STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) industries make up a sizable chunk of any country’s economy. As STEM studies are among the biggest drivers of growth and modernization for nations, they need to be introduced to kids at an early stage to instill technical fluency in them. Unlike many adults, children possess a raging curiosity for learning and discovering new things. For these reasons, engaging in certain STEM activities for kids can broaden their horizons.
1. Toy take apart
Kids usually have a large pile of old toys that gather dust over time. Instead of disposing of these toys, kids can be encouraged to reuse them by taking them apart and creating new composite structures and objects from the separated parts. Electronic toys, which include circuit boards, gears, wires, and other moving parts, can fuel kids’ interest in engineering and mechanics.
This is one of the most practical engineering activities for kids and helps reduce plastic pollution.
2. Number match
Many interesting science experiments for kids involve number crunching, matching, or memorizing. Number Match is one of the STEM activities for kids that helps solve correlation problems for complex future use. Number Match involves elementary kids in an intriguing number match to liven up the somewhat dry subject that is math. Teachers need a marker, a whiteboard, and a few sticky notes for this activity. To begin with, teachers can draw a group of dots on a whiteboard resembling the numbers on a die. Sticky notes are hidden in different places all across the classroom. Students will be divided into opposing teams before the game officially commences. Each team’s objective is to find the sticky notes containing the number pattern drawn on the whiteboard.
The kids will have a field day trying to outpace their classmates and find the winning sticky notes as quickly as possible.
3. Circuit wand building
To execute this activity, all one needs is three craft sticks, copper tape, scissors, electric tape, a CR2032 battery, an LED bulb, and some craft paper. The ultimate objective is to build a simple electrical circuit.
To start, kids need to wrap a strip of copper tape in a ring around the craft sticks. This is where the on/off switch of the circuit will be placed. After this, wrap another strip of copper tape around the craft stick. On one of the ends of the wrapped stick, run a strip of copper tape from the bottom ring to the end of the stick. This step needs to be repeated from the top ring to the other end of the stick. One must ensure at least a finger-width space is left between the rings with no copper tape.
An LED light is attached to the end of the outer craft stick, with the tape running the entire length. One needs to cut about an inch off the end of the middle craft stick with scissors. The kids must cut off enough for the battery to fit right in. The longer part of the middle stick stays between the two outer sticks. After this, one needs to add a piece of copper tape to one side of the small piece of craft stick that was cut off the middle piece. Using an electrical tape, kids need to create a hinge and attach the piece. Finally, kids must add a piece of tape to the top to tightly bind the three craft sticks. This will be followed by adding more tape at the bottom of the on/off switch, securing the batteries in place. To turn on the switch of the wand, one can close the flap securely with their thumb.
4. Build a worm farm
For elementary school kids, the biological aspect of learning is just as critical as the technical and engineering ones. This activity helps students learn more about sunlight, water, photosynthesis, and soil nutrition. Building a worm farm involves learning the basics of growing a garden. This game involves building a realistic-looking worm farm to dispose of food waste and household garbage. At the same time, the activity also involves the creation of worm castings that are incredibly nourishing for plants.
In addition, the activity helps to keep garbage out of polluting landfills. To enhance this interactive STEM project, teachers can assist their students with building a compost pit, a simple pile nearby, and a compost roller to demonstrate the decomposition process.
5. Nature scavenger hunt
A classic scavenger hunt game helps inculcate several scientific learnings in elementary school children. In fact, this game helps promote scientific inquiry, observation skills, differentiating abilities, and an appreciation for the natural world in a kid’s mind. To participate in this outdoor activity, one needs paper, magnifying glasses, and pencils. Moderators will provide students with a checklist of objects such as flowers, rocks, insects, and leaves. After that, the students will be asked to observe these objects and record their findings and inferences. Nature scavenger hunt, especially in this form, helps sow seeds of botanical and zoological awareness in elementary school students.
6. Straw rocket challenge
This activity involves the following components – tape, scissors, paper, and drinking straws. Kids are encouraged to visualize, design, and build their own straw rockets in this activity. Initially, they cut out fins from paper before taping them to a straw. After this step, they decorate the rockets. Once the rockets are ready, they use a simple launcher made by blowing through the straw. The kids can compare how far each of their rockets has blown and keep improvising their object.
This exercise helps enhance physics-based concepts such as motion, force, and aerodynamics in children.
7. Egg drop challenge
The materials needed to play this include eggs and various materials for cushioning (including cotton balls, balloons, cushions, rubber bands, and straws).
The primary objective of this activity is to let the kids build a protective structure that prevents an egg from breaking open even when it is dropped from a great height. Students will be encouraged to use their imagination, permutations, and combinations of cushioning objects to keep the egg intact even after it takes a fall. Every time an egg breaks open, students can begin the exercise again using different combinations. This activity helps foster creativity, an understanding of gravity, problem-solving, and impact absorption in elementary school children.
