STEM Activities for Kids (482 results)

STEM Activity

27 reviews

Do you know what enzymes are? They are like little machines that carry out many different chemical reactions that are essential for nature and our bodies. For example, they help break down the food we eat, or help make yogurt and cheese! In this activity, you will simulate an enzymatic reaction and explore what factors affect the activity of an enzyme. You only need a few simple items, including your hands, lots of toothpicks, and a timer. Read more

Explore How Lung Infection Influences Breathing

STEM Activity

21 reviews

Have you ever coughed, felt short of breath because you were sick, or felt it was hard work to take a breath? Maybe you have watched someone gasping for air. At times, these events can feel scary! This activity explores how mucus and fluid in the lungs or airways changes our breathing using a simple lung model. It can help you understand why symptoms like coughing and being short of breath happen. Read more

Explore Soil Erosion and See What a Plant Can Do.

STEM Activity

24 reviews

You pick up litter, you reduce, reuse and recycle but did you ever consider conserving the soil? It might seem farfetched, but it turns out that soil erosion—or the wearing away of soil by water, wind and other natural forces—is a problem. Productive farmlands can disappear as nutrient-rich topsoil in fields washes away when heavy rains hit them. Waterways can get polluted as pesticides and fertilizers wash into them. Even human life and property are jeopardized, as soil erosion… Read more

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Make String from Algae

STEM Activity

210 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

Explore the “POP” in popcorn

STEM Activity

23 reviews

Do you like popcorn? It’s not only a tasty snack but also fascinating to watch when it pops in the pot. But why does it do that? What makes the small popcorn kernel jump into the air and change its appearance? Where does the characteristic popping sound come from and does every corn pop? There are many good questions about such a simple snack. Are you curious to find out some answers? In this activity you will do some popcorn science and even get to snack on your experiment. Read more

Fruits Gone Bad? Discover Enzymatic Browning

STEM Activity

45 reviews

Have you ever wondered why apple slices turn brown once you cut them or why a yellow banana gets dark spots over time? Both of these phenomena have the same cause: enzymatic browning triggered by an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (PPO). In this activity you will find out how this enzyme works by turning a banana from yellow to brown in just a matter of seconds. Then you will explore how you can keep your apple slices looking fresh! Read more

Gelatin Pearls

STEM Activity

8 reviews

Do you enjoy getting creative in the kitchen? If so, this activity is for you! Molecular cuisine—taking tools, ingredients, and methods typically used in science and using them in cooking—might sound fancy and complicated, but some techniques are easy to replicate! Get your hands wet, fire up your creativity, and see how rewarding it can be! Read more

Half-Life with Coins

STEM Activity

20 reviews

You may have read about nuclear disasters at sites like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima in the news or in a history lesson. Disasters like these can take years or even decades to clean up, and make it unsafe for humans to live nearby for even longer. Why does the contamination last so long? In this (perfectly safe!) activity, you will learn about radioactive decay using coins. Read more

How Do Arctic Animals Stay Warm?

STEM Activity

44 reviews

How lovely it is to come home after a chilly winter walk to a cozy house, put on your fluffy slippers, and settle by the fireplace with a warming cup of hot chocolate. Animals like the polar bear, the Arctic wolf, or Antarctic penguins are not so lucky to have such a place. How do they face the extreme winter temperatures? Most take on “winter coats” in the fall. Wondering what these coats look like, and how they help keep animals warm? Do this cool activity and you will feel it… Read more

How Do Viruses React To Soap?

STEM Activity

64 reviews

Have you ever wondered why we wash our hands with water and soap to get rid of bacteria and viruses? Good hand hygiene becomes especially important during viral outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic! The CDC (Center for Disease Control) recommendations for handwashing say to scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds with water and soap. But how does soap kill viruses such as SARS-COV-2? In this activity, you will find out by experimenting with models of different virus types to see how they… Read more

How Does a Wind Meter Work?

STEM Activity

28 reviews

Have you ever wondered how wind is made? Wind is caused by a difference in air pressure. Air travels from areas of higher pressure to places where there is less pressure. And just as air flows out of the high-pressure inside an inflated balloon if the opening is not tied, air in the atmosphere will move to a lower pressure area, creating wind. The speed of that wind can be measured using a tool called an anemometer. An anemometer looks like a weather vane, but instead of measuring which… Read more

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