Use water in any of these 25 Water STEM Activities for Kids. You can use water to learn about chemistry, the basic principles of physics and biology. All of these activities are easy to do, and most only require basic items that you probably already have at home. Whether it’s summer holidays and you want some fun, or it’s a rainy day and you’re stuck inside. These are some amazing experiments to try today.
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Water STEM Activities for Kids
1. Can you Build a Floating City? STEM Challenge for Kids
Building blocks is one of the most basic engineering activities kids can do. How high can your tower go before it falls over? How do you make it more stable? These questions become a bit more interesting when you introduce the element of water.
I originally bought these Foam Blocks when my kids were babies. I knew they were going to get thrown and I didn’t want any injuries. As my kids have grown older we’ve used them as teething chew toys (they just loved them when teething), and we also used them to make pictures in our Block Painting post.
Our foam blocks now live with our bath toys, because when they are wet they stick to the tiled wall beautifully. We can use them to create buildings while we get clean. This is where I originally tried building a floating city, in the bathtub. As you can imagine, I got very excited when I discovered this water STEM activity.
2. Human Body Activity: Learning About Temperature Receptors in the Skin – Gift of Curiosity
I I love this simple experiment. It’s so easy to set up but your kids will learn a little bit about the temperature receptors in their skin as well as how their brain processes the information. Science activities for kids using just 3 glasses of water? Not bad is it?
3. Color Changing Flowers
With a few household items you can create a blue rose. Or green or yellow or whichever color you like. This experiment explores how flowers use capillary action to get water. Since the color-changing doesn’t happen straight away, it’s also a great way to teach your kids about patience.
4. Water Clock: Easy STEM Activity for Elementary and Middle Grade – STEAM Powered Family
I can’t wait for my kids to be older so that I can try this experiment with them. With this activity, your kids will learn about math and engineering as well as timekeeping and the history behind water clocks.
5. How to Make a Simple Indoor Water Cycle for Kids – Taming Little Monsters
This STEM activity helps kids to understand why it rains. However, they need to know the water cycle first. This activity is a small version of the water cycle that your kids will be able to see.
However, what I love the most about this demonstration, is that it makes saltwater drinkable. Your kids will be able to taste the difference.
While it is helping you to teach some big concepts, this activity shows you that STEM for kids doesn’t have to be difficult.
6. How a Flamingo Beak Works – Crafty Moms Share
Did you know that flamingos are upside-down filter-feeders? Neither did I. After reading this article by Crafty Moms Share I learned that it means Flamingos eat upside down and have to pump the water out to be left with the food they eat. It sounds awfully complicated, but once you see how she made her own working flamingo beak to show your kids how it’s done, it becomes a lot clearer and a lot cooler.
7. Snowstorm in a Jar Science Experiment
Do you live where it snows? Even at a very young age, my kids recognized snow on the TV. There’s just something magical about it. While we might not get a snowstorm anytime soon, we still get to watch one with this fun and easy snowstorm in a jar activity.
8. Walking Water STEM Activity for Kids – Taming Little Monsters
This is one of my favorite water STEM activities for kids, because it’s wonderful to see in action. Believe it or not, you can watch water mix colors all by itself. With this walking water science activity you start off with the primary colors, and using a bit of science, you end up with a whole rainbow. It’s so easy and fascinating to watch.
9. Simple Way to Teach Kids About Germs and Handwashing – Box of Ideas
With the COVID-19 era, handwashing awareness has become a lot more important. However, it’s hard to explain to kids how washing your hands can keep you and others safe. This experiment helps kids to visualize the germs, and shows them what soap does.
10. Rain In A Jar
I’ve done this activity several times with my son and he loves it. We use only blue because then it looks like rain falling down from the clouds and I get to talk to him about the weather. However, I also love the idea of using several colors and trying to create a rainbow instead.
11. Why Does Water Rise: Best Science Experiments for Kids – STEAM Powered Family
Why does water rise? In this experiment, your kids will watch as water rises up into a glass all by itself. It sounds like magic, but it’s not. Your kids will love this water play idea.
12. Simple Light Refraction Experiment – Look! We’re Learning
Learn how you can make an arrow change directions using water. It’s a little bit of science using things you already have in your kitchen. Watch your kids faces explode into smiles as they see this water activity.
13. Fun Water Experiment to Cool off in the Heat – From Engineer to SAHM
Learn how your kids can build their own sprinkler system and cool off with this awesome water flow experiment. You’ll love watching them figure it all out and have fun with the end results.
14. The Leak Proof Bag: A Kid-Friendly Science Lesson about Polymers – Gift of Curiosity
STEM activities for kids don’t come much more exciting than this one. Every time I look at this picture I think “How are they not soaking wet?” Even if you don’t want to get into the science of polymers, this is still one amazing experiment that will delight any child.
15. How to Make a Compass: Magnetic Science for Kids – STEAM Powered Family
Learn how to make your own compass using common household items. I was delighted to read how easy it is to do this experiment. Your kids are going to love watching the needle move all by itself.
16. How Many Drops of Water can fit on a Penny? – Little Bins for Little Hands
This simple science experiment explores the wonders of surface tension. It’s amazing seeing how much water can fit on a penny and form a dome of water without breaking. This is a fantastic indoor activity for kids.
17. Science for Kids: Water Bottle Fountain – Learn with Play at Home
The thing I love the most about this experiment was the look of delight on Debs daughters face as she watched the water bottle fountain in action. It’s a really simple activity to set up but still produced so much fun and learning.
18. Fireworks in a Jar for Kids – Teaching Ideas
If you’ve got oil, water and food coloring at home, you can make your own fireworks with your kids. Water STEM activities for kids are perfect for those days when you’re stuck indoors with the kids and need a quick and easy activity to do.
19. Ice Fishing Winter Science Experiment – Mombrite
Can you pick up a piece of ice using only string? You’re not allowed to touch the ice and you’re not allowed to tie a knot in the string. How is it done? Check out the original post from Mombrite. I couldn’t believe you could go ice fishing with only string.
20. Science by the Pool: Easy Summer STEM Activities – Team Cartwright
If you’re lucky enough to have a pool, consider doing these STEM activities the next time there’s a hot day. Exploring questions like, why do boats float? Why does a fish look like that? And how do we hear sounds? These can all be done in the pool with nothing more than a few household items or your own body.
21. Hands-on Measurement Activity – Days with Gray
When I first saw this activity I thought “OMG, This is genius”. I love a good water play activity and this one has a huge bonus of encouraging important life skills. Being able to pour your own water, without it overflowing is a basic skill we adults take for granted. I love how placing something as simple, as a line of masking tape, around the top of the container, gives your child a visual cue to stop pouring. I can’t wait to try it with my kids because I know that they are going to love it.
22. Salt Water Density Experiment for Kids – Little Bins for Little Hands
Can you make an egg float? You can in this experiment, by exploring how the salt density of water affects the buoyancy of an egg. It’s so easy to do because you already have everything you need right in your kitchen. Add this simple science for kids to your list of activities the next time you’re stuck inside with the kids.
23. Make a Tornado in a Bottle: Extreme Weather Science – Gift of Curiosity
This is one of many weather activities from Gift of Curiosity. It’s great to use while homeschooling or just to have fun. Personally I’m happy just to watch the way the water swirls like a tornado. You’ll need to get the Tornado Tube Bottle Connector to do this activity. Totally worth it if it means even 5 minutes of peace.
24. Skittles Experiment: Exploring Colors and Science – STEAM Powered Family
Have you tried the skittles experiment with your kids before? I have, but my kids won’t leave the skittles alone long enough to watch the colors swirl (sigh). If your kids are patient, or a bit older, then give this one a try. It’s magical watching the colors swirl around but not mix together.
25. Capillary Action Color Explosions – From Engineer to SAHM
This activity is fantastic in that even young kids, such as toddlers, can do every step themselves from start to finish. (Although let’s face it, water activities for kids, especially toddlers can be a bit messier.) I would love to do this and then leave it in the rain to see what happens.
Are you going to try any of these Water STEM Activities for Kids?
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