10 Exciting STEM Activities for Kids to Try This Summer

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STEM
May 29, 2025

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Summer is the perfect time to ignite your child’s love of learning through hands-on STEM activities. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or homeschooler, these summer STEM projects will keep kids engaged, thinking creatively, and having a blast. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or camp leader, these fun STEM ideas blend science, technology, engineering, and math with creativity and curiosity.

Summer is the ideal time for kids to explore, tinker, and create — away from the pressures of grades and standardized testing. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities encourage:

Critical thinking
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Hands-on learning

Here are 10 brilliant STEM activities that combine fun and education — and make screen time educational in the best possible way.

1. 🌋 Build a Backyard Volcano (With a Twist!)

Age: 5–12
STEM Focus: Chemistry, Geology
Why It’s Awesome: This classic experiment gets a fiery upgrade with colorful layers and slow-motion eruptions.

Materials:

Baking soda
Vinegar
Food coloring
Dish soap
Clay or papier-mâché

Pro Tip: Add glitter and slow-mo video recording for an Instagram-worthy explosion.

2. 🚀 Design and Launch a Water Bottle Rocket

Age: 8–14
STEM Focus: Physics, Engineering
Why It’s Awesome: Teaches Newton’s laws with a splash!

Materials:

Empty 2-liter bottle
Cork
Baking soda & vinegar or air pump
Launch pad (cardboard or wood)

Bonus Challenge: Create a parachute and try to land it safely.

3. 🐜 Build an Ant Farm Ecosystem

Age: 7–13
STEM Focus: Biology, Ecology
Why It’s Awesome: Observing ants in action is like watching nature’s engineers at work.

Materials:

Clear plastic container
Sand/soil
Sugar water & fruit
Ants (collected or purchased)

Educational Tip: Document ant behavior over 2 weeks and present findings!

4. 🌞 Make a DIY Solar Oven

Age: 6–12
STEM Focus: Environmental Science, Renewable Energy
Why It’s Awesome: Kids cook with sunlight and learn about clean energy.

Materials:

Pizza box
Aluminum foil
Plastic wrap
Black paper
S’mores ingredients!

Challenge: Test how fast it cooks at different times of day.

5. 🧠 Create a DIY Brain Hat (Neuroscience Art)

Age: 5–10
STEM Focus: Neuroscience, Anatomy
Why It’s Awesome: Kids learn about the brain and wear it proudly!

Materials:

Paper or printable brain diagram
Markers/crayons
Tape or glue

Extension: Label brain areas and functions. Print some of those STEM posters with a Poster Making Machine.

6. 🌐 Learn to Code with Minecraft or Scratch

Age: 7+
STEM Focus: Computer Science, Logic
Why It’s Awesome: Kids use a platform they already love to learn real coding skills.

Platforms:

Scratch.mit.edu
Minecraft Education Edition

Tip: Try a coding challenge a week and track progress.

7. 💧 Water Filtration Challenge

Age: 8–14
STEM Focus: Environmental Engineering
Why It’s Awesome: Teaches about clean water and real-world problem solving.

Materials:

Plastic bottles
Sand, gravel, charcoal
Dirty water (muddy water works great)

Extension: Compare filtered vs unfiltered water under a microscope. STEM is fun!

8. 🔭 Stargazing and Constellation Mapping

Age: 6+
STEM Focus: Astronomy
Why It’s Awesome: Turn your backyard into a celestial observatory.

What You Need:

Star map app (SkyView, Star Walk)
Notebook & flashlight
Blanket or telescope

Project Idea: Draw and name your own constellations!

9. 🧪 Kitchen Chemistry: Make Edible Slime

Age: 4–10
STEM Focus: Chemistry, Food Science
Why It’s Awesome: It’s science… you can eat!

Materials:

Marshmallows
Cornstarch
Powdered sugar
Food coloring

Parent Bonus: No borax = no worries.

10. 🏗️ Build a Popsicle Stick Bridge (Then Stress Test It!)

Age: 8–14
STEM Focus: Engineering, Physics
Why It’s Awesome: A test of strength, balance, and design.

Materials:

Popsicle sticks
Glue gun
Weights (books, small cans)

STEM Angle: Explore load-bearing design and force distribution.

✅ Bonus Tips for Parents & Educators

📸 Document the Journey: Use a STEM journal or photo log to track projects.
🎥 Turn It Into a Vlog: Kids love showing off their work — and explaining builds public speaking skills.
🧠 Ask Why: Encourage questions like “What would happen if we changed this?”

🔍 Final Thoughts: Make This a Summer to Remember

These 10 summer STEM activities don’t just fill time — they fuel creativity, critical thinking, and curiosity. Whether your child is a budding engineer, young scientist, or coder-in-the-making, STEM learning at home has never been more fun.

You don’t need fancy tools or expensive kits to bring STEM to life this summer. With a little creativity and curiosity, the world becomes your classroom. From solar ovens to slime, these fun STEM activities for summer are easy to set up, low-cost, and packed with educational value. Also, you can create STEM posters at home or school.