STEM Activities for Kids (482 results)

X Marks the Spot: Finding the Center of Mass

STEM Activity

15 reviews

You can probably find the center of simple shapes, like circles and squares, pretty easily. But, how do you find the "middle" of an irregular shape, like a drawing of a dog or a cat? This project will show you how to do it using nothing but string and paper clips! Read more

A Simple Machine to Make Potato Holes

STEM Activity

7 reviews

If you want a cool project that you can show to your friends, this activity is for you! Take a potato and a straw—maybe a pencil as well—and challenge your friends to drill holes into the potato with the least amount of effort. Chances are, they will not find a method that gets the job done with ease. The best method—the method that requires the least effort from you—will surprise them all! Experiment, investigate and have fun! Can you find a reliable way to get the job… Read more

A Simple Sourness Detector

STEM Activity

10 reviews

Have you ever wondered why some foods or drinks taste sour, whereas others do not? You might know that your tongue is picking up all kinds of flavors, including salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. But what makes something taste sour? The sour taste is actually influenced by the pH and acids present in foods. In this activity, you will find out how sour different foods are by testing foods and drinks for the presence of acids with baking soda. What do you think is the sourest food you can find in… Read more

Featured

Make String from Algae

STEM Activity

215 reviews

Did you know that the seaweed you've seen in the ocean or even eaten as a snack is inspiring innovators to imagine new materials? Large brown algae, like kelp, contains polymers—long chains of molecules—that are more environmentally friendly than the ones in most plastics. These natural polymers (alginates) could eventually be used to create sustainable everyday objects. Try your hand at using a bit of chemistry to turn biodegradable polymers from algae into your own custom… Read more

A Soluble Separation Solution

STEM Activity

3 reviews

Have you ever mixed sand and salt together and wondered how you could separate them again? If you had to separate them, would you have nightmares of tiny tweezers, a magnifying glass and hours spent picking grains of salt and sand apart? Don't be afraid, there is another way! Using the differences in solubility between salt and sand, you can find the simple "solution" to this problem. Read more

Algae String Mizuhiki Knots

STEM Activity

1 review

Cultures around the world have developed knots for many uses. For example, the Inca people used knotted cords called Quipu for collecting data, keeping calendars, and even military organization. In Japan, knots are used in celebrations, food prep, and garments. Elaborate paper Mizuhiki ones, such as the examples in this activity are tied to mark important life events. Educators, a lesson plan is also available for this topic. Read more

An Infinite Number of Reflections? Really?

STEM Activity

23 reviews

Can you imagine a bouncy ball bouncing back and forth between two walls, infinitely? Wouldn’t that be amazing? What if, instead of a ball, light was bouncing between two mirror walls; would it bounce back and forth forever? Imagine each light bounce added one reflection of you in the mirror; would it look like there were an infinite number of “you’s” in there? Can we create an infinite number of reflections? Try this activity and be amazed by the many… Read more

Are You Gelling?

STEM Activity

1 review

Have you ever wondered how gels are made? You probably have several kinds of products around your house—some that you eat—that use gels: puddings, diapers, shoe insoles, packaging, ice cream, toothpaste and many more. A gel is a mixture of solid particles suspended in liquid. The solid particles in the gel can absorb water, causing the gel to swell and increase in volume. If you ever dunked a diaper in a tub of water, you have seen this in action; the diaper will swell as it… Read more

Astro Cup: Designing Quieter Spaceships and Habitats

STEM Activity

15 reviews

As more people start living and working in space, we have to design our crew capsules and space habitats to keep people comfortable. That doesn’t just mean comfy beds and space sweatpants but also includes what our work environments and new homes will sound like on the inside. First, astronauts have to get to space using rockets, which generate a large amount of noise inside the crew capsule. Once they’re in space, astronauts are busy tending to many tasks. They perform daily tasks including… Read more

Baking Soda Weight Loss

STEM Activity

Baking soda is not only great for cooking; it is also a useful chemical for science projects. You have probably heard about and maybe even used the baking soda/vinegar reaction to make volcanos erupt, shoot bottle rockets up in the air, or to detect acids and bases. However, there are many more chemical reactions that you can explore with the help of baking soda. One of them is called a decomposition reaction, which makes baking soda lose weight! Want to find out how it works? Then try this… Read more

Be Seen In the Dark

STEM Activity

Being outside in the evening can be relaxing as well as exciting and fun, but it could also be dangerous. Did you know that in 2014, on average, 13 pedestrians died on American roads every day and three out of every four pedestrian fatalities happened in poor light conditions, such as dusk, dawn, or at night? When considering these worrisome numbers, do you think the types of clothes worn could make a difference in how visible pedestrians are to drivers? If so, what should you wear: bright… Read more

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