Summertime Engaging Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Projects for Children
Discover a world of learning and excitement with this year's Summer STEM Challenges! These activities, designed for both indoor and outdoor fun, are perfect for keeping children engaged and educated during the summer months.
Sugar Cube Structures
Build towers, bridges, or castles using sugar cubes as building blocks. This challenge reinforces concepts of engineering and architecture, much like marshmallow and toothpick towers or paper bridges.
Treasure Maps
Unleash your inner pirate by creating simple maps on paper or fabric. Add secret codes or cryptic directions that kids can decode or follow to find hidden objects. This activity can help them learn about cartography, coordinates, and map reading.
Secret Messages
Explore the fascinating world of chemistry by using invisible ink (lemon juice or baking soda solutions) that appears when heated or with special revealing solutions. This connects to classic chemistry demonstrations like magic milk or homemade lava lamps reacting with acids and bases.
Fizzy Potions
Mix common kitchen ingredients such as baking soda and vinegar or use fizzy tablets (e.g., Alka-Seltzer) with colored water and oil to create bubbling, erupting potions. These demonstrate acid-base reactions and density differences in liquids.
Ice Painting
Freeze a sheet of ice and paint over it, then wipe it clean to start again. This activity is a refreshing way to explore colour mixing and the properties of ice.
Flower Dissection
Get up close and personal with nature by dissecting a flower. This activity helps children learn about the different parts of a flower, including the stem, petals, leaves, roots, male, and female parts.
Build a Raft
Test your engineering skills by building a raft from household materials and testing its weight capacity. This activity is perfect for the outdoors and ties in with the Build a Raft Summer STEM Challenge.
Mini Engineering Races
Use marshmallows and molds for race-style STEM games, like stuffing molds or balancing marshmallows during relay races. This activity promotes dexterity and timing.
Buoyancy Challenges
Design and test boats made from foil, straws, or other household items that float and hold pennies or small weights. This activity illustrates principles of buoyancy and density.
Coding or Pattern Recognition Games
Use colour-coded cards or symbols for kids to decode or create sequences. This activity promotes logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Growing a Beanstalk
Grow your own beanstalk for Jack as part of a STEM challenge. This activity is a fun way to learn about plant growth and the life cycle of a plant.
Making a Brain, Heart, or Other Play Dough Models
Create educational models using play dough. Models such as a brain, heart, or any other object can help children understand their structure and function.
Making Bubble Wands
Create your own bubble wands using pipe cleaners and straws. This activity can help children understand how rainbows form.
Jumping Frogs, Unicorns, and Other Figures
Learn about static electricity by making jumping frogs, unicorns, and other figures. This activity is a fun and interactive way to learn about this fascinating scientific concept.
Collaboration with Mrs Mactivity
A collaboration was made with Mrs Mactivity to create 16 printable STEM challenge cards. These cards provide a structured way to engage children in STEM activities and make learning fun.
These activities use common household materials, making them accessible and affordable for everyone. So, grab your materials, and let the learning and fun begin!
Last updated on June 12, 2025, by Emma Vanstone.
- The sugar cube structures activity reinforces concepts of engineering and architecture, similar to marshmallow and toothpick towers or paper bridges, all falling under the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) category.
- Treasure maps can help kids learn about cartography, coordinates, and map reading, making it an educational-and-self-development (learning) activity that integrates the 'S' in STEM.
- The secret messages activity connects to classic chemistry demonstrations, such as magic milk or homemade lava lamps reacting with acids and bases, thus promoting education-and-self-development (learning) in chemistry.
- Building a raft from household materials and testing its weight capacity serves as an exciting home-and-garden (lifestyle) activity that ties in with the Build a Raft Summer STEM Challenge.
- Making Bubble Wands using pipe cleaners and straws can help children understand how rainbows form, thereby integrating physics into a hands-on, learning activity.
