STEM Activities for Kids (482 results)

Make a Whirlybird from Paper

STEM Activity

122 reviews

Have you ever seen a helicopter flying through the air? Have you ever wondered how they fly—or if you could try flying one yourself? This fun activity will help you get started at home building a simple paper helicopter. And you will learn a little bit about what keeps these amazing vehicles aloft. Read more

Erupting Diet Coke® with Mentos®

STEM Activity

321 reviews

Have you ever seen the Diet Coke® and Mentos® experiment, which is all over the Internet, and wondered what makes the reaction work? You might think that there is some ingredient in a Mentos candy causing a chemical reaction with the soda, like the way baking soda reacts with vinegar. But the amazing eruption that takes place when Mentos are dropped into Diet Coke is not a chemical reaction at all! Instead it is a physical reaction. That means that all of the pieces of the reaction… Read more

Build a Robot Hand

STEM Activity

365 reviews

Do you know anyone who has had a hand or an arm injured in an accident? What if you could build them a robotic hand to help them accomplish everyday tasks like writing, picking up a glass, or opening a door? This activity will show you how to build a simple robotic hand using common household materials. Read more

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Make String from Algae

STEM Activity

224 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

DIY Mini Drone

STEM Activity

305 reviews

Quadcopters, also called drones, are a fun and popular toy. Explore the world of drones as you build your own mini drone using popsicle sticks in this fun activity. See this page for a complete list of our mini drone projects. You may wish to do the projects in order. Read more

Find the Hidden Colors of Leaves

STEM Activity

62 reviews

Have you ever wondered why leaves change from green to an amazing array of yellow, orange, and red during the fall? Leaves get their brilliant colors from pigments made up of various color-creating molecules. During the warm, sunny months, plants use their leaves to turn sunlight into food energy, a process called photosynthesis. This primarily uses a pigment that reflects green light, which gives the leaves their characteristic color. In autumn, when colder, shorter days arrive, many kinds of… Read more

Make A Candy DNA Model

STEM Activity

299 reviews

Ever wondered how DNA, the genetic blueprint of a life-form, can encode and pass on the information on how to grow and maintain that life-form? Just like a cookbook contains a complete recipe for a dish, DNA stores the recipe for the life of an organism. Although each human has a unique DNA sequence, the DNA in all of us is about 99.9% identical! In this activity, you will use pieces of candy to make a model for a short section of DNA—enough to get a sense of what DNA is like and how it… Read more

Build a Paper Speaker

STEM Activity

248 reviews

Do you think you can build a working speaker out of paper? If you like listening to music, this project is for you! Read more

Make a Cotton Ball Launcher

STEM Activity

489 reviews

Have you ever stretched and launched a rubber band at someone? Put that energy to good use and build a rubber band-powered cotton ball launcher in this fun activity! Read more

Build a Wind-Powered Car

STEM Activity

369 reviews

Is that a sailboat or a sail...car? Design and build a toy car powered by the wind in this fun engineering project! Read more

Build A Vortex Cannon!

STEM Activity

75 reviews

Here is a riddle for you: I am everywhere but you don't see me—what am I? The answer is: air! It is all around us, but it is usually invisible. We can, however, see the effect air has—for example when wind is moving tree branches. Air can move gently to create a nice breeze or turn into a wild and destructive hurricane. Not only can wind move objects with air, you can do it, too—as long as the objects are not too heavy! You can, for example blow on something—or you can… Read more

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