If you love STEAM activities for kids but hate having to buy a ton of extra materials and tools, you are going to LOVE these free STEM activities.
STEM activities are a lot of fun but they can quickly add up in price!
Nobody wants to go broke buying fun learning resources. And at the same time, everybody wants to provide their kids with a fun and engaging education.
That’s where these free STEM activities come in handy. Hopefully you already have everything you need for these projects already on hand!
Let’s get started, shall we?
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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!
How To Find Free STEM Activities
In addition to the list of free STEM activities I’m sharing below, there are plenty of other ways to find free STEM projects, challenges, and activities for your kids.
First – the library! Most local libraries have tons of fun STEM books for you to check out and search for projects. Many libraries also have kits you can check out and enjoy with your kids before turning them back in.
One place we lived had a ton of STEM kits and resources. We went every week to exchange our kits and try something new!
Another option is to do an internet search. There are many homeschool bloggers who share free resources (me included!), and you can usually find a variety of STEM activities by searching for homeschool freebies or STEM freebies.
Check your community for some free resources. Besides the library, you might have a community center or some local schools that offer kits, recourses, or free ideas that you can add to your STEM lesson plans.
Finally, jump on the email list of a blogger who writes about homeschooling or STEM activities. Most good bloggers will share free resources (including STEM) with their email list several times a week. This is a great way to access free ideas that you can enjoy with your kids, whether you homeschool or not!
More Free STEM Learning Resources
There’s no need to spend a lot of money on STEM activities for kids. There are plenty of free resources available for you!
Here are some of my favorite resources:
- Free Scientific Method Worksheets – easily adaptable for any STEM project
- Edible Double Helix Worksheets
- STEM Activities – There are free chapter samples from each of my STEM Made Easy books scattered all around this website! Dig through this collection of (100+) STEAM activities for kids and you’re sure to find plenty of reebies.
- Teachers Pay Teachers often has some good freebies if you know what to search for.
With a little bit of searching, you can easily find free STEM learning resources to keep your kids engaged and excited about science, technology, engineering, and math.
Top Recommended STEM Freebies And Activities
Looking for some free STEM activities to keep your kids entertained? Check out our top picks!
For budding engineers, try building a bridge out of paper clips and index cards. Or, for future chemists, mix up some slime using Elmer’s glue and Borax.
If your kid is interested in coding, there are tons of free online resources to help them get started. And for budding biologists, try growing mold in a petri dish – just make sure to do it in a place where it won’t gross anyone out!
Or take a look at this list of 27+ Free STEM Activity Ideas.
Top 29 Free STEM Activities For Kids
These free STEM activities use materials you probably already have on hand, making them affordable for everyone!
If you use Ivory soap, this STEM project is completely free! Just grab a bar of soap, pop it in the microwave, and watch the magic begin!
While a DIY composting bin might seem complicated, it can be made using things you already have around the house. This free STEM project is also good for your garden so why not give it a go?
Using only recycled materials, can you make a boat that floats?
If you have an empty paper towel tube and an old CD or DVD, you can learn about light refraction with a homemade spectroscope!
You might not have gumdrops on hand but odds are good you have mini marshmallows on hand. Use them to make your very own toothpick bridges!
Learn how plants regenerate with the food regrowing science experiment.
If you already have hydrogen peroxide, yeast, and dish soap in your kitchen, you don't need anything extra for this elephant toothpaste experiment.
Did you know you can clean pennies with ketchup? Learn why and how with this free STEM activity.
If you have a balloon and an old CD or DVD on hand, you can enjoy this hovercraft science experiment for free!
Learn about chemical reactions with this foaming rainbow experiment.
Learn about fire with these homemade fire starters.
Using simple household ingredients, your kids can make a cloud in a jar.
If you're willing to dismantel a few things you already have on hand, you can enjoy this circuit experiment for free!
Preschoolers will get a kick out of this frozen toy STEM challenge.
With this free STEM activity, you can make water walk through paper.
Using paper cups, enjoy a whole collection of STEM challenges.
You've made a paper chain before - but have you enjoyed a paper chain STEM challenge before?
With this 30-day LEGO building challenge, you can enjoy a new STEM challenge using LEGOs every day of the month.
Can you build a balloon car using only recycled materials? With this STEM challenge, now you can!
Learn about optical illusions with this fun animation STEM project.
Everybody loves catapults! Make your own with this free STEM activity.
Did you know the ink from whiteboard markers floats? Make your own floating designs with this fun STEM activity!
Make a LEGO spinnner game with these simple instructions.
Your kids are going to LOVE this fun DIY straw rocket activity. Be sure to grab the free printable template!
This fizzy ice experiment is tons of fun and perfect for Summertime.
One way to enjoy a free STEM activity is by utilizing things you already have on hand. Take those items and see what floats and what doesn't!
Practice the basics of coding with this empty egg carton activity.
You can also learn the very basics of coding with a simple deck of cards.
Here is another example of a straw rocket STEM activity.
All you need is soap and pepper for this experiment! Who knew such simple ingredients could end in such a WOW!
With so many free STEM activities available online, there’s no excuse not to try something new.
Who knows – you might even learn something yourself!
Tell me – what was your favorite idea from this list?
If you found some you liked, be sure to share this article with your friends so they can enjoy too!
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