Roominate Toy

Developed by three female Stanford graduates, Roominate is a brand-new toy designed to encourage a passion for math, science, and creativity in young girls — a DIY "dollhouse" that kids can build, design, and wire with electricity. We wish we'd had one when we were little.

The creators, Alice Brooks, Bettina Chen, and Jennifer Kessler, all engineering and neuroscience majors, were bothered by the significant lack of women in their math and science classes, so they developed Roominate as a way to develop young girls' confidence and enthusiasm toward the sciences. So many of the more tech-based toys are marketed toward boys, but girls love gadgets and technology too, right? Answer: yes, of course!

Aimed at girls ages 6 to 10, the Roominate kit includes wooden building pieces and circuit components that come together to make attachable, stackable rooms. From fans and lights to motors and buzzers, it offers plenty of possibilities for a wired house. Interested? Check out the project's Kickstarter Campaign to help fund its efforts.