byrne (left in photo) is a toy industry expert as well as an advisor for Gridopolis. Earlier this year, Chris posted about the top toy trends we can expect to see in 2019. Headlining this list is "STEM without screens." Chris writes:

‍

"STEM continues to be top-of-mind for lots of parents, both in the U.S. and around the world. In fact, in some Asian and European countries, STEM toys are taking a bigger chunk of the family toy dollar than in the past. Fortunately, a lot of the new stuff is fun. What’s going to be new this year is the growing trend of Stem Without Screens. Look for games, activities, puzzles and much more that will incorporate STEM-or STEAM-based curricula in the context of a fun play experience."

‍

In a recent Gridopolis post, we noted how educators and researchers both agree on the positive impact playing games can have on learning. Learning can be (and is) fun, so we've been developing lesson plans for Gridopolis that can be taught both at home and in the classroom. Download our first lesson plan here.

We look forward to more from Chris Byrne as the year goes on and as Gridopolis rolls into a Kickstarter in Summer 2019. Meanwhile, you can follow Chris on social media @thetoyguy and @thetoyguyofficial.