STEM Activities for Kids (482 results)

Stick With It – Put Your Duct Tape To The Test!

STEM Activity

2 reviews

You may have heard of the space shuttle Apollo 13, or seen the movie about the amazing survival of the ship’s crew after an explosion aboard the ship. What you may not know, is that duct tape helped save the lives of the Apollo 13 crew! NASA had to figure out a way to keep the 3 crew members alive in a tiny lunar module that was only meant to hold 2 people for 36 hours. They instructed the crew to build life-saving air filters using cardboard, plastic bags, space suit parts and –… Read more

Study Skills Science: Investigating Memory Mnemonics

STEM Activity

4 reviews

Have you ever needed to remember a long list of words, such as a shopping list or the state capitals? Even if a list can be full of interesting facts, it can still be hard to remember. But there are some memory techniques that can help a person to remember a list better. In this science activity, you’ll try out a technique called mnemonics and investigate whether using mnemonics can help you and your friends, or family members, remember lists of words. Read more

Succession Science: Are Fingerprint Patterns Inherited?

STEM Activity

24 reviews

Have you ever seen a boy who looked just like his father when he was younger? We can often tell that two people are related because they have several similar physical traits. This is because children receive half of their DNA (i.e., their genetic blueprints) from each parent. What about fingerprints – are they an inherited trait? Fingerprints are used to identify people because each person’s fingerprints are unique, but people can have similar fingerprint patterns. This… Read more

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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

Succulent Science: The Role of Fats in Making a Perfect Pastry

STEM Activity

Have you ever wanted to bake the perfect pie to help warm up the cold holiday season? No matter whether it is apple, pumpkin, chocolate, pecan or pumpkin pie, every good pie needs a well-made pie crust. If the pastry crust is heavy or chewy then that can really affect how much you enjoy the pie. But how do you make a pastry crust that is light and flaky? In this scrumptious science activity, you will find out by investigating how the temperature of fat used (in dough) can affect a… Read more

Suck it Up – with Cooling Air!

STEM Activity

2 reviews

You might know that many objects expand, or get bigger, when they get hot, and shrink when they cool down. For example, this is true for metals, wood, and concrete. But did you know that gases such as air can do the same? It is just difficult to see when it happens. This activity will let you “see” air contract using water! Read more

Super-Strong Science: Explore Nanotechnology Using Paper

STEM Activity

4 reviews

Have you ever seen a superhero movie where the superhero relies on a super-strong material, like Wolverine's adamantium claws, Captain American's vibranium shield, or Iron Man's suit of armor? While scientists and engineers in comic books work on creating fictional materials to help superheroes win the day, real-world scientists and engineers are actually working on super-strong materials that could have a variety of uses, from improved bulletproof vests, to stronger ropes, lighter bikes and… Read more

Sweet as Sugar: Comparing the Sweetness of Sugar & Sugar Substitutes

STEM Activity

7 reviews

Picture your favorite treats: chocolate fudge cake, vanilla ice cream, pink lemonade… Yum! Can you imagine what these might taste like without the sweet flavor of sugar? Your sweet tooth might be aching without the chemical compound of sucrose that is so appealing. Much of the food we eat contains sucrose or natural sweeteners such as honey. There are of course other sweetening options. Have you ever seen "zero-calorie and sugar-free lemonade" at the store and wondered how it… Read more

Sweltering Science: Are Rooftop Gardens a Cool Idea?

STEM Activity

24 reviews

Have you ever seen a rooftop garden? Around the world, rooftops are being transformed into living green expanses. Besides beauty, rooftop gardens have a number of advantages, including growing food. How would you like some sky vegetables for dinner, or some fresh-cut roof flowers to put in vases in your house? Rooftop gardens can also take carbon dioxide out of the air while releasing breathable oxygen. But can rooftop gardens also keep your house cooler and lower… Read more

Swing Low: Investigate the Motion of a Pendulum

STEM Activity

10 reviews

Did you know that playground swings can provide a good lesson in physics—as well as lots of fun? The back-and-forth motion of a swing is an example of a pendulum. We see pendulums in other areas of our lives as well, such as in grandfather (also known as longcase) clocks. But pendulums can do more than provide fun at recess and help tell the time—among other scientific applications, they can show that the earth is huge! This is because the swinging motion of a pendulum is due to… Read more

The Brains Behind 'Where's Waldo?'

STEM Activity

3 reviews

Have you ever wondered what makes you notice a certain person or object when you're rushing along in a crowd? Why do some things stand out whereas others melt into the background? In this activity you can explore the psychology of how things get noticed by studying how our brains help us perform a visual search. Specifically, you'll look at how changing the number and type of visual distractions affects a person's ability to find what they're looking for. Read more

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