Stem activities are an amazing way to get your child to learn and have fun at the same time. They are hands-on and interactive, making it easier for kids to understand complex concepts. Stem challenges help them step back and think about how to achieve the goal using the materials they are given. It's a great opportunity for them to feel accomplished, knowing that they have solved problems they are given, and have fun working alone or as a team.
So, if you are ready, here are a list of stem challenges your elementary child will enjoy!
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1. Elevator Challenge
This challenge involves building a working elevator using simple materials like cardboard, string, and tape. It will require your child to think about the principles of force and motion while also testing their engineering skills. We ride elevators all the time and it would be a great opportunity to learn about the mechanics behind it, and create one using simple materials.
Source: Teachers are Terrific
2. Marshmallow or Jellybean Building Challenge
This is a delicious take on the classic tower building challenge. Instead of using only marshmallows, your child can also use jelly beans to build a structure.
You can either make the challenge, building the tallest tower OR make an earthquake proof building by getting the child to build on a piece of paper where you can shake at the bottom.
It's a great fun stem activity to learn about real life building structures that exist.
Source: Autodesk Instructables
Source: The STEM Laboratory
3. Build a Marble Maze With Straws
This is an excellent way to introduce your child to physics principles like gravity, force, and motion. The challenge is to build a maze using straws and tape that allows the marble to roll through without any obstacles. It may take some trial and error but it's a great opportunity for your child to understand how forces work in real life.
Source: Raising Lifelong Learners
Source: Meaningful Mama
4. Build a Marble Maze with Paper Rolls
This is a variation of the previous challenge but using paper rolls instead of straws. It requires more precision and problem-solving skills as your child has to figure out how to connect the paper rolls in order to create a working maze.
Source: Call Me Grandma
5. Build a Windmill Challenge
This challenge is perfect for teaching your child about renewable energy and how wind can be used to generate electricity. You can also incorporate history behind windmills and how they were used in the past. With simple materials like cardboard, straws, and tape, your child can design and build their own windmill. They can also experiment with different blade designs to see which one generates the most power. It's a fun way to learn about sustainable energy sources and the importance of green technology in our world today.
You can also incorporate fun reading like this project here:
Source: Steam Powered Family
Source: We Are Teachers
6. Catch with Catapult Stem Activity
All you need are some basic materials like popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and a plastic spoon.
To begin, have your child design their own catapult using the materials provided. Encourage them to think about factors such as balance, tension, and trajectory. Once the catapult is built, have them test it out by launching small objects (such as pom poms or marshmallows) into a target. This activity allows children to explore concepts such as force and motion, while also using their creativity and problem-solving skills.
You can also make it more fun by getting them to make a basketball net and have them shoot balls in the net.
Source: Penn State Pro Wellness
7. Build a Playground Challenge
This activity is perfect for teaching your child about engineering and design. Using recycled materials like cardboard, plastic containers, and paper tubes, your child can design and build a small-scale playground. They can come up with their own unique features such as swings, slides, and jungle gyms. It's a great opportunity for them to think about safety measures and how different elements work together to create a fun and functional space. You can also ask them to come up with a theme for their playground, such as a pirate ship or a castle.
Source: Bie Lieve
8. Make A Trampoline Stem Challenge
This activity might be more suited for higher grade elementary kids. Using elastic bands, popsicle sticks, and a small sheet of fabric, have your child design and build their own trampoline. They will need to consider factors such as tension and stability while also incorporating elements like weight distribution and elasticity. It's a fun way for kids to learn about physics while also being creative with their design. You can even challenge them to see how high they can make an object bounce on the trampoline!
Source: Penn State Pro Wellness
9. Build Edible Mars Rover Challenge
This STEM activity combines engineering, science, and food - what's not to love? Using simple ingredients like graham crackers, marshmallows, and toothpicks, your child can design and build their own Mars rover. They will need to think about factors such as balance and stability while also incorporating features like wheels and a space for a "driver" (a marshmallow astronaut). This activity not only encourages creativity and problem-solving skills, but it also introduces kids to the concept of space exploration and the challenges involved in designing vehicles for other planets. You can even have a taste test at the end to see who has the most delicious edible rover!
Source: Penn State Pro Wellness
10. Balloon Powered Car
This is a classic STEM activity that never fails to impress. All you need is a balloon, a straw, some tape, and four bottle caps or wheels. Have your child design and build their own car using these materials. They will need to consider factors like air pressure and propulsion while also incorporating elements like aerodynamics and weight distribution. Once they have built their car, they can race it against other balloon-powered cars to see whose design is the most efficient and fastest. This activity not only teaches kids about basic principles of physics and engineering, but it also allows them to use their imagination and problem-solving skills to create a unique car design.
Source: One Little Project
11. Build an Aqueduct Challenge
This activity combines history and engineering as kids learn about the ancient Roman aqueducts while also designing and building their own. Using materials like straws, popsicle sticks, and rolled up paper and tape, your child can create a model of an aqueduct that transports water from one place to another. They will need to consider factors like water flow, gravity, and stability when constructing their aqueduct. Great as a team activity or outdoor project, you can have a competition at the end to measure who collects the most amount of water at the end and not lose water along the way with their aqueduct.
Source: Teachers Pay Teachers
12. Build a Roller Coaster With Straws
This STEM project will have your child constructing their very own mini roller coaster using straws, tape, and marbles. They will need to experiment with angles, slopes, and loops as they design their coaster to ensure the marble can make it through the entire track without falling off. This activity encourages creativity and problem-solving skills as kids work to build a functional and exciting roller coaster. You can even have a competition at the end to see whose roller coaster has the longest and most successful ride.
Source: Penn State Pro Wellness
Do you have other projects that are as engaging and as fun at getting kids to problem solve and use their creative mind? Do share in the comments below!
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