problem solving stem challenge

25+ STEM Challenges for Kids: Child-Centered Projects Focused on Building

Here’s a collection of over 25 STEM challenges for kids focusing on building, engineering, and design. What I especially like about these specific STEM and STEAM activities are how open-ended they are and how they allow children to really take part with minimal adult assistance.

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Not only are taking part in STEM challenges super fun, but they offer so many benefits to kids of all ages! While completing a STEM challenge, kids explore problem solving and design using creativity and scientific skills. These challenges help children develop skills and the self-confidence needed not only in a classroom setting, but in the real world as well.

Although there are many amazing STEM challenges out there, I really wanted to put together a collection of challenges that focused on  open-ended and mostly child-centered activities . In this list you’ll find all kinds of fun ways to get your children or students involved in science, technology, engineering, and math!

25+ STEM Challenges for Kids

Mystery Bag STEM Design Challenge from Buggy and Buddy

Design a Paper Plate Marble Maze from Buggy and Buddy

Design a Sun Shelter for a UV-Sensitive Bead Animal from Buggy and Buddy

Egg Drop Challenge from Buggy and Buddy

STEM Challenge: Build Something that Floats from Fireflies and Mud Pies

Build a Stick Raft from Kids Craft Room

Build a Hexbug Maze Using Straws from Buggy and Buddy

Craft Stick STEAM Challenge from Fantastic Fun and Learning

Red Cup STEM Challenges for Kids from Kids Activities Blog

Wind Powered STEM Challenge from STEAM Powered Family

STEM Paper Airplane Challenge from Kids Activities Blog

Button and Playdough STEM Challenge for Kids from The Educators’ Spin on It

Fidget Spinner STEM Challenge Cards from Preschool Powol Packets

Newspaper Engineering Challenge from The Educators’ Spin on It

Straw Engineering Challenge from Lemon Lime Adventures

Cups, Craft Sticks, and Blocks Engineering Challenges from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

Lego Boat and Penny Engineering Challenge from Handmade Kids Art

Design a Seed Engineering Challenge from Share It! Science News

Clothespin Airplane Engineering Challenge from Schooling a Monkey

Spaghetti Tower Marshmallow Challenge from Tinkerlab

Build a Homemade Marble Run from Buggy and Buddy

Build an Igloo with Toothpicks and Marshmallows from Lemon Lime Adventures

Star Wars STEAM Challenge Cards from Left Brain Craft Brain

Make It Move! from STEAM Powered Family

Mondrian-Inspired STEAM Playdough Challenge from The Preschool Toolbox

Balance a Rock Sculpture from Handmade Kids Art

Log Pile House Building Challenge from Inspiration Laboratories

Be sure to check out STEAM Kids book and ebook for even more creative STEM and STEAM ideas!

ChatGPT for Teachers

Trauma-informed practices in schools, teacher well-being, cultivating diversity, equity, & inclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, social-emotional development, covid-19 resources, invest in resilience: summer toolkit, civics & resilience, all toolkits, degree programs, trauma-informed professional development, teacher licensure & certification, how to become - career information, classroom management, instructional design, lifestyle & self-care, online higher ed teaching, current events, stem projects that tackle real-world problems.

STEM learning is largely about designing creative solutions for real-world problems. When students learn within the context of authentic, problem-based STEM design, they can more clearly see the genuine impact of their learning. That kind of authenticity builds engagement, taking students from groans of “When will I ever use this?” to a genuine connection between skills and application.

Using STEM to promote critical thinking and innovation

“Educational outcomes in traditional settings focus on how many answers a student knows. We want students to learn how to develop a critical stance with their work: inquiring, editing, thinking flexibly, and learning from another person’s perspective,” says Arthur L. Costa in his book Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind . “The critical attribute of intelligent human beings is not only having information but also knowing how to act on it.”

Invention and problem-solving aren’t just for laboratory thinkers hunkered down away from the classroom. Students from elementary to high school can wonder, design, and invent a real product that solves real problems. “ Problem-solving involves finding answers to questions and solutions for undesired effects. STEM lessons revolve around the engineering design process (EDP) — an organized, open-ended approach to investigation that promotes creativity, invention, and prototype design, along with testing and analysis,” says Ann Jolly in her book STEM by Design . “These iterative steps will involve your students in asking critical questions about the problem, and guide them through creating and testing actual prototypes to solve that problem.”

STEM projects that use real-world problems

Here are some engaging projects that get your students thinking about how to solve real-world problems.

Preventing soil erosion

In this project, meant for sixth – 12th grade, students learn to build a seawall to protest a coastline from erosion, calculating wave energy to determine the best materials for the job.  See the project.

Growing food during a flood

A natural disaster that often devastates communities, floods can make it difficult to grow food. In this project, students explore “a problem faced by farmers in Bangladesh and how to grow food even when the land floods.”  See the project .

Solving a city’s design needs

Get your middle or high school students involved in some urban planning. Students can identify a city’s issues, relating to things like transportation, the environment, or overcrowding — and design solutions. See the project here or this Lego version for younger learners.

Creating clean water

Too many areas of the world — including cities in our own country — do not have access to clean water. In this STEM project, teens will learn how to build and test their own water filtration systems.  See the project here .

Improving the lives of those with disabilities

How can someone with crutches or a wheelchair carry what they need? Through some crafty designs! This project encourages middle school students to think creatively  and  to participate in civic engagement.   See the project here .

Cleaning up an oil spill

We’ve all seen images of beaches and wildlife covered in oil after a disastrous spill. This project gets elementary to middle school students designing and testing oil spill clean-up kits. See the project here .

Building earthquake-resistant structures

With the ever-increasing amount of devastating earthquakes around the world, this project solves some major problems. Elementary students can learn to create earthquake resistant structures in their classroom. See the project here .

Constructing solar ovens

In remote places or impoverished areas, it’s possible to make solar ovens to safely cook food. In this project, elementary students construct solar ovens to learn all about how they work and their environmental and societal impact.  See the project here .

Stopping apple oxidization

Stop those apples from turning brown with this oxidation-based project. Perfect for younger learners, students can predict, label, count, and experiment! See the project here .

Advancing as a STEAM educator

The push for STEM has evolved into the STEAM movement, adding the arts for further enrichment and engagement. There are so many ways to embed STEM or STEAM lessons in your curriculum, but doing it well requires foundational knowledge and professional development. Imagine what type of impact you could have on your students and your community if you were supported by a theoretical framework, a variety of strategies, and a wealth of ideas and resources.

You may also like to read

• Teaching STEM: Challenging Students to Think Through Tough Problems
• Professional Development Resources for STEM Teachers
• What is the Washington State STEM Lighthouse Program?
• Characteristics of a Great STEAM Program
• Building a Partnership Between Your School and a STEAM Organization
• The Art of Inquiry in STEAM Education

Categorized as: Tips for Teachers and Classroom Resources

Tagged as: Art ,  Educational Technology ,  Engaging Activities ,  Math and Science ,  Science ,  STEAM

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45+ STEM Challenge Ideas for Kids to do at Home or School

If you are looking for a simple, but exciting STEM challenge that kids can do at home or school, this collection of over 45 STEM challenges will give you lots of ideas! Most of the STEM activities require simple materials that you probably already have at home.

A STEM challenge ( S cience T echnology E ngineering and M ath) allows children to explore materials in a hands-on and open-ended way. The other advantage to STEM activities is that kids of varying ages and skill levels can do the same STEM challenge, from kindergarten to teens.

You will be amazed what kids will come up with!

I have been doing STEM challenges at home, and in my classroom for many years. I have seen the learning and excitement that happens when children do a STEM activity and I see the learning and know the critical thinking that takes place.

STEM projects also promote a love and curiosity in kids of science and the world around them. If you are looking for more STEM challenges to try in your classroom or home, a printable collection of 100+ STEM challenge cards, that can be used with any combination of materials is included below the list.

Below is my collection of over 45 STEM Challenge Ideas. Each activity has a brief description. Click on the image for full activity description.

STEM Challenges

This tower challenge is always a favourite! Using a few simple materials, build a structure to the sky! Use a toy figure to add an extra fun twist to this building challenge.

If you have some wooden blocks at home, you have all you need for these STEM challenges that will keep kids busy, creating and learning for hours.

Imagine what you could create! A house? A town? A tower? Spend hours creating and building.

Learn about the Stone Age as you complete this STEM challenge.

STEM Activities

I love STEM challenges that are inexpensive and can be done with a large group of kids. Children will love using their imagination as they create their own roller coaster with just construction paper and glue.

This is such a neat idea! Challenge children to create a structure that can be balanced on their finger – or nose!

STEM challenges are great because you can use whatever materials you have on hand. All you need are apples, water and toothpicks for this STEM activity.

Create a working bow and arrow with simple materials.

Kids will love creating a cage to keep their animal (or toy figure) in. This is a great challenge for small groups of children to work together to create and complete. Make sure your animal can’t get out!

A fun twist on the raw spaghetti tower challenge.

STEM Activities #10

Strategize to build a tower that can reach the ceiling. Will it stay standing?

Can you build a home for the polar bear? There are so many options! Try out this STEM challenge with your little ones to see what they create.

Water Filtration STEM Challenge

Learn about the importance of clean water with this hands-on clean water experiment s. Can you build a filter that will clean the water?

Challenge children to create a bridge that can hold a weight using materials from around the house.

Using only jumbo popsicle sticks and tape create a catapult. Next, test out your creation with this STEM challenge.

Can you build a bridge over some water using only plastic building blocks? Try out this Build a Bridge STEM Challenge.

Tie some literacy into your STEM challenge with this building challenge based on classic story of The Three Little Pigs.

Children are challenged to “catch” a turkey with this STEM activity. Perfect for the holidays!

Build a car… but with square wheels. Can you make it roll?

I love everything about this STEM challenge! Take learning outside with this hands-on building for real life experiences and something kids can really get into – literally!

This is such a cool idea! Recycle materials from around your house to create these STEM toys. Some even move!

STEM Challenges #20

This STEM challenge is a great sensory activity for children. Using gems, beads or even buttons, with play dough as bricks and cement, create beautiful structures. What can you create?

This space theme activity is great to add to an outer space unit and to teach kids about constellations.

Build the tallest tower using only a few materials.

Teach children about the design and planning part of building in the real world. This STEM challenge requires a little bit of planning, but in a simple way for kids.

Read about some interesting ideas and variations for a traditional egg drop.

Use clothespins and popsicle sticks to create an airplane. What kind of plane can you create?

Engineering Challenge – STEM Projects for Kids

What would your dream home look like? What about a roller coaster to get around your house? How about an indoor water park? There is no limit with this challenge!

What 3D shape can you create using a few simple materials – but no tape?

Challenge kids to create squishy animals using squishy circuits.

This inexpensive STEM challenge uses newspapers, tape, string, and scissors!

STEM Challenges #30

This engineering challenge based on The Three Little Pigs, has kids creating houses using hands-on materials.

Kids will love designing and engineering their own Eiffel tower made from newspapers. A great lesson on structures!

Who doesn’t love making paper chains? This STEM challenge adds a twist to regular paper chains.

What can you build with a 100 cups? A few challenges and a printable will give you some ideas to do with all of those cups!

Design and experiment with this wind powered rescue mission!

Learn about strong and stable shapes using only newspaper. 5 STEM challenges using newspaper.

This STEM challenge is a great opportunity to take learning outside! Kids will love building and then playing with their ramp. This is a great trial and error challenge.

This is a another great STEM challenge to try outside with kids. Using only natural materials, kids will love creating their own nest.

Use that collection of sticks that kids always seem to have, with this stick raft building challenge.

This is a fun STEM challenge especially during the winter. Challenge children to build the tallest snowman they can using just a few materials.

STEM Activities #40

This STEM activity is perfect for kids learning about the human body or are curious about how their heart works. Use simple materials to build and create.

Kids are coding in school these days. Have them try out some coding at home with this challenge.

A fun twist using “Three Blind Mice” and the Braille alphabet.

Kids will love creating and following directions to create this climbing monkey. (Free printable).

Printable STEM Activities

A great collection of STEM activities that you can print off for home.

Kids will love inventing and creating with these Hexbug creations.

Use a pumpkin, or other object and create a boat to keep it afloat.

Bridge building is a classic activity for children in school. Find some bridge building ideas with this collection of 10+ activity ideas.

Take your STEM challenge outside with a Straw Rocket STEM activity. A FREE printable is available or children can create their own rocket to blast off!

I hope that you have been able to find some new, exciting ideas for STEM challenges for you to try out at home with your children, or in the classroom with your students. There are so many advantages to STEM challenges that benefit children.

STEM challenges are hands-on and teach children to problem solve. They teach kids to learn through trial and error. They also teach children that when something does not work the first time, that is simply their chance to learn from their attempt and try again. Never give up!

If you try out one of the challenges, I’d love to see it or hear about it! Let me know how it went by leaving a message below. Happy building!

10 STEM Activities with 10 Materials

Planning STEM activities should be easy and inexpensive, but to make it even easier, check out this collection of 10 STEM building challenges that require just 10 materials for all!

Printable STEM Challenge Cards

Try a STEM challenge any day for screen-free, hands-on fun! This collection of over 100 STEM activity cards are an easy way to bring STEM learning to your classroom or home.

For even more STEM challenges, visit 50 STEM challenges using 15 simple materials.

FREE STEM Building Challenge Cards + Choice Board

Looking for a few more building ideas? Subscribe today to gain access to my FREE Resource Library, filled with lots of printable activities and educational resources. Download a Free STEAM Choice Board today! Click the image below.

For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

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Looking for more hands-on activities for home or school.

I’ve got lots of hands-on learning activities for kids! From a huge collection of science experiments for kids to art projects and escape rooms, there is lots to keep kids busy and learning.

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20 STEM Projects That Are Great for Middle School

Krystal DeVille

February 15, 2024

Middle schoolers experience a great time of exploration and learning during these formative years. Explore these middle school STEM projects, designed to enhance STEM education by engaging students in hands-on learning. Pick which ones you want to try first.

Simply click the title of each lesson in the list to get the full lesson plan for these great STEM challenges that align with lessons for middle school science, technology, engineering, and math objectives. Alongside these projects, we also offer a variety of easy STEM challenges that can serve as introductory activities for beginners.

I’ve gone through all the educational subscription boxes for teenagers and put together the best ones in this resource, teenagers’ top STEM subscription boxes.

Table of Contents

STEM Activities for Middle School Students

1.  i breathe what.

Students enhance their problem-solving skills and understanding of the scientific method by exploring air quality through pollen, dust, and particulates using their homemade ‘pollution detectors.’ They will hypothesize what causes the differences and explain why engineers look at the particulate matter when they observe air quality.

2. Design a Bridge

This is a fun way of using simple machines and various materials, students design bridges that can hold 100 pennies for 30 seconds without collapsing, teaching them fundamental principles of physics. Review engineering concepts such as load and force with your classes before they get started. Consider using craft sticks as one of the materials, which are great for learning about weight distribution and structural integrity.

3. Spaghetti Soapbox Derby

In this science experiment, pairs of students design, build, and test model vehicles made from dry pasta and hot glue, with the goal of rolling along a ramp and coasting as far as possible. This STEM activity focuses on using somewhat challenging materials in the best ways possible.

For an added challenge, students can use rubber bands to enhance the propulsion of their pasta vehicles.

4. Trail Planning Using Topographic Quadrangle Maps

This earth science activity first calls for familiarity with US Geological Survey quadrangle maps. Working within set guideline requirements, students then use these maps to design a good route for a new recreational trail.

5. Bikini Bottom Genetics

Students apply an understanding of genetics in an analysis of sea creature genotypes that live in SpongeBob SquarePants’ neighborhood. They predict traits of offspring with the use of Punnett squares.

6. Design a Wristwatch for the Visually Impaired

Help your students review the engineering design process. They will then research, model, test and evaluate wristwatches for individuals with visual impairments as an exercise in applying engineering skills in the areas of bioengineering and biomedical engineering.

Take a look at our review of Groovy Lab in a Box . It’s hard to convey, but after reviewing about a dozen educational STEM subscription services, Groovy Lab Box has the most well-thought-out lesson plans!

7. Use Your Shoe!

Teachers collect shoe size data from the class. As a group, they use the data to determine the mean, median, and mode. Students then use that information to make inferences about average shoe size and broader populations. This activity provides a review of how to calculate mean, median, and mode, along with methods to make inferences based on the sample.

While this article focuses on middle schoolers, we also recommend fun and educational STEM projects suitable for elementary students .

8. Mission to Mars

Following a storyline, task your students with completing various STEM challenges, including understanding chemical reactions through a Coke and Mentos experiment as part of a Mars emergency. Teamwork, engineering design, and the use of science topics in real life are all addressed.

9. Snack Time!

Using nutritional information labels from various packaged foods, students will organize and describe that info to show the data in a box-and-whisker plot, bar graph, and pie chart. This activity touches on both math and science standards.

10. No Valve in Vain

Teams of students employ the engineering design process to use tape and plastic tubing to create heart valve models. For this activity, the class reviews the engineering design process and the workings of a one-way valve.

For older kids, particularly high school students looking for more advanced challenges, please check out our article, The Best Science Sets for Teens .

11. Marble Speed Traps with Lego Mindstorms

Students review the formula for velocity . Using drag and drop programming, they code the speed traps to measure the distance between the sensors and time it takes the marble to travel between them. They design the course, write the code, convert units, evaluate, and make changes as needed.

12. The Million Dollar Project

Students imagine inheriting and spending 1 million dollars with specific guidelines of how they may use that money. They research on the internet, record all purchases, learn to write checks, and track all their spending, which reinforces various mathematical concepts.

13. Explore the Law of Inertia using a Fidget Spinner

Review the equations for torque and inertia with students. By removing lights (weight) from spinners, they can explore how the amount of time the device will continue spinning is affected by the mass.

14. Backyard Weather Stations

Working in groups, students describe the current weather and predict future conditions by observing cloud formations. They design backyard weather stations that could gather data for actual forecasting. Technologies for forecasting would be explored, along with weather basics.

15. Leaning Tower of Pasta

Review compression and tension in structure stability with your class. Students use math and engineering concepts to design and build structures with long, dry spaghetti and marshmallows, to find which ones can withstand the largest amount of load.

16. Cleaning the Great Lakes

What better way to understand environmental science than by having students use limited materials to discover how to filter pollutants from dirty water? Teachers may use this challenge activity along with earth science units about water pollution or those concerning local lakes.

17. Soil Biosolarization: Sustainable Weed Killer

Serving as agricultural engineers, students explore the effectiveness of this sustainable weed control technique that uses organic waste instead of poisons. By using seed starter pots, they plant “weeds” and test the use of organic matter, like oatmeal, to see if it kills the weeds, assessing the impact of products and systems.

18. Renewable Energy: Power Your School

In pairs, students use real data to assess the possible use of solar or wind power generation at their school. Using science, math, and engineering concepts, they explore the differences between these two methods, use maps for an analysis of potential, and look at factors related to the feasibility of renewable energy at their location.

19. Generate Your Own Ocean Currents!

Encourage critical thinking and understanding of real-world applications as students design and construct ocean models to study wind-driven currents. Through this challenge project, they will explore circulation patterns, the Coriolis effect, and the transfer of heat from the global ocean convection cycle.

20. Scaling Up Candy Wrappers

Students bring in their favorite candy bar wrappers, choose a scale factor (larger than 5), and enlarge their wrappers to that scale in a drawing on grid paper. Scaling up candy wrappers is not just educational, but also a lot of fun, teaching kids about the math concept of scale factor. They can then color and display their finished projects!

21. Rube Goldberg Machines

What is a rube goldberg machine.

A Rube Goldberg machine is a deliberately complex contraption in which a series of devices perform simple tasks linked together to produce a domino effect, ultimately accomplishing a simple goal in a highly complex manner. Named after the American cartoonist Rube Goldberg, these machines are fantastic tools for teaching students about physics, engineering, and critical thinking.

Why Include Rube Goldberg Machines in Middle School STEM?

• Encourages Creative Thinking : Building these machines requires students to think outside the box and use their imagination to solve problems.
• Teaches Basic Physics Principles : Concepts like energy transfer, motion, and simple machines come to life in a Rube Goldberg project.
• Enhances Teamwork and Collaboration : Students often work in teams, learning to communicate and collaborate to design and build their machines.
• Develops Problem-Solving Skills : Students learn to troubleshoot and iterate, key skills in any STEM field.

Implementing Rube Goldberg Machine Projects

• Introduce the Concept : Start with a brief history of Rube Goldberg and show examples of Rube Goldberg machines, either through videos or illustrations.
• Define the Project Scope : Set clear goals and parameters. For example, each machine must have a minimum number of steps or complete a specific task.
• Materials : Encourage creativity by allowing a wide range of materials, from household items to recycled materials.
• Documentation : Have students document their design process, challenges, and solutions. This can be in the form of a journal, video, or presentation.
• Presentation and Reflection : Allow students to present their machines to the class. Encourage them to discuss what they learned and how they overcame obstacles.

22. Egg Drop Challenge

What is the Egg Drop Challenge? An engaging physics experiment for middle schoolers, the Egg Drop Challenge involves designing a device to protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped from a height. It’s an excellent way for students to apply concepts of gravity, impact force, and material properties.

Why It’s Beneficial:

• Encourages creative problem-solving.
• Demonstrates physics principles like momentum and shock absorption.
• Promotes teamwork and collaborative skills.

Implementing the Challenge:

• Materials: Offer materials like straws, balloons, and craft sticks.
• Design and Build: Students design and construct their egg-protecting devices.
• The Drop: Test the devices by dropping eggs from a set height.
• Analysis: Discuss the outcomes, focusing on physics concepts and design strategies.

Curriculum Alignment: This challenge complements the middle school physics curriculum, applying theoretical concepts practically.

23. The Index Card Tower Challenge

What is the Index Card Tower Challenge? The Index Card Tower Challenge is a straightforward yet engaging activity that introduces students to basic principles of physical science and engineering. Using only index cards, students are challenged to build the tallest possible tower. This activity is the best way to demonstrate concepts like balance, gravity, and kinetic energy, making it perfect for kids of all ages, including younger kids.

Why It’s Essential in STEM Curriculum:

• Introduces Physical Science Concepts: Focuses on basic principles like stability and kinetic energy.
• Encourages Creative Problem-Solving: Challenges students to think innovatively using simple materials.
• Accessible to All Ages: Easily adaptable for different age groups, making it suitable for both younger kids and older students.
• Prepares for Future Careers: Develops foundational skills useful in various STEM fields.
• Materials: Provide students with a stack of index cards.
• Build the Tower: Students experiment with different construction techniques to build their towers.
• Discussion on Physical Science: After the activity, discuss how forces like gravity and kinetic energy influenced their designs.
• Real-World Connection: Relate the activity to real-world structures and engineering challenges.

How It Fits Into STEM Courses: The Index Card Tower Challenge is a versatile activity that can be integrated into various STEM courses. It encourages students to apply scientific principles and think critically about engineering challenges, making it a valuable addition to any STEM curriculum.

How To Make The Most Of These Fun STEM Activities for Middle School Students

Whether in STEM labs, at home, or in the classroom, engaging students with discussion questions throughout these hands-on activities is vital.

To connect with students’ interests, some of these STEM activities offer different ways, including the design or analysis of simple video games, blending technology with creativity.

We rounded up these projects specifically because they align with learning objectives and lessons for 6th to 8th-grade students. Ask how this applies to what they’re currently learning in class? What did the project demonstrate?

Let us know in the comments what your favorite Middle School STEM projects! We’d love to hear them.

2 thoughts on “20 STEM Projects That Are Great for Middle School”

I taught bridge building to sixth grade students. The only thing I taught them was information and diagrams about trusses. They had to take notes for their own use during construction. Gave them the materials, formed groups and gave them them help without interfering with their own ideas. The amount of enthusiasm I have seldom seen in middle school. They were so excited they told their other teachers about the project. The bridges were beautiful and so strong. It was great to see the application of the trusses! I am all for STEM activities!

These are some great activities thanks for sharing and I’ll use them at my school.

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50+ Genius STEM Activities for Kids

With a name like The STEM Laboratory, it’s no surprise that we’re obsessed with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities for kids.

These 50+ STEM projects are sure to keep little scientists engaged, learning and well-prepared for their STEM-filled future.

Get inspired below and then sign up for our 5 Day STEM Challenge!

Not only will you learn exactly how to plan and teach STEM like a pro – but we’ll show you how to do it using supplies you already have in your storage closet. Score!

It’s never been simpler (or faster!) to get everything in place. Hop over and join right here!

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Science Projects

There are countless science experiments for kids but these 14 projects are our hands-down favorites!

Make a mini model of the water cycle with just a Ziploc bag!

Turn your name into crystals!

Find out why the sky is blue. // Rookie Parenting

Test whether objects are magnetic . // The Measured Mom

Whip up some frothy, foamy toothpaste .

Pour ice that is warm to the touch but freezes.

Make one orange sink and another one float!

Pour a rainbow into a jar. 

Capture fireworks in a jar using just a few common household supplies. // I Can Teach My Child

Go fishing for ice.

Learn about color mixing when you make  water walk! // Parenting Chaos

Catch a cloud in a jar.

Build a sand volcano that really erupts. // Growing a Jeweled Rose

Play with Magnetic Slime . // Frugal Fun 4 Boys 

Technology Activities

Build robots that really walk, talk and “think”. // Amazon

Teach kids about coding !

Let kids have a little screen time playing 20 teacher-approved apps.

Program a set of kid-friendly robot friends: Dash and Dot . // Amazon

Or build a Kano computer! // Amazon

Engineering Projects

Solve a batch of LEGO challenge cards.

Fold paper into building blocks that really stack. // Babble Dabble Do

Use plastic cups and craft sticks to create four brilliant challenges . // Frugal Fun 4 Boys

Build with straws and tape. // Lemon Lime Adventures

Build structures with marshmallows and pretzels.

Design a pom pom drop  that guides the pom pom from one paper towel roll to the next. // Coffee Cups and Crayons

Learn about bridges and then build your own. // Carrots are Orange

Make a craft stick catapult that really launches!

Try a classic! Organize an egg drop challenge . Can you build a structure that will keep the egg from breaking?! // Buggy and Buddy

Build a batch of exploding boomerangs . // I Can Teach My Child

Test the strength of a piece of paper . // Creekside Learning

Make a moveable pulley! // Carrots Are Orange

Work as a team to build with pipe cleaners and aluminum foil. // Housing a Forest

Math Activities

Practice counting with some truck playdough mats . // Pre Kinders

Or add googly eyes to monsters! 

Teach kids about odd and even numbers with some hands-on activity sheets.

Clip 2-dimensional shapes. // The Measured Mom

Solve a batch of shape puzzles.

Use a Ziploc bag to solve addition problems on a number line. // Source unknown

Make a set of little math books. // Liz’s Early Learning Spot

Solve hands-on addition problems with LEGOS!

Play a round of math fact Jenga.

Learn about fractions with some handy pizza clip cards.

Practice adding together a handful of coins.

Teach kids about AM and PM.

Learn about the multiplication rule of nine. // Shelley Gray Teaching

Now Let’s Take Your STEM Centers to the Next Level

If you’re ready to give your STEM centers a MAJOR boost, hop over and take our 5 Day Challenge!

Not only will you learn exactly how to plan and teach STEM like a pro – but how to do it using supplies you already have in your storage closet.

It’s never been simpler (or faster!) to get everything in place.

Hop over and join right here!

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How do i buy the 50 genius stem activities for kids? i did not see that in the shop thank you

All of the STEM activities are linked to free blog posts. Just click on the activity you’d like to try and you’ll automatically be taken to the page with all the details. 🙂

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150+ Engaging STEM Projects for Kids and Students

STEM projects, which encompass science, technology, engineering, and math, are the perfect way to ignite curiosity, develop problem-solving skills, and have a blast while learning.

Are you looking for exciting and educational activities for your kids, students, or even the whole family? Look no further! STEM projects, which encompass science, technology, engineering, and math, are the perfect way to ignite curiosity, develop problem-solving skills, and have a blast while learning. In this blog post, you’ll discover over 150 engaging STEM projects for young learners, elementary school students, middle school students, high school students, and even projects the whole family can enjoy together. Let’s dive in and explore the exciting world of STEM!

Key Takeaways

• Introduce young learners to STEM concepts with fun and easy projects!
• Encourage kids to explore technology, renewable energy, and water filtration through engaging projects.
• Inspire the whole family to learn about rocketry principles, meteorology & astronomy by creating DIY telescopes & backyard weather stations!

Fun and Easy STEM Projects for Young Learners

Young minds are naturally curious and eager to explore the world around them. Fun and easy STEM activities for kids, like creating homemade slime, building LEGO towers, and conducting homemade volcano experiments, are perfect for introducing young children to STEM concepts while keeping them engaged and entertained. These projects not only teach kids about science, technology, engineering, and math, but also help them develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Starting with basic supplies, most activities can be completed in just 15 to 30 minutes, making them perfect for classroom or home use. The hands-on nature of these projects allows kids to learn by doing, which is often the most effective way to teach and engage young learners. Now, here are some thrilling STEM projects that young learners can immediately embark on!

Creating Homemade Slime

A classic and fun STEM activity for kids is creating homemade slime. This gooey, slimy concoction not only provides hours of entertainment, but also teaches kids about chemical reactions and properties of matter. As they mix ingredients like glue, baking soda, and contact lens solution, they’ll observe how the combination results in a fascinating new substance with unique properties.

To get creative with slime, kids can:

• Experiment with different colors, textures, and even add-ins like glitter or small toys
• Follow instructions and ideas from online resources like Slime Design/Science Buddies and STEAM-Powered Family
• Make slime in various ways, with the range of choices being infinite

This promises endless fun with the egg drop challenge!

Building a LEGO Tower

LEGO bricks have been a popular toy for generations, and they’re also fantastic STEM resources for kids to develop their creativity, problem-solving skills, and engineering abilities. Building a LEGO tower is an exciting engineering challenge that encourages kids to think critically and strategically about how to construct the tallest tower possible.

This activity can be done individually or in groups, making it perfect for both classroom and home settings. Kids can experiment with different building techniques, materials, and styles, and even compete with their friends to see who can build the tallest tower. With this captivating STEM challenge blending enjoyment and education, there are no limits when it comes to stem stands!

Homemade Volcano Experiment

Who doesn’t love a good volcano eruption? The homemade volcano experiment is a classic science activity that introduces kids to chemical reactions and geology in a fun and exciting way. Using simple materials like baking soda, vinegar, and some food coloring, kids can create their very own volcanic eruption right in their own kitchen or backyard.

This hands-on science experiment not only provides a thrilling experience for young learners, but also helps them develop a deeper understanding of how chemical reactions work and the geological processes that occur within our Earth. This enjoyable activity ignites curiosity, motivating kids to delve into the intriguing world of science.

STEM Projects for Elementary School Students

Elementary school students, especially younger kids, are ready to take on more challenging STEM projects that help them develop their problem-solving skills, critical thinking, creativity, and engineering skills. Activities like simple machine construction, solar-powered car design, and building water filtration systems are perfect stem ideas for engaging young minds and teaching them valuable STEM concepts.

By participating in these hands-on projects, elementary school students will not only develop a strong foundation in science, technology, engineering, and math, but also gain a sense of accomplishment and pride in their creations. Let’s delve into some thrilling STEM projects suitable for elementary school students.

Simple Machine Construction

Simple machines are the building blocks of many complex devices we use in our daily lives. They make tasks easier by allowing us to use a single force to do work. Some examples of simple machines include:

• Inclined planes
• Wheels and axles

By understanding how these simple machines work, we can better understand and appreciate the technology that surrounds us.

By constructing their own simple machines, kids can gain a hands-on understanding of how these essential tools work and apply them to various tasks. To build a simple machine, kids will need to choose the type of machine they’d like to create, gather the required materials, and assemble the machine. This activity fosters creativity and problem-solving skills, while enhancing appreciation for the ease that simple machines bring to our lives.

Solar-Powered Car Design

Designing and building a solar-powered car is an exciting and rewarding STEM project for elementary school students. This activity combines engineering, design, and environmental awareness as kids learn about the power of renewable energy and create their own solar-powered vehicles.

To gather materials such as a small solar panel, a motor, wheels, and a lightweight body made from recycled materials, you can create an alternative energy vehicle, like a balloon powered car.

Kids can design, build, and test their cars to see how well they perform in various conditions. This project not only imparts essential STEM concepts, but also cultivates an understanding of the importance of sustainable living and energy efficiency.

Water Filtration System

Clean water is essential for life, and understanding the science behind water filtration can help kids appreciate this vital resource. In this project, kids will create their own water filters using simple materials like:

• Plastic bottles
• Activated charcoal

By building their own water filtration system, kids will learn about the importance of clean water, the process of water filtration, and the effects of pollution on water sources. This practical activity not only imparts crucial STEM concepts, but also encourages kids to consider their actions’ environmental impact and the value of conservation.

Engaging STEM Projects for Middle School Students

Middle school students are ready to tackle more advanced STEM projects that challenge their critical thinking skills and creativity. Activities like coding challenges, bridge engineering, and circuit experiments provide the perfect opportunity for students to delve deeper into the world of STEM and apply their newfound knowledge to real-world problems.

These projects not only help students develop a strong foundation in STEM concepts, but also instill a sense of curiosity, determination, and resilience as they work through challenges and find innovative solutions. Let’s discover some intriguing STEM projects that middle school students can confidently undertake.

Coding Challenges

In today’s increasingly digital world, coding is a valuable skill that can open doors to exciting career opportunities. Introducing middle school students to computer programming through coding challenges and activities is a fantastic way to ignite their interest in this essential skill.

Platforms like Scratch and Code.org offer intuitive interfaces and engaging activities that make learning to code fun and accessible for students of all skill levels. Participation in coding challenges allows students to enhance their problem-solving skills, refine their logical thinking, and deepen their understanding of computer programming.

Bridge Engineering

Bridge engineering is an exciting STEM project that teaches students about engineering principles, materials, and construction techniques. By designing and building their own bridges, students can develop an understanding of the forces at play in bridge construction and the importance of strong, stable structures.

Using materials like toothpicks, popsicle sticks, or even newspaper, students can experiment with different building techniques and styles to create bridges that can support weight and span distances. This practical activity not only imparts essential STEM concepts, but also instills a sense of achievement and pride in their creations.

Circuit Experiments

Electricity is a fundamental part of our daily lives, and understanding how circuits work is essential for students to grasp the principles of electrical engineering. Circuit experiments are a great way for middle school students to learn about electricity, components, and circuit design by building their own circuits using simple materials like batteries, wires, and light bulbs.

By creating and testing their own circuits, students can develop a hands-on understanding of how electrical components work together and the role of electricity in powering our devices. This captivating project not only imparts essential STEM concepts, but also ignites curiosity, encouraging students to delve into the intriguing world of electrical engineering.

Advanced STEM Projects for High School Students

High school students are ready to tackle advanced STEM projects that challenge their knowledge, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Activities like robot building, energy-efficient home design, and chemistry experiments provide the perfect opportunity for students to delve deeper into the world of STEM and apply their skills to real-world problems.

These projects not only help students develop a strong foundation in STEM concepts, but also instill a sense of curiosity, determination, and resilience as they work through challenges and find innovative solutions.

Let’s explore STEM projects that high school students can confidently undertake and discover captivating ideas through a fun stem challenge.

Robot Building

Robotics is an exciting and rapidly growing field, and introducing high school students to robot building is a fantastic way to ignite their interest in this cutting-edge discipline. Building robots not only teaches valuable engineering and programming skills, but also encourages creativity and innovation as students design their own robots using kits or DIY materials.

By constructing and programming their own robots, students can gain a hands-on understanding of how robotics technology works and the potential applications of robots in various industries. This captivating project not only imparts essential STEM concepts, but also ignites curiosity, encouraging students to delve into the intriguing world of robotics.

Energy-Efficient Home Design

With growing concerns about climate change and the need for sustainable living, understanding energy-efficient home design is more important than ever. This project challenges high school students to design and build a model of an energy-efficient home, incorporating elements such as insulation, energy-efficient windows and doors, and renewable energy sources like solar panels.

By designing and constructing their own energy-efficient homes, students can develop an understanding of the importance of sustainable living and the role of energy efficiency in reducing our environmental impact. This practical activity not only imparts essential STEM concepts, but also fosters a sense of responsibility and awareness of the importance of conservation.

Chemistry Experiment

Chemistry experiments are an exciting way for high school students to explore the world of chemical reactions, properties of elements, and more. Hands-on experiments allow students to develop an understanding of the principles of chemistry and the role of chemical reactions in our daily lives.

By conducting their own chemistry experiments, students can gain a deeper understanding of the scientific method, develop critical thinking skills, and ignite their curiosity about the fascinating world of chemistry. This captivating project not only imparts essential STEM concepts but also encourages students to explore the marvels of science through engaging science experiments.

STEM Projects for the Whole Family

STEM projects aren’t just for kids! Engaging in STEM activities as a family is a fantastic way to bond, learn, and have fun together. Projects like homemade rocket launches, DIY telescope construction, and backyard weather stations are perfect for bringing the whole family together and sparking curiosity and creativity in everyone, regardless of age.

By participating in these family-friendly STEM projects, you’ll not only create lasting memories, but also instill a love for STEM in your children, setting them up for success in their future endeavors. So, gather the family and embark on some thrilling STEM projects that everyone can relish!

Homemade Rocket Launch

Launching homemade rockets is a thrilling and educational activity that’s perfect for the whole family. By building and launching rockets using simple materials like plastic bottles, baking soda, and vinegar, kids can learn about physics, aerodynamics, and the science behind rocket propulsion.

This practical activity not only offers a thrilling experience for the whole family, but also aids kids in developing a more profound understanding of rocketry principles and science’s role in powering our world. So, gather the family and prepare for lift-off with this enjoyable and educational project!

DIY Telescope Construction

Astronomy has fascinated humans for centuries, and building your own telescope is an exciting way for the whole family to explore the wonders of the night sky. Using simple materials like PVC pipes, lenses, and mirrors, kids can construct their own telescopes and learn about the principles of optics, astronomy, and the vast universe.

This practical activity not only offers an engaging learning experience for the whole family, but also fosters a sense of curiosity and awe about the universe. So gather your materials and set off on a starry journey with this DIY telescope project!

Backyard Weather Station

Understanding the weather is essential for everyday life, and building a backyard weather station is a fantastic way for the whole family to learn about meteorology and weather patterns. Using simple tools and materials, kids can create their own weather station that measures:

• Temperature

This practical activity not only imparts essential STEM concepts, but also encourages kids to develop an appreciation for the environment and the natural world. So, assemble the family and begin weather tracking with your very own backyard weather station!

In conclusion, STEM projects offer a world of exciting and educational opportunities for kids, students, and families alike. From fun and easy projects for young learners to engaging activities for middle and high school students, there’s a STEM project out there for everyone. By participating in these hands-on activities, we can foster a love for science, technology, engineering, and math, setting our children up for success in their future endeavors. So, whether you’re a parent, teacher, or student, dive into the exciting world of STEM and unleash your creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving skills!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good stem project.

The Egg Drop Challenge, DIY kite-building, solar oven-making, landmark building, and bridge-building are all great STEM projects for learning and fun.

Unleash your creativity to build something amazing!

What does STEM project mean?

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics and is a learning approach that integrates these fields. It allows students to develop problem solving, creative, and critical analysis skills, making it an important priority for U.S. job markets.

STEM education is becoming increasingly important in the modern world, as it prepares students for the jobs of the future. It encourages students to think critically and develop skills that are essential for success in life.

What is STEM project in high school?

STEM projects in high school give students the opportunity to develop their skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in a fun and engaging way.

These projects can help students gain a better understanding of the concepts they are learning in the classroom, as well as giving them the chance to apply their knowledge in a practical setting. They can also help to develop problem-solving skills.

What are some cool STEM projects?

Explore the exciting world of STEM with these 10 simple and fun activities for kids - from building volcanoes to constructing paper circuits!

Unlock your child’s creativity and develop their science, engineering, and technology skills today.

What age group is most suitable for the STEM projects listed?

The STEM projects listed are best suited for elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as for the whole family.

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Real World STEM Projects

Real world STEM projects are a great way for kids to develop and practice their problem solving skills. Learn how to set up real-world STEM challenges as part of a STEM or science curriculum in any classroom, group, or home. Use our handy free STEM challenge checklist to guide the process from identifying a problem, developing a solution to reflecting on the effectiveness of that solution. Let’s support our kids with STEM skills, to find and solve problems in their community!

Solve Real World Problems With STEM

Quick STEM challenges , easy STEM activities and even STEM challenges with paper , are lots of fun to set up in the classroom, at home, or in small group settings. In fact, it is a great place to start if your kids have not had much exposure to the problem-solving process we outline below.

The difference is that kids are given the challenge or question to investigate. For example, our egg drop project requires designing something that will stop eggs from cracking when dropped from a height. Kids are given a problem and then design and test a solution.

In contrast, real-world problem-solving requires kids to identify a problem in their local community or perhaps even a global issue, and then they come up with possible solutions. It requires flexibility, resilience, resourcefulness, and a certain degree of creativity!

Checklist For Completing Your Real World STEM Project

Want your kids to work on real world STEM projects? Here is a summary of the process you want them to follow. Use it as a guide! Grab the free checklist [here] .

1. Ask – Brainstorm a list of problems you would like to be able to solve.

2. Observe – Observe and list other solutions to your problem that already exist.

3. Design – Sketch or describe your design ideas.

4. Build – Build the solution or protype

5. Test – Record your methods and results.

6. Solve – Evaluate your solution. What worked well? What could you improve?

The Problem Solving Process

Engineering is all about problem-solving. Engineers use a process called the engineering design process to solve problems.

The process involves six steps: ASK, OBSERVE, GATHER, DESIGN, TEST, and SOLVE.

First, engineers ASK a question. They identify a problem that needs to be solved.

Next, engineers OBSERVE . They gather information by looking at how things work and taking note of what is already out there.

After that, engineers GATHER information. They do research to learn more about the problem and what has already been done to solve it.

Once engineers have enough information, they move on to DESIGN . They use their knowledge and creativity to come up with a solution to the problem.

After they have a design, engineers TEST it. They build a prototype of the solution and see how it works.

Finally, engineers SOLVE the problem. They take what they have learned from testing and improve their design until they have a working solution.

Engineers use this process to come up with creative solutions to real-world problems.

Get Your Printable Real World STEM Project Pack!

Are you looking for more than a simple checklist? How about a complete, done-for-you Real World STEN project outline for the kids to read through and fill in? It includes all the information you need to identify and solve a local challenge!

Perfect for elementary and middle school-age kids! Plus, I have added a bonus Island STEM Story with fun challenges based on the “real” problems the kids in the story need to find solutions for! It’s a great way to start with the idea of solving real-world problems on a smaller scale!

STEM Projects That Are About Real World Problems

Are you not sure where to start? These ideas below are based on real-world problems and are a starting point for getting kids thinking about an issue and developing possible solutions!

Beach Erosion Demonstration

Explore solutions for the problem of coastal erosion.

Earthquake Experiment

Some parts of the world frequently experience earthquakes. Have the kids come up with possible building designs that would withstand movement caused by earthquakes.

Oil Spill Experiment

Understand what an oil spill is and explore ways for it to be cleaned up before it damages the environment.

Soil Erosion

Explore the causes of soil erosion, why it is a significant problem and what can be done about it with this real world STEM project.

DIY Solar Oven

Investigate the most effective way to heat food without traditional energy sources. A significant issue in underdeveloped parts of the world.

Water Filtration

What can people do when they don’t have access to clean drinking water?

What Is STEM For Kids?

So you might ask, what does STEM actually stand for? STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. The most important thing you can take away from this, is that STEM is for everyone!

Yes, kids of all ages can work on STEM projects and enjoy STEM lessons. STEM activities are great for group work, too! You can read more about the valuable life lessons that STEM can provide kids here.

STEM is everywhere! Just look around. The simple fact that STEM surrounds us is why it’s so important for kids to be a part of, to use, and to understand STEM.

From the buildings you see in town, the bridges that connect places, the computers we use, the software programs that go with them, and to the air we breathe, STEM is what makes it all possible.

Interested in STEM plus ART? Check out all our STEAM Activities!

Engineering is an important part of STEM. What is engineering in kindergarten and elementary? Well, it’s putting together simple structures and other items and learning about the science behind them in the process. Essentially, it’s a whole lot of doing! 

Tips For Real World STEM Projects

Depending on the age and level of your kids, continue to scaffold the task as appropriate. Grab our printable STEM project pack below to make that even easier! It includes a number of real-world problem-solving worksheets to guide your kids through the process, and can be used easily in the classroom or at home.

One way to scaffold is to provide the topic from which kids choose a problem. For example; environment, accessibility, water, education, buildings, cities, or rural areas. Cross-curricular topics, that is, they involve more than one area of learning, are great for real world STEM projects!

Working in small groups is also another great way to provide support to students with solving real world problems. Of course, giving kids a time frame for each part of the project (see the problem solving process further on) helps too!

Remember with real world STEM projects, having a go and engaging with the problem solving process is more important than the “correctness” of the solution. Perfection is not the goal!

Helpful STEM Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources to help you introduce STEM more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Engineering Design Process Explained
• What Is An Engineer
• Engineering Words
• Questions for Reflection (get them talking about it!)
• BEST STEM Books for Kids
• 14 Engineering Books for Kids
• Jr. Engineer Challenge Calendar (Free)
• Must Have STEM Supplies List

Printable STEM Pack for Kids

80+ Doable Engineering Projects in one convenient pack!

• Full instructions with sample images
• Activity-specific instruction sheets
• Data Collection Sheets
• Questions for Reflection
• Architecture Building Cards: Try the tallest tower challenge
• Bridge Building Cards: Explore different types of bridges to build your own.
• Paper Chain STEM Challenge: Who can make the longest chain? Great icebreaker or quick challenge!
• 3 Little Pigs Architectural Pack: Design a house that won’t blow away!
• Great marshmallow challenge: A classic challenge kids love!
• Real-world STEM challenge lesson but don’t know where to start? Our easy-to-follow template shows the steps!
• What’s the difference between a scientist and an engineer?
• Crossword and word search with engineering vocabulary.
• Engineering vocabulary cards
• Design a one-of-a-kind invention and write about it with this 5-page activity!

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

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25 First Grade STEM Challenges to Engage Young Learners

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education is becoming increasingly important in today’s world. By introducing STEM concepts to young learners at an early age, we can help develop their problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. Here are 25 STEM challenges specifically designed for first-grade students to engage their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.

• Build a tower using only marshmallows and toothpicks. Measure how tall it stands.
• Design a boat that can float and hold at least five pennies without sinking.
• Create a paper airplane and test its flight distance.
• Investigate which materials are the best insulators by building small houses using different materials and testing their ability to keep a small ice cube cold.
• Grow plants from seeds and observe their growth over time. Discuss the different parts of a plant and their functions.
• Build a simple circuit using a battery, wires, and a light bulb. Investigate how different materials, such as metal and paper clips, can affect the brightness of the light.
• Explore the concept of buoyancy by designing and building a foil boat that can hold the most pennies before sinking.
• Investigate the effects of light on plant growth by placing different colored filters over plants and observing their growth patterns.
• Construct a bridge using popsicle sticks and test its strength by placing small weights on top.
• Create a pulley system to lift a small object off the ground.
• Build a structure using gumdrops and toothpicks. Explore different shapes and their stability.
• Explore the properties of magnets by using them to move and sort different objects.
• Design and build a simple windmill using paper, straws, and a pinwheel. Observe its motion in the wind.
• Investigate the effects of different liquids, such as water, oil, and vinegar, on various materials.
• Create a kaleidoscope using mirrors and colored beads. Explore reflections and patterns.
• Construct a simple maze using cardboard and straws. Guide a small object through the maze using a magnet.
• Explore the concept of balance by creating a balancing mobile using different materials such as feathers, buttons, and paperclips.
• Create a model of the solar system using different-sized balls to represent planets. Discuss the characteristics of each planet.
• Investigate the effects of friction by designing and testing different types of ramps and measuring how far a toy car can roll.
• Build a simple catapult using craft sticks and rubber bands. Test how far different objects can be launched.
• Explore the concept of sound by creating homemade musical instruments using items from around the house.
• Design a paper roller coaster and test the speed and stability of a marble as it rolls down the track.
• Investigate the concept of density by creating a density tower using different liquids with varying densities.
• Build a structure using spaghetti and marshmallows. Explore different shapes and their stability.
• Create a simple coding activity using symbols and arrows to guide a small robot or toy car through a maze.

These 25 first-grade STEM challenges are just the beginning of your young learners’ journey into the exciting world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Encourage their curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills, and watch as they develop a lifelong love for STEM!

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Easy STEM Challenges for Kids

February 14, 2020 By Emma Vanstone 1 Comment

Here at Science Sparks we love easy STEM challenges . Not only are they great fun but also a wonderful opportunity for children to work together creatively to solve a problem. Building and engineering projects are especially good for encouraging kids to think and re-evaluate if something doesn’t work.

STEM Challenges tend to be simple to set up and often only require things you already have around the house, so are a brilliant inexpensive science activity too!

If you want to make a STEM Challenge more challenging try limiting the materials children have access to or set a time limit.

Don’t forget we have 100s more science experiments and STEM Challenges so if you don’t find anything here, do search again!

The BEST Simple STEM Challenges

Stem challenges for 3-5 year olds, rocket mouse.

Make a milk container rocket mouse . These are super easy to make. All you need is a milk jug and a paper cone to sit on the top.

Sinking and Floating Challenge

Investigate which objects float from a selection and then build a boat or raft to help objects that sink float.

For older children ask the question “ How can you make a lemon sink ?” The answer is quite simple, but there could be other ways to get the same end result, for example adding materials to weigh it down.

LEGO Towers Challenge

Create a LEGO tower using one hand. Find three different ways to measure the height of the tower.

Another idea is to create a tower or bridge that can hold a certain weight without breaking.

STEM Challenges for 6-8 year olds

Build a raft from recycled materials – for older children specify a particular weight the raft should hold.

Extra challenge – build a raft using three different materials, find a way to move the raft over water.

Marble Maze STEM Challenge

Create a LEGO marble maze or a marble run. This space themed marble run can be found in This IS Rocket Science .

Water Balloon Landing Pad

Create a landing pad for a water balloon so it doesn’t break. This is great fun and less messy than the egg version! Just use different materials ( recycled is good ) and see which stop the water balloon breaking when it hits the ground.

Magnet Powered Cars

Build magnet powered toy cars and race them! try different size magnets and cars to see which work the best.

Build a castle with a working drawbridge.

STEM Challenges for ages 9+

Lollystick catapult.

Build a catapult using lollysticks . Or go large and make a giant working catapult .

Paper Spinners

Design a falling paper spinner which takes more than 10 seconds to reach the ground. These are super easy to make and brilliant fun. The small ones spin fast and the large ones very slowly.

More STEM Challenge Ideas

These magnetic sculptures from Babble Dabble Do are just AMAZING!!

Design different shape and different material sledges and time how long they take to slide down ramps with different gradients. A homemade friction ramp would be great for this challenge too!

Make a Rube Goldberg Machine ! These are basically a chain reaction and can be as big or small as you like.

We LOVE these domino STEM challenge cards from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls too.

Design and build a water slide using kitchen foil.

Try our build a bridge STEM Challenge .

iGame Mom has some great 5 minute STEM Challenges .

Find a way to stand on paper cups without breaking them .

Design a pylon system using pipe cleaners and straws.

What’s your favourite STEM Challenge?

Last Updated on December 28, 2020 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

August 07, 2021 at 6:55 am

STEM challenges are perfect for making learning fun for kids. It can help them to develop and enhance many life essential skills. Thanks for sharing!

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• Problem Solving in STEM

Solving problems is a key component of many science, math, and engineering classes.  If a goal of a class is for students to emerge with the ability to solve new kinds of problems or to use new problem-solving techniques, then students need numerous opportunities to develop the skills necessary to approach and answer different types of problems.  Problem solving during section or class allows students to develop their confidence in these skills under your guidance, better preparing them to succeed on their homework and exams. This page offers advice about strategies for facilitating problem solving during class.

How do I decide which problems to cover in section or class?

In-class problem solving should reinforce the major concepts from the class and provide the opportunity for theoretical concepts to become more concrete. If students have a problem set for homework, then in-class problem solving should prepare students for the types of problems that they will see on their homework. You may wish to include some simpler problems both in the interest of time and to help students gain confidence, but it is ideal if the complexity of at least some of the in-class problems mirrors the level of difficulty of the homework. You may also want to ask your students ahead of time which skills or concepts they find confusing, and include some problems that are directly targeted to their concerns.

You have given your students a problem to solve in class. What are some strategies to work through it?

• Try to give your students a chance to grapple with the problems as much as possible.  Offering them the chance to do the problem themselves allows them to learn from their mistakes in the presence of your expertise as their teacher. (If time is limited, they may not be able to get all the way through multi-step problems, in which case it can help to prioritize giving them a chance to tackle the most challenging steps.)
• When you do want to teach by solving the problem yourself at the board, talk through the logic of how you choose to apply certain approaches to solve certain problems.  This way you can externalize the type of thinking you hope your students internalize when they solve similar problems themselves.
• Start by setting up the problem on the board (e.g you might write down key variables and equations; draw a figure illustrating the question).  Ask students to start solving the problem, either independently or in small groups.  As they are working on the problem, walk around to hear what they are saying and see what they are writing down. If several students seem stuck, it might be a good to collect the whole class again to clarify any confusion.  After students have made progress, bring the everyone back together and have students guide you as to what to write on the board.
• It can help to first ask students to work on the problem by themselves for a minute, and then get into small groups to work on the problem collaboratively.
• If you have ample board space, have students work in small groups at the board while solving the problem.  That way you can monitor their progress by standing back and watching what they put up on the board.
• If you have several problems you would like to have the students practice, but not enough time for everyone to do all of them, you can assign different groups of students to work on different – but related - problems.

When do you want students to work in groups to solve problems?

• Don’t ask students to work in groups for straightforward problems that most students could solve independently in a short amount of time.
• Do have students work in groups for thought-provoking problems, where students will benefit from meaningful collaboration.
• Even in cases where you plan to have students work in groups, it can be useful to give students some time to work on their own before collaborating with others.  This ensures that every student engages with the problem and is ready to contribute to a discussion.

What are some benefits of having students work in groups?

• Students bring different strengths, different knowledge, and different ideas for how to solve a problem; collaboration can help students work through problems that are more challenging than they might be able to tackle on their own.
• In working in a group, students might consider multiple ways to approach a problem, thus enriching their repertoire of strategies.
• Students who think they understand the material will gain a deeper understanding by explaining concepts to their peers.

What are some strategies for helping students to form groups?  

• Instruct students to work with the person (or people) sitting next to them.
• Count off.  (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4; all the 1’s find each other and form a group, etc)
• Hand out playing cards; students need to find the person with the same number card. (There are many variants to this.  For example, you can print pictures of images that go together [rain and umbrella]; each person gets a card and needs to find their partner[s].)
• Based on what you know about the students, assign groups in advance. List the groups on the board.
• Note: Always have students take the time to introduce themselves to each other in a new group.

What should you do while your students are working on problems?

• Walk around and talk to students. Observing their work gives you a sense of what people understand and what they are struggling with. Answer students’ questions, and ask them questions that lead in a productive direction if they are stuck.
• If you discover that many people have the same question—or that someone has a misunderstanding that others might have—you might stop everyone and discuss a key idea with the entire class.

After students work on a problem during class, what are strategies to have them share their answers and their thinking?

• Ask for volunteers to share answers. Depending on the nature of the problem, student might provide answers verbally or by writing on the board. As a variant, for questions where a variety of answers are relevant, ask for at least three volunteers before anyone shares their ideas.
• Use online polling software for students to respond to a multiple-choice question anonymously.
• If students are working in groups, assign reporters ahead of time. For example, the person with the next birthday could be responsible for sharing their group’s work with the class.
• Cold call. To reduce student anxiety about cold calling, it can help to identify students who seem to have the correct answer as you were walking around the class and checking in on their progress solving the assigned problem. You may even want to warn the student ahead of time: "This is a great answer! Do you mind if I call on you when we come back together as a class?"
• Have students write an answer on a notecard that they turn in to you.  If your goal is to understand whether students in general solved a problem correctly, the notecards could be submitted anonymously; if you wish to assess individual students’ work, you would want to ask students to put their names on their notecard.  
• Use a jigsaw strategy, where you rearrange groups such that each new group is comprised of people who came from different initial groups and had solved different problems.  Students now are responsible for teaching the other students in their new group how to solve their problem.
• Have a representative from each group explain their problem to the class.
• Have a representative from each group draw or write the answer on the board.

What happens if a student gives a wrong answer?

• Ask for their reasoning so that you can understand where they went wrong.
• Ask if anyone else has other ideas. You can also ask this sometimes when an answer is right.
• Cultivate an environment where it’s okay to be wrong. Emphasize that you are all learning together, and that you learn through making mistakes.
• Do make sure that you clarify what the correct answer is before moving on.
• Once the correct answer is given, go through some answer-checking techniques that can distinguish between correct and incorrect answers. This can help prepare students to verify their future work.

How can you make your classroom inclusive?

• The goal is that everyone is thinking, talking, and sharing their ideas, and that everyone feels valued and respected. Use a variety of teaching strategies (independent work and group work; allow students to talk to each other before they talk to the class). Create an environment where it is normal to struggle and make mistakes.
• See Kimberly Tanner’s article on strategies to promoste student engagement and cultivate classroom equity. 

A few final notes…

• Make sure that you have worked all of the problems and also thought about alternative approaches to solving them.
• Board work matters. You should have a plan beforehand of what you will write on the board, where, when, what needs to be added, and what can be erased when. If students are going to write their answers on the board, you need to also have a plan for making sure that everyone gets to the correct answer. Students will copy what is on the board and use it as their notes for later study, so correct and logical information must be written there.

For more information...

Tipsheet: Problem Solving in STEM Sections

Tanner, K. D. (2013). Structure matters: twenty-one teaching strategies to promote student engagement and cultivate classroom equity . CBE-Life Sciences Education, 12(3), 322-331.

• Designing Your Course
• A Teaching Timeline: From Pre-Term Planning to the Final Exam
• The First Day of Class
• Group Agreements
• Classroom Debate
• Flipped Classrooms
• Leading Discussions
• Polling & Clickers
• Teaching with Cases
• Engaged Scholarship
• Devices in the Classroom
• Beyond the Classroom
• On Professionalism
• Getting Feedback
• Equitable & Inclusive Teaching
• Advising and Mentoring
• Teaching and Your Career
• Teaching Remotely
• Tools and Platforms
• The Science of Learning
• Bok Publications
• Other Resources Around Campus

15 STEM Challenges for Kids

Ready to inspire the engineer in your kiddo? Check out these super fun, hands-on STEM Challenges. You can find STEM learning in all sorts of places like the hardware store, the toy box and the laundry room. And each challenge gets kids thinking creatively, troubleshooting and actively ideating. And having so much fun they’ll forget they’re learning. These STEM Challenges are all from our second week of the 28 Days of Hands-On STEM Activities for Kids . 

Why Should Kids Try STEM Challenges?

First, what is a STEM Challenge? It’s a project that gets kids to explore, design, test, repeat in science, technology, engineering or math. Why should you care? Because STEM challenges are all about the thought process and thinking like a STEMist improves problem solving in all areas of life.

Tinkering Challenges

First up are the tinkering challenges. These are projects that get kids to think creatively

• Hardware Store STEM Scavenger Hunt || Left Brain Craft Brain
• Make it Move! Challenge || STEAM Powered Family
• Mondrian Playdough Challenge || The Preschool Toolbox
• DIY Electric Tinkering Kit || Planet Smarty Pants
• Paper Bag  STEM Challenge || Little Bins for Little Hands

Building Challenges

Next are the building challenges. These projects take classic LEGOs to the next level with architecture and encourage kids to take their building on the road.

• Bridge Building Challenge || Mama Smiles
• Build a 3D Structure || Go Science Girls
• Build a Bedroom Model || Line Upon Line Learning

• Invitation to Build a Frozen Tower  || Playground Parkbench
• Conversation Heart Tower || Math Geek Mama
• LEGO Engineering Preschool Challenge  || Preschool Powol Packets
• Travel Playdough Engineering Kit || Lemon Lime Adventures

Science Challenges

Finally we have the science challenges. These are fun activities that help reinforce basic science principles like magnetism and refraction.

• Magnetic Superhero Challenge || Handmade Kids Art
• How to Bend a Pencil Without Breaking It || Edventures with Kids
• Simple Pendulum Experiment || JDaniel4’s Mom

28 Days of Hands-On STEM Activities for Kids

These STEM Goes Green activities are part of an amazing series of hands-on STEM activities for kids. I’ve joined up with 28 other bloggers and we’re creating 60+ fun science, technology, engineering & math activities. Each week is a different topic: STEM Goes Green, STEM Challenges, Coding for Kids & STEM On the Cheap.   Click here for the full list of activities   or check out our first week’s topic: STEM Goes Green .

Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math Fun for Kids

Looking for some more STEAM inspiration that use can use right now? Instant gratification style? Check out STEAM Kids: 50+ Hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math Hands-On Projects for Kids ebook ! It’s packed full of a year’s worth fun learning activities that will wow the boredom right out of your kids.

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20 STEM Challenges for Kids

• Janessa Fletcher
• October 12, 2020
• No Comments

Start your year out right with 20 STEM Challenges for Kids! We have listed 20 inexpensive activities you can try with your students right off the bat! #17 is by far my favorite!!

We want STEM instruction to be easy for you to implement, so our series includes:

• An instructional guideline for you with a daily lesson sequence recommendation.
• A teacher guide that includes materials needed, prior knowledge questions, lesson plan, and closure activity.
• Paired classroom books to build background and make connections to the STEM challenge.
• Vocabulary cards with illustrations that gear your students toward important words they can use when completing their challenge.
• Illustrated student readers on the same topic to get your students thinking about the challenge.  These readers are also written on three different levels to meet the needs of all of your students.
• Design Process Posters that highlight the main steps in completing a STEM challenge.
• Every student gets a STEM Journal which restates the challenge question, lists the vocabulary words and their definitions, identifies the materials needed, and walks students through the STEM process.  Students are able to plan out and execute their design, while reflecting on what worked and what needs to be changed for next time.
• As an added BONUS , a math problem, extension activity, and home connection with a project compatible website are also included in the journal.
• Lastly, a numeric rubric for you to evaluate the projects and journal responses.

Challenge #1. Building a Paper Airplane

Challenge Question: Can you build a paper airplane that will fly far through the air? Build one and measure how far it will go!

#2. Building a Roller Coaster

Challenge Question: What kind of roller coaster can you make with straws? Use a ping pong ball as your “car” to try it out when you are finished!

#3. Jellybean Structures

Challenge Question: What kind of structure can you make using only jelly beans and toothpicks?

Challenge #4. Building a Tall Tower

Challenge Question: How tall can you build a tower using only straws and tape? Make sure you measure it to find out!

#5. Index Card Structures

Challenge Question: How can you make the biggest structure possible using only index cards?

#6. Building a Paper Plate Marble Maze

Challenge Questions:  Can you build a marble maze using a paper plate? Try sticking on items for the marble to go under and around.

Challenge #7. Building an Army Launcher

Challenge Question: Can you build a launcher for your army man with the things in the provided cup? How can you make it go as far as possible?

#8. How Strong is Spaghetti?

Challenge Question: How strong is dry spaghetti? Can you build a structure that holds many books or blocks? How many books can it hold?

#9. Making a Harmonica

Challenge Question:   How can you make different sounds on a harmonica you make with craft sticks, rubber bands, and a straw?

Challenge #10. Building a Light Circuit

Challenge Question: How can you make a light turn on if you are only working with a broken strand of lights? Try it out to see!

#11. Shadows All Around Us

Challenge Question: Think about how the shadows of objects change throughout the day.  Is there a certain time of day that you don’t have a shadow?  How do you make a shadow become longer or shorter?

#12. Solar Oven

Challenge Question:  Watch the awe in your students as they use everyday materials, like plastic wrap, aluminum foil, boxes, straws, tape, and black paper to build an oven that actually heats up!  What will they try to cook once it’s completed?!

Challenge #13. Bucket Tower

Challenge Question:  Have you ever been to a water park and been dumped on by a bucket full of water?  Do you think that you could build a model of that bucket?  How many pennies could your bucket hold?

#14. Making a Ferris Wheel

Challenge Question:  How many seats will the wheel have?  Can you actually make it rotate?  Using only craft sticks, glue, and a dowel, this project will be one your students are sure to enjoy!

#15. Guitars

Challenge Question:  How much fun will your class have creating cup guitars and playing music on them?!  Is there a way to make each rubber band sound differently on the cup?

Challenge #16. Wind Pipes

Challenge Question:  How do you construct a wind pipe so that it makes different sounds?

#17. Balloon Rocket Car

Challenge Question:  Students will be able to test how air being forced out of the balloon gives the car momentum.  This is a great physics lesson!

#18. Constructing a Tent

Challenge Question:  Using a variety of crafting supplies, they will be able to use their imagination to build any type of tent they desire.  Add to the challenge by comparing size… How many small animals would fit in the tent?

Challenge #19. Windmills

Challenge Question: They will be able to identify important components that allow the windmill to turn and experiment with various ways to make it go faster or slower.  Groups can also discuss how windmills are able to harness wind energy to create power for us.

#20. Design a Playground

Challenge Question:  Having your students design their own playground will bring out the creativity in all minds.  Will they include slides, swings, or maybe a Merry Go Round?

These 20 STEM Challenges for Kids are included in both of our Once Upon a STEM bundles.  You can grab the first 10 in Volume 1 and the second set of 10 in Volume 2 . Give your students some hands-on application in Science, Engineering, and Math, while integrating technology and group discussion into each challenge.

Ready to start STEM Challenges in your classroom?  We want you to start on the right foot!

Don’t forget to snag up our FREE Engineering Design Process Posters !

Now that you are ready to start implementing STEM Challenges for kids in your classroom, you’re on your way to becoming a more efficient teacher! 

At Education to the Core, we provide done-for-you curriculum that is simple, fun, and effective! We want you to be the very best teacher you can be, while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. In order to be an  effective educator , you have to  take care of you first !

We strive to make a healthy  work-life balance  a reality for  you  each and every day. If you enjoyed this blog post about STEM Challenges for Kids, be sure to join my email list  to get exclusive FREEBIES, exclusive content, updates, deals!

Welcome! I’m Emily, Founder of Education to the Core. We are all about helping K-2 teachers by providing unlimited access to affordable printables for every subject area.   

Easy No Prep STEM Activities with Paper

Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy project to wow your kids or you need a last-minute STEM challenge for the classroom or summer camps you really don’t need to look any further than plain old paper! A simple piece of paper has endless possibilities when it comes to STEM. Here are some of my favorite easy STEM activities with paper that require no prep work.

STEM Activities with Just Paper

What you will discover in this article!

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The STEM Design Process

For these challenges, you’ll want to review the STEM design process and Scientific Method with the kids. This helps to remind them how to approach a STEM challenge in a strategic way that increases the likelihood of success.

• Look at what the challenge or question is and what you have to work with.
• Plan how you are going to complete the challenge or solve the problem.
• Go! Get to work putting your plan in place.
• Test it out – were you right? Did it work?
• Reflect and Redesign.
• Try it again!

Reminding kids that missteps and failed attempts are part of the process will give them a little more confidence to just jump in and try.

NOTE: If you feel having a simple template to help with the index card and helicopter challenge would be helpful, we have one available for our STEAM Powered Family mailing list members. Simply enter your email here to unlock the printable.

Can You Fit Through An Index Card?

Can you fit yourself through an index card? (Or at least fit your head)?

This is such a fun challenge that helps build problem solving skills and creative thinking.

Ask the kids – can you fit through an index card? Undoubtedly the answer will be no. Then ask “What if I gave you a pair of scissors? Then could you fit?” Let’s try.

Have the kids think about how they might accomplish the task and try out their theories. Any luck?

The Math Explanation

Let’s talk about a little math. When we look at the perimeter of an object like an index card we would simply add the length of all the sides. For an index card that would mean 3+3+5+5=16 or 3×2+5×2=16.

Can we use scissors to change the perimeter to make the card bigger? YES.

This might seem a bit confusing, so here is a video demonstrating how to cut the index card. If you can’t see the video, please ensure your adblockers are turned off as they also block our video feed. Watch to the end so you can see the paper helicopter flying too!

Show the kids the first three steps:

1. Fold the card in half – lengthwise.

2. Make 2 cuts on the folded edge about a quarter inch from the outside and almost all the way through.

3. Cut along the length of the remaining folded edge.

Now look again. What do you notice? How did the card change? What is the new perimeter? Can we do it again? Revisit the planning stage. How can you fit all the way through the card?

The Solution

You can show the kids that it is in fact possible to fit through an index card. By making specific cuts you can change the perimeter enough that the opening will allow you to step through it.

1 Fold the card in half – lengthwise.

4 Flip the paper over and make another cut about a quarter inch from the first.

5. Continue flipping the paper and cutting until you reach the other side. Be careful not to cut all the way through the paper at any time.

6. Carefully unfold the paper and step through! (If you are working with older students they may only be able to fit their heads through the card).

If you would like to tie in a little more math – have the kids figure out the perimeter of the new card! Easy, engaging, and truly zero prep!

Paper Chain STEM Challenge

What about the longest paper chain you can create from one sheet of paper.

This is an exciting project to watch the kids reason out. I’m sure most everyone has made a paper chain at some point. My daughter loves to make them as a countdown to holidays, birthdays, the end of school, and days until vacation! This easy no prep activity will really get the kids thinking and the great thing is they could work in groups or individually – whichever works best for your situation.

The Paper Chain Challenge

With only a pair of scissors, a glue stick or some tape, and one sheet of paper make the longest paper chain that you can in say 20-30 minutes.

Take the first five minutes to think the challenge through and plan your strategy. Promise them that thinking it through will give them an advantage over someone who just dives in and goes to work. When the time is up the students will need to transport and lay out their chain for measuring without it falling apart.

The thinner the strips of paper and the closer to the ends they are glued together the longer the chain will be – however the thinner and closer to the ends the weaker the chain is overall and it may not transport. These are the critical thinking moments that we want the kids to recognize.

While engineering the chain is itself part of the process there are some great math tie-ins as well. Obviously, we can count the links in the longest chain, we can also measure how long the chains are – add them together – subtract the difference. For older kids, you could have them convert from inches to feet to yards – have them estimate if a chain is this long – how many pieces of paper would we need to cross the room, or go the length of the hallway or to the next town. You could have the kids graph their results. There are so many amazing possibilities with just that little sheet of paper.

Paper Columns – Which paper shape is the strongest?

These hands-on STEM projects are a fantastic way for kids of all ages to build engineering skills, creativity, and explore physics.

The Paper Stack Challenge

Give your students 3 pieces of paper, some tape, and some books. We want to see what shape column can hold the most books without collapsing a circle, a triangle, or a square.

First, have the kids do some hypothesizing. Play around with the paper but don’t tape anything yet – looking at the shapes and different ways you might make them, what do you think will be the strongest and why? Record your results.

Have each student or group make their shapes. Don’t give them restrictions on how they make the shapes, see what they come up with. Some kids might make the shapes going right to the edge of the paper – others may overlap – that is perfect because seeing the different designs and how they hold up is part of the process.

Test and Observe

Once the shapes are constructed – start stacking the books. Make sure that the students use the same books for each shape so that they know the weight is the same across their three shapes. How much did each hold? What was the strongest?

The Results

All groups should find that their circular shape is the strongest. Both the square and the triangle hold weight along their edges and corners so they will shift and collapse more easily. The circular column has no edges and corners so all of the weight is distributed evenly.

You could also compare across groups – did one method of making the shape result in a stronger shape than another.

Tie in math by averaging how many books each shape could hold.

Extension Activities

Explain to the kids that columns have been used in architecture across the ages. Depending on the age of your students you could show them examples or you could have them research the use of columns in different structures and present their findings to the class.

Build a Paper Bridge

Another variation on this activity is one we have done in the past, building a bridge out of paper . This is a great way to demonstrate how you can build strong structures with paper and can spin off into some really great engineering projects.

Paper Helicopter Project and Challenge

This is another quick and easy paper activity the kids will love! Each student will need one sheet of paper, a pair of scissors, and 3 paper clips of different weights and sizes. For example, a plastic clip, a small wire clip, and a large one.

Paper Helicopter Directions

Fold your one piece of paper into three equal sections along its longest side so you end up with three sections of approximately 8.5×3.5 inches.

Cut the pieces along the folds. From there you need to fold each of those pieces in half short end to short end and then unfold it.

Cut one end of the paper along the center from the end to almost to the middle fold.

Flip it around and cut 2 small slits on either side at the fold about a third of the way in and fold both of those sides to the center.

Clip those folds together along the bottom edge with a paperclip.

Now, flip it back over to the top and fold those 2 flaps away from each other to form the propellers.

Holding it by the paper clip, toss it gently into the air, and watch it start to spin!

Note, you can see a video of the helicopter in flight at the end of the index card cutting video above.

The STEM connection

Paper helicopters can lead to a discussion about lift: which is when the air that is under your propeller is pushing up on it harder than the air on top pushing down. This slows the pull of gravity and makes the helicopter spin.

Here is a great science experiment idea involving gravity. Have the students repeat the cutting and folding process with the two other pieces of paper clipping each with a different paper clip. Launch all three from the same spot. Which lands first – do you know why? How does the weight and size of the paperclip affect the pull of gravity on the helicopter? The heavier the object the greater the gravitational pull and the faster it will fall. What if we used a different type of paper? Like a heavier cardstock? How will that affect lift and gravity?

That is it! A few quick and easy no or low prep STEM activities using plain old paper! Perfect for a classroom, camp, homeschooling or just for some fun and memorable activities with the kids on a rainy day.

Möbius Strip Challenge

Take on a Möbius Strip challenge and explore the mathematical concepts of topology. Using just paper, tape and scissors students make an one-sided infinite loop. Then explore that concept in depth by also making Möbius Hearts and more.

EVEN MORE PAPER STEM IDEAS

Looking for more Paper STEM and Toy Making inspiration? Check out these additional resources for even more ideas for how to use paper for fun STEM activities!

5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids

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STEM Girl Summer Shows High School Students a Future of Possibilities

An innovative weekend program gives female students a chance to explore physics and engineering

To test their engineering and problem-solving skills, students worked in teams to build a glider using a selection of predetermined materials.

In the egg-drop challenge, students were given a set amount of “money” to buy supplies to build a container to protect their egg during a drop of 15, 25, and 35 ft.

To learn about electronic systems, students built a small flashing circuit on a printed circuit board.

To learn about nonlinear dynamics, students created a Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, which creates oscillating patterns due to due to small changes in chemical concentrations.

STEM Girl Summer gives high schoolers the chance to meet other female students interested in science and math.

It actually IS rocket science. Students built their own bottle rockets, which were launched with a bike pump to use pressurized air as the "fuel."

• Michelle Franklin - [email protected]

Published Date

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Even today, women remain underrepresented in STEM careers, especially in male-dominated fields like physics, engineering and mathematics. According to the American Association for University Women, women in STEM careers — and girls who study in STEM fields — are still hampered by gender stereotypes, a dearth of role models and a lack of confidence. University of California San Diego graduate student Robin Glefke hopes to change that with STEM Girl Summer.

Glefke is a physics graduate student who works in the lab of Associate Professor of Physics Alex Fraño, investigating how to engineer superconductors and design materials for neuromorphic computing devices — an energy efficient computer architecture that mimics the brain. When she’s not busy with her studies, she looks for ways to give back to her community.

“I'm really passionate about making science more accessible to people that are interested in pursuing it,” she said. “Particularly as a woman in physics, there's not a whole lot of us, so I want to do everything I can to make the environment more amenable to women and other minorities.”

Built off a program Glefke started as a high schooler in Georgia, STEM Girl Summer brings female San Diego-area high school students to campus for a weekend of hands-on learning, panel discussions and fellowship, showing them — perhaps for the first time — that a career in science is something they can pursue.

For this year’s program, which concluded last month, students participated in two classic engineering challenges: dropping an egg off a balcony and sailing a glider, each testing a different set of problem-solving skills. The glider challenge asked students to create a glider that would fall as slowly as possible when launched. For this, they were given a predetermined set of materials that they could use in any way they wanted. The egg-drop challenge asked students to build a container to safely cushion an egg dropped from a balcony. For this, they were given money to “buy” materials from a store, so each team could determine which materials made the most sense for the challenge.

“These challenges, where they have to solve a problem in different ways, teaches them to think like a scientist,” stated Glefke. “Having done it here, it gives them the confidence that they need to enter into those environments at school. Problem solving is so fundamental to STEM, it’s a useful skill no matter what field they choose to pursue.”

Students also participated in demonstrations that focused on different fields within physics, including astronomy, optics and biophysics. To learn about chaos theory and non-linear dynamics, students conducted a Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, which formed dramatic oscillating patterns in a petri dish. They also built flashing circuits and bottle rockets, and visited the lab of Assistant Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Quinn Konopacky.

They also heard from Gurleen Bal, an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Physics, who shared her journey as an undergraduate studying physics at UC San Diego to now teaching physics at her alma mater.

A panel discussion with current students allowed the high schoolers to ask questions about applying to college, finding the right major and managing stress, something Citlali Martinez, a tenth grader from Rancho Peñasquitos, found very useful.

“My favorite part of camp was the panel where I heard useful advice for applying to internships, taking classes to complete minors and deciding on a major in college,” she said. “Even though I was intimidated by how difficult physics was before, now I definitely feel inspired to take a physics class in high school and I would consider studying it at UC San Diego.”

Glefke, who is also president of Graduate Women in Physics (GWIP), is thinking about the future. While she mulls over postdoctoral research or a possible career in science policy, she hopes that after she graduates STEM Girl Summer will continue to thrive at UC San Diego.

“Money is a big factor,” Glefke admitted. Originally started with funding from the dean’s office in the School of Physical Sciences, the program is now supported through several on-campus sources. Going forward, she hopes it will be easier for organizations and individuals to make donations to support the program.

To safeguard the program, GWIP will absorb STEM Girl Summer into its mission, hopefully giving a formal infrastructure to its operations, including logistics, volunteers and donations. She would also like to expand the program, while still making sure it’s accessible to the students who need it most.

It’s clear the program is making an impact. Remarked one student, “I think the best part was the community aspect. It's great to see so many women in STEM at the higher level, especially when STEM classes at my school have very few girls.”

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Women & Technology

MakePossible Mentoring Network To Advance Women in STEM

By SCWIST - Society for Canadian Women in Science & Technology

Angela tether, our solution, our solution's stage of development:, our solution:.

“It’s not just what you know, but who you know!” SCWIST’s MakePossible provides STEM women and girls with online and in-person networks and mentorship. To increase diversity and inclusion in the global information/technology economy, MakePossible creates ‘access’ by hosting a dedicated group of ‘360-degree’ mentors with skills to share.”

Global problems need new perspectives to solve them: we need diversity to provide innovative approaches! STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) women and girls can provide the new ideas if they are allowed to participate fully and to progress in the new information/technological economy.

Diversity in STEM provides a competitive advantage -  STEM skills are needed to address global challenges and drive innovation, collaboration, creative solutions and improved performance. Diversity is the key to growth: there is a strong business case for diversity, but to make growth sustainable, we also need inclusion. It is not enough to bring different people together, we must create an inclusive environment that embraces those differences and allows each and every person to thrive.

Besides becoming aware of our own biases, and making a conscious effort to not let those biases have an impact on our actions, we also need to mentor and  sponsor women in STEM, while we change the system and transform workplace culture.  MakePossible is a (beta) platform that creates both on-line and in-person networking opportunities and allows 360-degree mentoring. The ‘need skill, share skill’ exchange creates networks, friendship and sponsorship as well as continuous learning opportunities. MakePossible and its dedicated mentors support STEM women’s progress and advancement and can help organizations build a culture that promotes gender diversity and inclusion. 

Promoting gender diversity and inclusion will enable more women and girls to participate, advance and contribute to the global STEM community. Through such networking local problems have access to international solutions and vice versa.

This impact can be measured through our on-line analytics through which we can quantitate: the numbers of mentors/mentees; mentoring interactions; sharable skills; location of members (local, national, international); discussions; and eventually individual progress (based on profile).

The problem:

The MakePossible 360-degree mentorship and networking platform fills the “mentorship/sponsorship gap” for STEM-trained women’s economic progress both by accessing jobs and advancing in them. Since it is a free online platform that can be accessed anywhere (where there is internet available), it can provide much needed access to skills and mentoring in STEM areas and beyond, for women of all backgrounds. MakePossible provides the added benefit of networking for women who normally may not have the opportunity to interact with others interested in STEM and related subjects. MakePossible helps organizations build a culture that promotes gender diversity and inclusion.

Why our solution will solve the problem:

Only 22% of the STEM workforce are women[1]. Experts agree that “support for under-represented populations in STEM is important for broadening Canada’s STEM skill supply”[2].  STEM knowledge leads to innovation[3] and innovation is a driving force behind productivity. There is a direct relationship between diversity and innovation[3]: organizations with women in leadership consistently outperform those without[3]. The INTERSECTION of STEM and DIVERSITY is fundamental to economic growth. MakePossible provides  networking, skills exchange and mentoring support[5] to create and sustain a mindset of diversity and inclusion[4].

http://www.macleans.ca/society/science/gender-inequality-in-the-sciences-its-still-very-present-in-canada/

http://www.scienceadvice.ca/uploads/ENG/AssessmentsPublicationsNewsReleases/STEM/STEMFullReportEn.pdf

https://www.forbes.com/forbesinsights/innovation_diversity/index.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2015/12/06/why-diversity-and-inclusion-will-be-a-top-priority-for-2016/#28bb98302ed5

https://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2011/01/03/reverse-mentoring-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-beneficial/#7cdca03a21cc

Our target outcomes:

The MakePossible model can be used by individuals, communities and organizations across Canada and Internationally. Anyone in and outside of STEM fields looking for mentoring; especially, but not limited to, women in rural or remote areas where there may be a lack of opportunities to meet face-to-face, or for those who do not have the economic freedom to join costly mentoring programs would have this additional tool to improve their situations. It will be deployed through the online platform http://www.makepossible.ca/ and may also expand to events where participants can meet face-to-face dependent on location and interest.

How we will measure our progress:

• Outcome: Increase MakePossible membership from 750 (pilot phase) to 10,000 over 3 years. Target 10 GROUP memberships for organizations to have their own specific internal mentorship/sponsorship program while also having access to all MP members & their skills. Measurement Plan: MakePossible’s impact can be measured with back-end analytics: numbers of mentors/mentees; mentoring interactions; sharable skills; updates on skills; discussions on skills; and eventually individual professional progress (based on profile).
• Outcome: Increase the level of engagement, skills sharing and mentoring interactions within MakePossible by providing tools to improve diversity and inclusion for women in the STEM workplace. Measurement Plan: MakePossible analytics data can track mentors, mentees, interactions, skills sharing (as above). We will also measure the number of diversity and inclusion tools developed and assess their effectiveness through surveys of MakePossible users.

The populations we will benefit initially:

• Upper middle income economies (between $3976 and $12275 GNI)

The regions we will benefit initially:

• Europe and Central Asia
• US and Canada

The technologies we employ:

• Consumer-facing software (mobile applications, cloud services)
• Digital systems (machine learning, control systems, big data)
• Management & design approaches

Why our solution is unique:

The free mentoring network includes online interactions enhanced by face-to-face and event-based connections - affectionately described as a cross between eBay and a dating site. It also creates community and specific mentorship connections - members are committed to mentorship and provide updates/blogs/resources. There is searchable skill-sharing that cuts across disciplines, industries and geographic sectors - beyond STEM. The idea of “360-degree” mentoring is supported, including reverse mentoring. Group members can find each other based on a “group designation” AND still access the larger diverse network.

Why our solution is human-centered:

The core principle of MakePossible is "human-centered": it is a mentoring network that connects mentors willing to share expertise - we all can learn and teach. It starts with mentors willing to mentor and those seeking mentorship, revolves around a principle of helping others and encourages those who have been mentored to become mentors to others. We envision women and girls in underserved STEM communities growing and advancing with the support of their MakePossible network to eventually assist others around them.  Men are encouraged to join as mentors since they are key to addressing gender diversity challenges and awareness.

How people will access our solution:

MakePossible is available to anyone with internet  access and a computer or smart phone ( http://www.makepossible.ca ). It is open-source and free, whereas other mentoring platforms charge fees to join or must be purchased. Accessing our diverse network of expertise cuts across STEM disciplines, corporate, and geographical borders. All members are committed to mentoring. Diversity and inclusion tools will be embedded into MakePossible for easy access.

Technology-Readiness Level:

http://www.makepossible.ca/about

http://www.makepossible.ca/

Our organization:

How we will sustain our team financially:.

SCWIST is continuously searching for funding opportunities and is setting up an endowment fund to aid some of its core funding goals that include partial financial support for MakePossible. In the past, SCWIST has received a number of grants to support this project and we are constantly applying for more. Going forward, we intend to charge fees for corporations to use GROUPS, such that their desire for intra-corporation mentoring supports the overall mentoring network. As well, we are exploring fee-based opportunities to connect organizations with individuals and their skills. For success, we need to improve our marketing and communication skills.

The factors limiting our success:

Risk factors:

Not enough volunteers/companies to support the project. Mitigation: SCWIST has vast expertise across its volunteer base and associated networks.

The prototype is a Beta system. Mitigation: Leverage MIT Solve in-kind resources and technical expertise to perform an architecture review to optimize operation. Training to handle potential technical issues.

Not enough interest. Mitigation: our research shows that people want and need mentors to advance in their careers. The MIT Solve challenge can provide additional resource to introduce more engagement mechanisms into MP to support continued strong growth.

Lacking marketing expertise. Mitigation: Specifically target and bring on a volunteer professional.

How long we have been working on our solution:

How long it will take to develop a pilot:, how long it will take to scale beyond our pilot:, our expected annual budget:, how much of our budget we've secured to date:.

http://bit.ly/2uGb626

Our promotional materials:

http://www.scwist.ca

https://twitter.com/makepossible_ca

We're looking for partners in these fields:

• Financial Inclusion
• Bias and Heuristics
• 21st Century Skills
• Lifelong Learning
• STEM Education

Why we're applying to Solve:

We aim to increase the reach and platform breadth of MakePossible to enable women and girls in areas underserved by face-to-face opportunities for mentorship or lacking the resources for fee-for-service mentoring. This platform will reduce barriers faced in underserved locations and by those of various socioeconomic situations, especially women and girls who lack financial resources or are juggling multiple commitments. A program that relies on expertise and mentorship to implement solutions is the perfect opportunity to learn from MIT Solve to improve both the human and technical aspects of MakePossible’s mentorship program: we need to see how others see us. 

Our current partners:

Partners include WWEST (WestCoast Women in Engineering, Science, Technology), Harvard Project Implicit, BC Technology Industry Association “Inclusion and Belonging Initiative”, and WEB Alliance of women’s businesses in BC. They have provided an Implicit Association Test (awareness of implicit bias), diversity research/tools, shared resources, and bolstered MakePossible membership growth.

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Virtual autism is on rise among growing children: Problem and solution

Virtual autism continues to challenge our era of technology but note the emerging innovative solution— stem-based toys. they offer an alternative by developing a child's attention from screens to interactive educational play and thus not only solving the problem at hand but ensuring that we have a future generation of individuals who are: curious, creative, capable..

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Have you ever observed how agitated children become when you take away their phones while they are using them?

Over the past few years, virtual autism has become a major concern for parents, teachers, and health providers. A condition believed to result from excessive screen time, this unexplained epidemic impairs children's development and leads to problems with social engagement, much like actual autism. As kids spend more time with gadgets and digital media, many develop addictive behaviours that seriously affect their cognitive and social well-being. The effects can be drastic: from speech and language delays to problems with social interaction and emotional self-control.

USE OF STEM TOYS

The use of STEM toys can lead to fighting against the downsides that arise due to excessive screen time by motivating children to play with tangible items that breed hands-on experiences — where users are involved. Instead of being passive consumers of what is displayed on a screen, children get actively involved in playing with toys; they use their hands and brains to come up with designs and later investigate them. Cognitive growth can be encouraged by active involvement in such thinking activities that trigger the development of the brain, thereby increasing the retention of what is learned.

The toys offer benefits such as educational value which goes beyond personal use. They are great tools for collaborative learning because when children play with these toys, they have to work together, come up with ideas and solve problems as a team. Developing social skills and teamwork through this cooperative play helps in fighting against loneliness— which is common with too much individual play.

The toys have an educational value that goes beyond personal use; which makes them great tools for group learning. Children are motivated to work together and come up with solutions as a team while playing with these toys— this aspect of cooperation during play helps in developing social skills and teamwork. It also helps in curbing the effects of loneliness (which is usually connected to) too much individualistic play.

FINAL WORDS

Thus, to summarise, virtual autism continues to challenge our era of technology but note the emerging innovative solution— STEM-based toys. They offer an alternative by developing a child's attention from screens to interactive educational play and thus not only solving the problem at hand but ensuring that we have a future generation of individuals who are: curious, creative, capable. "We aim to make learning a joyful journey, where children develop a lifelong love for exploration," says one educational toy company.

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Samsung malaysia invites students to showcase stem skills at sixth edition solve for tomorrow 2024 competition.

A platform for Form 1 to Form 3 students to showcase their innovative ideas to tackle pressing issues faced by Malaysia's local communities

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia , Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Samsung Malaysia Electronics ("Samsung Malaysia") is proud to announce the return of the sixth edition of the 'Samsung Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) 2024' , a youth competition designed to inspire young minds to develop problem-solving skills and address challenges in their communities with the power of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). With the nationwide theme 'Start with Can', Malaysian students aged 13 to 15 are once again invited to identify local pressing issues and create innovative solutions with STEM to make a positive change and stand a chance to win a share worth up to RM 80,000 in technology and classroom supplies!

This initiative is a collaborative effort between Samsung Malaysia and Universiti Malaya to instill early interest and skills in STEM in hopes of equipping the next generation with the necessary skill sets needed to thrive and excel when they enter into the workforce in the near future. This aligns with the nation's vision of building a sustainable STEM talent pool to propel Malaysia towards its goal of becoming a high-tech nation by 2030.

Dato' Roh Jae Yeol , Director of Corporate Affairs at Samsung Malaysia , said, "Generation Alpha has been immersed in a tech-savvy world, fostering great creativity and boldness in exploring and pioneering innovation. This trend aligns with future work demands in fields like artificial intelligence, IoT and advanced technologies. At Samsung, we believe young minds can overcome their communities' challenges through innovation, dedication, and passion. Samsung SFT is more than a competition; it serves as a catalyst, empowering all Malaysian youths to realise their capabilities and transform their ideas into tangible solutions that contribute to a better future."

"We welcome all Malaysian youth innovators to break through language barriers and showcase their creativity in this competition. We have full faith that these young minds can change the world. As educators, we are responsible for preparing them to navigate the digital frontier and make positive changes," shared Ir. Dr. Mas Sahidayana Mohktar, Director of Universiti Malaya's STEM Centre . "This initiative also marks our pivotal commitment to fostering early-stage STEM education, a critical step in cultivating the talent pool that will drive our nation's economic development."

Samsung SFT 2024 competition provides an opportunity for secondary students nationwide to showcase their innovative ideas by addressing real-world problems using STEM principles in a 800-word submission. Entries will be evaluated by Samsung Malaysia and Universiti Malaya based on various criteria such as issue relevance, creativity, feasibility, STEM application, and presentation of innovative solutions. The top 10 teams will advance to the next round, where they will enhance and present their ideas.

The shortlisted entries for Samsung SFT 2024 competition will be revealed on the program's website in October 2024 . Selected participants will benefit from mentorship and guidance to refine their ideas and develop prototypes during a Design to Win Workshop.

In December 2024 , winners will be determined through a competitive pitching process. First Prize: Samsung products worth up to RM28,000 [1] . Second Prize: Samsung products worth up to RM24,000 [2] . Third Prize: Samsung products worth up to RM19,000 [3] . Fo u rth Prize: Samsung products worth up to RM6,000 [4] . Fifth Prize: Samsung products worth up to RM3,000 [5] .

Registration for SFT is now open and participants have until 16 September 2024 to submit their entries.

Stay tuned for the latest information by following the official Samsung Malaysia Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. You can also watch the winning presentations from last year's winners at SFT – Winners | Samsung Malaysia .

For more information about SFT 2024, please visit  https://www.samsung.com/my/solvefortomorrow/2024 .

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, home appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions, and delivering a seamless connected experience through its SmartThings ecosystem and open collaboration with partners. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com .

"SAMSUNG MALAYSIA ELECTRONICS (SME) SDN BHD [Company No. 200301026766(629186-D)]".

View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/samsung-malaysia-invites-students-to-showcase-stem-skills-at-sixth-edition-solve-for-tomorrow-2024-competition-302221940.html

SOURCE Samsung Electronics

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25 First Grade STEM Challenges To Engage Young Learners

All the best ways to have fun with science!

STEM challenges are one of our favorite ways to help kids learn while having fun. They encourage young minds to think outside the box and understand the way the world works. These first grade STEM challenges help kids explore physics, engineering, and other science concepts through activities that feel more like playtime.

Even better? They couldn’t be easier to set up! Just post one of these first grade STEM challenges on your whiteboard or projector screen, pass out the supplies, and set them loose to learn.

Want this entire set of STEM challenges in one easy document? Get your free PowerPoint or Google Slides bundle of these second grade STEM challenges by submitting your email here, so you’ll always have the challenges available.

Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!

25 First Grade STEM Challenges

Use play-doh and 50 toothpicks to build the tallest tower you can..

• 1000 Count Natural Bamboo Toothpicks

Build a bridge between two desks using clothespins and wood craft sticks.

• Whitmore 100 Natural Wood Clothespins
• Pepperell 1000 Natural Wood Craft Sticks

Stack as many plastic cups into a tower as you can in 60 seconds.

• Clear Disposable Plastic Cups, 500 Pack

Find a new use for a cardboard tube. You can use scissors, masking tape, crayons, and other supplies.

Design and construct a house or other building using only pipe cleaners..

• Zees 1000 Pipe Cleaners in Assorted Colors

Build a tower that uses as many blocks as possible, but only uses one block for the base.

Build a marble track on a paper plate using play-doh..

• Stock Your Home 9″ Paper Plates, 500 Count

Make a hat using newspaper and masking tape.

• Lichamp 10-Pack of Masking Tape 55 Yard Rolls

Use LEGO bricks to build your name.

Design a domino chain reaction that forms a shape..

• Lewo 1000 Pcs Wood Dominoes Set

Use aluminum foil and a ping pong ball to create a way to play catch without using your hands.

Build a bird feeder using wood craft sticks, glue, and string., construct a raft using marshmallows and toothpicks., choose between construction paper, copy paper, newspaper, or tissue paper and make a paper airplane that flies as far as possible., use a roll of string to make a container that can hold three ping pong balls..

• 15-Pack Multicolored Jute Twine

Come up with three ways to move a balloon across the room without holding it in your hands.

Use plastic utensils, pipe cleaners, and construction paper to make a new creature..

• 210 Count White Plastic Disposable Cutlery Set

Use construction paper, plastic straws, and masking tape to build a tent for a LEGO mini-figure or other small toy.

• TOMNK 500 Multicolored Plastic Drinking Straws

Build the tallest tower you can from newspaper rolled into tubes and masking tape.

Use five index cards to make a structure that can support the weight of a book..

• AmazonBasics 1000-pack 3″ x 5″ Index Cards

Use pipe cleaners to make as many different shapes as you can in two minutes.

Build a dinosaur skeleton from cotton swabs and scotch tape., use wood craft sticks and glue to create a container to plant seeds in., make a robot from toilet paper tubes, aluminum foil, pipe cleaners, and plastic straws. you can use crayons, scissors, tape, and glue too., using supplies from around the classroom, find a way to learn which is heavier: a cup of jelly beans or a cup of uncooked rice..

Having fun with these first grade STEM challenges? Try these 25 First Grade Science Projects to Pique Everyone’s Interest .

Plus, 50 Easy Science Experiments Kids Can Do With Stuff You Already Have .

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