from Staff
Below activities are designed to be simple, flexible and funnyMaking them ideal for students of all ages, whether you are a parent, teacher or independent student.
So Fast, inspiring ideas Not step by step instructions. Most can be made with household materials or free online tools and many can be extended or simplified depending on your child’s interest and age.
See also 50 Project Based Training Ideas
50 ideas for simple stem activities for children
1. A car with a balloon
Build a regular straw, wheels (CDS or bottle caps) and balloon. Blush it and release it. This STEM activity helps students learn more about drive, rubbing and even the design of the design.
2. Marshmallow tooth towers
Challenge children to build the highest tower using only toothpicks and rose. Great for just engineering thinking and structural design.
3. Volcano with baking soda
Old favorite: Combine vinegar and baking soda in a pet volcano made from clay or paper mache. Add food coloring for an extra sense.
4. Tests for the distance of the paper aircraft
Make different designs on paper planes, measure distances of distances and graphic results. Take a look at the aerodynamics and variables such as the shape of the wing and the weight of the paper.
5. DIY lava lamp
Fill a bottle with oil, water and food-then a drop in the Alka-Seltzer tablet. Discuss density, polarity and chemical reactions.
6. Slowing with chalk
At different times of the day, follow the shadow of standing on the sidewalk with chalk. Observe and discuss how the position of the sun affects the length and angle of the shade.
7. Error magazine + insects
Take a magnifying glass and go hunting bugs. Children can draw what they find, mark behavior and classify insects by number of legs or wings.
8. Tynker (app/website)
Teach children to encode with interactive games and challenges. Suitable for age 5–14.
Tynker.com
9. NASA Children’s Club
Take a look at space science through children -friendly games and videos directly from NASA.
nasa.gov/kidsClub
10. Build a recycled robot
Use cardboard pipes, bottle caps, paper and imagination to build a “robot”. Add chains (with adult help) for bigger children using simple LED kits or makeup.
11. Straw trains
Use drinking straws and tape to build a marble train in a cardboard basis. Take a look at gravity, inertia and problem solving.
12. Digging of ice excavations
Freeze small toys in a container of water. Children use salt, droplets and hot water to dig them. This is a funny way to explore the states of matter and melting points.
13. Static electric butterflies
Cut the tissue paper butterflies and use a balloon to lift the wings using static electricity. This activity combines art and simple electrostatic concepts.
14. Build a catapult
Use Popsicle sticks, rubber bands and spoon to create a mini catapult. Experiment with different angles and launch of objects.
15. A sink or float challenge
Test different household items in water. Write down and sort the forecasts and results to examine the sailing and density.
16. Code.org activities
A huge library with free coding challenges for all levels – many with popular characters.
Code.org
17. LEGO ZIP line
Use strings, washers and LEGO figures to build and test a zipper line. Take a look at gravity and engineering!
18. Experiment to filter water
Layer sand, gravel and charcoal in a bottle to create a simple water filter. Pour dirty water through it and observe the results.
19. Stop the motion animation
Use a free app to make a stop-moving movie with LEGO or toys. This activity teaches sequencing, storytelling and basic production of digital media.
20. Chain bugs
Create “bugs” from cleaning pipes and add simple LEDs with coin batteries to light them. This STEM activity helps children learn about electric flow and polarity.
21. Make a compass
Rub a needle with a magnet, swim it on a leaf in water, and watch it align it north-south. Take a look at magnetism and navigation!
22. The rubber band boat
Build a small boat powered by a rubber band and a paddle. This STEM activity examines stored energy and release.
23. Time of time + prediction
Start a daily magazine for the weather – temperature, clouds and wind. Compare with official forecasts and make your own forecasts.
24. Build a water wheel
Use spoons and a paper dish to make just a water wheel. Pour water to see how it rotates and discuss how water can generate power.
25. Measure trees with maths
Teach assessment and basic trigonometry by measuring the shade of wood and comparing it to some height (as a criterion).
26. Projects to encode scratching
Design animations and games with the help of zero. Projects like this can help children learn logic, contours and variables.
Scratch.mit.edu
27. Experiment for walking water
Use glasses, food coloring and paper towels to show water “walking” between containers – a beautiful way to examine capillary action.
28. Make a sundial
Place a stick upright in the ground and mark its shade every hour. Label The Times and watch the track of the sundial is the day.
29. Sunny oven design
Use a pizza, foil and plastic wrap to capture the heat and melt S’Mores or cheese. Great for learning the transfer and energy isolation.
30. Magnetic Labyrinth
Draw a maze on paper, place the paper clip on top and point it through a magnet below. This activity teaches strength and control.
31. Google Earth Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of sightseeing or biome challenges and browse the land with Google Earth Practically. This supports children to practice reading cards and spatial reasoning. See also Earth.google.com
32. You make a barometer
Use a balloon, a jar and a straw to build a barometer and track changes in air pressure. Introduces meteorology and data collection.
33. 3D building with a toothpicks and clay
Make cubes, pyramids and other 3D shapes using toothpicks and clay or rose. This activity can enhance geometry and structural thinking.
34. Online Simulations of Physics (PECT)
Interactive browser -based simulations of gravity, chains and more.
https://phet.colorado.edu
35. Challenge for egg drops
Design a container to protect an egg from high fall. Test and redesign. This activity encourages the iteration and solving problems.
36. Milk, changing the color
Add the food color to the milk and drop soap for plates – watch the colors vortex. Discuss surface tension and chemical reactions.
37. Test for leakage of zipper bag
Fill a plastic bag of water and drill sharp pencils through it – watch how it does not run out (a lot). This can help students learn about polymers.
38. Star Chart -app study
Use a free astronomy application to find planets and stars in the night sky. Mix science and miracle!
stellarium.org
39. Build a car with wind
Attach a paper voyage to a small car and move it with a fan or by blowing. Discuss how wind energy can power machines.
40. Make crystals of rock candy
Dissolve the sugar in hot water, hang a stick and watch the crystals grow over time. This helps children learn about evaporation and crystallization.
41. Bubble Geometry
Use cleaning pipes to create 3D shapes and immerse them in a solution of bubbles. Observe how bubbles are formed inside different structures.
42. A study of the ecosystem in the backyard
Record all the animals, plants and fungi that you can find in a small outdoor space. Follow how they change in the summer.
43. Design a desktop game for space
Children create a themed game with rules, paths and “challenges” based on the solar system. Combines science, logic and creativity.
44. Conducting a mini energy audit at home
Count the lights, devices and appliances used in one day. Talk about energy conservation and create “energy saving goals”.
45. Build a simple washer
Use string, spool and weight to demonstrate how the washers make it easier to lift. Try single and double washers settings.
46. Chromatography with coffee filters
Draw with markers on coffee filters, dip water and observe separate colors. This STEM activity can be a colorful way of examining chemical mixtures.
47. Online Mathematical Games (Prodigy, Math Playground)
Funny, adaptive mathematical games that feel like video games but reinforce key concepts.
prodigygame.com
48. Floating trick for a clip on paper
Use the surface tension and a stable hand to sail a paper pinch on the water. Add the soap to see what’s going on!
49. Build the LEGO Bridge
Use only Lego to build a bridge that covers a certain distance and maintains weight. Measure which design is the most.
50. Use AI to generate a scientific story
Use a suitable AI tool for children (or even just Chatgtp) to write a story about a robot, animal or experiment. Discuss how AI generates and organizes information.
