Make Cardboard Automata

Have you ever wondered how to create art with moving parts using nothing but cardboard, a few skewers, and some craft supplies? In this fun STEM activity, you will build an automaton, a machine that makes parts appear and disappear, move up and down, spin in circles, or all of these together. The instructions will show you how to build a moving caterpillar, but you can use your imagination to build any other animal or object you want! Read more

Inspire students of all ages to enjoy STEM when you let them loose in a creative makerspace! These hands-on engineering activities use simple materials and encourage students to brainstorm, problem solve, and innovate. Enabling Exploration Community makerspaces… Read more

Are you getting ready for a summer of reading with kids? Make things even more creative and fun this summer with free, hands-on science and engineering activities that help students bring their stories to life. Pair Summer Reading with Storytelling Fun! Library reading programs are a hallmark of summer break! Checking off "books read" on a colorful map, a multi-part bookworm, or some other engaging book log as part of your library's summer reading… Read more

Join Science Buddies this summer for virtual summer camp! Each week, we'll have a fun STEM theme for kids of all ages, suggestions for simple hands-on activities, book picks, and more. With our Summer of STEM, we'll keep you and your kids inspired all summer with creative and innovative science and engineering activities — for free. This week: creative activities for artists, makers, and innovators! Artists & Makers Week 4 is for artists,… Read more

Check in each week at Science Buddies this summer for our Awesome Summer Science Experiments series! Each week, we'll highlight a few activities for awesome science and engineering kids can do at home. We've got a whole summer of fun STEM themes lined up for kids of all ages — for free. This week: awesome summer science experiments for crazy, clever contraptions kids can build and put to use. Awesome Clever Contraptions The activities in Week 6… Read more

Challenge high school students to think like engineers and design, build, and test their own solutions to one of these free engineering projects. 11+ Engineering Projects for High School Students! Engineering design projects and challenges are a great way to ignite student interest in STEM. When students tackle an engineering design challenge, they are encouraged to brainstorm, design, build, test, problem solve, troubleshoot, tinker, innovate, and… Read more

Gingerbread houses and characters are a great way to capture students' attention in the days leading up to winter break! Shake things up this December with a gingerbread house building STEM challenge in your classroom or try one of these other fun gingerbread-themed science and engineering explorations. Gingerbread STEM! Activities involving gingerbread houses and gingerbread people pop up in many classrooms in December and through the winter months.… Read more

Celebrate Lunar New Year and the Year of the Dragon with these free science and engineering activities for enriching hands-on STEM. What is Lunar New Year? Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year) is February 10, 2024. Lunar New Year starts with the new moon that happens in late January or February. Celebrations continue for 15 days and culminate with a Lantern Festival. In Chinese culture, 2024 will mark the year of the dragon. There are many… Read more