STEM Activities for Kids (482 results)

Create a Marshmallow Map of Your Microwave Oven!

STEM Activity

Have you ever bitten into a microwave burrito, and the first bite is scalding hot, whereas the second bite is still frozen? If you’ve experienced this, then you know that microwaves have hot and cold spots, which is why they usually have a rotating tray to ensure that your food is evening cooked. In this activity, you’ll use marshmallows to map out where the hot and cold spots are in your microwave. Get ready to heat things up! Read more

Diapers: What Keeps Babies and Astronauts from Springing a Leak?

STEM Activity

4 reviews

When we think about diapers we usually think about babies, because most of us wore them when we were babies and now maybe our siblings or friend’s siblings wear them. But did you know that astronauts also have to wear diapers sometimes? Astronaut diapers are called Maximum Absorbency Garments (MAGs), and astronauts wear them when they have to stay in their suits for long periods of time, such as during spacewalks, or as their ships are re-entering the atmosphere. For babies and for… Read more

DIY Face Mask

STEM Activity

13 reviews

To slow the spread of COVID-19, the CDC recommends wearing a mask or cloth face covering—particularly in places where it is impossible to maintain social distancing (staying at least 6 feet away from others). This recommendation is for everyone age two or older (children under the age of two should not wear masks). Many instructions to make your own mask are available online. This activity will help you think through the process of designing and making a mask as an engineering problem.… 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

DIY Mini Drone: Motion Control

STEM Activity

12 reviews

Most modern smartphones and video game controllers have a built-in accelerometer used for motion control. In this project you will program an Arduino® to use an accelerometer to control the steering of a miniature popsicle stick drone. See this page for a complete list of our mini drone projects. You may wish to do the projects in order. Read more

Do Preferences Bias Our Choices?

STEM Activity

3 reviews

Have you ever wondered if your preferences bias the choices you make? You make choices all the time, whether you are aware of them or not. Many different factors probably work together to affect the option you end up choosing. Which do you think are the most important? Everyone has personal preferences, and these may affect the choices we make. What about your favorite color? You may prefer one color over another for no good reason, other than the fact that you like it—or you may have… Read more

Do You Have the Willpower to Taste Something Sour?

STEM Activity

3 reviews

Have you ever wondered if people of all ages love sour foods, or if age correlates with this preference? There are a lot of different kinds of sour candies and drinks you may have seen advertised before, some having only a mild sour flavor and others that are truly mouth-puckering! In this activity you will investigate if there is a difference between the sour preferences of kids and adults. If you developed a super-sour food, to whom would you try to sell it? Read more

Does Wet Hair Float or Cling?

STEM Activity

Have you ever noticed how hair moves freely when it is under the water, but clings together as soon as it emerges out of the water? Not only human hair does this; when wet dogs shake themselves after a swim, their hair clings together in strands. Try this activity to see why wet hair is far less fluffy than dry hair! Read more

Don’t Forget! A Memorization Exploration

STEM Activity

What did you have for breakfast last Monday? What color is the floor in your favorite classroom? If you don’t remember the answer to these questions, that’s ok! Your brain is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. Our brains are nearly perfect storage devices, and part of their perfection is that they know which information to store, and which to throw away. Imagine your house if you never threw anything away – how quickly would it become full of garbage and waste? Your… Read more

Don’t Forget! Test and Trick Your Short Term Memory!

STEM Activity

1 review

If someone tells you to remember a phone number or address, it can feel like an easy task at first. You repeat the numbers to yourself, either aloud or in your mind. But after just a few seconds, you may find yourself starting to doubt your own memory. Was it 5-7 or 7-5? Our minds are always seeking new and useful information, and as a result, it will try to ‘throw away’ information that seems old or irrelevant, such as a random string of numbers or an address. However, there are… Read more

Drawing Circles Around Ants

STEM Activity

2 reviews

Have you ever had ants ruin your picnic? Commercial ant repellents can keep them away, but who wants to spray poison near their food? In this activity, you can investigate the effectiveness of some less toxic solutions that you may have around your home. Armed with your discoveries, you may be able to keep your next picnic from turning into an ant buffet! Read more

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