30+ engineering STEM challenges with simple materials. Kids can tinker with bridges, catapults, boats, and more using recycled and inexpensive materials.

Making Alka Seltzer rockets is a cool STEM activity for kids of all ages! Find out how they work and how to make, decorate, and launch them.

By Krista Park, Communications & Marketing Director Today more girls are showing interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields and STEM-based activities. But despite this…

Are you looking for a classic STEM activity for building structures with kids? Try building with gumdrops! Find 6 more STEM activities to try with gumdrops too!

Your kids can make a robotic hand in a few simple steps! This STEM project fulfills a requirement for the Cub Scout Bear Robotics adventure.

Use these STEM Experiments in your classroom to engage your students! Free from The Curriculum Corner and The Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Help the kids learn about circuits and positive and negative charges in a fun way this summer. This popsicle stick LED flashlight is easy to make and is a perfect summer STEM activity for kids. Read here how to make it and ideas for games to play with flashlights.

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WOW Wonders of Water is part of It's Your Planet-Love It series. 1. Explore the wonders of water by finding out more about its importance and how it's used around the world. 2. Plan a Take Action project, such as making informative posters, promoting recycling at school, or planting low-water gardens. 3. Earn 4 leadership awards: The LOVE Water Award, the SAVE Water Award, the SHARE Water Award, and the WOW! Award. If you're a Girl Scout volunteer, go to Volunteer Toolkit for complete meeting pl

Check out this easy forensics fingerprint activity! Using pencil graphite makes it less messy for the kids. It's perfect for the Bear elective, Forensics.

Five engineering challenges for kids – with wooden clothespins, binder clips, and craft sticks! It’s a simple STEM activity that kids of all ages will love. Move over, expensive building sets! These simple materials were a huge hit with my boys. The first time we got them out, Owen (almost 7) spent well over an […]

Enjoy these edible science experiments in your kitchen. Edible STEM activities and projects are a hands-on way to teach chemistry.

The egg drop challenge is a classic STEM activity that is a hit with kids of all ages. It can also be used as a Dr. Seuss activity with older students -- making a perfect Horton Hatches the Egg activity.

Browsing for some cool but easy STEM Activity? This Catapult Stem Activity with Popsicle Sticks is what you are looking for! Kids will love it!

Learn how to build a catapult! This STEM activity is so fun for kids and needs just a few simple supplies! Plus learn history in the process.

Kids learn how to make a paper airplane and then use that plane to challenge their STEM knowledge by adding weight and flying the paper airplane...

Check out this easy forensics fingerprint activity! Using pencil graphite makes it less messy for the kids. It's perfect for the Bear elective, Forensics.

The school year's end is fast approaching and if you are like me it's time for Panic Mode! How on earth are you going to get everything finished and keep the kids busy and engaged with meaningful work and still have some end-of-the-year fun? Is this even possible? Well, I have some

By the time you kids grow to the age of 5 or 6 they will now start going to Kindergarten. My elder one is in that age range 5+ yrs and hence we have started learning science in a fun way with DIY experiments at home. You can find them here and we would want […]

Writing your name in binary code on a bracelet or necklace makes great STEM fun for kids! Plus more fun STEM learning activities for kids.

If you have never done any exploding science experiments, you're in for a treat. Give these 20+ Science Experiments a try today.

Plastic Cup STEM Challenges Your Kids will Love Spoiler alert - there is no basic tower challenge in this list. Building towers is a great way to start off any cup STEM challenge, but I have a list of a few some fun and engaging challenges using primarily plastic cups. Some are oldies but goodies, and others you may not have seen or tried before. Get Started with Plastic Cup STEM - Materials Although you can use inexpensive plastic cups for these challenges, I recommend using a sturdy variety. You do not need to get the brand name, most expensive cups, though. I used my local grocery store's version of a heavy duty brand name cup. Create a Plastic Cup Telephone A really easy challenge to get started with is a plastic cup telephone. Many kids will have done this before, however try to supply them with a variety of string and/or wire types for the line, and have them test out different versions to see which works best. Make it easier for little ones: Have a variety of telephones already put together. Use different string types or different lengths of string and have them try to speak messages to each other. Make sure the line is pulled tight for best results. Another Sound Challenge - Create a Plastic Cup Sound Amplifier (shown above, top) Smartphone speakers just not loud enough to share your favorite jams with your students? Have them create a sound amplifier! Not only is this a really great hands-on STEM activity to explore sound principles, it is actually useful. The roller, also shown above is included in the plastic cup STEM challenge pack I have linked below. It is simple but includes a hands-on way to explore torque and friction. Plastic Cup Anemometer This one is a bit tricky but the result is absolutely worth it. Create your very own anemometer to measure wind speed. Use five cups, some towels, and tape or a push pin and you can create an anemometer! Try These STEM Challenges with the Engineering Design Process If you want to add more rigor to these challenges by following the engineering design process, please visit the following resource I put together to support these plastic cup STEM challenges. With this guided STEM resource, students need to meet the design criteria specified to complete the challenge. Add it to your STEM Friday or Maker Monday rotation, or save it for a sub. You can find Plastic Cup STEM Challenges here: Pin these Plastic Cup STEM Ideas for Later:

This moon box is an easy and fun way to teach kids the different phases of the moon. The little observers will understand why the moon changes shapes so often. It's also a fun way to encourage creativity and experimentation as kids explore different art techniques and materials. We made this project interactive by taking the box outside every night for a month and comparing each phase with the real moon and it was so much fun! 🌕🌓🌗🌖🌔🌘🌒🌑DIFFICULTY • EasyMATERIALS • Black box (a painted sh

I recently had another opportunity to observe a science program in an after school setting, this time at Greenleaf Elementary School in Oakland, CA. The rising fifth graders have an hour and a half of STEM programming after lunch every afternoon, and the day I visited they did an activity about cleaning up oil in the ocean. They worked with trays filled a few inches with water, feathers, straws, cotton balls and sponges. I think it's especially challenging to lead activities like this, where the materials you have to work with are analogies of what really happens in the real world. I was impressed with the ways the facilitator drew connections between the activity they were doing and what happens in the real world. The facilitator started the activity by asking the kids what they already knew about oil spills. I was struck by how many hands went in the air, and details the kids knew including the catastrophic spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The group discussed what kinds of engineers help solve the environmental problems caused by oil spills - chemical and environmental engineers. In groups, the kids examined their 'oceans' of water, with oil floating on top. They discussed and wrote observations in their science notebooks. The facilitator introduced some terms and definitions and then passed out materials the kids would use to try to clean up the oil. As kids formulated their plans for working together to get the oil off the feathers and out of the 'ocean', the facilitator passed around photos of actual oil spills and the effects they have on wildlife. Then it was time to work together to figure out how to use materials to clean up the oil. During the discussion after the activity, the kids all said that they enjoyed this activity even though it was very difficult to get all the oil out of the water and off of the feathers. In order to help kids make connections between the science activities we do after school and science in the real world, here are some things we see quality programs doing: Ask kids what they already know about related issues Show kids pictures, news articles or videos Introduce kids to a scientist who works on the problem in the field Take a field trip Participate in a citizen science project to help a scientist conduct a study on a related issue Let us know some ways that your after school science program connects kids to real world science!

Here’s a computer science lesson and craft activity that speaks to my geeky heart. I do it with groups of all ages, and it would be perfect for Activity Day girls.

I decided to take on my own challenge of incorporating a STEM activity every day for a week. It turned out to be a huge success where both my students and I had a blast. Here were the various …

Check out this easy forensics fingerprint activity! Using pencil graphite makes it less messy for the kids. It's perfect for the Bear elective, Forensics.

Cool recycling science projects are all around! All kids can have access to STEM activities just by using the recycling bin.

This elementary coding activity introduces the basics of computer programming. Perfect for Hour of Code in the classroom or at home for PK-5

Here’s how to make a rainstick using a cardboard tube and some crafting materials. The kids loved making this homemade instrument and using it to explore sound! Follow our Crafts for Kids Pinterest board! Homemade rainsticks make a great craft for kids and a fun science activity too. The kids love the creative freedom of …

...engineering is a broad term for specialized people that have one major thing in common: the Engineering Design Process...

Hello darlings! Amy here from That Teaching Spark and can I just say I am soooo excited that you found this page! I am super pumped about these Back to School activities and I think they are going to rock your socks off!! Most of you have heard of Save Fred, you know the cute little team building activity where kiddos have to put a gummy worm into a gummy ring with only using paperclips. If you are like, "Huhhhh????" don't worry I will explain further!! Anyway, I want to shake the hand of the person who came up with this many moons ago! There are now tons of different versions out there on the interwebs. LOL! Since my kiddos almost pass out from the excitement of this STEM Challenge, I decided to do what any good teacher would do- take advantage and milk that puppy for all it's worth!! SOOOOO.... I created three more activities that require kiddos to help poor Fred the Worm!! I call it The Misadventures of Fred! I tied in some Social Studies with this as well. Students can follow Fred's Misadventures on a map of the US! I included a backstory for Fred that explains that he wants to go see the world. Students follow him as he makes his way across the United States on four misadventures. Misadventure 1: Save Fred Fred decided to try whitewater rafting on the Eagle River in Colorado and his raft tipped over! His life vest slipped off and now Fred is stuck on top of the capsized raft! He needs to gets his life vest because he can’t swim! He’s a worm for goodness sake, not a fish! Fred the Worm is on top of the cup and the life vest is under the cup. Students can only use two paperclips to put the life vest onto Fred. They cannot use their hands to touch anything but the paper clips! Misadventure 2: Safe Landing for Fred Fred caught another ride and headed southwest to Arizona. He climbed to the top of a mountain to see the desert below. Now he is trapped on top of Superstition Mountain in Arizona and he needs to get down to the ground to his campsite. How on earth can he get down safety without going splat on the ground below? Watch out for cacti! Students must create a transportation device to bring Fred safety to the ground. They can use any materials that you provide! Misadventure 3: Bridge for Fred Finally Fred started heading east to the Midwest. Fred is now trying to cross the Mississippi River from Missouri to Illinois, but he can’t find a way across. Build him a bridge as long as you possibly can so he can make it across the River! Students get one sheet of paper and must build the longest chain link bridge that they can. Misadventure 4: Keep Fred Dry Fred made it all the way to the Atlantic Ocean in Norfolk, Virginia! He wants to go in the ocean but he knows the salt water would hurt him. He has to go all the way under the water in his makeshift submarine (a cup he found on the beach). Humans shouldn’t litter! Students must submerge Fred in a cup without getting him wet! This is tricky! This is Challenging! My students absolutely LOVE these STEM adventures! Before we complete each challenge, we talk about teamwork and that everyone needs a chance to participate. We also talk about frustration level. These tasks are meant to be hard and frustrating! They are challenging! It isn't going to work with just ONE try! We have to use perseverance and rely on our teammates for help. These activities are perfect for the beginning of the year because it allows you to set the tone with growth mindset and teamwork. You will be able to tell students' personalities VERY quickly with these challenges! Misadventures Journal If you want students to brainstorm and to evaluate their challenges, I have created a Misadventures of Fred Journal. This also includes a materials list for you and helpful tips and tricks for helping your kiddos through each STEM challenge. Remember, it is ok for your kiddos to fail! They need to learn how to work through failure as well! This year all but one of my groups was able to Save Fred. It was an AWESOME learning experience in perseverance and learning though failure! They weren't able to do it YET! bit.ly/fredstem Have a FANTASTIC year! I'd love to see picture of your students completing these activities! If you have an Instagram page or Facebook page, tag That Teaching Spark!

DNA Gene Bracelet for Kids, an easy STEAM Activity using beads to create pattern bracelets. DNA is also a pattern.

Here’s a computer science lesson and craft activity that speaks to my geeky heart. I do it with groups of all ages, and it would be perfect for Activity Day girls.

This craft stick harmonica is fun to play, and you can adjust the pitch by moving the straws! It’s a neat project, and a good one to make with a group because the materials are very inexpensive. You can fit in a little science learning too – see the bottom of the post for ways […]

Human Body STEM Activities help children understand how their body functions and help to develop an appreciation for their health and well-being.

Here’s a computer science lesson and craft activity that speaks to my geeky heart. I do it with groups of all ages, and it would be perfect for Activity Day girls.

Can you build a home for an animal? Sounds simple enough, but with this STEM for kids challenge you only have a few materials to create with.

Right now I’m in the process of creating a series of STEM projects for students who are studying Ancient Civilizations.. Next stop, Ancient India! 🙂 During the summertime in Ancient India (and still to this day), a monsoon would come every year, raining buckets and buckets of water. In Eastern India, a second monsoon would

The Best 37 Team Building Activities.