61+ STEAM Activities for Kids that are Ridiculously Fun

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Developing skills in STEAM can help kids develop creative thinking skills. Check out this list of fun homeschool STEAM activities for kids!

Here at Hess UnAcademy, we believe in making learning fun and exciting which is why we love enjoying STEAM activities for kids that are ridiculously fun.

When you combine learning with fun, your kids are more likely to retain the information you are presenting.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years of teaching, it’s that worksheets and textbooks are all fine and dandy, but if you really want to ensure your kids remember what they’re learning and to build some critical thinking skills along the way, you’re going to want to dive into hands-on projects, such as these STEAM activities.

We’ve got a whole collection of STEAM ideas for kids that fit multiple themes and niches. Whether you need age-specific activities, theme-specific activities, or effort-specific activities, we’ve got them all listed here just for you!

So what are you waiting for? Go through the following article and pick out the activities that will best fit your unique learners.

What Are STEAM Activities for Kids?

Before we get going with STEAM lessons, let’s discuss what STEAM actually is.

STEAM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. STEAM activities are educational experiences that integrate these five disciplines in a way that encourages students to think critically, creatively, and problem-solve. STEAM activities are designed to develop a broad range of skills that are valuable in a variety of fields.

 

STEAM vs STEM: What’s the Difference?

Wondering what STEM is and how it differs from STEAM? STEM is STEAM without the art – so science, technology, engineering, and math.

Recently, more people have started to give credit to the arts and how important they are for development. However, the term STEM is more universally recognized so even though most activities I list will include art lessons and perspectives. So they are effectively STEAM lessons.

Now the only question you need to ask yourself is what is a good STEM project?

Scientific Method Worksheets – Free Download

Before you move on, we’ve got some free scientific method worksheets for you to download and enjoy. These printable worksheets are useful for any science experiment, science project, STEM challenge, or STEM projects your students might be engaging in.

Turn every science project and STEAM activity into a thought-provoking STEM challenge. Plus give left brain and right brain kiddos alike a chance to utilize their strengths and improve their weaknesses. Get yours now!

Benefits of Fun STEAM Lessons and Activities For Kids

STEAM activities are also so effective because they combine multiple learning styles so you can more easily target and include more kids. They allow any child to learn how to solve a creative problem by thinking critically!

Whether you have a kinesthetic learner, a visual learner, an audible learner, or a reading/writing learner, all of these styles can be engaged with STEAM activities.

If you’re having a hard time nailing down your child’s learning style or finding a teaching method that includes all of your kids at once, including STEAM projects might be the perfect solution for you and your little ones.

The world is an increasingly complex place, and it’s important for elementary kids and teens alike to be prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century head-on. That’s where STEAM comes in.

Activities that incorporate several or even all five of the main STEAM disciplines can help kids to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In addition, each STEAM activity can foster creativity and imagination, two qualities that are essential for success in any field.

Because the typical STEAM experiment is hands-on, it can be a fun way of building fine motor skills as well.

And because they’re fun, STEAM activities can help to spark a lifelong love of learning in kids of all ages. So if you’re looking for a way to give your child a leg up in the world, consider incorporating some STEAM into their life.

The hardest part about including STEAM lessons is coming up with project ideas. And that’s where we come in.

Some popular homeschool kid-friendly STEAM activities include playdough and slime recipes, butterfly life cycles, or DIY volcanoes. These are great for beginners, but today I have included some homeschool STEAM activities for children who are a bit beyond the slime and DIY volcano phase.

Read on to find some of our family’s favorite STEAM project ideas.

How to Evaluate STEAM Learning

In STEAM education, assessing children’s progress and understanding requires a different approach than traditional tests and grades. Here are some strategies for evaluating STEAM learning:

1. Performance Assessments: Instead of a written test, consider using a project-based assessment that requires students to apply what they’ve learned to solve a real-world problem or create a product.
2. Reflection and Self-Assessment: Encourage students to reflect on their learning and evaluate their own progress. Provide opportunities for students to set goals and track their growth.
3. Peer Review: Incorporate peer review as a way for students to receive feedback on their work and learn from each other.

In addition to evaluating learning, it’s important to document and showcase STEAM projects. Here are some ideas for documenting and showcasing STEAM projects:

1. Digital Portfolios: Use an online platform to create a digital portfolio of students’ STEAM projects, including descriptions, photos, and videos.
2. Presentations: Provide opportunities for students to present their projects to an audience, such as parents or community members.
3. Exhibitions: Host a STEAM exhibition where students can showcase their projects and receive feedback from experts in the field. For homeschool, you can pull together with other local homeschool families to have a showcase event.

Feedback and reflection are also essential components of STEAM education. Encourage students to reflect on their learning and provide feedback that is specific, constructive, and actionable.

The Importance of Collaboration in STEAM

Collaboration is an important aspect of STEAM education, and homeschooling families can benefit from working with other homeschoolers or community groups. Here are some benefits of collaborative STEAM learning:

1. Diverse Perspectives: Collaborating with others can bring different perspectives and ideas, which can lead to more innovative solutions.
2. Shared Resources: Collaborating can help homeschooling families access resources that they may not have on their own, such as equipment or materials.
3. Socialization: Collaborating with others can provide opportunities for children to socialize and develop communication and teamwork skills.

So how can you help your students collaborate during their STEAM lessons? Here are a few ideas for organizing collaborative STEAM activities:

1. STEAM Clubs: Form a STEAM club with other homeschooling families or community groups. Meet regularly to work on projects and share ideas.
2. Workshops: Organize STEAM workshops where homeschooling families can come together to learn and work on projects.
3. Hackathons: Host a STEAM hackathon where children can work together to solve a problem or create a product.

61+ STEAM Activities For Kids To Enjoy

Let’s take a look at the fun STEAM activities that are nested on the Hess UnAcademy blog.

Hopefully this list gives you tons of great STEAM activity ideas! If you have any fun activity ideas that aren’t listed here, please share them in the comments section below.

Dragon-Themed STEAM Activities for Kids

Do your kids like dragons? If so, they are going to love these dragon STEM activities.

• chomping cardboard dragon STEAM craft
• flying dragon STEM craft
• smoking dragons (a good use for your old pipe cleaners and styrofoam cups!)
• paper mache dragon STEAM tutorial
• static electricity dragon taming experiment
• dragon paper airplanes (a project both left brain and right brain kids will love!)
• dragon fire science experiment (one of the best science activities for teens we’ve ever seen!)

Edible Science Experiments Kids Will Love

If your kids like playing with their food, they are going to LOVE these edible science experiments.

No matter your age, there’s always time for fun and learning in the kitchen.

• tin can ice cream STEAM activity for kids
• homemade pop rocks STEAM activity
• toothpick bridges (a great project for left brain and right brain thinkers alike!)
• homemade rock candy science experiment
• science of cookies STEM activity
• cookie science fair projects
• edible slime recipes
• edible DNA model
• homemade old-fashioned butter
• gingerbread structures
• fizzy lemonade
• edible stained glass
• soda bottle rocket

Gardening STEAM Activities for Kids

Whether you’re looking for some summer STEAM activities for your kids to enjoy or you’re looking for ways to combine gardening and STEAM, these are the activities for you!

And the good news is you don’t need to have a green thumb to complete these garden STEM projects successfully.

• classroom aquaponics STEM lesson plan
• DIY seed bomb STEM activity
• DIY composting bin
• regrowing food from kitchen scraps

Exploding STEAM Activities

These STEAM activities go off with a BANG!

• Exploding sidewalk chalk (a super fun art project!)
• Exploding Ivory soap
• Elephant Toothpaste
• What Makes Pop Rocks Pop (a lesson on critical thinking)
• Homemade Bath Bombs

STEAM Activities By Age

Would you rather sort through each STEAM activity according to age? Check out these fun collections.

• STEM activities for preschoolers and toddlers (younger kids love these fun activities)
• STEAM activities for elementary students (kindergarten, 1st grade, and more)
• STEM activities for middle school students
• STEM projects for middle school (engineering projects, math activities, and science projects for tweens and teens)
• easy STEM challenges for middle school
• engineering activity for middle school students
• STEM projects for high school
• STEM activities for high school students

More Fun STEAM Activities For Kids

And of course, here we have EVEN MORE STEAM activities for kids!! There is truly something for everyone.

• fast, easy, and simple STEM activities
• STEAM Art projects (some use food coloring, some don’t!)
• summer STEAM activities
• STEM activities using paper
• team building STEM activities
• STEM activities using household Items (finally a use for those empty rolls of paper towels)
• free STEM activities (each one uses simple materials you probably already have on hand)
• camping themed STEM activities
• floating Mayflower STEM activity
• homemade spectroscope (another use for those old, empty rolls of paper towels)
• crystal egg geode
• easily teach kids how to crochet (a fun rainy day activity)
• make a homemade bow and arrow for archery
• marbled eggs (even better than tie dye!)
• food STEM activities
• kids solar system activities
• online coding games
• use Age of Empires in your homeschool
• homeschool programming classes
• slime as a STEM activity
• STEM Made Easy Books

Free STEAM Printables

Need to take your STEAM learning with you? Try these free STEAM printables!

• 30 days of STEM challenges
• scientific method worksheets (most activities can utilize these worksheets)
• STEM challenge cootie catcher
• DNA double helix worksheets

Holiday STEAM Activities

No matter the time of year, there’s always a holiday STEM activity to enjoy!

• Christmas STEM activities
• Thanksgiving STEM activities for kids
• Valentine’s Day STEM activities
• 4th of July STEM activities
• firework STEM activities
• St. Patrick’s Day STEM activities
• Easter STEAM
• Halloween science experiments
• Edible Halloween science experiments

Toys That Teach Coding

There are plenty of toys and games that complement your STEAM education lesson plans! Here are some of our favorites:

• toys that teach kids coding
• STEM games for high school students
• brainflakes
• educational board games for kids
• learning board games for kids

STEAM Subscription Boxes for Elementary Kids

Our family really loves subscription boxes. Subscription boxes for kids are a great way to get kids excited about learning.

We have had experiences with both Project Eeme and Kiwi Crate. They make great STEAM activities for elementary students.

Kiwi Crate Subscription Boxes

Kiwi Crate subscription boxes were the first subscription boxes we ever tried. In fact, you could say our love of subscription boxes began with Kiwi Crate.

Kiwi Crate is probably the most popular STEAM subscription boxes out there.  Each box comes with fun activities and project ideas, along with all the instructions and materials needed.  Most of the boxes revolve around an engineering for kids theme, but there are also a lot of boxes that include fun art projects, math games and math activities, and other science projects and science experiments.  

Each and every project is child-friendly and highly educational.  And there is a line for most age groups, from infant up to middle school or high school, so there is a STEAM project for everybody.  In fact, know a few homeschooling families that subscribe to a line for every kid in their family, truly making for a STEAM powered family.  

Give them a try. Odds are great you’ll find something that works for everybody in your family!

Project Eeme Subscription Boxes

Project Eeme subscription boxes are some fun STEAM subscription boxes.

Eeme (pronounced Ee Mee) is an acronym that stands for Electronical Engineer, Mathematical Engineer (as per the Project Eeme website).

These little projects take math and electronics and make them fun and applicable for kids (ages 7+)!

We are ALWAYS on the lookout for new subscription boxes to try in our homeschool. So if you have a favorite subscription box, please let me know so I can try it out!!

Dive into STEAM Activities!

STEAM education is a wonderful way to engage children in hands-on, creative learning experiences that can foster critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a love for learning. By incorporating science, technology, engineering, art, and math into their homeschool curriculum, parents can help their children develop a wide range of skills that can prepare them for success in a rapidly changing world.

From simple experiments and coding challenges to more complex engineering projects and art installations, there are countless STEAM project activities that homeschooling families can explore together.

By providing children with opportunities to explore their interests and develop their talents, parents can help their children thrive and reach their full potential. So don’t be afraid to dive into STEAM education, and enjoy the adventure of learning together with your kids!

Did you try any of the above STEAM activities? Let us know how they went in the comments below!