Have you ever thought about what to do with the leftover Easter egg dye that you use for eggs every year?

Rainbow Sea Shells Science Experiment

I’m going to be honest I never have until this Easter, I guess just because we’re always busy doing other things on Easter with our extended family. This year after we finished my 6 year old daughter asked me what else she could use the Egg Dye for?

I turned to the interest and found that you can color coffee filters, clothespins, yarn, and even Tie Die and paint with your leftover vinegar based egg dye.

However, we wanted something similar to eggs…

We both thought about it and this is what we came up with…Seashells

Now I’ll admit we have quite a few seashells in our sandbox from our many trips to the beach, we’re very lucky to live a few hours from the beach since all of my kids were born. So in 20 years we’re gathered quite a few and use them for playtime.

You’d be amazed at how many ways you can use seashells for imaginary play.

We’ve painted them like these Storytelling Shells but I never thought about dying them.

We brought our containers outside and gathered up our seashells. We washed them off first and let them dry out so they could absorb as much of the vinegar based dye as they could.

That’s ok we have fun playing outdoors in our gorgeous spring weather in the south this weekend.

Coloring the seashells worked out to be a great sibling activity too!

How to Dye Seashells with Kids

Once our seashells were dry we set them inside of the various colors of Egg Dye and watched to see what happened. I wasn’t sure if they would change due to their surface, so it was so much fun to observe and watch as they change. A little science and discovery at home is always a good thing!

We left them in the colored water for around 30 minutes, but honestly experiment to see the variety of results you get… it’s a science experiment with your kids so enjoy!

Here’s how our Dyed Seashells turned out, a rainbow of fun!

Did you throw your dye away already, no worries you could think about grabbing a few egg dye kits on clearance this week and making your own Rainbow Shells this spring!

I think we must just try rocks next!

What would you color next with leftover egg dye?

Want more rainbow ideas? Get our list of Colorful Rainbow Books for Kids.

• Sight Word Sea Shells
• Alphabet Fun with Shells
• Storytelling Shells

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STEM Camp Ideas

Summer makes the perfect time for our kids to get hands-on with activities, games, and challenges that connect learning to science, technology, engineering, and math.

I really would love to see more time for our kids to simply experience STEM concepts in the classroom. These ideas would make for great monthly STEM themes in a classroom too.

What is STEM?
That’s easy STEM stands for S=Science, T=Technology, E=Engineering and M=Math.

Let’s be honest there are some skills that our kids need to know that weren’t necessarily a focus when we were kids. These 21st-century skills include media and technology literacy, productivity, social skills, communication, flexibility, and initiative.

The skills your child can learn with STEM education include problem-solving, critical thinking, decision-making, creativity, curiosity, entrepreneurship, leadership, acceptance of failure, and many other skills.

By creating your own STEM Camp at home your child will get hands-on experiences and real-world applications required for developing an innovative mind.

The ability to think critically and challenge standards is the basis of innovation.

This summer here are some fun ideas for creating your own STEM Camp at home for your child.

Each STEM Themed Camp includes suggestions for STEM books, STEM products, STEM activities, and even STEM inspired snack ideas.

STEM Camp Themes

• The Human Body
• Electricity & Circuits
• Engineering
• Chemistry
• Coding
• Robotics
• Solar Energy
• Microscopic World
• Measurement
• Outer Space

We’ve included several choices for STEM Camp Themes for your child.

Pick a topic that your child is most interested in first. You don’t have to do all of these, pick a few that you think will encourage your child to have fun and explore more this summer.

Each themed camp should cost less than $100 for all the supplies and you get to keep them all which is an awesome BONUS to hosting your own STEM Camp.

Keep in mind these make for really fun after-school activities too for the upcoming school year.

You can use this STEM Camp Ideas table of content to quickly look at the camp designed for your child’s interests.

Just click on the theme and it will take you to that spot below to start planning your summer fun.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Human Body

There are so many fun things to explore when it comes to the human body for kids. Frankly, it’s concepts that will help them throughout their lives. Have fun exploring anatomy with your child in this Human Body STEM Camp.

STEM KITS:

SmartLab QPG Lab For Kids, Squishy Human Body
Lightweight Stethoscope Dual Head, Doctor Stethoscopes
Newest Human Body Model for Kids
Learning Resources Anatomy Models Bundle Set
Melissa & Doug Magnetic Human Body
Abacus Brands Virtual Reality Human Body

BOOKS:

Stephen Biesty’s Incredible Body Cross-Sections by Richard Platt
Human Body Activity Book for Kids by Ph.D., Katie Stokes, M.Ed.
Knowledge Encyclopedia Human Body! by DK & Smithsonian Institution
Me and My Amazing Body by Joan Sweeney
My First Book About Genetics (Coloring Book) by Wynne & Silver
How Does My Body Work? Human Body Book for Kids by Sara LaFleur MD

ACTIVITIES:

• Q-tip Skeleton Craft
• Human Body Project
• Human Body Coloring Pages
• Free Printable Skeleton Bones Activity
• How Long Are Your Intestines
• Inflatable Heart Craft
• Blood Cell Membrane Experiment
• Blood in a Bottle
• Brain Hemisphere Hat
• Respiratory System Model
• Printable Human Body Systems
• Body Measurement Activities
• Human Eye Activities
• Felt Anatomy Model
• Printable Human Body Playdough Mats
• Pasta Skeleton
• Draw Inside of a Human Sidewalk Chalk
• Life-sized Skeleton

SNACK IDEAS:

• Make a Candy Spine
• Candy DNA Model
• All About Me Pizzas
• Veggie Skeleton Tray

Robotics

A big topic everyone is talking about is Robotics and for good reason, there’s so much a child can learn from exploring, building, and testing out things. Many schools lack the funding to have enough hands-on time with robotics for your child to truly grasp all the concepts robotics can teach. Here are a few ideas to make an epic Robotics STEM Camp.

STEM KITS:

Makeblock mBot Robot Kit
ELEGOO UNO R3 Project Smart Robot Car Kit V4 with UNO R3
Sphero Mini Activity Kit: App-Enabled Programmable Robot Ball with 55 Piece
Botley The Coding Robot 2.0 Activity Set
Osmo – Coding Starter Kit for iPhone & iPad
Educational Coding DIY Building Kit Rechargeable Robot Toy

BOOKS:

I Can Make Remarkable Robots by Kristina A. Holzweiss & Amy Barth
Robots, Robots Everywhere! (Little Golden Book)
Pete the Cat: Robo-Pete by James Dean
Love, Z by Jessie Sima
A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown
Awesome Robotics Projects for Kids by Bob Katovich
Robo-Sauce by Adam Rubin
Unplugged by Steve Antony
Boy and Bot by Ame Dyckman
R Is for Robot: A Noisy Alphabet by Adam F. Watkins

ACTIVITIES:

• How to Build a Brush Bot
• Simple Homemade Robot Car
• How to Make a Propeller Car
• Build a Wooblebot That Makes Art
• Gliding Robot Toy
• Sponge Paint Robots Craft
• Magnetic Robot Art
• Junk Art Robot Project
• Robot Toilet Paper Roll Craft
• Robot Sensory Jar with Parts
• Build and Stack Robots
• Easy LEGO Robots

SNACK IDEAS:

• DIY Robot Snacks
• Nuts and Bolts Trailmix
• Marshmallow Robots
• Robot Juice Box Treat

Coding

Learning about coding is more accessible than ever! Summer makes a great time for tackling some coding projects with your child. There are both technology and non-tech activities that kids can learn to code with. Are you ready for a fun Coding STEM Camp?

STEM KITS:

Bit Coding Robot by Ozobot
Snap Circuits Code Journey, Build Your Circuit
LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox
OKK Coding DIY Building Kit Rechargeable Robot
Kids First Coding & Robotics
Botley The Coding Robot 2.0 Activity Set
Osmo – Coding Starter Kit for iPhone & iPad
Wonder Workshop Dash – Coding Robot for Kids
The Official Scratch Coding Cards

BOOKS:

How to Code a Rollercoaster by Josh Funk
Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding by Linda Liukas
How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk
Coding for Kids: Python: Learn to Code with 50 Awesome Games and Activities
DK Workbooks: Computer Coding with Scratch 3.0 Workbook
Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark
Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World by Reshma Saujani
Doll-E 1.0 by Shanda McCloskey
Lift The Flap Computers & Coding by Rosie Dickins
Look Inside How Computers Work by Alex Frith
Gabi’s If/Then Garden (Code Play) by Caroline Karanja
Rox’s Secret Code by Mara Lecoq and Nathan Archambault
The ABCs of Programming by Arthur & Madison Johnston
Who Says Women Can’t Be Computer Programmers by Tanya Lee Stone
How to Talk to Your Computer by Seymour Simon

ACTIVITIES:

• Coding a LEGO Maze
• Super Hero Coding Game
• Secret Message Coding Bracelet
• Binary Code Bracelet That’s Out of This World
• Coding Game for Critical Thinking Skills
• Debug Coding Game Printable
• 20 Easy Ways to Get Kids Coding
• Magnetic Tile Coding Activity
• Wooden Coding Game Pieces

Electricity

Do you remember learning how to make a potato light up? Learning about electricity and how circuits work has grown leaps and bounds for kids. There are so many resources available. You never know what your child can create with the basic foundation of knowledge of electricity with the Electricity STEM Camp.

STEM KITS:

Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Exploration Kit
EUDAX School Physics Labs Basic Electricity
Squishy Circuits Kit Electric Circuit for Kids
Giggleway Electric Motor Robotic Science Kits
Sntieecr Electric Circuit Motor Kit
100 Pieces Clear LED Light
Copper Foil Tape with Double-Sided Conductive
3V Lithium Battery
Battery Box Holder w Cap On/Off Switch
Copper Wire
Super Strong Neodymium Disc Magnets
Tinkering Labs Robotics Engineering Kit

BOOKS:

I Can Make Exciting Electronics by Kristina A. Holzweiss
Amazing MakerSpace DIY Electricity by Kristina A. Holzweiss
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba & Bryan Mealer
Oscar and the Bird: A Book about Electricity by Geoff Waring
The Magic School Bus And The Electric Field Trip by Cole & Degan
Awesome Electronics Projects for Kids by Colby Tofel-Grehl PhD

ACTIVITIES:

• Easy Playdough Circuits
• Build a Simple Electric Motor (Homopolar Motor)
• Static Electricity Butterfly Experiment
• How to Make a Magic Wand
• Tiny Dancers (A Homopolar Motor)
• Easy Static Electricity Experiment
• Paper Circuit Cards
• Building Electric Circuit Cards
• Electric Circuit Game
• Paper Circuits
• Potato Powered Light
• Lemon Battery Experiment
• Light Up Circuit Maze

SNACK IDEAS:

• Light Bulb Candy Snack Holder

Chemistry

Chemistry is one of the topics that kids are always drawn to and memorized by. With just a few supplies from around the house, you can make your summer chemistry lab. What magic reaction will you try first?

STEM KITS:

Learning Resources Primary Science Lab Activity Set
Real Chemistry Experiments: 40 Exciting STEAM Activities for Kids
Molecular Model Kit with Molecule Modeling Software
Chemistry Molecular Model Kit (444 Pieces)
7 Crystal Growing Science Experimental Kit with Display Cases
STEM Challenges Learning Cards

BOOKS:

DK Eyewitness Books: Chemistry by Ann Newmark
The Kid’s Book of the Elements by Theodore Gray
My First Book About Chemistry (Coloring Book) by Wynne & Silver
Basher Science: Chemistry: Getting a Big Reaction by Simon Basher & Dan Green
Quantum Mechanics! The How’s and Why’s of Atoms and Molecules by Pfiffikus
What’s Chemistry All About? by Alex Frith & Lisa Jane Gillespie

ACTIVITIES:

• 50 Chemistry Activities for Kids
• Chromatography Art Experiment
• Balloon Experiment with Baking Soda
• Bottle Rocket Experiment
• What Will Freeze First Experiment
• Red Cabbage Acid/Base Experiment
• Density Science Experiment
• Dancing Raisins Experiment
• How To Do The Classic Chromatography Experiment
• Skittles Rainbow Science
• LEGO Slime
• Monster Lab Science Experiment
• Painting with Ice and Salt
• How to Make Oobleck
• The Best Basic Slime Recipe
• Elephant Toothpaste Experiment
• Crystal Science Fair Project
• How to Grow Overnight Crystal Garden

SNACK IDEAS:

• Growing Sugar Crystals Experiment
• Making Ice Cream in a Bag
• Edible Starburst Slime

Engineering

Take time this summer to truly explore how things work with this Engineering STEM Camp. Be sure to have on hand an Inventors Box to encourage their problem-solving and building skills. Ask them to tackle some everyday problems in your house and see what they design.

STEM KITS:

Learning Resources City Engineering and Design Building Set
51-Piece GeoMagnetic Vehicle Building Set
132Pcs Marble Maze Game Building Toy
SmartLab Toys Archi-TECH Electronic Smart House
Engino – Buildings & Bridges

BOOKS:

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
The Way Things Work by David Macaulay
Seven Wonders of Green Building Technology by Karen Sirvaitis
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
Be a Maker by Katey Howes
Boxitects by Kim Smith
The Big Book of Amazing LEGO Creations with Bricks You Already Have by Sarah Dees
Made by Maxine by Ruth Spiro

ACTIVITIES:

• Newspaper Engineering Challenges
• Button Playdough Tower Challenge
• Host a Building with Boxes Playdate
• Building a Trebuchet
• Balloon Car Project
• Paper Building Blocks
• How to Build Tall Straw Structures
• Build a Cardboard Tube Marble Run
• Make Your Own Zipline Challenge
• DIY Parachutes
• DIY Rubber Band Racecars
• Popsicle Stick Bridge Projects
• Catapult Experiments for Kids
• Toothpick Structures
• Easy Paper Helicopter
• DIY Paper Airplanes Project

SNACK IDEAS:

• Snacktime Structures

Solar Energy

Summer and sun go hand in hand, so this is the perfect time to explore solar energy! Set up a fun Solar Energy STEM Camp as you test and try out all that you can do when you harness the sun’s energy.

STEM KITS:

12-in-1 STEM Solar Robot Kit
Pica Toys Solar-Powered Wooden Car with Remote Control
4M Toysmith, Green Science Solar Rover
5 in 1 Model Car Kits, 3D Wooden Puzzles
Hot Bee Robot Dinosaur Toys, 3-in-1 Solar Robot Kit
6-in-1 Solar Robot Space Building Kit
Snap Circuits Green Energy Electronics Exploration Kit
Solar Robot Space Toy
Solar Fan Mini STEM Kit
Build and Race Your Own Solar Powered Toy
Cyanotype Paper Sun Art Paper Kit
Energy Wise Premium Solar Oven

BOOKS:

Running on Sunshine: How Does Solar Energy Work? by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano
Solar Power: Capturing the Sun’s Energy by Laurie Brearley
Solar Story: How One Community Lives Alongside the World’s Biggest Solar Plant by Allan Drummond
Time to Shine! by Catherine Daly

ACTIVITIES:

• Solar Energy Science Experiments
• Solar Prints
• Build a Solar Car Challenge
• Solar Oven Project
• DIY Sun Dial for Kids

SNACK IDEAS:

Sun Tea
Solar Oven Smores
Solar Oven Nachos

Space

Launch into space during the summer with a week full of space themed fun. There’s so much to explore and discover about astrology with your child. From planets and stars to rockets and space stations. Here are a few ideas for hosting your own Space STEM Camp. Start off with a Straw Rocket STEM Challenge!

STEM KITS:

4M Green Science Rotating Solar System Kids Science Kit
Circuit Explorer Deluxe Base Station Circuit for Kids
Smithsonian Optics Room Planetarium and Dual Projector Science Kit
Gskyer Telescope, 70mm Aperture 400mm AZ Mount Astronomical Refracting Telescope

BOOKS:

The Mysteries of the Universe: Discover the best-kept secrets of space by Will Gater
The Know-Nonsense Guide to Space: An awesomely fun guide to the Universe by Heidi Fiedler
Ara the Star Engineer by Komal Singh
A Computer Called Katherine by Suzanne Slade
Space Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition: A Tour of Our Solar System and Beyond by National Geographic Kids
Sky Gazing: A Guide to the Moon, Sun, Planets, Stars, Eclipses, and Constellations by Meg Thacher
Look Inside: Space (Look Inside) by Rob Lloyd Jones
Exploring Space: From Galileo to the Mars Rover and Beyond by Martin Jenkins
Think like an Astronaut! How Do Rockets Work? by Pfiffikus
Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen

ACTIVITIES:

• Solar System Puzzle
• Making Star Shaped Stamps Challenge
• Build and Paint and Starry Night
• Space Shuttle Craft
• A Year in Space with Astronaut Scott Kelly
• Straw Rocket Project
• Pipe Cleaner Constellations
• Why Are There Craters on the Moon Experiment
• Build a Cardboard Rocket Ship
• 12 Star Gazing App
• Shooting Star Spinning Project
• Free Printable Space Activity Pack
• DIY Soda Rocket

SNACK IDEAS:

• Moon Bread
• Star Shaped Rice Krispie Treats

Microscopic World

There’s something so magical about discovering the microscopic world that we live in. The summer is ideal for your little learner to simply ask questions and find answers to what their world is made up of. Here are some fun ideas for hosting your own Microscopic STEM Camp.

STEM KITS:
Learning Resources Elite Microscope for Kids
Bysameyee USB Digital Microscope 40X to 1000X
Jiusion 48Pcs Prepared Microscope Slides Specimen
Chemistry Molecular Model Kit (444 Pieces)

BOOKS:
All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World by Lori Alexander
See Inside the Microscopic World by Rosie Dickins
My First Book of Microbes: Viruses, Bacteria, Fungi, and More by Sheddad Kaid-Salah Ferrón
Unseen Worlds: Real-Life Microscopic Creatures Hiding All Around Us

ACTIVITIES:

• Preschool Microscope Activities
• Digital Microscope Activities
• Beginner Microscope Experiments
• Microscope Guessing Game
• Glass Gem Fingerprint Magnets
• Glitter Gem Magnets
• Magnifying Glass Montessori Tray Ideas
• How to Make Your Own Mini Microscope
• How to Make a Microscope with Water

Measurement

Measurement is key to both science and math exploration for kids. These are the basic supplies we think every STEM Kit should have.

SUPPLIES:

12 PCS Measuring Cups and Spoons Set Stackable
Stainless Steel Digital Kitchen Scale
10X Shatterproof Magnifying Glass
Tape Measure 25 ft /16 ft
Learning Resources Classroom Thermometer
Clear Flexible Acrylic Ruler 12 In
Digital Stopwatch Timer
Learning Resources Primary Bucket Balance Teaching Scale
Student Geometry Math Set

BOOKS:

The Know-Nonsense Guide to Measurements by Heidi Fiedler
Me and the Measure of Things by Joan Sweeney
Measuring Penny by Loreen Leedy
How Big Is a Foot? by Rolf Myller
Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
How Long or How Wide?: A Measuring Guide by Brian P. Cleary
How Tall?: Wacky Ways to Compare Height by Mark Andrew Weakland
How Long?: Wacky Ways to Compare Length by Jessica Gunderson
How Heavy?: Wacky Ways to Compare Weight by Mark Andrew Weakland
Peg + Cat: The Puddle by Jennifer Oxley
Perimeter, Area, and Volume: A Monster Book of Dimensions by David A. Adler
Millions to Measure by David Schwartz

ACTIVITIES:

• Garden Math Measurement
• LEGO Weighing Activity
• Measuring Activities with Cooking for Kids
• Measurement Exploration Center
• LEGO Measurement Activity
• Measuring with MAGNA Tiles
• Go On a Measurement Hunt
• Linear Measurement STEM Cards
• Unit Conversion Puzzles
• Exploring Volume
• Capacity and Volume Activities
• Measurement Activities for Kids

Additional STEM CAMP Supplies

To set up your STEM Camp you’ll want a few supplies!

What makes it super fun is to create a special place where you’ll be hosting your summer camp or even a special make lab that is in a corner of the house for your child (or classroom).

Gather a few basic tools of observation, measurement and lab supplies to really set the stage.

You can learn more here about building your own DIY Dollar Store STEM Kit.

Here are some tips for how to store your STEM Activities to create your own STEM Lab

• Best STEM Toys for Kids
• Build an Inventors Box
• 50+ STEM Activities for Kids
• Ultimate Summer Book List for Kids

Go to in-person Summer Camp?

Here are a few tips for first day of summer camp jitters to help you child.

Have you looked into the program safety policies that you’ve signed up for this summer? Here are 12 questions that you should ask to ensure your child is in an environment that’s set up to ensure child safety and prevent child abuse.

Join Bill Nye is his virtual reality lab in an ultimate immersive learning experience! This 50 piece set includes everything you need, like VR Googles, beakers, measuring cups, baking soda, paint brush and much more to dive in and experience the projects right out of the box, making it an ultimate kids VR toy set!

One of the best things your child can do over the summer is READ! Take a look above at our top picks of STEM Books for kids if you’re looking for additional book suggestions.

Here are a few additional suggestions for your Summer STEM Reading.

STEM Activity Books for Parents, Teachers and Kids

Need a little inspiration for your STEM Camp at home? These are some of my favorite STEM Activity Books for Parents and Teachers.

Packed full of activity ideas that foster creativity, problem solving, learning and most imporantly FUN!

There are so many ways to have fun with kids surrounded by STEM activities and STEM books. They are prefect for summer learning and after school activities to encourage them to grow and explore as an innovative thinker and problem solver.

When you create your own STEM Camp at home your child will get the hands-on experiences needed for developing an innovative mind.

Which STEM Camp are you going to do first?

Here are 7 easy to prepare and fun to do Christmas Science experiments for kids.

Affiliate Links to Products

Science Experiments for Christmas

We put together for your one full week of fun and easy science experiments for Christmas! Many of the items you’ll need are found easily in your house too.

Let’s get ready for from Christmas Science!

1. Christmas Sensory Tub

Build a Christmas Sensory Tub like the one from Imagination Tree.  Find ways to engage all 5 senses with the inclusion on bells, cinnamon sticks, and real candy canes to taste!  Have an older child too? Write vocabulary words on card stock rectangles and add them to the sensory bin too.

Materials Needed:

• Rice
• Red and Green Pom Poms
• Pretend Candy Canes
• Foam Stars
• any other kid-safe items you have on hand.

To put an “educational” spin on it. Add some festive science vocabulary on foam rectangles or note cards.

2. Ice Ornaments

Explore the phases of water and make ice ornaments.

Materials needed:

• natural items such as cranberries or seeds.
• containers to freeze items in.

3. Christmas Tree Chromatography

Make a Christmas Tree Chromatography science experiment using

Materials Needed:

• markers,
• coffee filters, and a
• spray bottle or pipette

Picture shared with permission from the book STEAM: STEM Activities for Christmas.

4. Sleigh Races

Race and compare with this ramp exploration experiment from Science Sparks. Any LEGO car base will work for this activity.  We used ours from this LEGO Junior Race Car Rally Set

Materials Needed:

• Lego Car Base
• Tape
• Card stock
• Markers
• Jingle bells (optional)

5.  Shadow Puppet Stories

Connect literacy and science with this shadow puppet story retelling activity. Download your free templates from Adventure in a Box.

Materials Needed:

• Black paper
• Scissors
• Stick
• Flashlight or other light source.

6. Candy Cane Science Experiments

Don’t just eat them, use them for your science experiments too! We’ve heard of melting them in your oven, but do you think they dissolve at different rates if you change the water temperature? Click here for experiment directions from Mom with a Lesson Plan.

Materials Needed:

• Candy canes
• Glass jars

7.  Christmas Baubles

Try this simple, but oh so fun experiment with your children using festive colors. A seasonal twist on a popular kitchen counter science experiment (meaning everything you use should be in your kitchen).

Materials Needed

• Oil
• Glass Jar
• Food Coloring

Easy to follow directions, teacher notes, and activity extensions included in the book STEAM: STEM Activities for Christmas

Pin and DO These Science Experiments!

Don’t just pin these science experiments to your Christmas or Winter Science Pinterest Board – do them. In fact, bring out the supplies for each right now. Set the materials in a box or bag.

Having the materials out and ready will make you more likely to do them with your kids! (I know this from experience!!!!)

For MORE science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics activities, check out

STEAM: STEM Activities for Christmas, a resource of 20+ hands-on activities that are easy to prepare and fun for your children to do.

Looking for more holiday ideas? Try these 50+ Christmas Ideas for Kids!

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Nighttime Themed Preschool Activities

Whooo likes owls??? ME!!!

Owl Books for Kids

We like to start many of our adventures with a set of good books. Our nighttime collection is set in a small basket next to our favorite reading chair and consists mostly of owl books. (because I really like owls!) After lunch every day, we read together. Reading the same collection of books over and over again is great for building vocabulary and the rhythm of words.

Here are just a few of the nighttime books available that we have read.

Disclosure: Amazon Affiliate Links

Owls: An informative book for the young reader about owls.
Read the full book description

National Geographic Readers: Owls: It is no secret, I LOVE any and every National Geographic book that I’ve read. This owl level one reader is no exception and is an easy kid favorite non-fiction read.
Read the full book description

Owls (Kids Can Press Wildlife) From the habitat to raising young, readers will learn more about owls in this picture book.
Read the full book description

Owl Babies A favorite picture book by many, owls learn that mom always comes back.
Read the full book description

In My Tree This book was given to us as a birthday gift and has been read so many times, the kids now read it to us. The layered tree and puppet make it a fabulous interactive book.
Read the full book description

Owl Moon This story tells the tale of a child on an owl hike. Although very long winded, it is a delightful parent connection and leans well to taking your child on an owling adventure.
Read the full book description

Skip Hop: Who’s Hiding? I’ve read this a minimum of 500 times already this week. No facts at all in this cute little tale, but my kids LOVE the lift the flaps!
Read the full book description

Brainstorming Nighttime Sky Words

Make a list of things in the nighttime sky.

The first thing my preschooler says is, “ghosts.” Then he giggles.

I explained that we were talking about real things that you can see in the sky.

He said,
the moon
stars
nothing
maybe an owl.
oh yeah, and bats!

I’m thinking I may need to dig out my books on the solar system now to expand this lesson even more!

Make a Night Owl Painting

Materials Needed:

• Paint
• Paintbrushes and or old toothbrush
• Paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Pencil

Directions on how to make a night owl painting.

1. Have your child draw a large owl on the paper. Cut it out.

2. Discuss the colors of night. Introduce the concept of cool colors. Then let them paint the owl with cool colors. Look back in the books to see if the illustrators used cool colors too.

3. Using a toothbrush or paintbrush, splatter paint starts onto a black paper background.

4. Glue the owl onto the background and display.

Parent Tips

Head outside if you are worried about the mess. FIY – with splatter paint, there WILL be mess!

Don’t worry if their owl doesn’t look like what you had hoped preschool art is about the process, not the product. Our project turned out completely different than what I had in mind, but they all had a ton of fun! What you see is a child project. He is 4 years old and did everything but the cutting on his own. I would have let him, but he didn’t want to wait until the paint dried and it is really hard to cut wet paint!

For MORE Playful Preschool Nighttime Activities:

• Nighttime Alphabet Treasure Hunt at Growing Book by Book
• Glow in the Dark Letters Sensory Bin at Mom Inspired Life
• Shoe Box Constellations at Rainy Day Mum
  Nighttime Sky Sensory Bin at Life Over C’s
• Nocturnal Animals KWL Chart at Still Playing School
• Night Time Musical and Dance at Learning 2 Walk
• Create a Cricket Habitat and Do a Fun Science Experiment at Capri + 3
• The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh for #PlayfulPreschool at The Preschool Toolbox Blog
• Studying Bats with a Hide and Sonar-Seek Activity at Raising Lifelong Learners
• Night Time Sky with Playful Preschool at Powerful Mothering
• Book-Inspired Preschool Owl Craft at Fun-A-Day!
• Night Owl Painting and Books at The Educators’ Spin On It

And I was seriously in my love owls. Here are 10+ Owl Activities and Craft articles and learning inspiration here at The Educator’s Spin On It.

• Owl Science Afterschool with Owl Pellets
• Leaf Owl
• Owl Shaped Pizza
• Owl Apron
• Owl Costume Headband Tutorial
• Owl Handprint T-shirts
• Owl Costume and Tips for School Play
• Little Hoot Activities for Virtual Book Club for Kids
• Owl Themed Pregnancy Belly Painting with Siblings
• Owl Baby Quilt made with Siblings
• Owl Painting for Nursery or Kids room

Which fall STEM activity will you try first?

Fall Stem Activities for Kids

These hands-on fall activities create an invitation for your kids to explore, test, think, observe, and discover! Through leaves, apples, pumpkins and more get hands-on learning through natural elements we explore each fall.

If you are looking to learn more about STEM or science, technology, engineering, and math, explore our awesome STEM resources for parents OR explore our favorite STEM toys for kids.

Fall Leaves STEM Activities

The first we think of with fall is the change in color of leaves. It’s such a magical time of year for a child. This collection of fall leaves STEM activities explores various concepts of leaves with your child.

A Fall STEM Challenge with Leaves will not only get kids outside and engaged with nature, it will also encourage them to use their creativity and problem-solving skills to create a leaf sculpture greater than 6 inches tall.

Fall STEM Challenge: Leaf Sculptures

Science Experiment: The Hidden Colors in a Leaf

Preschool Physical Science Activity – Leaf Pounding

Number Leaf Scavenger Hunt

Leaf Chromatography Experiment

Get outdoors this fall and sneak in a little number fun with your child.  Just takes two items… chalk and leaves to create this chalk number game with leaves.

Chalk Number with Leaves

Science Experiment: Exploring Leaf Colors and Chlorophyll with Kids

How Do Leaves Breathe? A Simple Science Experiment for Kids

Head outside this fall to play a fun fall leaf movement activity with your child. A colorful activity that works on gross motor and fine motor skills as you celebrate fall.

Fall Leaf Movement Activity

Fall Leaves Art with Washi Tape

Fall Leaves Virtual Field Trips

Acorn STEM Activities

One of the first things children notice in fall are the acorns falling to the ground. Grab a container to collect a few for these fun acorn STEM activities to explore with your child.

Acorn Math Games

Painting Acorns Art Project

Building with Acorns

Building an Acorn Chute

Acorn Catapult

Acorn Sink or Float Experiment

Apple STEM Activities

Fall brings a special time for apple picking! Here are some adorable apple STEM activities for hours of fun and learning with your child.

Create a hands-on fall STEM activity with this stacking apples game using pretend apples and playdough.

Stacking Apples STEM Activity

Build an Apple Tree

Apple Boat Challenge

Create a fun DIY Apple Game for exploring science with force and motion with your child.  Here’s how to make your own apple game tray!

DIY Apple Game

Apple Bitmap Coding

Apple Toothpick Tower Building

Do you enjoy picking apples in the fall? This apple stem activity for preschoolers will give you hours of fun with this Fall STEM Challenge for your child. Plus you don’t even have to drive anywhere!

Apple STEM Activity

Apple Wrecking Ball Challenge

Apple Pie Pockets Recipe for Kids

Mini Apple Pie Recipe

Get into that creative mindset with your child as they head back to school with these 20 Back to School STEM activities for kids. Explore hands on fun with science, technology, engineering and math to start off a new school year. STEM fun for the first day of school!

Back to School STEM Activities

Apple Orchard Virtual Field Trips

Pumpkin STEM Activities

Pumpkins are such an iconic element of fall with kids. Discover these pumpkin STEM activities that highlight all the various parts of pumpkins. You’d be surprised how much you can learn with pumpkins.

Create a fun STEM Challenge for Halloween with this Stacking Pumpkins STEM Activity for Kids inspired by Five Little Pumpkins!  Collect some mini pumpkins and playdough and it’s time to play.

Stacking Pumpkins STEM Activity

Pumpkin House: Engineering Project for Kids

Pumpkin Crystal Science Experiment

Pumpkins are such a memorable item from nature for fall.  Add to the fun some water, leaves, acorns, and now you have your own pumpkin sensory play for your child. Here’s how to create this natural fall sensory play.

Pumpkin Sensory Play

Halloween Pumpkin Volcano Science Project

Halloween STEM – Paper Circuits

How many pumpkins can you sit on the gate? This Pumpkin STEM Activity will challenge your child’s skills of building and engineering this Halloween with just a few materials inspired by Five Little Pumpkins.

Pumpkin STEM Activity

Building Structures with Candy Pumpkins

Pumpkin Catapults

Pumpkins and kids are a natural magnet to one another. With these STEAM Pumpkin activities your child will explore science, art, engineering, technology, and math all while they play with pumpkin this fall.

STEAM Pumpkin Activities

Create Your Own Storybook Pumpkin

Making pumpkin ice cream for fall with friends is such fun! It requires quite a bit of dedication and energy to make that special magic happen, but that’s what friendship is about too, right? Here’s how to make special ice cream with your child’s friends.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe for Kids

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffin Recipe for Kids

Pumpkin Geoboard

Pumpkin Patch Virtual Field Trips

Halloween STEM Activities

One of the main holidays of fall is Halloween. We wanted to include several Halloween STEM activities for your child to enjoy a little spooky creepy fun that’s age appropriate with bats, spiders, and monsters.

This flying bat STEM activity will be a hit with your preschooler as they send their bat flying around the room. This activity will have them designing their own bat and a system engineered to make it fly this Halloween.

Flying Bat STEM Challenge

Monster Lab STEM Lab

Spooky Science Experiment

Spider T-shirt Art

Making Spider Themed Meatballs

DIY Motion Sensing Spider

Turkey STEM Activities

Time for a little turkey fun this fall! Thanksgiving holidays give us a little extra time at home with our little ones, why not add some turkey STEM activities to your holiday fun? Perhaps consider doing it as a cousin or sibling activity!

LEGO Fun with Turkeys

Turkey Math Games for Kids

Turkey Balloon Races

Turkey Towers

Circuit Turkeys

Turkey Color by Coding

Make a Turkey Drawbot

Turkey Farm Virtual Field Trips

Fall STEM Books for Kids

One of my favorite things to do is to connect a fun picture book with a STEM activity. I’ve added many of my favorite fall books that will be a great addition to the fall STEM activities that are featured here on this list of activities for kids.

Looking for more fall books for your fall STEM Activities? Explore this Fall Book Lists…

• Fall Leaves Books
• Acorn Books
• Apple Books
• Pumpkin Books
• Halloween Books
• Monster Books
• Bat Books
• Thanksgiving Books

You can also find more STEM Books for Kids here in this book list.

Looking for more STEM Activities? Try these…

Can you make a leaf sculpture? 

Disclosure: This post contains Affiliate Links 

FALL STEM Challenge for Kids: Leaf Sculptures

Objective: This lesson will engage early childhood children (Preschool to 3rd Grade) in STEM skills to design and build a leaf structure that is more than 6 inches tall.

STEM Skills Presented in this Lesson:

Science: Children will explore their natural world and learn about photosynthesis and chlorophyll.

Technology: Watch a video clip to introduce children to the terms of color changing.

Engineering: Design and Build a leaf sculpture that is over 6 inches tall.

Math: The students will measure their leaf sculptures and record their height to the nearest inch on a group chart.

Want more ideas? Explore 50+ Fall STEM Activities for Kids

STEP 1: Nature walk and collect fallen leaves

Go on a walk. Observe the changes fall brings to the natural world.  Talk about it.

• What colors do you see?
• How are the leaves changing?
• Where are the leaves?

Collect leaves of varying shapes and colors.

Teacher Notes: Even the youngest child may enjoy and learn from using correct terminology. This helps them to develop a deeper vocabulary base and understanding of scientific concepts.  It’s OK and even encouraged to use the BIG words for science. 

Photosynthesis is the name for the way that plants use sunlight to make sugars for their food. Chlorophyll gives leaves their basic green coloring. As the weather cools, leaves shut down their food-making process.  The chlorophyll, the green from the leaves – leaves.

This is an ideal Fall Stem Activity for Kindergarten and Preschool

STEP 2: Video

Watch a short video clip about the colors changing in the fall. Brain Pop Leaves Video. We use Brain Pop in our classroom, but I am including a free video clip from YouTube that I felt best described the process.  It does contain ads. Sorry, I couldn’t find one without ads that was free!

STEP 3: Set up the FALL STEM Challenge

Materials Needed

• Collected Leaves
• Wikki Stix
• Ruler

  

1. For this challenge, the children will be asked to design a fall leaf sculpture that is greater than 6 inches high.

2. Solve the challenge

First brainstorm ways that you can solve the problem.

• Will you twist?
• Use sticks?
• Build a shape?

Then, try some of these ideas.

Step 4. Test your sculpture to see if it is greater than 6 inches.

If it is not, then it’s back to step 3. Brainstorm ways to make the sculpture taller and try some of those ideas.  Re-measure to see if the sculpture is greater than 6 inches.

If the sculpture is greater than 6 inches, then the child will record the data on a group T chart. This can be written on the whiteboard or chart paper. On the left will have the student’s name, and on the right, the height of their leave sculpture.

For more STEM + Art activities for young learners, grab this ebook, STEAM: Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment, a collection of 25 hands-on STEAM challenges for young learners.

More Fall Stem Activities for Kids

• 50+ Fall STEM Activities for Kids
• Apple Stacking Game
• Pumpkin STEM Activity
• Stacking Pumpkins Activity
• Apple Theme STEM Activity
• 10 STEAM Pumpkin Activities
• DIY Apple Game
• Chalk Numbers with Leaves
• Back to School STEM Activities
• 50+ STEM Activities for Kids

Looking for more Fall Ideas? Check out our 100+ Fall Activities for Kids!

Preschool art is filled with coloring, painting, molding, and creating. Most often, parents, teachers, and caregivers give young children the opportunity for some directed learning projects along side open-ended art exploration.

Affiliate Links to Books

STEAM Preschool Art Challenge

For this challenge, we have used a variety of art mediums to connect science, nature, and art into one simple, but fun educational activity: Create a Bug Habitat. This activity is re-printed with permission from STEAM:Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment.

We encourage you to try this activity with the preschoolers in your lives. Then let us know by posting in the comment section how it went. This is week 4 of the Free STEAM Enrichment E-Course for parents, teachers, and care-givers of preschoolers.

Create a Fall Bug Habitat with Mixed Art Mediums

Learning Objective

Create a bug’s environment with a variety of art mediums.

Materials Needed for Fall Bug Habitat

• Air Dry Clay / Clay
• Crayons
• Watercolor Paint or Tempera Paint
• Nature Objects (twigs, leaves, or flowers)
• Paper Plate
• School Glue or Hot Glue (optional and adult use recommended)

Directions for Making a Fall Bug Habitat

1. Paint the paper plate fall bug habitat with fall colors. Discuss the time of day this setting will take place in. My preschooler decided on sunset and chose bright colors for the sky.<

2. Go on a nature walk to find a twig for the main tree of the fall bug habitat (Nature +Art = AWESOME!)

3. Glue a small branch or twig on to the paper plate to create the main tree trunk.

4. Add details such as leaves, dirt, and other branches on the paper plate, being careful not to break the stick.

5. Create different bugs and leaves from the clay. Follow the directions on the package for the clay drying time or just use a small piece of clay or play-dough. (Whatever you have on hand will work great! No need to run to the store for this simple preschool art and science activity!)

6. Paint the bugs if needed and once the paint is dry, arrange and glue them to the paper plate. OR – keep them unattached and carry them around all day (which is what my kids did!)

Even MORE Tips and Tricks for Making Art an Every Day Experience

Watch as Jamie Hand, creator of Hand Made Kid Art and Amanda Boyarshinov co-author of STEAM: Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment discuss how this preschool art challenge went with our own preschoolers.  

Here are links to the previous STEAM preschool activity Challenges.

Additional Preschool Art Resources:

• STEAM: Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment

30+ STEM + ART: Hands On, Minds On activities to complement and enrich preschool learning.

Read the Full Book Description

• Preschool Art: It’s the Process, Not the Product!

Every book by MaryAnn F. Kohl is fabulously informative and easy to follow. This book on preschool art is no exception! Read the full book details

• Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book: Make a World

My preschooler loves all drawing books, but these are some of his favorites as the drawings are simple and practical, yet still cute! Read the full book description here

• Art Lab for Kids: 52 Creative Adventures in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Paper, and Mixed Media-For Budding Artists of All Ages (Lab Series)

This book is great for learning the process and exploring different art mediums. Read the full book description here

• The Great Big Art Activity Book

This book is exactly as the title says. I have had it in my collection for over 10 years and refer to it often for ideas and inspiration. The kids like to read it and choose projects to do too. Full color, easy to follow instructions. Read the full book description here

• The Kids’ Multicultural Art Book: Art and Craft Experiences from Around the World (Williamson Kids Can Books)

Science connects well with art, but so does social studies and learning about the world. Explore global art with this multicultural kids art book. Read the full book description here

STEAM Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment E-Course :

READ: Science Challenge

READ: Technology Challenge

READ: Engineering Challenge

READ: Art Challenge

READ: Math Challenge

You just need a few inventor materials like recycled cardboard, magnets and a small round object. 

Let’s get started!  

Disclosure: Affiliate links used in this post

Apple STEM Activity

This apple STEM Activity is going to be one of your child’s favorite this fall as they create a special maze for the apples to travel down from the apple tree to the apple basket.  It will give them a chance for  lots of trail and error and problem solving to make it work.  Apples are one of our favorite themes with preschoolers.  Click here for more Apple Themed Activities

We’re featuring an Apple Theme for our Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids! That means at the bottom you’ll fun 20+ apple activities for your preschooler to do this week!  

The book we’re featuring is Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins.  Grab here on Amazon. 

Here’s a peek at more APPLE THEMED BOOKS! 

Click here to see the other fall books we’re using for the Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids

Materials for Apple STEM Activity

• Plastic Apples 
• Magnetic Tape
• Recycled Cardboard Tubes
• Magnetic Surface
• Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun
• Green Paper
• Small Container

Explore our list of 50+ Apple Activities for After School Fun!

Directions for Apple STEM Activity

1. Work on your preschooler’s cutting skills by having them cut a link through the cardboard tube to make it a half-circle shape.

If they are still working on these skills they can do it with you.  It’s a study surface which makes it a little bit easier to hold than paper.  You could even draw a line for them to follow to make it easier.

2. Once you’ve cut the recycled cardboard tube you can attach the magnets to it!  This is an adult activity.  We bought the magnetic tape that had a sticky side but we couldn’t get it to stick to the recycled cardboard.  

I just grabbed my glue gun and attached the pieces to that. So that my little one felt involved I had her take the white sticker paper off the backs of the magnets for me while I glued

3. Set up the magnetic board on the wall or you can use your side of your refrigerator or filing cabinet, any large magnetic surface works for this apple stem activity!

4. Cut an apple tree out of green construction paper.  We also had some magnetic apples left from our  Magnetic Apple Math Game. We attached the green apple leaf outline with magnets to the board but you could use tape too

Now it’s time to take the APPLE STEM CHALLENGE!

5. Give your preschooler the magnetic cardboard tubes and give them this STEM Challenge.

TASK: Make the apples go into the basket from the tree using the Magnetic Tubes

You could ask them a thinking question like…

Can you pick the apples from the apple tree using these tubes to make them go into the basket?

This is a problem-solving game that incorporates science and a little bit of math since the book is 10 red apples. Your child will have so much fun with this simple STEM Activity!

Share with us how your child created their Apple STEM Activity in our VBC Facebook group!  Join now!

Plus be inspired by all the other apple themed activities shared in the Facebook Group by parents, grandparents, teachers and our VBC Cohosts!

Try this stacking apples STEM Challenge or you can visit more Apple Themed Activities at The Educators’ Spin On It or you can take a look below and be inspired by the 20+ Apple Themed Activities from our Virtual Book Club for Kids CoHosts!  

Join our Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids Facebook Group 

Apple Themed Activities for Preschool

Apple Tree Alphabet Letter Match – Still Playing School

Apple Piece Names – Preschool Powol Packets

Apple Addition within 5 Dough Strips – Sea of Knowledge

Fingerprint Apple Counting Activity – Messy Little Monster

Apple Math: Counting & Fractions Teach Beside Me

Red apple number bonds to 10 – Rainy Day Mum

Apple picking sticky wall – Views from a Step stool

Baked Apples – Witty Hoots

Apple Stack Game and Snack- Toddler Approved

Jumping Apple Seeds- JDaniel4’s Mom

Glitter Apple Stamping – My Bored Toddler

Apple Tree Tracing Page- Mama Smiles

Apple Farm Song with Movement – My Storytime Corner

Ten Red Apples: Number Words Activities- Growing Book by Book

Apple Tree Gross Motor Game – Inspiration Laboratories

Apple Sewing – CrArty KidsVisual Perception Apple Activity – The OT Toolbox

Click here to see which books we’re reading together with you and your preschooler!  

Your child may also enjoy these activities…

Why I Build an Inventors’ Box

Sanity. Yes, that is really the primary reason. Oh, and it does encourage my kids to think creatively to build new things.

My 4 year old son is a tinkerer. He likes to build things and take them apart. Thanks to a week long Science and Invention Summer Camp: Camp Invention, my 8 year old daughter has caught the tinkering and inventing bug too. Between the two of them, they spend many afternoons designing and creating their own inventions.

This means

1. I NEVER have any tape available for wrapping presents in the house. It seems like it is always being used for “inventions.”

2. There are little inventions EVERYWHERE in our house. In fact, my daughter just brought up the fact that there are so many that we should set out a shelf to showcase the inventions. (We’ll see about that idea).

3. I NEEDED to create an inventor’s box or I would lose my sanity with them “upcycling” anything and everything they could find into an invention. This inventor’s box has not only encouraged them to design and build, but it also stores items for building with AND solves the problem of mom’s missing tape.

The rule is, if it is in the box you can take it apart, put it together, and invent with it. If it is NOT in the box, you must get permission to disassemble it.

So What Do You Put in an Inventors’ Box?

1. First you throw in a bunch of recycled materials 

Nothing spectacular is needed, just a variety of different materials that can be used for a bunch of different things.  Some ideas:

• small boxes
• oatmeal containers
• plastic lids
• egg cartons
• toilet paper tubes
• paper towel tubes
• empty spools of thread

2. Next, add in Broken Toys or Toys with Parts 

Anytime a toy breaks, we try to fix it. If we can’t, but it still looks like we can use it in another way, it get thrown in the inventors box.

3. Last, your inventor’s box must contain things for Attaching parts

• rubber bands
• scotch tape
• masking tape
• painters tape
• tape (yes, my kids would go through a roll a day if I let them!)
• glue
• clips
• string
• rope

4. Paper and Pencil (for recording designs)

Best of all, this STEM activity is FREE! You just gather every day materials around the house to create this extremely powerful, open-ended learning tool.

My kids have had their inventor’s box for over a month. We had a place-mat break apart into a ton of tiny sticks. The kids took one look at it and said, let’s put it in the inventor’s box! I love that they are looking at materials and objects with a new set of eyes, “inventor’s eyes!”

Here are how other parents built their take-apart inventors box and open ended inventors’ box for kids.

Don’t miss my other articles in this INVENTORS series:

• Think like an Inventor
• What is Camp Invention
• First Day of Camp Invention
• Solar Science Projects for Kids

For even more #STEM enrichment, consider adding one of these books to your library:

STEM BOOKS FOR Parents

• Teaching STEM in the Early Years: Activities for Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
• Tinkerlab: A Hands-On Guide for Little Inventors
• STEAM: Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment
• STEAM Play & Learn: 20 fun step-by-step preschool projects about science, technology, engineering, art, and math!
• STEAM Kids: 50+ Science / Technology / Engineering / Art / Math Hands-On Projects for Kids
• Awesome LEGO Creations with Bricks You Already Have: 50 New Robots, Dragons, Race Cars, Planes, Wild Animals and Other Exciting Projects to Build Imaginative Worlds

For more STEM ACTIVITIES for KIDS try these…

Save

A fun project for parents AND teachers to make.

Best for preschool – grade school kids.

Dollar Store STEM KIT

I’m affiliate linking these STEM materials to similar products on Amazon in case you are a Prime addict like me =) and prefer the supplies delivered to your door. The items pictured were purchased at our local dollar store and used by my own children.

So far, the dice, magnifying glass, and garage sale dots have been the most used items. 

My 5 year old priced every single toy in our house (and my kitchen supplies) one afternoon and had a pretend garage sale. It was super cute, but we need to re-stock more stickers as they are a one-time use STEM item.

• Flashlight
• Magnifying glass
• Journal

Technology

• Calculator

Engineering

• Foam cubes
• Playing Cards (also math)
• Small Erasers (also math)
• Journal (also science)

Math

• Playing Cards
• Dice
• Garage Sale Stickers
• Flash Cards
• Lock
• Small Erasers
• Ruler
• Calculator (also technology)
• Small container for sorting.

For less than $20.00, we have been building, exploring, counting, adding, and much, much more!

We set out our Dollar Store Stem Kit on the math and science table for the kids to use. We have found that this kit encourages exploration in science, math, technology and engineering in an open ended format.

My first grader goes through the stickers, tagging every toy he owns, then charges his sister the price to play with them. My 10 year old has privatised the calculator to “double check” her math problems. And my almost 4 year old loves playing card games. We’re teaching him how to sort and match the numbers with games like crazy 8 and Go Fish.

Love budget friendly STEAM ideas for young kids? Make sure to grab a copy of my top-selling ebook:  STEAM: Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment.

Click the title or image below for more details.