10 Pumpkin STEM Activities & Projects

Fall is officially here and the pumpkin patches are ready for picking. Do you have some pumpkins around the home and want to make them useful in your homeschool or classroom? Why not try some pumpkin STEM Activities?

Because of their bright color, hard rind, and mushy, seedy inside, there are many STEM activities and opportunities to be had.

Read below to learn more about the benefits of STEM, how to use STEM in your classroom, and some fun ideas for pumpkin STEM activities and projects.

The Benefits of Pumpkin STEM Activities

When a project combines two or more of the subjects Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, the activity is officially a STEM project.

STEM projects offer a hands-on approach to sharpening critical thinking skills, letting you explore the world through the unique perspective of these disciplines.

What makes STEM the popular go-to school activity?

Educators love that STEM allows students to engage in scientific methods and mathematical processes using real life, kinesthetic applications.

Kids are drawn to STEM’s tactile learning style. Instead of just being handed answers or reading them from a page, they get to dive deep, understanding the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind things. There’s a special kind of joy when they unravel mysteries on their own.

But that’s not the only benefit of STEM classes and activities. The global job market is increasingly presenting lucrative career prospects in the realms of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Some of these popular STEM jobs include everything from aerospace engineering to software development to coding to web development to robotics and so much more.

Through STEM, students tap into their innate curiosity about the world that surrounds them. By weaving STEM projects and activities into your curriculum, you’re paving the way for your child’s future successes and fostering a love for continuous learning!

10 Pumpkin STEM Activities & Projects

Ready for some fun, fall STEM projects? Check out these 10 Pumpkin STEM Activities & Projects:

1. Pumpkin Investigation

This is a great introductory activity to learn about pumpkin characteristics. Your child will practice making observations and documenting their findings with this STEM investigative project.

Get the full project: Pumpkin Investigation

2. Halloween Pumpkin Skittles

This is a low prep activity for all ages using orange skittles. Your student simply creates a pumpkin shape with their skittles and then watches how different temperatures of water will change the skittles’ color and shade.

Get the full project: Halloween Pumpkin Skittles

3. Exploding Jack-O-Lantern

Make your child explode with laughter with this exploding jack-o-lantern! Use common kitchen staples like vinegar and baking soda mixed to make a simple chemical reaction. Place those ingredients inside of a Ziploc bag decorated to look like a pumpkin, and there you have it!

Get the full project: Exploding Jack-O-Lantern

4. Pumpkin Volcano

Want a messy, outdoor project? Try filling a pumpkin with some vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap for an excellent visual of an erupting pumpkin volcano! The bubbles add some drama to the explosion and is sure to be a hit with your kids.

Get the full project: Pumpkin Volcano

5. Pumpkin Candy Structures

This is a great project for those budding engineers who love building structures. Provide toothpicks and gummy candy pumpkins to allow your child’s imagination to fill in the rest. Make a challenge out of it and ask your student to build the tallest tower, then the strongest roof, or maybe even special items like a witch’s hat or a rocket ship.

Get the full project: Pumpkin Candy Structures

6. Pumpkin Rolling Physics

Teach simple physics with this STEM activity. Use any homemade ramp available: think cardboard boxes, slides, gutters, etc. Then, start rolling your pumpkins. See how different amounts of force, varying sizes, and changing ramp angles affect how your pumpkin rolls. Learn about friction and the laws of motion all while throwing around large orange gourds!

Get the full project: Pumpkin Rolling Physics

7. How Heavy Is Your Pumpkin

Build a balance to weigh objects at home and see how heavy your pumpkins are. Figure out what units of measurement you want to use to compare your pumpkin sizes: maybe you want to use coins or rocks. Then have fun figuring out the right balance for each pumpkin you have.

Get the full project: How Heavy Is Your Pumpkin

8. Pumpkin Catapults

Build catapults using pumpkins as your child’s base. Many kitchen items can be used to create the fulcrum, such as rubber bands, plastic spoons, or craft sticks. Then have your student figure out how to launch different items across different distances.

Get the full project: Pumpkin Catapults

9. Make Pumpkin Slime

A list of STEM activities wouldn’t be complete without some sort of slime activity! Pumpkins already have a reputation of being slimy on the inside so why not make a science project out of it? Use the guts and the seeds of your pumpkin in this slime recipe and have fun with this tactile project.

Get the full project: Make Pumpkin Slime

10. Pumpkin Clocks

Have you ever seen the potato experiment that can light a lightbulb? This project uses similar technology for older students who like to figure out how things work. This STEM activity does require specific materials but is fascinating for young engineers and inventors.

Get the full project: Pumpkin Clocks

Tips for Incorporating STEM Into Your Lessons

Maybe you’re ready to jump into the world of STEM with these Pumpkin Projects but aren’t sure how to use STEM activities in your homeschool.

Here are some tips to help make your next STEM project fun and successful:

• Explore what household items can be used for projects. A lot of our favorite STEM projects are all about making the most of what’s already in your cupboards. The pumpkin STEM activities above use common household items like cardboard boxes, baking soda, and vinegar, making it easy for you to get your activity up and going.
• Think about your child’s interests. Does your child love to learn about military weapons and wartime strategy? Perfect; your child will enjoy a STEM project on catapults. Your student can use math and engineering to build a pumpkin catapult, and then use physics to launch items across the table. Maybe your child loves volcanoes. The vinegar and baking soda pumpkin is sure to be something they’d enjoy.
• Make STEM a staple in your curriculum schedule. Just as you carve out a routine for all the popular subjects in your homeschool journey, make room for STEM discoveries. Allocate time for your student’s curiosity, encouraging them to probe and ponder about their surroundings. Let them devise various tests to seek answers and don’t shy away when experiments don’t pan out. After all, budding scientists and inventors are forged in the crucible of trial and error, hypotheses and experiments. Ignite that spark of learning!
• Differentiate activities by grade and developmental level. Remember that these STEM activities can be modified and differentiated by age and level. You can introduce the idea of circuits with the pumpkin clock with younger students but have your older students build the electrical current through the wires of the pumpkin clock.
• Record and study your findings. STEM projects are all-encompassing of the school subjects because of the incorporation of lab reports and documenting findings. It’s not only important that your child find a way to a solution and figure out an answer. It’s equally as important that your child can communicate how they came to that answer and why it matters. The Pumpkin Investigation project is a fantastic way to practice informative and scientific graphing, writing, and presenting.

• Connect to your local community. Going with the theme of ‘using what’s at hand,’ remember your local community might just be a goldmine for real-world STEM experiences. Got a pumpkin patch a stone’s throw away? Or perhaps a factory? Maybe there’s a university boasting a planetarium? Heck, even the neighborhood zoo can be a treasure trove of knowledge for your current studies. And hey, why not team up with other homeschooling families in co-ops? Pool in your knowledge, share the wisdom, and learn together with your community pals.

Want More Expertly Curated STEM Projects?

Did you love these pumpkin STEM activities and want access to even more STEM projects?  

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• Step-by-step instructions
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• Famous People in STEM insert

This is an incredible value for consistently new and relevant STEM activities being delivered straight to your email inbox. Get a subscription today!

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Inspire, Create, Discover: Expertly Curated STEM Projects!

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Try STEM This Fall

This fall is the perfect season to get outside and pique your child’s curiosity about the world and how it works. The leaves are changing colors. Animals are preparing for winter. Plants are ready for harvest.

Next time you’re at the pumpkin patch or town fall festival, grab a few extra so you can try these cool pumpkin STEM activities and projects. Pumpkins have so much more to offer than pie and funny jack-o-lanterns.

Your student is bound to get excited knowing they get to experiment and learn from these fruits. Happy Learning!

More STEM Resources to Check Out

STEM Project Ideas by Grade Level:

• STEM Activities for Kindergarteners
• STEM Activities for 1st Graders
• STEM Activities for 2nd Graders
• STEM Activities for 3rd Graders
• STEM Activities for 4th Graders
• STEM Activities for 5th Graders
• STEM Projects for Middle Schoolers
• STEM Activities for High School Students
• STEM Activities for Teens

Holiday & Seasonal STEM Activity Guides:

• Valentine’s Day STEM Activities 
• St. Patrick’s Day STEM Activities
• Independence Day STEM Activities
• Halloween STEM Activities
• Thanksgiving Themed STEM Activities
• Christmas STEM Activities
• Summer STEAM activities
• Fall STEM Activities
• September STEM Activities
• October STEM Activities

General STEM Activity Guides:

• Fast, easy, and simple STEM activities
• STEAM Art projects 
• STEM activities using paper
• Team building STEM activities
• STEM activities using household Items 
• Free STEM activities 
• Camping-themed STEM activities
• STEAM Activities for Elementary Kids