13 Free Halloween STEM Activities & Projects

Looking for some fun Halloween STEM activities and projects to do with your students or kids this fall?

It’s the season of the year every child looks forward to. And NO, before we even think of Christmas, it is time for Halloween first.

Who can resist the thrill, the shared excitement that lingers in the air, pumpkins everywhere, and a chance to step into the shoes of your favorite character?

Halloween is a sensory experience that helps to enhance developmental growth for children.

Creativity, community, and embracing the unfamiliar are some of the few lessons children can learn each October.

Why not use this festive season as a wonderful excuse to get extra messy with super fun Halloween STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities?

Not only is STEM learning highly enjoyable for children, but by combining these four principles we create valuable methods to acquire both new and foundational skills like creativity, risk-taking, communication, and teamwork.

So let us make sure we give our children plenty of opportunities this season to explore and learn through play, the Halloween way.

In this article, we will explore some super fun Halloween STEM activities that you and your child can enjoy this season in the comfort of your own home. You will have a ton of fun and make Halloween the best excuse for ‘spooktacular’ learning.

Before we get started, don’t forget to check out our STEM Made Easy Digital Subscription where you can get exclusive project guides and resources delivered right to your email inbox every month!

Why Include Halloween STEM Activities in Your Lesson Plans?

Why not? Who doesn’t love a break from routine? Who doesn’t enjoy costumes, candy and treats, spooky fun, and having everyone involved?

Halloween is considered a fun time for many people for a variety of reasons. Let’s make learning one of them!

As you’ll see below, there are so many fun STEM Halloween projects that can help children learn about the world around them.

Including STEM activities is always a good idea as they sharpen children’s abilities and boost their confidence.

These activities expand their perspectives and encourage them to explore beyond the everyday curriculum.

STEM education is the perfect way to bridge the gap between academic experience and real-life opportunities and the best part of it all is that you DO NOT need to be an expert to incorporate STEM activities in your lessons and to make learning exceptional.

So make sure you include them in your lesson plans, the children will love it.

Whate are the Benefits of Halloween STEM Activities?

Halloween is the perfect occasion to spark a passion for science in young minds.

Through the engaging nature of Halloween STEM activities, children will foster a lasting love for learning, benefiting them in every phase of their lives.

The numerous advantages of STEM activities include:

Immense enjoyment for all participants, making it a fantastic way to bond.
Promotion of collaboration and teamwork.
An understanding of cause and effect to further nurture critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Enhanced cognitive development in kids.
A boost in creativity, igniting a child’s curiosity and innovative spirit.

13 Messy, Spooky, and Fun STEM Halloween Activities & Projects for Kids

1. Pumpkin Investigation Science Activity for Kids

free pumpkin investigation activity printable

Pumpkins are one of fall’s wonderful features and just in time for Halloween celebrations. We can learn so much by observing pumpkins as they come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes. With this activity, children will be encouraged to pay closer attention to what they observe. Observations can be recorded in the fun free pumpkin investigation printable activity to monitor their outcome. So whether you are in the supermarket or at a pumpkin patch, this activity is perfect for all kids.

2. Edible Slime

little hands mixing edible marshmallow slime recipe and candy corn edible slime recipe

Vampires, scarecrows, witches, and wizards all of them love gooey slime and the fun that goes along with making it.

We always enjoy including DIY slime science. This slime science experiment is ideal for delving into chemistry with a fun Halloween twist. Slime offers a fascinating chemistry lesson, and children just love it. Topics like mixtures, substances, polymers, cross-linking, states of matter, and elasticity are among the many scientific norms that can be investigated using homemade slime.

3. Halloween Lava Lamp

Experiment if you dare! Whip up your own super cool bubbling concoction or shall we say “potion” with this Halloween-inspired lava lamp activity ideal for the month of October. This variation of the traditional lava lamp science project is simple and swift to create. Not only will children be astonished by this experiment they will also get to delve into the scientific method, understand cause and effect, and examine chemical reactions. This is the perfect STEM Halloween experiment for kids from kindergarten to middle school.

4. Grow a Halloween Monster Science Experiment

Although we hope your Halloween will be filled with more treats than tricks, we have another hugely entertaining experiment. Emphasis on huge. Watch how your own monster grow with the easy vinegar and baking soda experiment. This experiment is perfect for all kids from kindergarten to middle school to learn about chemical reactions with a growing wow moment.

5. Mad Scientist Punch

It is time to get spooky! What is a party without the perfect punch? Especially a bright neon green punch that will smoke a smile on to your child’s face. This is a boo-tiful experiment where carbon dioxide in Ginger Ale creates a foaming reaction when encountering sherbet. Of course, the best part of this experiment is that you can enjoy it afterward as it not only looks fantastic but tastes great as well.

6. Invisible Ink Letters

Oh, how I wish I had known of this experiment when I was in secondary school. We would have so much fun spilling our guts in secret to one another. This STEM experiment focuses on Oxidation to create invisible ink. It is perfect for Halloween and the possibilities are endless. From drawing pictures for the little ones, writing secret messages, or sending out a different spooky type of party invitation. Kids will love this activity and share this with their friends as it is an all-year activity that everyone can enjoy.

7. Easy Marshmallow Eyeballs

Trick or treat, be so sweet, and then give me something good to eat, like Marshmallow Eyeballs. Buhahahah.

Tired of the traditional Halloween treats? Sure, we all love candy apples and candy corn but why not step it up this season with this gross but perfect Halloween STEM treat?

Cooking and baking not only produce tasty treats but it is an excellent way to help children enhance their STEM abilities. Kitchen activities can significantly improve a child’s cognitive growth with elements of Math, Science, and Technology that can be found in the easiest recipes. So that being said, you can implement this easy 3-step and 3-ingredients STEM Halloween activity anywhere.

8. Halloween Pumpkin Science Using Skittles

An all-time favorite even the youngest scientist can enjoy. I know my toddler has done this experiment quite a few times in the nursery to learn about colors and rainbows. It is so easy and spooktacular that it has the wow factor to keep them fascinated and engaging throughout the whole experiment. This STEM Halloween activity is made easy with the magic melting Skittles and your kids can watch the Skittles melt in water to grow their very own pumpkin.

9. Exploding Jack-o-Lantern

Say hello to my little friend Jack but be careful he has a fiery side and can get quite heated when rubbed the wrong way. This STEM activity will put the Boo in Peek-a-Boo when you teach your child about chemical reactions and why when vinegar mixes with baking soda it will fizz and make fun bubbles. This activity is suitable for kids of all ages, it is ideal for Halloween season, providing not only a learning experience but also sensory stimulation.

10. Tensile Strength Experiment: Find the Strongest Spider Web

Pull me here, pull me there, let’s pull our spider webs everywhere.

Spiderwebs are extremely fascinating and are found all over our environment. Spiders have a unique design sense, and they attract their prey by thinking big and making their webs look attractive for prey.

Through this engaging STEM activity, children can investigate the concept of tensile strength, crafting spider webs from different materials and testing their limits until they break. This exploration into material science enriches their understanding of the world and its complex workings.

11. Frankenworms

Halloween isn’t just about candy, although indulging in leftover treats is definitely my favorite part! So let’s indulge in some gross and spooky fun with this intriguing Halloween-themed STEM activity.

While we often advise our children against playing with their food, the eerie season provides the perfect excuse for a little messy, hands-on fun. Through a creative spin on the classic vinegar and baking soda experiment, kids can explore various aspects of chemical reactions and the three states of matter.

12. Fake Blood

One of the things I love about Halloween is the ability to gross out my children. Engaging them in this Halloween STEM activity is sure to give them a delightful dose of the heebie-jeebies!

What’s great about this experiment is that you likely have most of the required ingredients right in your kitchen. It’s an ideal demonstration of blood clotting, and as an added perk, it can serve as a creepy enhancement to any Halloween outfit.

13. Ghost Rocket

Ready, set, lift off. Can you guess how high your ghost will fly?

Push your child’s analytical thinking and innovation abilities by crafting a Ghost Rocket using film canisters and Alka Seltzer tablets. This activity is an excellent reason to take kids outdoors and explore the principles of gas dynamics.

How would changing the Ghost Rocket’s design or the fuel quantity impact its flight? Dive into the world of action and reaction this Halloween season, intertwining Newton’s Laws of Motion with this educational STEM activities.

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More STEM Resources

If this article got you all excited, make sure to have a look at our Ultimate List of Halloween science experiments with more than 57 of the coolest experiments for you to enjoy.

You can also check out these posts below for even more STEM project ideas:

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Kimberly Lange

Kimberly is a former Elementary school teacher but started writing once her son was born. She is currently homeschooling her son while traveling all across America and writing her own stories.

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