Amazon.com opens a STEM store

Amazon is leveraging a hot trend in toys and education with a new online store focused on what is known as STEM.

The shop will feature a variety of toys and games that are focused on encouraging kids to develop science (S), technology (T), engineering (E) and/or math-related (M) skills.

Why STEM? The company says not only is it a hot trend in education, but it was the second most-visited section and the second highest in terms of sales volume on Amazon’s 2014 Holiday Toy List. Amazon says customers are interested in these types of toys, so the retailer is making it easy for them to find them. In fact, some of the best-selling Toys & Games on Amazon.com last year included STEM toys from Snap Circuits, LEGO and other top brands.

The company is trying to meet parents’ growing demand for these items by making them easier to discover, search and then buy from the Amazon website. The new site explains what “STEM” means to the uninitiated, and why the toys were chosen.

Amazon is no stranger to launching dedicated storefronts to meet growing trends, especially in the technology space.

It recently launched an “Exclusives” shop that features new innovations, including “Shark Tank” products. And in the past, it has launched a “Smart Home” store and a 3D printing store. The STEM toy site is live now at Amazon.com/stem.