Learning STEM is so beneficial for kids, not just for school, but it teaches them essential life skills that are useful throughout life. Start early with these 42 STEM Activities for Kids. These STEM play ideas are perfect for introducing preschoolers and kindergarteners to STEM through hands-on play activities.
Disclosure: 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.
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STEM Activities for Kids
1. Floating City – STEM Challenge
Explore the engineering challenge of building a city on water. Learn about how foam blocks can be used to create a simple science experiment for bath time.
For more ideas, take a look at these 25 Water STEM Activities for Kids.
2. Craft Stick Shape Mats
Grab your copy of these craft stick shape mats. This free printable uses craft sticks, buttons or playdough to help toddlers and preschoolers learn their shapes.
If you’re looking for more simple STEM activities that are suitable for younger kids. Take a look at these 34 STEM Experiments for Toddlers.
3. Salt Dough Dinosaur Fossils
This idea is perfect for school holidays or rainy days, learn how to make DIY dinosaur fossils with common household items. This is a fun way for younger children to have their own dinosaur excavation and matching activity.
4. Water Cycle STEM
Discover a great way to teach your kids about the water cycle with some interactive science experiments. Create a working indoor water cycle that turns saltwater into freshwater. Your kids will be so excited when they can taste the difference in the water.
5. Car STEM Experiments for Kids
Use basic supplies to make three different car STEM experiments. Older kids will need to develop their problem-solving skills to understand how kinetic energy, gravity and friction affect moving vehicles.
6. Magic Heart Activity
Learn how to use homemade invisible ink to make a hidden heart and cardiovascular system. This simple chemical reaction is a fun way to teach young children about the science behind their bodies.
7. Snowstorm in a Jar
Kids of all ages will love watching their very own snowstorm in a jar. You can even use food coloring to make different colors, and turn your snowstorm into a lava lamp instead.
8. Fizzy Painting
Use baking soda and vinegar to make your own fizzy painting. This is a simple stem activity that uses chemistry to make art.
9. Feed the Shark Math Game
Roll the dice to see how many fish you need to feed the shark. This feed the shark math game is a free printable that will help 3 and 4 year olds to count, recognize numbers and develop fine motor skills.
You can also check out these 32 Summer STEM Activities for more ideas.
10. Building Animal Towers
There are so many creative ways to come up with STEM activities for kids. Use your small world toys to build the tallest tower instead of building blocks. Building animal towers is a great challenge for older kids who love fun STEM activities.
11. Coke and Mentos Experiment
The best way to get young kids interested in STEM, is to make it fun and exciting. I can’t think of a better way to do that than the classic coke and mentos experiment. Simply add these two ingredients together, and stand back for a fun explosion.
12. How to Build a Pom Pom Shooter
Learn how to make your own pom pom shooters out of simple materials. This is one of those easy engineering projects that kids will love playing with once they’ve finished building.
13. Planet Match Activity
This free printable planet match activity is a great way for kids to learn about our Solar System. With hands-on activities, they can explore the planets and discover facts about each one.
14. Walking Water
Learn about the power of capillary action and how it’s used in real world applications. This walking water STEM activity is a fun way to show children what capillary action is by making the water move and mix colors all by itself.
15. African Sunset Shadow Tracing Art
Use the shadows from your toy animals to make a shadow tracing artwork. This is an easy to way explore shadows with your kids while they get creative.
16. Building Shapes
Use playdough and toothpicks to build 2D and 3 d shapes. This is an easy way for kids to learn about shapes using hands-on experiences.
17. Dinosaur Number Match Activity
This fun activity teaches preschoolers basic math skills with the help of paper plates and clothespins. Count, read, match and clip the corresponding numbers to give this cute number match stegosaurus it’s trademark back plates.
18. DIY Pirate Ship
Help older kids develop engineering skills with this fun stem challenge. Inspire your kids to build a pirate ship in their own backyard. They’ll get to explore different materials, do some critical thinking and problem solving and get all the benefits of STEM activities.
19. Color Changing Flower Experiment
Learn how to turn white flowers into any color you like. With the help of colored water and capillary action your kids will get to see the flowers changing colors overnight.
20. Ice Cream Math Printable
I love doing STEM activities for kids during the summer holidays. It’s a great way to spend time together as a family while school is closed.
This ice cream math printable is a fun way for toddlers and preschoolers to learn counting while they get messy. But the best part is that the printable is completely free. So make sure you grab your copy today.
21. Pumpkin Seeds Count and Clip Cards
Count the seeds inside the pumpkin and peg a clothespin over the correct number. These pumpkin count and clip cards are a free printable that will help toddlers and preschoolers learn to count and recognize numbers.
22. Animal Sorting Activity
You don’t always think of animal figurines as STEM toys, but they can be. This animal sorting activity is a fun game for toddlers and preschoolers, who will learn to classify and sort the animals into different groups.
23. Growing Beans – Science for Kids
Help your kids explore the science behind growing beans with this fun and educational biology activity. Perfect for curious minds, this science project will have them learning and having fun.
24. Halloween Roll and Graph Printable
Grab your copy of the Halloween roll and graph activity. This free printable will have children develop STEM skills like counting, measuring and analyzing.
25. Bauble Balance
Balancing the baubles is an example of easy STEM challenges that toddlers and preschoolers can try. This is a simple way to teach young children some engineering skills during the holiday season.
26. How to Grow Giant Crystal Snowflakes
Kids of all ages will have so much fun growing giant crystal snowflakes. When complete, this science activity can be hung up on your window as a christmas decoration.
27. DIY Magnetic Ball Run
Discover the easiest way to make your own marble run with this DIY magnetic ball run activity. Your kids can create endless designs and keep out of your way while you cook dinner.
28. Space I Spy Printable
Practice counting and number formation with this free Space I Spy printable. Perfect for kids who need a quiet activity at restaurants or on the road, it’s an exciting way to learn all about outer space.
29. Color Match and Clip Cards
Free printable color match and clip cards for toddlers and preschoolers. These are perfect for teaching basic colors, fine motor skills, and pattern recognition.
30. Free Valentines Addition Worksheet
This free printable Valentine’s Day addition worksheet is a great way to help your child practice and enhance their math skills.
31. Spring Flowers Math Game
Bring learning to life with this free printable spring flowers math game. Fun activities for kids of all ages to practice and reinforce math skills.
32. Butterfly Life Cycle
Learning about the butterfly life cycle is one of my favorite STEM activities for kids. Watching a caterpillar turn into a butterfly is a STEM topic that is guaranteed to excite any child. This free printable set contains a butterfly life cycle craft template, fun facts and photos to use during circle time.
33. Fish Pattern Cards (Free Printable for Kids)
Discover the fun of learning with these free printable fish pattern cards From color matching to pattern recognition, these simple tasks are a great way to boost your child’s development.
34. Halloween I Spy
This free printable Halloween I Spy game is perfect for kids of all ages. It will keep them busy while getting into the Halloween spirit. Print yours now.
35. Penguin Math Puzzles
Enhance your little one’s math learning with these fun, free printable penguin number-numeral matching puzzles. Perfect for kindergarteners and preschoolers.
36. Parachute STEM Experiment
Learn to engineer your own parachute and see how it performs. In this exciting experiment, you will follow the scientific process to design and test your own fun parachute.
37. Cheeky Monkey Counting Game Printable
Introduce your kids to numbers with this free printable cheeky monkey counting game. Perfect for parents and teachers, it accompanies the classic kids song to help learn and remember the numbers.
38. Rain In A Jar
Experience the magic of weather science with kids. Make your own rain in a jar with this fun, educational STEM activity. It’s perfect for all ages, even toddlers and preschoolers can join in on the fun.
39. Free Valentine’s Pattern Printable
Spice up your Valentine’s Day with these free printable valentine’s themed pattern cards. They’re a fun way to practice pattern recognition this February.
40. DIY Math Fishing Game
A fun and educational way to get your kids interested in numbers. This DIY Math Fishing Game is the perfect at-home activity for curious minds to try on a hot summer day.
41. Popsicle Stick Catapults
Use popsicle sticks and rubber bands to make your own catapults at home. This is a wonderful project for parents or teachers who are looking for STEM activities for kids.
42. Creating the Olympic Flame in a Bottle
Become a science whiz with this unique activity. Create your own flame in a bottle and amaze your friends with this Olympic inspired experiment.
43. Make a Book STEM Challenge
Explore simple technologies with this Make a Book STEM challenge. This is a fun way to introduce kids to the different components of a book as well as letting them use different tools to make their own.
44. Magic Milk
Learn how to do the Magic Milk science experiment. Fantastic for kids of all ages, this STEM activity will get younger kids excited about learning and teach older kids the chemistry behind washing your hands with soapy water.
45. Fall-Themed I Spy Printable
This Fall I Spy (Free Printable) teached kids several essential math skills. This is an easy way to get young kids counting and more while they play.
46. Fall Pattern Cards (Free Printable)
Free printable Fall themed pattern cards for kids – a fantastic math center for preschool classrooms this Autumn.
47. Snowman Shape Puzzles
These free snowman shape puzzles make a wonderful math center for young children. USe them with your toddlers and preschoolers this snowy season.
48. Christmas Number Sequence Puzzles
Getting your math centers ready this December is easy with these free printable Christmas number sequence puzzles.
49. Christmas Roll and Graph
Free Printable Christmas Roll and Graph activity – a math activity that’s so fun kids won’t even realise that they’re learning a variety of math skills.
Are you going to try any of these STEM Activities for Kids?
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