Keeping your kids learning all summer long can certainly be challenging even for the most enthusiastic learners. Planning some fun activities that develop STEM skills at the same time is always a winner! Not only are your kids going to have a wonderful time learning in fun and creative ways, they’ll also be developing foundational STEM skills, which should help them feel motivated and inspired when it comes to the new school term. From exciting science experiments, building with Lego or creating an obstacle course in your back garden, there’s heaps of fun activities to get involved in.
Why Are STEM Activities Beneficial?
Through STEM projects, games, or challenges your kids will learn by playing, develop essential skills such as critical thinking, coordination and problem-solving, as well as get an opportunity to express themselves creatively. STEM activities are also beneficial as the popularity of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is on the rise, meaning getting kids involved can spark an interest in a new subject or even help them build up essential skills they can use in the future.
Fun Activities that Develop STEM Skills
Getting involved in building, whether that’s with Lego, wooden blocks, straws or cardboard is an excellent rainy-day STEM activity for a child of any age to get involved in. Working with their hands to build something completely new is great for developing hand-eye coordination and also helps kids get a better understanding of weight, shape, angles and size and how it affects what they’re creating. For a whole range of STEM Lego activities, this fun post is sure to keep you busy!
Design an Obstacle Course
You don’t get much more fun than designing and creating an obstacle course in your back garden or front room. Not only will your kids benefit from being active and creative, the design process is a great opportunity for developing engineering and problem-solving skills. Ask them to take charge of the process and let their imagination run wild. Remind them there’s so many ways to use everyday objects to create challenging obstacles. Whether that’s taping balloons to the bottom of a table to crawl under, throwing tennis balls through hoops, creating a zig-zag course with masking tape or balancing something on their head, there’s a lot of fun to be had!
Make Something From Scratch
Challenge your child to make something spectacular from scratch out of everyday household items such as paper plates, cereal boxes, string, cotton balls and lollipop sticks. This is a chance for them to have fun and get as creative as they want as well as involving elements of planning and design, which are essential STEM skills. You could even make some bath bombs or homemade slime, which teach kids about measuring, mixing ingredients and the physical processes involved. For older kids, baking or cooking is also a great way for them to practice maths as well as understand scientific processes such as cakes rising or how oil and water react together.
Fun Science Experiments
There are so many fun and interactive science experiments that you and your kids can get involved in throughout the summer holidays. Whether that’s getting messy making vinegar volcanoes, being a detective with invisible ink or making music with water glasses filled with different amounts - we guarantee they’ll be developing other essential skills too. For some exciting STEM science activities, check out our blog post.
Other STEM Activity Resources
Learn By Design
Babble Dabble Do
STEM Activity Book
100 Easy STEAM Activities
STEAM Powered Family