Toy Fair 2026: Blue Marble's National Geographic and Barbie Lineup Proves They're Still the Best STEM Brand for Kids
Summer is just around the corner, and if you're looking for ways to keep the learning going once school lets out, Blue Marble has you covered, and they make it genuinely fun. One of the most prolific STEM toy brands on the market and a proud National Geographic licensee, Blue Marble brought an expansive showcase to Toy Fair 2026, covering everything from prehistoric dig kits to brand-new Barbie-branded science experiments.
National Geographic
As a Disney-adjacent licensee, Blue Marble holds a special place in our coverage. National Geographic is majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, and a portion of every National Geographic product sale goes directly to the National Geographic Society to fund scientific research, conservation, and global exploration. That means every kit your kid tears through is also contributing to real-world discovery.
The National Geographic line remains the crown jewel of Blue Marble's portfolio, and 2026 brings a wave of new and updated products across dig kits, dissection labs, building sets, early learning, and more. One of the most eye-catching newcomers in the Nat Geo line is Junior Robotics Bugs, a buildable robotic insect whose wings actually flap when assembled. Swappable wings allow kids to configure it as a beetle, ladybug, or monarch butterfly, a clever way to combine engineering and natural science in one kit.
The National Geographic Glow-in-the-Dark Dinosaur Skeleton Model Building Kit is a new offering arriving individually this year — previously only available as a two-pack. Kids build snap-together replicas of a T. rex and Velociraptor (packaged inside cool dinosaur eggs for a fun unboxing experience), charge them under a light, and watch them glow in the dark. Display stands and a full-color Learning Guide are included.
The National Geographic Glow-in-the-Dark Crystal Growing Lab returns for 2026, growing a dazzling glow-in-the-dark crystal in as little as three days using a process that teaches real geology. A genuine fluorite crystal specimen and a full-color Learning Guide are included along with a display stand. For younger collectors, the National Geographic Rock and Mineral Starter Kit ($9.99) includes 10 rocks with a storage case — an accessible on-ramp to geology at a wallet-friendly price.
The National Geographic Critter Molding Lab has kids mix and pour agar powder into spider and centipede molds to create wiggly, squishy creatures, a distinctly tactile science experience that also introduces biology concepts. The National Geographic Glow-in-the-Dark Slime Lab pairs hands-on slime creation with a 12-page learning guide exploring how slime functions in the natural world, from plant biology to animal defense mechanisms. The National Geographic Impulse Color-Changing Eruption kit lets kids create fizzy, foamy underwater eruptions inside a test tube, exploring the chemistry behind the reactions.
The classic dig kit gets some exciting upgrades in 2026. The National Geographic Shark Tooth Dig Kit now lets kids excavate four replica shark teeth — otodus, crow shark, tiger shark, and great white — and then craft the great white into a wearable necklace using an included adapter and cord. It's the kind of souvenir-meets-science moment that sticks with a kid for years.
Also new: the National Geographic Build Your Own Dinosaurs Kit includes all pieces needed to snap together a Velociraptor and Triceratops, complete with screwdrivers, a dino activity booklet, and stickers. And the National Geographic Ocean Sand kit offers 1 pound of soft, never-drying blue play sand with six ocean animal molds and a sand tray for ages 3 and up.
The craft side is the National Geographic Mosaic Craft Kit lets kids create three decorative mosaic pieces suitable for display or gifting. The National Geographic Dinosaur Dig Kit featuring a T. rex tooth replica molded from a real fossil. The Nat Geo Break Open 2 Geodes kit lets kids crack open real geodes to discover the crystals hidden inside, with safety goggles, a magnifying glass, and a display stand included. And the National Geographic Outer Space Dig Kit features five real rock and gemstone specimens including pyrite, hematite, and a geode piece.
A Saber Tooth Tiger Tar Pit dig kit is coming soon. The National Geographic Ancient Egypt Dig Kit features three uniquely shaped dig bricks — pyramid, Sphinx, and pharaoh — each hiding genuine gemstones and replica artifacts inspired by Egyptian history.
Blue Marble's dissection lab series has grown into one of its most distinctive offerings. The National Geographic Glow-in-the-Dark T. Rex Dissection Lab lets kids use safe, kid-friendly tools to dig into a realistic T. rex mold and extract glow-in-the-dark bones hidden inside. After the excavation, those bones snap together into a nearly 10" glowing skeleton model. A refill gel pack means the whole experience can be reset and repeated — great for siblings or a second round of dino discovery. Also available is the similar National Geographic Shark Dissection Kit, and a new Crocodile Dissection Lab is also on the way later this year.
Blue Marble is expanding into outdoor nature play this year with two new buildable kits perfect for backyard exploration. The National Geographic Build Your Own Bird Feeder and National Geographic Build Your Own Birdhouse Kit both include pre-cut wooden panels, six vibrant paint colors, a brush, a bird-watching journal, and an educational poster. Once assembled and hung, the finished products attract real birds — turning the activity into an ongoing nature observation project.
Similar to other dig kits, the National Geographic Tyrannosaurus Rex Dig Kit features excavated bones that snap into a 3D model when revealed. A new Airplane Launching Kit with a bonus landing runway is coming later this year. The National Geographic S.T.E.M. Stunning Science Chemistry Set rounds out the science kit tier with 20 easy experiments for ages 8 and up, including a foam rocket, balloons, test tubes, and a 10-bonus-experiment booklet. And the National Geographic Explorer Series Rock Tumbler polishes rough rocks into gemstones over multiple grit stages, with a built-in timer and automatic shutoff for beginner-friendly use.
The National Geographic Glow-in-the-Dark Marble Run (50 pieces) remains a staple, combining engineering and physics with eight glow-in-the-dark marbles and a compatible design that can connect with other sets in the line. A Root View Growing Kit is also on the horizon, allowing kids to observe plant root systems developing in real time. The upcoming Root View Growing Kit allows kids to see how plants grow. And the Earth Science Activity Kit bundles five+ experiments in one box — an erupting volcano, crystal growing, a pyrite dig brick, and a collection of eight bonus rock specimens including tiger's eye, snowflake obsidian, and desert rose.
The National Geographic Glow-in-the-Dark Human Body is a 32-piece anatomy kit built around a 9" body shell. Kids remove nine squishy organs, 18 glow-in-the-dark bones, and arm muscles using included forceps, with an identification chart and Learning Guide to help label each discovery. The Screen Printing Craft Kit is a standout for older kids and families: a reusable wooden mold, five stencil sheets with 23 designs across themes like dinosaurs, sea creatures, and geometric patterns, fabric and puffy paint, a squeegee, and a drawstring bag to decorate on day one. Meanwhile, the National Geographic Light-Up Ant Habitat offers a lighted terrarium with built-in magnifying glasses for watching ants (sold separately) tunnel through nutrient-rich translucent gel day and night.
The National Geographic Circuit Maker Electronics Science Kit introduces electrical engineering through 40+ projects — powering a light, levitating a ball, flying a copter, and more — with kid-friendly video instructions via QR code and no tools required.
Blue Marble is making a big early-learning push in 2026, expanding the National Geographic brand down to its youngest audiences — including kids as young as age 2. The line is led by a former Montessori educator and early-start preschool specialist, and each product is designed with deliberate sensory and cognitive touchpoints.
Current offerings include the National Geographic Kids Wild Movers Activity Game (15 foam landing pads, soft foam dice, and four ways to play for ages 3+), the National Geographic Kids Animal Puzzle Games (50 durable puzzle cards for four matching and sorting games), the National Geographic Stepping Stones for Kids (seven non-slip stones with a spinner game), and the National Geographic Kids Junior Jumbo Marble Run (35 jumbo pieces and two child-safe balls for ages 2+).
Coming later this year: a Drop & Peek Busy Board, a Sort & Tumble shape-matching playset with kinetic slides, a Dinosaur Stacking Tower ball drop, and a Turtle Xylophone.
Barbie
The biggest headline from Blue Marble's 2026 lineup is a new licensing partnership with Mattel to produce a full line of Barbie STEAM activity kits. Launching first at Walmart in July before rolling out to Amazon and additional retailers eight weeks later, the collection is designed to bring that "Barbie can be anything" ethos directly into the world of science and engineering.
The kits are aimed at ages 4 and up and blend real-world science with fashion-forward fun — think glow-in-the-dark slime with Barbie branding, and working lava lamps in that unmistakable pop of pink. Blue Marble's approach is to keep the STEM education rigorous while giving the line the visual identity that makes it stand out in-store, particularly for parents shopping the toy aisles who might not otherwise gravitate toward a science kit.
Little LoveZees
Also debuting in 2026 is Little LoveZees, Blue Marble's first interactive pet series. These collectible companions hatch from egg-shaped pods and are programmed for over 125 unique interactions, with four different animals in the first generation and two additional generations already in development — each with four new animals. Little LoveZees is set to launch this holiday season.
Tie-Dye Dotz
Rounding out the 2026 showcase is Tie-Dye Dotz, a clever reinvention of the classic tie-dye activity. Instead of messy powder dye and rubber bands, the kits use small concentrated dye pods — similar in concept to a tea bag — that you place on a pre-folded garment, add a few drops of water, and watch the color bloom. Each dot can be picked up and repositioned about ten times before it runs out of dye, and the colors are vivid.
The line launches in four colorways — classic, neon, galaxy (deep blues and purples), and a stencil edition with puff paint for more detailed designs. Two kit sizes are currently available: a 10-piece set and a 15-piece set, both including droppers, gloves in adult and child sizes, and printed instructions. Garments are sold separately.
Blue Marble's 2026 portfolio is one of the strongest the company has put together — a broad, well-considered lineup that spans toddlers through tweens, science through craft, and their established Nat Geo roots through exciting new brand territory. The Barbie STEAM launch in particular feels like a meaningful expansion that could introduce science kits to a whole new audience.
Keep an eye on Laughing Place for more Toy Fair coverage.
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