Bauble Balance - Christmas STEM Activity for Kids

This Bauble Balance activity is a wonderful STEM and fine motor play idea for kids. Toddlers and preschoolers will love this Christmas themed lesson. They’ll get to practice math, engineering and hand eye coordination while they play.

Adult supervision is required for all activities at all times. Some of the links provided in this blog are affiliate links. I will be paid a commission if you use this link to make a purchase.

If you’re trying to get ready for this holiday season, and want some festive play ideas to try with your kids, then take a look at all of our Christmas activities for kids. Or you can invest in the Christmas Activity Pack, which is filled with educational printables for young kids.

Materials Needed

A green pool noodle
Christmas baubles
A sharp knife

How to Make and Play Balance the Baubles

Step 1. Use a sharp knife to cut the pool noodles into different lengths.

I used a bread knife, but cutting pool noodles is so easy that you can use whatever you already have on hand.

2. Sort the pool noodles according to size or in the shape of a Christmas tree.

Sorting from smallest to tallest is an easy math activity for toddlers and preschoolers.

Arranging the pool noodles in the shape of a tree is a wonderful engineering activity. Since the noodles will have to be in a specific order for all of them to be accessible when balancing the baubles.

For example, placing the smallest one in the middle, surrounded by taller ones, means that you won’t be able to place a bauble on it without knocking over the taller noodles.

3. Take a bauble and balance it on the top of each pool noodle.

Balancing the baubles is a wonderful fine motor activity for young children. Young children will need to develop hand-eye coordination to make sure the pool noodles don’t get knocked over.