51 of the Best Engaging STEM Activities for Kids
My oldest child (age 10) is obsessed with STEM activities. He has mentioned that he would LOVE to become a NASA engineer one day and I don’t doubt that he could do just that. I try to encourage his interests by providing STEM activities, books, games, and websites that would peak his curiosity and imagination. I have put together a list of STEM resources that we love and you will enjoy as well.
What Qualifies as STEM?
STEM is made up of any project, resource, lesson, or activity that centers around Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math. STEM usually involves hands-on, real-world, interactive & engaging work.
STEM Activities, Books, Games, and Websites For Kids
Engaging STEM Activities for Kids
Build the International Space Station with Legos
Homemade Slime
This messy STEM activity is a favorite for kids of all ages!
Make a model of Mercury
Non-Newtonian Fluids Experiment
Lego Zip Line
Make a Balloon Solar System
Popsicle Stick Catapult
Make your own volcano in the kitchen
(or in the snow!)
Balloon Baking Soda Experiment
Make a Hurricane Tube
Seed Jar Science
This is a great STEM activity to show your kiddos the stages of plant life!
Make your own Astronomer
Balancing Apple Physics Activity
Dollar Store Engineering Kit
Explore Science in the Snow
Interactive STEM Books
Reading books related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math is a great addition to this STEM Activities list. Reading STEM books will allow your kids learn about other kids interested in STEM.
Anna, Kid Engineer– This book is our new favorite!! It is about a girl named Anna who is nervous about the annual science fair because her projects never turn out like the others kids’ work. As she tinkers & builds her project for the fair, she discovers that she is a kid engineer!
You can get the hard copy of this book here and the electronic copy here.
This is not a Math Book
Art is added into this book for a STEAM approach to Mathematics.
This is Not a Science Book
This book also adds art to show how science and art are related.
Ada Twist, Scientist
This is a book about a girl named Ada who is imaginative & curious. She seeks answers to her questions through science and isn’t afraid of failure.
Rosie Revere, Engineer
Read about a young girl who loves to invent interesting gizmos & gadgets. She learns that, even when her contraptions don’t work, she isn’t a failure unless she stops trying.
Rosie Revere’s Big Project Book for Bold Engineers
Use this project book with the Rosie Rever, Engineer story book!
Ada Twist’s Big Project Book for Stellar Scientists
This is the companion project book to Ada Twist, Scientist
Engineer Academy
Scientist Academy
Astronaut Academy
Coder Academy
Doctor Academy
Vet Academy
All of the books in the “Academy” series are amazing! We own a few of these (Engineering, Scientists, and Vet) that we use in our homeschool. We also take relevant ones with us when we run errands…for example–> When we took our cat to the vet, we took the Vet Academy book for the kids to look at while we waited. These books provide interactive learning about real-life subjects & careers and we.love.them!
STEM Games & Toys
These games and toys are fun coupled with education. They make great STEM activities for your kids to do with you or on their own.
LEGO Chain Reactions
SmartLab Toys Smart Circuits Games & Gadgets Electronics Lab
My son received a set of snap circuits from his grandparents and he will play with them for hours on end!
Brackitz Pulleys 77 Piece Set Educational Construction Set – Learning Toys & Building Blocks for Kids
Osmo Genius Kit
ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run
Marble Runs are a favorite for my kids. They love seeing all of the different combinations that they can create for their marbles.
Skoolzy Straws and Connectors Building Kit
Engino Discovering STEM Structures Constructions & Bridges Construction Kit
ZOOB BuilderZ S.T.E.M. Challenge
Engino Discovering STEM Newton’s Laws Inertia, Momentum, Kinetic & Potential Energy Construction Kit
Magnetic Blocks STEM Educational Toys Magnet Building Block Tiles Set for Boys and Girls by Coodoo-24pcs
ROCK ON! Geology Game
Help your kids learn to LOVE Geology by studying rocks & minerals with this game!
STEM Starters for Kids Engineering Activity Book
STEM Websites
Check out these STEM websites that are packed with STEM activities for kids!
Little Bins for Little Hands
Most of the projects linked in this post can be found here. This site is jam packed full of amazing STEM resources!
Ask Dr. Universe
You can find answers to all kinds of STEM questions when you ask Dr. Universe!
BrainPOP
Play games & complete STEM related challenges with BrainPOP
NASA Kids’ Club
Play space games and learn all about NASA
NASA Space Place
Find more engaging space-related games here!
Scratch Coding
Learn how to code & program using the FREE Scratch program.
Funology
STEM crafts, projects, experiments and more
Kids Do Ecology
Explore Ecology through games, activities, and lessons
Weather Wiz Kids
Learn all about meteorology with Weather Wiz Kids!
Other FREE STEM Resources
Number Recognition Game
Download this printable game for FREE in the Member Resource Library! Cut on the dotted lines and let your child match the number to the correct farm-themed image.
Science Journal Page
Download & print this Science Journal Page for FREE in the Member Resource Library and print as many copies as you need. Use it for all of your kiddos science experiments to record their hypothesis, results, questions, and notes.
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Hi Jess
These really great activities for kids! Thank you for sharing this valuable content and the stem activities are very useful for our kids’ mental growth.
Excellent stuff. It really never is too early to get kids interested in science! I wish the same techniques had been around when I was growing up
STEM just became a thing in our country recently with our government trying to improve our education system. Now, kids in high school are required to take this. As a mom, I want my kids to be ready when they take on this new curriculum for them at school because I don’t know anything about this and so these activities that you shared with us are the best help I could give them. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!
In recent times I have come across so many well-crafted articles on STEM toys and it is certainly one of them. I am going to surely try a few of these with my daughters on the coming weekend. Thanks for sharing!
This article is a great reference for anyone who’s interested to know more about STEM toys and activities. Thanks for the great post!