physical education stem activities

9 Activity Ideas for STEM in Physical Education

• Lauren Chiangpradit
• November 16, 2023
• Reviewed by Sean Barton
• Reviewed by Haley MacLean

Table of Contents

The Synergy of Movement and Learning

Physical education stem activities for elementary school, stem activities for middle school pe students, advanced stem challenges for high school learners, tech, tools, and resources for stem in physical education.

Integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into Physical Education (PE) classes offers an innovative approach to education. In an era where sports statistics, science, and technology increasingly influence athletics, PE classes are uniquely positioned to blend physical activity with STEM learning and 21st century skills. This article explores how PE educators and facilitators can use STEM learning in their coursework. It also provides a range of curriculum activity ideas to get students at different education and skill levels engaged.

Research indicates that physical activity can significantly bolster cognitive abilities. When students participate in movement-based learning, they benefit physically and experience enhanced concentration, memory, and creativity. This cognitive boost is crucial for comprehending and applying STEM concepts, which often demand high levels of problem-solving and critical thinking. Active learning, where students engage in physical activities while learning STEM concepts, results in more profound understanding and retention of information. Integrating physical and mental challenges not only makes learning more enjoyable, but is more effective, as students apply theoretical concepts in practical settings, leading to better comprehension and recall.

Integrating STEM into elementary physical education presents a fantastic opportunity to lay the foundation for lifelong learning and curiosity in young students. Through these innovative activities, elementary school children can explore and understand key STEM concepts while engaging in fun and physical play. Each activity is designed to be not only educational but highly interactive and suitable for their developmental stage. Here are some engaging activities that blend physical education with STEM learning for elementary students:

• Jump and Measure: Students perform a variety of jumps – like the long jump and high jump – and measure their distances or heights. This activity introduces basic concepts of measurement and physics, encouraging students to understand how force and motion play a role in their physical activities.
• Geometry with Body Movements: In this activity, children use their bodies to create geometric shapes, either individually or in groups. It’s an engaging way for students to learn about basic geometry, spatial awareness, and symmetry. Teachers can challenge students to form complex shapes, enhancing their understanding and teamwork skills.
• STEM Soccer : In a lesson devoted to measuring throw-ins, students collect data in centimeters and convert their data to meters dividing by 100. Students then evaluate measurement systems to decide the best measurement size. This disguised learning,  interactive lesson is a great way for physical education teachers to add STEM into their PE classes.
• Weather and Exercise: Students observe and record weather patterns over a week and discuss how different weather conditions affect physical activities. This integrates meteorology into PE, allowing students to see the real-world application of science in their everyday activities.
• Heart Rate Exploration: After engaging in various exercises, students measure their heart rates to learn about the cardiovascular system and the science behind exercise. This activity not only educates them about their bodies, but about the importance of physical fitness in maintaining health.
• Playground Physics: Utilizing playground equipment, this activity allows students to explore concepts like gravity, force, and motion. They can experience firsthand how these physical laws impact their play and movements, turning the playground into a living laboratory.

As students enter middle school, their capacity for more complex and abstract thinking grows significantly. This developmental stage is an ideal time to introduce more intricate STEM concepts through physical education, enhancing their learning experience with practical applications. The following STEM activities are tailored for middle school students, offering a blend of intellectual challenge and physical engagement. These activities are designed to pique students’ curiosity in STEM fields through the familiar and enjoyable medium of sports and physical exercises. By participating in these activities, students not only deepen their understanding of STEM concepts, but learn valuable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and the practical application of classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. Here’s a look at some stimulating and educational STEM activities for middle school PE:

• Sports Statistics Analysis: Students gather and analyze sports statistics from games or physical activities. This teaches them about data collection, interpretation, and the importance of statistics in understanding and improving athletic performance.
• STEM Football: During a lesson in STEM Football, students collect and graph data of a controlled experiment by using a line graph. Students then explain the relationship between kinetic energy and mass by writing a claim evidence supported by evidence-based reasoning from class data. This lesson highlights the strong classroom connection between physical education and STEM learning, and how it can help create tangible examples for students.
• Energy and Movement: This activity focuses on the concept of kinetic and potential energy in the context of sports. Students explore how energy is transferred and transformed during different physical activities, such as running, jumping, or throwing a ball.
• Biomechanics of Sports: Here, students delve into the study of human movement and mechanics in various sports. They learn about the science behind athletic performance, injury prevention , and how athletes optimize their movements for maximum efficiency and safety.
• Mathletics Relay: A relay race where each leg involves solving a math problem before passing the baton. This combines physical fitness with mathematical skills, emphasizing quick thinking and teamwork.
• Technology in Sports Training: Students explore how technology is increasingly used in sports training and performance analysis. They might look at wearable tech, video analysis software, or other tools that help athletes improve their skills and coaches to make informed decisions.

High school students, with their advanced cognitive skills and heightened interests, are well-positioned to tackle complex STEM challenges through physical education. This section of the curriculum is designed to offer high school learners in-depth, hands-on experiences that combine higher-level STEM concepts with physical activities and sports. These advanced activities are not just about physical exertion; they require students to engage in critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative innovation. They provide an opportunity for students to see the real-world applications of the STEM knowledge they acquire in their classrooms, bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical implementation. By participating in these activities, high school students can gain a deeper understanding of various STEM fields, such as physics, engineering, biotechnology, and environmental science, observing how these disciplines intersect with sports and physical fitness. Here are some challenging and intellectually stimulating STEM activities designed for high school learners:

• Physics of Sports Equipment Design: Students research and discuss the physics principles involved in the design of sports equipment. This can include topics like material science, aerodynamics, and ergonomics, providing insights into how equipment is optimized for performance and safety.
• Engineering a Miniature Golf Course: Students design and construct a miniature golf course, applying concepts of geometry, physics, and design. This project not only involves creativity, but a practical application of STEM principles by creating functional and enjoyable mini-golf holes.
• Sports Analytics Project: Students undertake a project to analyze a sports game using statistical methods and tools. This activity introduces them to data science in sports, teaching them how to interpret and use data to understand game strategies and player performance.
• Biotechnology in Athletics: This topic explores how biotechnology is used in sports, from equipment design to performance enhancement techniques. Students might study material innovations, genetic research in athletics, or the ethical implications of biotechnology in sports.
• Environmental Science in Outdoor Sports: Students analyze how environmental factors impact outdoor sports activities. They can study topics like climate change, pollution, and natural terrain, understanding the interplay between sports and the environment.
• Virtual Reality Sports Training: Students explore how VR technology is being used for skill development, strategy training, and injury rehabilitation in various sports by discussing the emerging role of virtual reality in sports.

Bringing STEM into PE classes effectively requires the right resources, including technology tools, educational kits, and comprehensive guides. Resources like the STEM Sports® kits provide ready-to-use activities that seamlessly blend physical education with STEM learning. These kits offer an invaluable resource for teachers looking to enrich their curriculum and engage K-8 students through a cross-curricular learning approach. For additional resources, tools, and innovative ideas, please visit STEM Sports® .

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Spark sample lesson plans, the following pages include a collection of free spark physical education and physical activity lesson plans. if you’re searching for lesson plans based on inclusive, fun pe-pa games or innovative new ideas, click on one of the links below..

Snakes and Lizards Lesson Plan

Field Day Activity

Centipede Pass

Manipulatives Lesson

Partner Hoop Rolling

Parachute Switcheroo Lesson Plan

Catching and Throwing

Catching and Throwing Circuit Lesson Plan

Skill Cards

Skill Cards (Spanish)

Back to School

Back to School (Spanish)

Social and Emotional Learning

Kindness Definition Card and Lesson

Fitness Circuits

Body Composition Circuit Lesson Plan

Mirror, Mirror Lesson Plan

Performance Rubric Assessment

Choice Count (Pedometer Activity)

Cross the Pond

3-Catch Basketball Lesson Plan

SEL Definition and T-Chart Card

Flying Disc

Durango Boot

Zone and Player-to-Player Defenses

Radio Control

Mini Soccer

Soccer Student Self-Assessments

Track and Field

Sprints and Jumps Circuit

Skill Cards (English & Spanish)

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Cooperatives

Spartan Adventure Race 201

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Group Fitness

Yoga Basic Training Lesson Plan

Yoga Content Cards

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Basic Training Peer Checklist

Basic Training Peer Checklist (Spanish)

SFI Certification Tracking Sheet

iGames Lesson

iStrike/Field

Boulder Runner

I Got Your Back Lesson Plan

Practice Plan

Practice Plan (Spanish)

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Fun and Fitness Circuit Lesson Plan

Fitness Station Cards

Fitness Station Cards (Spanish)

Fun Station Cards

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Great Games

Balanced Breakfast

Flying Disc Group Challenge Lesson Plan

Task Card (Spanish)

Building Blocks

Starting and Stopping Lesson Plan

Family Fun Activities

Family Fun Activities (Spanish)

Beanbag Bonanza

Station Play Lesson Plan

Station Cards

Have a Ball

Bounce and Catch

Recess Activities

Social studies.

Social Studies Fitness Relay

State Lists

State Lists (Spanish)

Fitness Relay State Cards

STEM Fitness Training

STEM Fitness Training Cards (English & Spanish)

Me Activities

ME: INSIDE (K-2)

ME: OUTSIDE (3-5)

We Activities

WE: INSIDE (3-5)

WE: OUTSIDE (K-2)

3 Activities

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3: OUTSIDE (K-2)

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Group Juggling

Object Control Skills-Underhand Throwing

What Your PE Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder Wishes You Knew

Football Unit Inclusion Strategies 3-6

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Crossing the Curriculum in Physical Education

It is amazing reflecting upon my college experience to recall the number of best practice concepts that were folded into our learning experiences.  One of the big projects we completed in our elementary methods course was a cross curricular unit.  Each student selected a topic and then created physical education lessons that met all of the state physical education standards and reinforced concepts related to the subject chosen.  At the time, I chose Native Americans and created a unit that reinforced a wide variety of concepts related specifically to Native Americans but also reinforced language arts and math concepts.  It was a lot of work and required a good amount of research but it really made me realize the impact a physical education program can have on academic achievement.  As I began my teaching career, I took that experience with me and began to search out ways to introduce cross curricular activities in my physical education program.

There are many opportunities to reinforce core content and cross curricular activities in physical education class.  This effort to support language arts, math, history, and science should not come at the expense of teaching physical education standards and content.  The key is to find creative ways to reinforce the core material while keeping true to the goal of teaching the skills and concepts related to developing lifelong movers.  Below you will find some suggestions on ways to reinforce core content in PE.

Integrating Math in Physical Education

Skill drills in physical education provide many opportunities for students to practice counting in multiples.  Student can also be given points for completing different tasks.  As the points add up, students will need to use basic math skills to compute their score.  Another skill that is easy to incorporate is pattern building.  This can be done as station work or as part of creative relay races.  Money can be used as a reinforcement for completing tasks thereby giving students additional exposure to the look of various types of currency (coins vs. bills) and how to count it.   There are also many opportunities to discuss math vocabulary that relate to physical education (i.e. – angle, measurement, perimeter, distance, etc.).

Language Arts

When students enter the gym, a great way to reinforce language arts is to have the students read instructions for their warm-up.  If doing this, keep the language simple and post three or fewer basic instructions.  Physical educators can use spelling words in a variety of creative ways to help students (i.e. – jump rope spelling, word sort challenge, GeoMat spelling, etc.).  PE teachers can also reinforce key vocabulary using a Word Wall.

One of my favorite ways to support science was to perform experiments in physical education class.  The practical use of experimentation vocabulary when learning about heart rate or burning calories is a great way to reinforce these important science concepts in physical education class.  There are also many opportunities to highlight science related vocabulary that is used during PE classes (i.e. – speed, friction, angle of trajectory, fulcrum, lever, aerodynamics, etc.).  There are other awesome activities that use student knowledge of science concepts (i.e. – Habitat Survivor (dodging and fleeing), Evaporation (tossing flying discs at a target), Rocket Launcher (striking and catching pool noodles), etc.).

Social Studies

Social Studies is made up of a variety of sub-disciplines like civics, economics, history, and geography.  Each discipline has unique vocabulary that can be highlighted in physical education classes.  If organizing students into squads or teams, using history vocabulary as team names is a simple way to reinforce the terms (i.e. – Presidents, important Native America tribes, important historical battles, famous Black Americans, etc.).  There are also many opportunities using creative activities that are specific to social studies content (i.e. – anything that deals with the Olympics can be connected to Greece, Chinese jump rope has a natural connection to the history of China, etc.).

The key to crossing the curriculum is using the resources available to you at your school (other teacher and/or your administrators).  For me, it has always been pretty simple because my wife is a 5 th grade teacher.  In many ways, her knowledge and expertise with the core content has helped me be a more effective physical education teacher.  I realize that this may not be your situation but I also know that there are many teachers in your school that would be more than willing to provide ideas on ways that you can help their students be successful.

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STEM Education in Physical Education

Physical Education (PE) provides learners with essential lifelong experience for whole-person development.  Not only it develops learners' physical competence and health fitness, but also provides a blended learning and teaching environment to actualise "STEM" concepts through various physical and sports activities.  Learners are encouraged to strengthen their integration and application of knowledge and skills so as to nurture their curiosity in learning, creativity and innovation, and develop critical thinking, collaboration and problem solving skills, which are the essential skills and qualities required in the 21 st Century.

Physical and sports activities involve techniques that required a coordination of movements performed by various parts of the body.  Coordination of body movement and skills efficiency can be improved and enhanced with the combination of scientific, technological and mathematical knowledge.  To evaluate the performance status and exercises intensity among learners, tracker device such as heart rate monitor can be applied with the support of different apps. 

Taking basketball as an example, the shooting angle that a ball takes in route to the basket is determined by the force and angle applied by a player’s fingertips upon release. The greater the parabolic arc, the better the chance that the ball will go in the net. Player can capture the movement and undergo movement analysis through apps for skills enhancement.

Other examples include:

Reference materials:

l   Promotion on STEM Education – Unleashing Potential in Innovation

- Professional Development Programme

Title: The Incorporation of PE and STEM Education

• Infusing STEM Education Related Elements for Enhancing Motor and Sports Skills in PE
• Applying Coding Related Elements in Physical Activities
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Edu News | January 26, 2022

24 stem lessons you can quickly deploy in the classroom.

Calling all teachers pressed for time, substitutes looking for classroom activities that don't require a lot of prep, and others hoping to keep students learning in especially chaotic times: We've got a new collection of lessons and activities that you can quickly deploy.

Read on to explore our collection of Quick and Easy STEM lessons and student activities , organized by grade band. Get everything you need to guide students through standards-aligned lessons featuring connections to real NASA missions and science as well as links to student projects, which can be led by teachers or assigned as independent activities.

Grades 9-12

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Make a Paper Mars Helicopter

In this lesson, students build a paper helicopter, then improve the design and compare and measure performance.

Subject Engineering

Time 30-60 mins

Student Project: Make a Paper Mars Helicopter

Build a paper helicopter, then see if you can improve the design like NASA engineers did when making the first helicopter for Mars.

What Tools Would You Take to Mars?

Students decide what they want to learn from a robotic mission to Mars and what tools they will put on their robot to accomplish their goals.

Subject Science

Rockets by Size

Students cut out, color and sequence paper rockets in a simple mathematics lesson on measurement.

Subject Math

Rocket Math

Students use rocket manipulatives to help them develop number sense, counting, addition and subtraction skills.

Tangram Rocket

Students use tangrams to create rockets while practicing shape recognition.

Time 1-2 hrs

Student Project: Build a Rover and More With Shapes

Use geometric shapes called tangrams to build a rover and other space-themed designs!

Time Less than 30 mins

Student Project: Build a Rocket and More With Shapes

Use geometric shapes called tangrams to build a rocket and other space-themed designs!

Mineral Mystery Experiment

Students explore the science behind an intriguing planetary feature by creating saline solutions and then observing what happens when the solutions evaporate.

Grades 2-12

Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins

Student Project: Do a Mineral Mystery Experiment

Dissolve salts in water, then observe what happens when the water evaporates.

What Do You Know About Mars?

Students decide what they want to learn from a robotic mission to Mars.

Melting Ice Experiment

Students make predictions and observations about how ice will melt in different conditions then compare their predictions to results as they make connections to melting glaciers.

Parachute Design

Students design and test parachute landing systems to successfully land a probe on target.

Planetary Poetry

In this cross-curricular STEM and language arts lesson, students learn about planets, stars and space missions and write STEM-inspired poetry to share their knowledge of or inspiration about these topics.

Student Project: Write a Poem About Space

Are you a space poet, and you didn't even know it? Find out how to create your own poems inspired by space!

Ocean World: Earth Globe Toss Game

Students use NASA images and a hands-on activity to compare the amounts of land and surface water on our planet.

Simple Rocket Science Continued

Students gather data on a balloon rocket launch, then create a simple graph to show the results of the tests.

Spaghetti Anyone? Building with Pasta

Students use the engineering design process to build a structure to handle the greatest load and gain first-hand experience with compression and tension forces.

Student Project: Building With Spaghetti

Use spaghetti to build a tower modeled after the giant structures NASA uses to talk to spacecraft.

Simple Rocket Science

Students perform a simple science experiment to learn how a rocket works and demonstrate Newton’s third law of motion.

Soda-Straw Rockets

Students study rocket stability as they design, construct and launch paper rockets using soda straws.

Student Project: Make a Straw Rocket

Create a paper rocket that can be launched from a soda straw – then, modify the design to make the rocket fly farther!

Rocket Activity: Heavy Lifting

Students construct balloon-powered rockets to launch the greatest payload possible to the classroom ceiling.

Design a Robotic Insect

Students design a robotic insect for an extraterrestrial environment, then compare the process to how NASA engineers design robots for extreme environments like Mars.

Student Project: Design a Robotic Insect

Design a robotic insect to go to an extreme environment. Then, compare the design process to what NASA engineers do when building robots for Mars!

How Far Away Is Space?

Students use measurement skills to determine the scale distance to space on a map.

Student Project: How Far Away Is Space?

Stack coins and use your measurement skills to figure out the scale distance from Earth's surface to space.

Planetary Travel Time

Students will compute the approximate travel time to planets in the solar system using different modes of transportation.

The Ring Wing Glider

In this simple engineering design lesson, students turn a piece of paper into an aircraft wing and then try to improve upon their design.

Student Project: Make a Paper Glider

Turn a piece of paper into a glider inspired by a NASA design.

How Do We See Dark Matter?

Students will make observations of two containers and identify differences in content, justify their claims and make comparisons to dark matter observations.

Grades 6-12

Let's Go to Mars! Calculating Launch Windows

Students use advanced algebra concepts to determine the next opportunity to launch a spacecraft to Mars.

Find our full collection of more than 250 STEM educator guides and student activities in Teach and Learn .

For games, articles, and more activities from NASA for kids in upper-elementary grades, visit NASA Space Place and NASA Climate Kids .

Explore more educational resources and opportunities for students and educators from NASA STEM Engagement .

TAGS: Lessons , Teachers , Educators , Parents , Substitutes , Activities , Students , Science , Engineering , Quick and Easy

Kim Orr , Web Producer, NASA-JPL Education Office

Kim Orr is a web and content producer for the Education Office at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her pastimes are laughing and going on Indiana Jones style adventures.

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STEM and physical education gets your students up, active, and engaged

Get your students on their feet and head outside - it’s time to use physical activity to teach STEM concepts! Physical education is a key part of every child’s well-rounded curriculum, and a great way to help students make a real-world connection to STEM concepts is through the sports, competitions, and games that they play. On the most basic level, every sport with a ball can be used to demonstrate science and mathematics concepts such as calculating the distance a quarterback needs to pass the ball to a moving receiver, or testing the desired arc on a three point shot in basketball. If traditional sports don’t interest your students, there are great alternatives that include students building and racing their own BMX bicycle while learning about STEAM concepts, as well as the world’s first physical eSport which crosses the line between sports, gaming, and fitness and gets students hands-on with the latest AR technology. The best part is that you can find all of these great hands-on resources at STEMfinity - your one stop STEM shop!

Grades K-8 | Baseball , Basketball , Football , Golf , Hockey , Lacrosse , Soccer , Softball , Tennis , Volleyball , Multi-Sport (K-2) , Multi-Sport (3-8) , View All

About: STEM Sports provides turnkey packages and curricula that uses sports as a real-world application to teach K-8 students about STEM concepts while developing their critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership skills. Each package offered by STEM Sports is aligned to national educational standards (NGSS, CCSS) and provides a minimum of 16 hours of instruction that includes physical activity centered around a specific sport. STEM Sports offers packages for individual sports, multi-sport packages, and curriculum-only packages for programs that already have their own sports equipment. The packages offered by STEM Sports are a great way to get your students active and have them learn new concepts through the sports that they already love.

Grades 4-8 | BMX STEAM Program

About: The BMX STEAM Program combines exercise and education to teach students about relevant STEAM concepts by having them construct their own BMX bicycle! Students will build confidence in STEAM concepts through hands-on experience, teamwork, and physical activity. This program offers flexible, standards-aligned lesson plans that can be used in almost any educational setting. The BMX STEAM Program includes five Mongoose BMX bikes, five safety helmets, required tools for assembly, and much more.

Grades 1-3 | Sports Science Camp

About: The Sports Science Camp from PCS Edventures provides early elementary students with an exciting approach to learning STEM concepts through their favorite outdoor activities. The Sports Science Camp supports up to 30 students and includes all of the curriculum and materials needed to successfully implement into your summer camp, afterschool program, or classroom environment. Each standards-aligned (NGSS) lesson includes a schedule, topic background information, step-by-step activity instructions, and materials list to help educators and staff with no experience successfully implement the camp.

Grades 6-8 | Flying Disc Camp

About: The Flying Disc Camp from PCS Edventures will have middle school students learning physics concepts by getting hands-on with frisbees and investigating the different forces that affect its flight path. This 12 lesson program will take students through the history of the flying disc, introduce them to throwing techniques that take advantage of physics, and get them hands-on with fun games like frisbee golf, tic tac toe, and STEM ultimate frisbee! The Flying Disc Camp serves up to 30 students and includes all the required materials and lesson plans needed to successfully implement everything into your summer camp, afterschool program, or classroom. The lessons included with the Flying Disc Camp are aligned to national standards (NGSS) and provide step-by-step instructions on how to structure scheduled activities and the background knowledge needed to introduce each section to your students.

Grades 3-12 | HADO AR Physical Esports Program

About: HADO combines traditional sports with AR (augmented reality) and is the world’s first physical eSport. HADO is a non-contact sport that can be played indoors by up to 6 players at a time (3 players per team) and is designed to cross the boundary between sports and gaming to encourage fitness in an exciting new way. STEMfinity offers a HADO Academy Bundle that has everything needed to successfully play the game including instructional guides, setup and tech support, operating license, hardware, and all related arena equipment. HADO is perfect for students in grades 3-12 in learning environments like physical education classes, afterschool enrichment programs, summer camps, and eSports clubs.

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50 STEM Activities for Kids of All Ages and Interests

Inspire the innovators of tomorrow.

These days, STEM learning is more important than ever. Science, technology, engineering, and math are the keys to many modern careers, so a good grounding in them from an early age is a must. The best STEM activities for kids are hands-on, leading students to cool innovations and real-world applications . Here are some of our favorites, with challenges and experiments that will really get kids thinking about how STEM plays a part in their everyday lives.

Want some quick challenges to try with elementary students? Get free printable stem challenge cards for grades K-5:

• Kindergarten STEM Challenges
• First Grade STEM Challenges
• Second Grade STEM Challenges
• Third Grade STEM Challenges
• Fourth Grade STEM Challenges
• Fifth Grade STEM Challenges

For more STEM activities for kids across a range of subjects, take a look at these ideas.

1. Add STEM bins to your classroom

STEM Focus: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

Prepare for a wide variety of STEM activities for kids with these cool bins. Incorporate them into literacy centers, create a makerspace, and offer early finishers fun enrichment ideas. Learn how to create and use STEM bins.

2. Conduct an egg drop

STEM Focus: Engineering

This is one of those classic STEM activities every kid should try at least once. Kids can do it at any age, with different materials and heights to mix it up.

Learn more: Egg Drop at Buggy and Buddy

3. Engineer a drinking straw roller coaster

This is such a fun way to encourage engineering skills! All you need are basic supplies like drinking straws, tape, and scissors.

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

4. Find ways to slow soil erosion

STEM Focus: Science (Ecology), Engineering

Compare the effects of “rain” on hills of bare soil vs. those covered with grass. Have your 3rd grade science students predict which they think will stand up to erosion better and then test their hypotheses.

Learn more: Erosion Experiment at Third Grade Thinkers

5. Simulate an earthquake

The ground under our feet may feel solid, but an earthquake changes that pretty quickly. Use Jell-O to simulate the earth’s crust, then see if you can build an earthquake-proof structure.

Learn more: Earthquake Science at Teaching Science

6. Stand up to a hurricane

In a hurricane zone, houses must be able to stand up to strong winds and possible flooding. Can your students design houses that make it safer to live in these dangerous areas?

Learn more: Hurricane Houses at Carly and Adam

7. Create a new plant or animal

STEM Focus: Science (Biology)

Kids will really get into this project, indulging their creativity as they invent a plant or animal that’s never been seen before. They’ll need to be able to explain the biology behind it all, though, making this an in-depth project you can tailor to any class.

Learn more: Create a Creature at I Love 2 Teach

8. Design a helping hand

STEM Focus: Technology, Engineering

This is a great group science project. Students hone their design and engineering skills to make a working model of a hand. For a more advanced activity, challenge students to build a robotic hand that can be controlled remotely.

Learn more : Model Hand at Mombrite

9. Understand the impact of non-renewable resources

STEM Focus: Science (Environmental Science)

Discuss the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources, then have your class form “companies” to “mine” non-renewable resources. As they compete, they’ll see how quickly the resources are used. It’s a great tie-in to energy conservation discussions.

Learn more: Energy Resources at The Owl Teacher

10. Devise an amazing marble maze

Marble mazes are one of students’ favorite STEM activities! You can provide supplies like straws and paper plates for their project. Or let them use their imaginations and create marble mazes from any materials they can think of.

Learn more: Marble Maze on Raising Lifelong Learners

11. Fly clothespin airplanes

STEM: Engineering

Ask students what they think the airplane of the future might look like. Then, provide them with clothespins and wood craft sticks, and challenge them to build a new kind of airplane. Bonus points if it can actually fly!

Learn more: Clothespin Airplane at STEAMsational

12. Launch a catapult cannon

Catapult STEM challenges are always fun, but this one adds a new twist that allows kids to launch objects much farther than the usual wood craft stick version!

Learn more: Catapult Cannon and STEAM Powered Family

13. Bounce on a trampoline

Kids love bouncing on trampolines, but can they build one themselves? Find out with this totally fun STEM challenge.

Learn more: Trampoline Challenge at Student Savvy

14. Build a solar oven

STEM Focus: Science, Engineering

Learn about the value of solar energy by building an oven that cooks food without electricity. Enjoy your tasty treats while discussing ways we can harness the energy of the sun and why alternative energy sources are important.

Learn more: Solar Oven at Desert Chica

15. Build a snack machine

Incorporate everything students learn about simple machines into one project when you challenge them to build a snack machine. Using basic supplies, they’ll need to design and construct a machine that delivers snacks from one location to another.

Learn more: Snack Machine at Left Brain Craft Brain

16. Recycle newspaper into an engineering challenge

It’s amazing how a stack of newspapers can spark such creative engineering. Challenge students to build the tallest tower, support a book, or even build a chair using only newspaper and tape.

Learn more: Newspaper STEM Challenges at STEM Activities for Kids

17. Design a biosphere

This project really brings out kids’ creativity and helps them understand that everything in a biosphere is really part of one big whole. You’ll be overwhelmed by what they come up with!

Learn more: Biosphere Project at Laney Lee

18. See the effects of an oil spill

Learn why an oil spill is so devastating for wildlife and the ecosystem with this hands-on activity. Kids experiment to find the best way to clean up oil floating on water and rescue the animals affected by the spill.

Learn more: Oil Spill Cleanup at Kitchen Counter Chronicle

19. Assemble a steady-hand game

STEM Focus: Engineering, Technology

This is such a fun way to learn about circuits. It also brings in a bit of creativity, adding the “A” for STEAM.

Learn more: Steady Hand Game at Left Brain Craft Brain

20. Use cabbage to test pH

STEM Focus: Science (Chemistry)

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips! Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH at Education Possible

21. Engineer a craft stick bridge

Here’s another one of those classic STEM activities that really challenge kids to use their skills. Build a bridge with Popsicle sticks and other materials, then compete to see which can bear the most weight.

Learn more: Bridge Challenge at Mommy Evolution

22. Forage and build a bird nest

STEM Focus: Science (Biology), Engineering

Birds build incredibly intricate nests from materials they find in the wild. Take a nature walk to gather materials, then see if you can build a sturdy, comfy nest of your own!

Learn more: Build a Bird Nest at Kids Craft Room

23. Drop parachutes to test air resistance

Use the scientific method to test different types of material and see which makes the most effective parachute. Your students also learn more about the physics behind air resistance.

Learn more: Parachute Challenge at Education.com

24. Find the most waterproof roof

Calling all future engineers! Build a house from LEGO, then experiment to see what type of roof prevents water from leaking inside.

Learn more: Waterproof Roof at Science Sparks

25. Build a better umbrella

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations using the scientific method.

Learn more: Better Umbrella at Raising Lifelong Learners

26. Go green with recycled paper

STEM Focus: Science (Ecology)

We talk a lot about recycling and sustainability these days, so show kids how it’s done! Recycle old worksheets or other papers using screen and picture frames. Then, ask kids to brainstorm ways to use the recycled paper.

Learn more: Recycled Paper at Undercover Classroom

27. Brew up your own slime

Chances are good your students already love making and playing with slime. Turn the fun into an experiment by changing the ingredients to create slime with a variety of properties—from magnetic to glow-in-the-dark!

Learn more: Slime Experiments at Little Bins for Little Hands

28. Create a taxonomy system

Students can step into Linnaeus’ shoes by creating their own system of taxonomy using a handful of different dried beans. This is a fun science project to do in groups, so students can see the differences between each group’s system.

Learn more: Classification Systems at Our Journey Westward

29. Find out which liquid is best for growing seeds

As you learn about the life cycle of plants , explore how water supports plants’ growth. Plant seeds and water them with a variety of liquids to see which sprout first and grow best.

Learn more: Plants and Liquids at Lessons for Little Ones

30. Create giant bubbles

It’s easy to mix your own soap bubble solution with just a few ingredients. Let kids experiment to find the best proportion of ingredients to create giant bubbles, long-lasting bubbles, and other variations.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles at Make and Takes

31. Make compost in a cup

This is an easy science activity, and you can turn it into a science fair project by experimenting with different mixtures, layering, and conditions for your compost cups.

Learn more: Compost Cups at The Happy Housewife

32. Help monarch butterflies

You may have heard that monarch butterflies are struggling to keep their population alive. Join the fight to save these beautiful bugs by planting your own butterfly garden, monitoring monarch populations, and more. Get all the info you need at the link.

Learn more: Monarch Education at Monarch Watch

33. See water pollution in action

STEM Focus: Science (Environmental Science, Chemistry, Biology)

Learn about the challenges of cleaning up polluted water sources like rivers and lakes with this interesting outdoor science activity. Pair it with a visit to a local water treatment plant to expand the lesson.

Learn more: Water Pollution at JDaniel4’s Mom

34. Test your local water quality

STEM Focus: Science (Chemistry, Environmental Science)

Once you’ve “cleaned up” your water, try testing it to see how clean it really is! Then head out to test other types of water. Kids will be fascinated to discover what’s in the water in their local streams, ponds, and puddles. Student water-testing kits are readily available online.

Learn more: Water Quality Experiment at The Homeschool Scientist

35. Explore with an edible Mars Rover

STEM Focus: Science (Space), Engineering

Learn about the conditions on Mars and the tasks the Mars Rover will need to complete. Then, give kids supplies to build their own. (Add to the challenge by making them “buy” the supplies and stick to a budget, just like NASA!)

Learn more: Edible Mars Rover at Library Makers

36. Bake the best potato

STEM Focus: Science (Physics)

This edible science project is a nutritious way to explore the scientific method in action. Experiment with a variety of methods for baking potatoes—microwaving, using a traditional oven, wrapping them in foil, using baking pins, etc.—testing hypotheses to discover which works best.

Learn more: Potato Science at Left Brain Craft Brain

37. Waterproof a boot

Ask kids to select various materials and tape them over the free boot printable. Then, test their hypotheses to see which ones work best.

Learn more: Waterproof a Boot at Science Sparks

38. Determine the best way to melt ice

Conventional wisdom says we sprinkle salt on ice to melt it faster. But why? Is that really the best method? Try this science experiment and find out.

Learn more: Melting Ice at The Chaos and the Clutter

39. Don’t melt the ice

We spend a lot of time in winter trying to get rid of ice, but what about when you don’t want the ice to melt? Experiment with different forms of insulation to see which keeps ice frozen the longest.

Learn more: Ice Insulation at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

40. Build a straw house

Grab a box of straws and a package of pipe cleaners. Then task kids with designing and building their dream house, using only those two items.

Learn more: Building a Straw House at Deceptively Educational

41. Design a balloon-powered car

Explore the laws of motion and encourage creativity when you challenge students to design, build, and test their own balloon-powered cars. Bonus: Use only recycled materials to make this project green!

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Car at One Little Project

42. Learn map skills by designing an amusement park

STEM Focus: Science (Physics), Technology, Engineering, Math

For this cross-curricular activity, students investigate the parts of a map by creating an amusement park. After they create their map, they do a detailed drawing and write about one of their ride designs. Then they design an all-access park pass. So many STEM activities in one! Find out more about it here.

43. Reach for the ceiling

Round up all your building blocks and try this whole-class project. What will students need to do to be able to construct a tower that reaches all the way to the ceiling?

Learn more: Block Tower at Mama Smiles

44. Cast a tall shadow

STEM Challenge: Science (Physics)

Here’s another tower-building challenge, but this one’s all about shadows! Kids will experiment with the height of their tower and the angle of their flashlight to see how tall of a shadow they’re able to cast.

Learn more: Shadow Towers at No Time for Flash Cards

45. Devise a recycled toy bot

These adorable toy bots are made from pool noodles and recycled electric toothbrushes. So clever! Kids will have fun designing their own, plus they can tweak this idea to make other fun wiggling toys.

Learn more: Recycled Toy Bot at Artsy Momma

46. Link up the longest paper chain

This incredibly simple STEM activity really gets kids thinking. The challenge? Create the longest-possible paper chain using a single piece of paper. So simple and so effective.

Learn more: Paper Chain Challenge at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

47. Find out what you can make from a plastic bag

STEM Focus: Science (Environmental Science), Engineering

Plastic bags are one of the most ubiquitous items on the planet these days, and they’re difficult to recycle. Give each student a plastic bag and ask them to create something new and useful. ( These ideas from Artsy Craftsy Mom offer some inspiration. )

48. Start a school robotics team

STEM Focus: Technology

Coding is one of the most valuable STEM activities you can include in your classroom plans. Set up a school robotics club and inspire kids to embrace their newfound skills! Learn how to set up your own club here.

49. Embrace the Hour of Code

The Hour of Code program was designed as a way to get all teachers to try just one hour of teaching and learning coding with their students. Originally, the Hour of Code event was held in December, but you can organize yours any time . Then, continue to learn using the huge amount of resources on Hour of Code’s website .

50. Give kids a Maker Cart and a pile of cardboard

You don’t need a whole lot of fancy supplies to create a STEM Cart or makerspace. Scissors, tape, glue, wood craft sticks, straws—basic items like these combined with a stack of cardboard can inspire kids to create all sorts of amazing projects! See how these STEM activities work here.

What are your favorite STEM activities for kids? Come share in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, get 20+ free stem posters for your classroom .

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Teach: stem activities.

Grade Levels

Grades K-4, Grades 5-8, Grades 9-12

Earth Science, Mathematics, Physical Science, Space Science, Technology

Lesson Plans / Activities, Other Multimedia, Websites

Browse or search this site of STEM activities from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. JPL Education has a wealth of Earth science and solar-system-related STEM products that teachers can search by product type, subject, grade level and topic. The site includes resources such as multimedia, downloadable materials and professional development opportunities. Teach: STEM Activities

The Ultimate Collection of STEM Activities (100+ STEM Activities)

Here at Hess UnAcademy , we believe that STEM activities should be an integral part of a child’s education. Whether you homeschool or public school, use these STEM activity ideas to give your kids an amazing learning adventure!

Who doesn’t love a good STEM activity? STEM activities are awesome!

They are fun, engaging, and highly educational.

They are easily adaptable for multiple ages and skillsets and depending on the age of your kids, they can even be low effort for parents and teachers.

This article may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

Scientific Method Worksheets – Free Download

Before you move on, we’ve got some free scientific method worksheets for you to download and enjoy. These printable worksheets are useful for any science experiment, science project, STEM challenge, or STEM projects your students might be engaging in.

Turn every science project and STEAM activity into a thought-provoking STEM challenge. Plus give left brain and right brain kiddos alike a chance to utilize their strengths and improve their weaknesses. Get yours now!

STEM Activities And Ideas

I have written about more than 100 STEAM activities for kids on this blog.

This includes all ages from preschoolers up to high schoolers. Feel free to use them as part of your STEM curriculum or as after school, screen-free activities.

While you could dig through my site and bounce around from post to post trying to find every single STEM activity, today I am going to gather them all up and make them easier for you to find.

Each link below links to a specific collection of STEM activities based on a common theme. That theme could be holiday, topic, or age level. I don’t know what you’re looking for in a STEM activity, and every family is looking for something different, so hopefully this organizational method makes it easy for you to find exactly what you’re looking for.

And remember – if there is ever anything you are looking for that you can’t find, please feel free to send me an email! I love hearing from my readers and I always do my best to honor custom requests. You can reach me at [email protected]

And now for your STEM activities roundup. Enjoy!

STEAM and STEM Activities by Age Level

Most families prefer to find age-appropriate STEM activities. Go through the links below and find activities that are perfect for your kids’ skill sets.

STEAM and STEM Activities for Preschoolers

Even before your little one has learned to read, write, and count, they can enjoy hands-on STEM activities.

• STEM activities for preschoolers

STEAM and STEM Activities for Elementary Students

Whether your kids are in 1st or 2nd grade or perhaps 5th and 6th grade, these STEM activities are perfect for elementary-aged students PreK-6.

• STEM activities for elementary students

STEAM and STEM Activities for Middle School Students

Middle school students are hovering somewhere between child-like adventures and mature teen activities. This can be an awkward age for many kids but just because they’re growing up doesn’t mean the days of hands-on activities are over.

• STEM activities for middle school students
• STEM projects for middle schoolers
• Easy STEM challenges for middle school
• Engineering activities for middle schoolers

STEAM and STEM Activities for High School Students

High school students can enjoy STEM activities too! Teens love hands-on activities and these activities are easily adapted to lessons and topics that your high schooler is enjoying.

• STEM activities for high school students
• STEM projects for high school
• STEM games for high school

STEAM and STEM Activities by Topic

If you’re looking for themed STEM activities rather than activities by age level, this is the collection for you.

• edible science experiments  
• food STEM activities  
• STEM Made Easy book edibles edition
• STEM Made Easy book: Dragons Edition
• dragon STEM activities
• STEAM art activities
• team-building STEM activities
• free STEM activities
• camping themed STEM activities
• STEM activities using paper
• solar system activities
• garden STEM projects
• STEM Made Easy: Gardening Edition book
• simple STEM activities
• summertime STEM activities
• STEM activities using household items

Holiday STEM Activities

One of the easiest ways to combine learning with holiday fun is by enjoying some holiday-themed STEM activities. You can find my entire collection of holiday STEM activities here or you can look below for specific roundups I’ve written.

The larger collection includes random holidays that I have only written one or two activities about (such as Easter and Chinese New Year for example), and the collections below each contain at least 10 activities.

• Valentine’s Day STEM activities
• engaging St. Patrick’s Day STEM activities
• 4th of July STEM activities
• firework STEM activities
• Halloween science experiments
• edible Halloween science experiments
• Thanksgiving STEM activities
• Christmas STEM activities

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STEM in the Gym: How Robots can Teach Physical Education

We think of STEM education taking place in science class, in the math classroom, in a computer lab. However, we use STEM concepts in all areas of our lives - why not bring STEM into Physical Education ? By integrating STEM into different content areas, such as P.E., students are encouraged to build the skills they need to be successful in the 21st century and enthusiasm for the class will skyrocket!

We interviewed two of our Sphero Heroes Marcus and Wayne who are P.E. teachers in Australia. Below is a compilation of their best tips, advice, and activities. 

How to Adopt STEM in Physical Education

Siloing of subjects:.

Subjects are so often taught in blocks throughout the day without any connections between them. Students may not realize that the skills they are using in literacy are also needed in science. For students to truly have a well-rounded education, they need to see that what they are learning in one classroom translates to many other facets of their day. By bringing Sphero into P.E., our Heroes are doing just that. Students are not only able to focus on moving their bodies but are able to collect and analyze real data, use the engineering design process to problem-solve and deepen their understanding of concepts such as direction and distance. All of these are skills that students can put into practice in math, science, and clearly, P.E.!

“ Teachers can engage students to achieve greater outcomes as we are connecting to different content areas.” - Marcus Panozzo, P.E. Teacher at Dallas Brooks Community Primary School, Dallas, Australia

Student outcomes: 

Beyond mathematical and engineering concepts, by incorporating STEM into P.E., students are building so many transferable skills that they will use throughout their lives. Students are able to work in teams or small groups to design, test, and refine their games, which encourages them to communicate clearly with one another and build a collaborative environment. Additionally, they are problem-solving issues that may arise in their designs. By allowing student voice and choice in the classroom, students are able to unleash their creativity and natural curiosity. 

“ With a focus on student voice and choice, the students work in pairs or small groups, design their games, gather their materials, build their games, give them a test run, refine and then play.” - Wayne Schultz, P.E. & Sport Teacher, Roxburgh Park Primary School, Roxburgh Park, Australia

Engagement/Excitement:

Bringing STEM into P.E. is a great way to take engagement to another level. Our Heroes have found that while almost all students tend to be excited to engage in STEM activities in the classroom, students who have had past experiences tend to be the most excited. By incorporating STEM into P.E., there is greater opportunity for students who are unable to participate traditionally to continue building  confidence and competence  toward Physical Literacy. If kids see a connection between coding and P.E., they are more likely to respond in a positive way to movement. Of course, this can go the opposite way as well, allowing students who don’t see themselves as scientists to find an entry point into STEM.

Tips from our Sphero Heroes: 

Interested in bringing STEM into your gym? Marcus and Wayne have some great suggestions, from bringing your administration on board to managing diverse groups of students. 

Tip 1: When approaching your school leaders, make sure that you highlight the fact that students are practicing transferable skills by applying them in a new environment. This means that by having STEM in P.E., you are supporting other disciplines. 

Tip 2: Consider having roles for students as they work through their projects. Also, try to give opportunities for students to be the teachers - use their expertise!

Tip 3: Make sure you explain the “why” in your activities. Students are less likely to be resistant if they understand how the activities in P.E. relate to other areas of their lives. 

Tip 4 : With Sphero, it is easy to differentiate for multiple grade levels! Consider the draw or drive feature in the Sphero Play app for younger students, while using block coding in Sphero Edu for older kiddos. 

Activity ideas:

There are so many great ideas that our Sphero Heroes have brought into their Physical Education classes! Try these suggestions to boost engagement with your activities:

• Target Games, with a connection to Lawn Bowls, Golf, or Bowling.
• Catching Games using the LED features on BOLT.
• Olympic-style events and sports in which Sphero competes in events.
• Use Sphero to investigate push and pull concepts.
• Striking and Fielding Games, with a connection to Cricket, Softball and Baseball with field placement strategies.
• Water Safety, where Sphero swims between the flags, performs rescues and creates patterns to move out of rips.

When it comes to STEM education, the possibilities are endless. It is time to take STEM education out of the science lab and into other areas of school, or even take it home. Whether you are looking to incorporate new technologies into your classroom, make connections between disciplines, boost student engagement, or get moving in the living room, Sphero is here to help.

Special thanks to Sphero Heroes Marcus and Wayne for taking the time to share their amazing classroom innovations.

Have your own great STEM ideas to share? Join the Sphero community forum to connect with us and fellow educators.

Opinions expressed by Sphero.com contributors are their own.

Written by:

Emily Collom

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21 Quick STEM Activities that Will Bring Out the Genius in Every Child

Categories STEM Activities

STEM activities (activities with elements of science, technology, engineering, and math) help children see that science and math can have a creative element, too. Try these quick STEM activities when you don’t have tons of time to plan!

In today’s world, technology seeps into everything we do, and children can be taught to approach all of their learning through the lens of scientific exploration.

However, we don’t always have time for involved STEM activities for kids that take weeks to complete (although those are beneficial as well!).

But if you’re simply looking for a few easy and quick STEM activities for your kiddos, you’ll appreciate the quick STEM lessons you’ll find in this post.

Today, I am sharing 21 quick STEM projects that are simple to set up and quick to do.

You’ll love how quickly you can set up these projects and get them completed, even if you have just a few minutes to do them in!

Perfect for easy STEM activities in the classroom or at home. Teach science in minutes, rather than hours. 

What are Quick STEM Activities?

Integrating learning across Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, there are quick and easy STEM challenges suitable for children of all ages on the list, and many of these activities can be easily scaled up or down through questioning to suit the age of your child.

In this case, a quick STEM challenge is one that takes 30 minutes or less to complete- or one class period!

The hardest thing might just be choosing which quick and easy STEM activity to try first!

21 Fast STEM Activities for Kids

Kids will love these hands-on STEM activities, and teachers and parents will love how quickly you can use these lessons to illustrate science lessons and teach STEM thinking skills to kids.

Why Do Quick STEM Activities with Kids?

A STEM activity is more than just a hands-on project that includes elements of science, technology, engineering, and math.

STEM activities are whole-brain exercises, that kids can use to explore disciplined subjects in a creative and exploratory way.

One of the best things about quick STEM activities is that there are no right or wrong answers.

In a true STEM experiment, children learn to think of solutions to problems on their own, with no particular planned outcome, just like in the real world.

STEM activities are one of the best ways to prepare children for problem solving and learning in the real world, and they give kids a taste of what sort of decision processes adults go through every day.

With the openness of STEM activities guiding children, there is no fear of failure and children who typically look for the “right” answer are encouraged to explore a topic, rather than just memorizing an answer.

Kids who regularly engage in quick STEM activities are better able to solve problems, think outside the box, go through a logical process to come up with an answer, and can tell you why they chose a certain solution clearly.

What Kids Learn Doing Quick STEM Activities

Quick STEM activities help illustrate the concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math in a fast, easy-to-see way that is ideal for quick science and STEM lessons, such as for early elementary science class, kindergarten lessons, STEM and science centers, preschool, STEM summer camp, and more!

The quick demonstrations work well when time crunches are an issue, and for many of these activities, kids can do them alone, making them perfect for self-guided play and exploration.

Check out more fun STEM themes, including our list of easy science experiments for kid s and creative STEM activities .

You don’t have to take a long time to teach a STEM lesson. Kids can learn the basic elements of science, technology, engineering, and math in these hands-on STEM projects for kids.

Use these lessons when you need to teach a scientific topic, but don’t have time to spend weeks on the project.

Quick STEM activities can be used to help keep morale up in the STEM classroom between bigger projects, as they often give fun, quick, and visually appealing results.

You can also use these quick STEM activities at home to make learning fun there!

How to Set Up Quick STEM Challenges for Kids

When possible, it’s best to mix several elements of STEM together, using elements of science, technology, engineering, and math all at once.

You’ll maximize the learning of children and help them understand how all the elements of STEM activities work together.

More STEM Activities for Kids

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20+Spectacular and Fun Circus STEM Activities

Toy Making STEM Activities

Quick STEM Activities that Take 30 Minutes or Less

Follow along with these activities to find a bunch of fun science, technology, engineering, and math activities that can be done in less than a single class period.

And best of all, they are super fun, too!

Quick Science Experiments for Kids

These fast science experiments are a breeze! Learn about liquid density, surface tension, non-Newtonian fluids, slime, light refraction, and more!

Paper Towel Strength Test Science Experiment

With just paper towels and pennies, students can conduct a simple penny paper towel experiment to determine whether wet or dry paper towels can hold more weight. Students will learn how adding a variable to an experiment can drastically change the outcome even when no other changes are made.

Amazing Bending Pencil Experiment That's Just Like Magic!

Use light to break a pencil. How is it done? You'll have to try it to find out!

Flip a Rainbow Light Refraction Experiment

You can magically flip a rainbow with light! How? The science is complicated, but the project is a whole lot of fun!

How to Make Fluffy Rainbow Slime (without the mess)

Did you know that slime uses a lot of scientific chemistry principles? Apply them and learn all about polymer chains and molecular bonds when you make this fluffy slime.

Fortnite Slurp Drink Water Density Experiment

Fortnite is a lot of fun for kids. This Fortnite slurp drink density tower uses science to keep the colors apart!

How to Do the Hot and Cold Water Density Experiment

You can learn about color mixing and how temperature has different densities in this super fun and quick science experiment.

Sugar Rainbow Density Tower Experiment

Nothing is more fun than sweet science! Learn about density and viscosity in this quick experiment.

Super Fast Milk Surface Tension Science Experiment!

Surface tension is hard to describe, but with this experiment, its easy to see!

Quick Technology Activities for Kids

Fast technology challenges you can do in minutes! Learn about circuits, coding, binary, and more!

How to Make Binary Coding Bracelets with Secret Messages

Teach kids the basics of binary with these coding bracelets.

Fun Ways for Kids to Learn Computer Coding

Here are some super fun ways to teach coding to kids and learn how to make technology fun for them.

Rainbow Salt Circuit Engineering Activity

Learn how circuits work with this fun glow in the dark circuit activity!

How to Use Squishy Circuits for Electrical Engineering

Learn all about electricity and electrical engineering with Squishy Circuits!

Painting Brush Bot

With a motor and a brush, you can create a robot painting system!

How to Make a Unicorn Rainbow Scribble Bot

Learn how to put together a working motor and create a robot that can draw for you!

Map Skills for Kids: Planning a Route

Learning how to use a map is an essential skill for kids! Technology makes it easier.

The Best Coding Apps for Kids

These coding apps will teach kids the basics of coding and more!

Build a Minecraft Chessboard

There is a lot of tech behind Minecraft! In this simple activity, challenge your kiddos with how to make a chess board!

Quick Engineering Activities for Kids

Rome might have taken more than a day to complete, but these engineering projects won't! You can knock these quick engineering challenges out in just minutes!

Cotton Swab Bridge Building Engineering Challenge Lesson Plan

Learn how to teach this q tip bridge engineering challenge with the students in your classroom. It's a fun twist on other bridge building engineering challenges and students will have a blast coming up with their unique designs.

How to Build a Simple LEGO Flower

Building a LEGO flower is easy and fast and teaches kids the basics of design and engineering.

How to Build an Easy LEGO Car

Follow along with this simple guide to create a LEGO car in minutes!

Spaghetti Engineering Project

This Spaghetti Engineering Challenge is so easy, but kids can learn a lot!

How to Design a Paper Airplane Engineering Challenge

If you love building and designing and testing, then the Paper airplane Engineering Challenge is for you!

How to Make a LEGO Rainbow with Classic LEGO Bricks

Making a LEGORainbow sounds like it would be easy, but it's actually surprisingly difficult!

EASY! 3 Steps to the Perfect Leak Proof Bag Science Experiment

The leakproof bag science experiment teaches kids about polymer chains in less than five minutes!

Quick Math Activities for Kids

Quick math challenges for on-the-fly learning. You don't have to take forever to do math activities!

Design a Coin Activity for Kids

Design coins and learn all about coin values and how to use money in this super quick math activity!

Uno Math Game

Kids will love this fun math variation on the classic UNO game!

Multiplication Dice Game

Play the multiplication dice game when you have a few minutes to work some additional math practice in.

Hands-On Geometry Challenge: Building 3D Shapes

Build geometry shapes using geometry bricks for some fast geometry math practice.

Math Fraction Art Project

Learn about fractions and turn them into fun art pieces in this fast math activity!

Printable Lemon Fraction Clip Cards for Elementary Kids

Learning fractions is way less of a bother when you use these cheery lemon fraction clip cards !

Soup Can Printable PEMDAS Worksheet for Teaching Order of Operations

Grab this fun soup-themed printable PEMDAS worksheet .

Share this project with a friend!

Bee STEM Activities

Bee STEM activities are a fantastic way to introduce preschoolers to the wonders of nature and science! In our world, bees play a vital role as pollinators, helping plants and flowers grow.

Their intricate world offers many educational opportunities for our little learners. We are excited to share some hands-on bee activities for preschoolers that can spark curiosity, inspire exploration, and foster a love for STEM in young learners.

Preschoolers will love exploring bee anatomy with art! Sensory play helps them understand pollination in a fun way. These bee-themed activities spark curiosity and make learning a blast. They’re perfect for little learners eager to discover the world around them.

Let’s dive into the world of bees and embark on a journey of discovery!

In this blog post, we will explore five hands-on bee activities that can spark curiosity, inspire exploration, and foster a love for STEM in preschoolers. These activities align with preschoolers’ natural curiosity and provide a meaningful learning experience that introduces bee anatomy, pollination, engineering, basic coding concepts, and the viscosity of  honey. Let’s dive into the world of bees and embark on a journey of discovery!

What is STEM education, and why is it important for preschoolers?

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It is a way of learning that encourages children to explore and discover the world around them. STEM activities are hands-on and engaging, and they help children develop important skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.

We’ve got a fun collection of bee-themed STEM activities that are perfect for preschoolers. These activities are super fun and hands-on, and they’ll teach kids all about bees, their bodies, how they pollinate flowers, and why they’re so important.

Plus, they’re totally aligned with STEM education standards and will help kids develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity skills.

Bee Anatomy

In this activity, children create a bee’s body using art materials such as construction paper, crayons, and markers. When they’ve finished creating their bee, have them label the different body parts of the bee, such as the head, thorax, abdomen, wings, and legs. 

While the children build and label their bees, discuss the functions of these body parts, such as how the wings help the bee fly and how the stinger helps the bee defend itself. 

Finally, encourage the children to share their creations with the group and explain the bee’s anatomy to each other.

• Parts of a Bee Preschool Worksheet
• Parts of a Queen Bee Worksheet
• Free Parts of a Bee Worksheet

Pollination Power!

In the “Pollination Power!” activity, children engage in a sensory experience by exploring a bin filled with flowers, pollen, and other natural materials. They can touch, smell, and observe the different items, immersing themselves in the wonders of nature. 

As they explore, children can learn about pollination, discovering how bees and other pollinators transfer pollen from one flower to another, enabling the growth of new plants. 

This activity not only stimulates children’s senses but also fosters their understanding of life’s interconnectedness and pollination’s vital role in sustaining ecosystems.

• Bee Sensory Bin
• Bee Sensory Bottle

Beehive Engineering

In the Beehive Engineering activity, children are presented with various materials like blocks, straws, and cardboard tubes. They are challenged to use their creativity and imagination to design and construct a model of a beehive. 

This activity aims to encourage children to explore engineering concepts, foster teamwork and collaboration, and promote hands-on learning by designing and building their own beehive models. 

This activity allows children to engage in problem-solving and critical thinking as they work together to create a structure that mimics the unique characteristics of a real beehive.

By providing children with open-ended materials, the Beehive Engineering activity encourages them to think outside the box and develop innovative solutions to the challenges they encounter during the building process.

Bee-Bot Coding

Use a programmable robot such as a Bee-Bot to teach children basic coding concepts. Children can program the robot to move in different directions to simulate the movement of bees. 

This activity helps children develop computational thinking skills such as sequencing, loops, and problem-solving. It also introduces them to the concept of programming in a fun and engaging way.

Children can work together to create their own programs and share their ideas with others.

Honey Viscosity Experiment

In the “Honey Viscosity Experiment,” children explore the concept of viscosity, which describes how liquids flow. They compare the rate at which honey, water, and other liquids flow into different containers. 

By observing the different flow rates, children can understand viscosity in a hands-on and interactive way. This experiment is a fun and engaging way to introduce the concept of viscosity to children and helps them develop their scientific inquiry skills. 

By conducting this experiment, children can learn about the properties of liquids and how different substances flow at different rates.

• Exploring Viscosity
• Working with Viscosity

How can I incorporate these bee activities into my preschool lesson plans?

These bee activities can be easily incorporated into preschool lesson plans by aligning them with specific learning goals. For example, the “The Buzz on Bee Anatomy” activity can be used to teach children about body parts and their functions. In contrast, the “Pollination Power!” activity can be used to introduce the concept of pollination.

Nonfiction Books About Bees

Exploring the world of bees through literature can significantly enhance preschoolers’ understanding and appreciation of these vital creatures.

Engaging in nonfiction books allows children to discover fascinating facts about bees, from their roles in ecosystems to their behavior and anatomy.

These carefully selected readings are educational tools and gateways to further curiosity and exploration.

Incorporating bee-themed STEM activities into your preschool curriculums offers a unique and engaging way to introduce young learners to essential science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts.

Children can develop critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and a deeper understanding of nature’s interconnections through hands-on activities like Bee Anatomy, Pollination Power, Beehive Engineering, Bee-Bot Coding, and the Honey Viscosity Experiment.

By exploring the fascinating world of bees through these interactive activities and nonfiction literature, educators can nurture a sense of wonder and curiosity in their students, laying a solid foundation for lifelong learning and environmental stewardship.

Remember, every small discovery and lesson learned is a step towards raising informed, responsible, and innovative future leaders and citizens.

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