STEM fun for the first day of school!

Back to School STEM Activities

These Back to School STEM Activities are themed with school supplies like pencils, crayons and more traditional themes like buses and apples for a warm welcome into the school year.

As you kick off the school year start off by building your own DIY Dollar Store STEM kit. Here are some tips for storing STEM activities in a DIY STEM lab.

Plus for back to school fill your bookshelf with these popular STEM books for kids! We’d want to encourage you to make time for STEM activities the rest of the school year with our 50 Stem Activities for Kids!

STEM Activities with Pencils

Pencils are a classic icon for Back to School so we put together a collection of five STEM Activities with Pencils to do with your child.

Can you build a tower with pencils? How tall can your pencil tower go?

Create a pencil catapult! With just a few supplies you’ll be launching tons of back to school fun.

Get ready to build a bridge with pencils! Try your hands at a pencil Da Vinci Bridge.

The magic breaking pencil activity is a fun way to demonstrate how light waves work with kids

Explore the chemistry of polymers by making your very own leakproof bag experiment. Who would have ever thought that a plastic bag, some water, and a few pencils would be so much fun?

STEM Activities with Apples

Apples are the classic first day of school item, so why not have a little STEM fun with apples? Here are five quick and easy STEM Activities with Apples.

Can you pick your apples from the apple tree with the help of a few magnetic tubes? Take this Back to school STEM challenge with our apple STEM activity.

How high can you stack your apples? Try out this apple stacking STEM Game!

Make back to school snack time a STEM challenge too with this fun and easy apple toothpick STEM challenge

Pull out the containers for this easy apple science experiment and discover how different liquids affect apples.

Create an explosive apple volcano with just a few supplies in your cabinet.

STEM Activities with Crayons

A fresh new box of crayons is a sign of a new school year. It also means there might be a few broken crayons looking to become a STEM activity for back to school. These five STEM activities with crayons explore all sorts of ways that properties of matter can change.

How many crayons can you count? This sensory bottle math game with crayons is tons of hands on fun!

Will it sink or float? Try this crayon sensory bottle science experiment!

Explore how crayons can change with heat with this beautiful melted crayon stain glass art project.

Back to school time, you tend to clean out the boxes and find old broken crayons, this hot rock melted crayon art is perfect for those crayons to find new life and explore how properties can change with heat.

Can you make a rainbow crayon? Discover the melting point of crayons, does the color matter?

Bus Themed STEM Activities

For little ones, the school bus is one of the things they are super excited about, even if they walk to school. Take advantage of this interest and see how much fun they’ll have with these five bus themed STEM Activities.

Can you make the wheels on the bus move? This Wheels on the Bus STEM Activity is perfect as we head back to school!

Work on numbers as you head back to school with this delicious school bus math game.

Build your own school bus photo frame with popsicle sticks for a back to school keepsake.

Create your own school bus with watercolors to work on math facts for the school year!

Sometimes it’s all about simplicity and the challenge of building your own version of a bus with a fun challenge inside like this. school bus sensory bottle.

Why do STEM Activities with your child?

STEM activities provide hands-on and minds-on lessons for your child. Making math and science both fun and interesting helps your child to do much more than just learn.

STEM is in every part of our lives. Science is everywhere in the world around us. Technology is continuously expanding into every aspect of our lives. Engineering is the basic design of bridges and buildings. Mathematics is in every profession and family, every activity we do in our lives.

By exposing students to STEM at home and school and giving them opportunities to explore STEM-related concepts, our hope is that they will develop a passion for it and in the future express their interest in a STEM-related job.

We’re excited that you can inspire your child to kick off their first day of school with tons of Back to School STEM Activities!

Which one will you start with as your first STEM Challenge for Back to School?

Your child may also enjoy these Back to School Resources…

They are so easy even the kids can paint them! 

Here’s how to make and play!

Pencil Themed Clothespins

This time of year is always a fun time to spark your child’s love of learning and school. Playing games inspired by back to school supplies help you kick off the school year with a focus on taking good care of all those products you just spent your money on.

Here’s how you can make simple but fun pencil themed clothespins with your child.  You can even make them personalized pencils for a special school work art display to highlight their special work this year.

One way to prep your child for reading success is to start off the year by working on the Dolch Sight Word List.

Disclosure: Affiliate links used to Amazon.  

Materials Needed for Pencil Themed Clothespins and Literacy Game

• Mini Wooden Clothespins 
• Shimmering Silver Acrylic Paint
• Acrylic Paint Canary Yellow
• Acrylic Paint Pink Parfait
• Paint Brush
• Scrapbook Paper 
• Scissors 
• Sharpie Permanent Marker Black
• Handwriting Paper
• wax paper or paper plate

Instructions for Pencil Themed Clothespins

1. Use the yellow paint to create the pencil by painting on both sides of the chunky clothespin covering 3/4 of the wood.  Be sure to also paint the sides too. Get your kids involved in this craft, it’s really easy and a fun memory to do together.

2. Then using the pink paint, it’s time to add the pencil eraser to the end of the pencil.  I made the end where you pinch the eraser portion so I could also paint the inside portion too.  Be sure to paint the edges on this task too pink.

3.  The last step is to use your silver paint to create the metal portion of your pencil.  The Shimmering Silver Acrylic Paint adds a special sparkle to the whole pencil craft which I highly recommend.  You can use it later in the year to create holiday crafts too, instead of using glitter.

4. OPTIONAL: You can paint a little black potion of the end for a pencil point, we left it off to make them easier to make.  Plus, if you really want your pencil painting to last you could also add an Acrylic Paint Sealer

Pencil Themed Sight Word Game

This can be a fun hands-on way to work on those high-frequency words for Kindergarten & First Grade! To create the pencil themed literacy game for sight words take your Scrapbook Paper and cut out with Scissors  24 squares.  They can be the size of around 2 inches by 2 inches for easy handling, you go make them smaller if you’d prefer. Add a few more if you’re planning to do spelling words for those double letters in words like the word “that.”

Write one letter per square with your Permanent Marker Black.  You can do it with your child watching you write the letters and discuss letter formations for younger kids OR I would have my child do it and have an alphabet chart on the table close by so that they can work on proper letter formations with you watching their handwriting skills.

Once you write all of the letters, it’s time to play!  You can start off with letter writing practice by choosing a letter card and putting it onto the Pencil Clothespin as a stand. 

Next, you can move to practice forming word families like choosing the word family -at and then selecting a few letter cards that would go with it like s, c, m, p, f, r.  Then challenge your child to see if they can read those words.

This activity would be ideal for spelling word practice too!  Have your child gather the letter cards and place them onto the Pencil Clothespins and then write them out on their Primary Handwriting Paper for spelling word practice in a hands-on way.

You can have them practice writing down each word that they made with the pencil themed sight word game!

Literacy Game with Pencil Clothespins

• Work on Spelling Word Lists
• Word Families
• Alphabetical Order
• Matching Upper Case to Lower Case Letters

Did you know that sight words make up around 75% of the words used in beginning children’s print materials? Sight words can give your child a better start in learning to read.

If your child is able to quickly recognize sight words then as a beginning reader they will be able to spend more time concentrating on the meaning and comprehension of the words as they read them instead of having to decode every single word.

Learning Materials for Back to School Writing

• My First Pencils Large Round
• #2 Pencils Box of 96
• Primary Handwriting Paper

Learn now Why You Should be Using Beginner Pencils for Handwriting Practice with young children.

Can’t wait to hear how your child’s pencil themed clothespins turn out and how they use them at your house. They would be a cute little teacher gift idea for their teacher too. You could even attach magnets to the back to create pencil themed magnets for their classroom.

You may also enjoy these activities with your child…

More Sight Word Games for Kids

• Sight Words with Glass Gems 
• Sea Shell Sight Word Game 
• Pumpkin Sight Word Game with Sensory Bottle 
• Fish Themed Sight Word Game

Want the best pencil to learn to write? Here’s our favorite!

** LIKE IT? PIN IT!  **

We have already started our back to school shopping. Luckily, our school has just published their school supply list for all the grade levels. As a teacher, I looked forward to all these supplies coming in. As a parent, I see this list with new perspectives.

How does your school’s kindergarten supply list compare?

How Does Your Child’s Kindergarten Supply List Compare?

My friend and I just had our annual – can you believe our kids school supply list conversation on the phone this afternoon?

The first school I taught at supplied all of our classroom materials including paper, pencils, markers, scissors, and crayons. We filled out a form and the school delivered it to our classrooms during pre-planning from their warehouse. If we needed more, we asked for it. The supply closet was stocked and all the kids needed to bring was their own backpacks.

As the years went on, the teacher supply closet concept ended and as a teacher, I was left to find supplies for 26 kindergartners with a $100 budget. YES. I was expected to purchase enough supplies (paper, pencils, crayons, glue, ect) for an entire year of projects for 26 young children with $100.

Needless to say, I went over budget because, well… kids need pencils and paper to learn and even with sales shopping and planning, paper and pencils alone for 26 kids for an entire school year come out to way more than $100.

You know that! Why? Because I’m sure your school supply list comes close to that amount – for 1 child.

Nowadays, parents are big contributors to classroom supplies. 

It’s hard on the budget these first few weeks, but so very important for kids to have the needed materials.

My Son’s Kindergarten Supply List

I just printed out our supply list for this school year. Thankfully, the stores have decided that it’s back-the-school sales this week, so we are going to be picking up some supplies. Unfortunately, it seems that most of the sales are for the brands not called for in our list.

Yes, the brands were specified on the lists we received.

As a teacher, my supply lists never specified brands, but I can understand why they do.  Some brands of crayons, for example, do not color as brightly or last as long as others. Rather than buy more than you need, choosing a brand that you know works better ends up saving time and money in the long run. I did shake my head a bit at the “pre-sharpened” pencils.

Sure, they save you a couple minutes of time, but is it really necessary????

Kindergarten Back to School List

Amazon affiliate links to products. Surprisingly, some of our supplies are less expensive (the sharpened pencils)  when ordering online and having them shipped to my door (I have Amazon Prime).

• 1 pack Crayola Ultraclean Fineline Classic Markers (10 Count)
• 1 pack Crayola Ultraclean Broadline Classic Washable Markers (10 Count)
• Crayola Crayons 24 Count – 2 Packs
• Elmer’s All-Purpose Glue Sticks, .77 oz, 12 Pack (E517) (not large)
• 1 pair of Fiskars 94917097 No. 5 Blunt Tip Scissors
• 24 Dixon Ticonderoga Pre-Sharpened with Erasers Pencils, #2, Yellow, Box of 30 (13830)
• 1 Backpack(NO ROLLING BACKPACKS, please)
• One Box of Facial Tissues
• $10 cash donation for miscellaneous classroom supplies
• Girls bring:
  • 1 container Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
  • Ziploc Double Zipper Gallon Storage Bags – 52 count(freezer type preferred)
  • 1 bottle Elmer’s Washable No-Run School Glue, 4 oz, 1 Bottle (E304).
  • 1 box Bandages
• Boys bring:
  • 1 bottle Hand Sanitizer
  • 1 Paper Towel Roll
  • 1 box Ziploc Double Zipper Storage Bag, Quart, 48 Count (freezer type preferred)
  • 1 container Baby Wipes

What is missing from the school supply list?

There are some things that we use every single day that are not included on the back to school supply list provided by our school.

1. Tennis shoes
2. School uniforms
3. Lunch Boxes
4. Lunch Box Containers
5. Cold Packs for lunch boxes
6. Water bottles
7. Small gift for the teacher

Yes – you read that right. Do NOT wait until teacher appreciation week in the spring to give your child’s teacher a gift. A gift card and a heartfelt note do wonders for developing strong relationships.

Sample Back to School Messages for Your Child’s Teacher:

Pack of kid-friendly stickers – I saw these in the store and thought you may find a good use for them!
$20.00 Gift Card to Target: I am so excited that ___ is in your classroom this year. I’m sure there are some extra things that you may need for your classroom and hope that this little bit helps.

$20.00 Gift Card to a local cafe/restaurant- Back-to-school is such a busy time of year. Dinner’s on us tonight!

A small basket of extra school supplies: Looking forward to a fantastic school year with you.

Do you have a wiggly kid that has a hard time sitting still? Take a look at the best school supplies for ADHD.

Where to find your child’s school supply list?

• Most schools have published their grade level lists on their school website and/ or Facebook pages.
• Pick up a paper copy at the front desk.
• Call the secretary and ask for the list.

You may also want to consider grabbing the best school supplies for ADHD.

How to Save Money on School Supplies during Back-To-School Time.

1. My number 1 money-saving back-to-school tip – Use what you already have!!!!!

Buy a decent backpack and keep re-using it each year. We encourage our kids to choose non-themed backpacks so they don’t outgrow the character. Items such as kid scissors can also be re-used year after year. They do NOT need to be brand new in a package!

2. Make a list and stick to it.

You don’t need all the cutesy extras – like a ruler snap bracelet or sparkly pencil toppers. Get the essentials. If your child really “wants” something special and it’s in your budget – choose ONE special item and have them keep it in their homework center at home!

3. Buy an extra set of pencils, markers, and crayons when they are on sale for you to keep at home.

Here are some additional tips for back to school for your child…

• Teaching Kids How to Be Responsible for their Backpack
• Back to School STEM Activities
• First Day of School Books
• Back to School Resources for Parents
• The Best Lunch Boxes for Kids

We’re so excited to invite you to to do something that can change the lives of hundreds of children!  Andie from Crayon Freckles took on this project, which is also very dear to our hearts, and invited The Educators’ Spin On It to become involved too.

We have partnered with over 40 bloggers to help support their Tools for Back to School campaign. It helps parents and students prepare for school by providing school supplies and resources to the youth they serve. Here’s what the Boys & Girls Club of America has to say about the campaign:

Too many kids in America are falling behind inschool and life before they even get started. Oftentimes, this is not due to alack of ability but to the lack of access to both basic tools, such as notebooks and pens, and to quality after-school programming that helps prepare kids for academic success and, inevitably, a great future.

Our goal is for us to raise $500. So, will you make a difference?  Everyone who makes a $10 (or more) donation will get the Boredom-Buster Backpack: 50+ Activities to Keep Children Busy ebook The ebook is filled with amazing activities contributed by over 20 bloggers that will keep your children busy, learning, and having fun.

Go to the Bloggers Filling Backpacks BGCA fundraising page and make your $10 donation for your copy of this awesome ebook!  Not only will you get tons of fun activities to do with your child, you’ll help other children have the supplies they need to start school successfully!

You can find the Boys & Girls Club of America on Facebook, Twitter, or their Website.

Back to School is one of my favorite times of the year! It’s the excitement of building and bringing a new community of students together to reach their goals for one whole year. I know of many teachers that, for the past few weeks, have been getting ready for your child to come to school. They’ve been planning out their year, designing their classrooms just for your child and mostly on their own personal time.

Here are some things that over the years I’ve found that help kids get ready for school from a teacher’s point of view.

10 Helpful Back to School Tips

At Home Back to School Tips

• Start going to bed early and waking up early at least a week before school starts to help transition into a great morning routine.
• Discuss your morning routine with your child to make it go smoothly each day.
• Set up a plan for how your child selects their clothes for school.
• Select a few first day of school books to read to help get your child ready.

• Label with permanent marker their backpack, lunchbox and jackets and sweaters.
• Make a designated place for backpack , lunchbox and school papers.
• Read books about school. (Don’t forget those summer reading  assignments)
• Get your school supply list from the front office and shop early.
• Buy extra supplies to stock your house for homework and crafts or for a new teacher box.
• Create a Homework Area and Homework Routine for your child
• Make and Read the First Day of School Magic Dust Poem to help with any anxieties about the first day of school.

At School Back to School Tips

• Go to Meet the Teacher and build a connection with the teacher and classmates.
• Offer to volunteer to do things at home for the teacher, like cutting things out.
• Find out how you can donate time or items to your child’s classroom or a new teacher’s classroom.

• Fill out the Volunteer Forms as soon as possible.
• Join the PTA.
• Visit the school’s Website or Facebook Page often
• Read and Fill out promptly all the forms and papers that come home.
• Create a Special Gift for your child’s Teacher for the first day
• Get to know the Core Standards for your child’s grade, learning begins at home!
• Attend Open House Night.  Have a few questions ready to ask.

Our goal is for this to be one of the most exciting times of the year for students. Let’s encourage our children to recognize the gift of education in their lives and create a love of learning.  

You may also find this back to school resources helpful…

If you haven’t made a Teacher Supply Box like I posted here, but are still interested, now is a great time to gather your supplies.

During my shopping trip I grabbed a bunch of Colored Construction Paper, White Construction Paper and Drawing Paper for making crafts with my girls throughout the year.  I also found a large pencil box to create our Homework Station for my Kindergartner.  Plan to post more about her Homework Station in my next post. I found some School stickers to donate to my daughter’s classroom too.  They even had some cute die cute letters I plan to use to help my little one with her sight words this year.

Teacher Tip…

I always grab a few extra boxes of crayons, markers, pencils and glue during the sales to keep on supply at home throughout the year.

Here is a super cute unit on School Supplies to do with your little ones.

2 Teacing Mommies

School Supplies Preschool Unit at 2 teachingmommies.com

For more Back to School Tips Check out
Top Ten Tips for Back to School at Home
First Day of School Magic Dust
ABC’s of Open House
After School Express Back to School Week
Simple Solutions for School Lunches and Snacks
Helping your Child with Back to School Worries

Shhhh… What teachers would never tell you is that this is their favorite time of the year. Why you ask?

The answer’s not what you think. The middle of summer is the best school supply shopping time! I have not met a teacher who doesn’t love and need school supplies for their classroom.

School supply budgets are getting cut throughout school districts in our nation and teachers are finding their own resources to ensure children have everything they need to succeed.

I can’t think of a better way to help teach your children to think of others AND show your support for the people who help our children grow and learn each day. For the past few years Amanda and I, with the help of a Mom’s Group, have created “Teacher Supply Boxes” for a few local schools where many of the families are not financially able to bring any supplies for their children. For very little money, we’ve been able to create boxes filled to the brim with school supplies and saw very appreciative Teachers as they received their Teacher Supply Box.

Our children helped us read the ads from local stores to find the best deals, shop for supplies, and fill the container. Before delivering the package, we wrote a note thanking them for being a teacher. We talked about the importance of thinking of others throughout the whole process.

The culminating activity was delivering the boxes to the teachers and seeing their very happy faces!

Here are some things to include. The numbers may vary depending on your school districts classroom size. If you only send in 10 – we don’t think the teachers will mind =) Here are some suggestions…

Teacher School Supply Box Suggestions 

• Handsoap
• Folders – 25 of the same color
• 25 Spiral Notebooks
• Pencils
• Crayola crayons
• Washable Markers
• Erasers
• Stickers
• Dry Erase Markers
• Highlighters
• Sharpies
• Germ Gel
• Tissues
• Handsoap

Our children were involved in this community project to help understand the needs of others. Here’s what our Mom’s Group Donated. We ended up donating to 3 different new teachers who were thrilled to receive their boxes!

For more Back to School Ideas 

• First Day of School Magic Dust & Going to School Books Recommendations
• Top Ten Back to School Tips for Home and School
• The ABC’s of Open House Night

What will you add to your Teacher Supply Box?