STEM Activities for Kids to Try at Home
Getting started in subjects like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics can be an intimidating experience for many kids. If you’re looking to make STEM learning engaging and enjoyable for your child, here are some stem activities for kids you can try at home.
Counting Cups: Stem Activities for Kids
Turn snack time into learning time with this entertaining counting games for preschoolers! For this activity, set out 10 empty cups in two rows of five. Then, write numbers 1-10 on 10 slips of paper, and place one slip next to each cup. For snacks, you can use raisins, nuts or crackers. Your little one will need to put a certain number of nuts or raisins into the cup based on the corresponding slip of paper. For example, the #1 cup gets one raisin, the #2 cup gets two raisins, and so on.
Balloon Physics: Preschool Steam Activities
Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. You can help your kids understand this law with a simple stem activities for 5 year olds. When you blow up a balloon, you need to fill it with air. When the air escapes from the balloon, the escaping air exerts force on the balloon that pushes it forward. In other words, when the air escapes backward, the balloon races forward. Action, reaction! Another option for your child’s physics education is Osmo’s Newton. This game uses digital-physical learning to introduce your little one to the concept of acceleration.
Skittles Experiment: Steam for Kids
This stem activities for 4 year olds lets your child experiment with their favorite treat. First, place a ring of yellow Skittles around the outside of your plate. Then, draw eyes using blue Skittles and a smile using red Skittles. You should now have a smiley clown! Finally, pour some water onto the plate, and ask your kids to observe how the dyes of the different Skittle flavors do not mix. This easy stem activities for preschoolers teaches kids about the effects of density and salinity.
Baking: Preschool Steam Activities
Here’s an steam for kids activity for the whole family! Baking is an easy way for kids to practice measurements and fractions. If you’re looking for educational games to improve your child’s math skills, try Osmo’s Pizza Co. In this game, your child will build their math skills while running their own pizzeria!
Bridge Construction: Steam for Kids
The best stem websites for kids educational games are those that tap into kids’ imaginations. For this engineering-based activity, your child will construct a bridge of their own design. All you need is some tape, yarn, paper clips, and straws. Your child can test their bridge using makeshift weights, including Osmo game pieces like Tangram tiles or Words tiles!
Junk Boats: Preschool Steam Activities
Another engineering-based activity, this game involves building a boat using clean recyclable materials, such as old newspapers and empty paper towel rolls, and duct tape. Once the kids have finished their boats, you can test if they float by placing them in a full kiddie pool or bathtub! You can even give each child a straw to create “wind” to propel their boats forward. The first boat to reach the edge of the pool or tub wins!
Coding Fun: Stem Websites for Kids
Finally, you can help your child succeed in an increasingly digital world by giving them fun coding games for kids like Osmo Coding Duo, Coding Awbie, and Coding Jam. While these stem activities for kids teach about the basics of coding and programming, they also promote essential logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
In short, the best activities for kids allow them to experiment and build connections between what they already know and the world around them. These hands-on preschool steam activities foster curiosity and fuel the drive to learn! For more iPad learning games and indoor games for kids ideas, check out our website.