Looking for activities to keep busy, while at home? These links will take you to all kinds of STEM activities that you can do on your own or with your family!
Stem Activities to do at Home
Learning begins in wonder. Here are some ways children ages 5-14 can explore STEM (and more) activities and enrich learning while at home.
- 4-H Inspire Kids to Do Guide– (STEM, Art and Healthy Living activities to download)
- Build a paper airplane launcher (STEM – grades 4-8)
- Make a marble roller coaster – (STEM – grades 2-8)
- Science with Your Smartphone- Make an Accelerometer- (STEM – grades 4-8)
- NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) STEM– parents and educators pages
- NASASTEM – (STEM – youth grades K-4)
- NASA STEM– (STEM – youth grades 5-9)
- NASA STEM – (STEM- youth grades 9-12)
- Smithsonian Learning Lab– (STEM and more – youth grades 6-12, teachers and parents)
- Mars Rover Obstacle Course (STEM)
- 37 free online resources for schools shifting online during Coronavirus – (All subjects – all ages) – resources for teachers, students and parents – includes Tynker, Vidcode, Shmoop, Elementari, Seterra, 25Mash and more!
- Make your own rainbow (STEM)
- Build a recycling sorting machine (STEM – grades 4-8)
- Duplicate your drawings with a homemade machine (ART, STEM – grades 4-8)
- Find your blind spot – (STEM grades 3-8)
- Build your own speaker (STEM – grades 2-5)
- Test the strength of hair (STEM – grades 5 and up)
- Holes that do not leak –(STEM – grades 4-8)
- Gear up your candy – (STEM – grades 4-8)
- Sweet Earthquake structure shake (STEM)
- Robot, make me a sandwich– (CODING- grades K-5) – unplugged – no computer needed, 2 people+
- Flying stick chain reaction (STEM – grades 3-8)
- Weathering rocks (STEM – grades 5-8)
- What are the chances? (STEM – grades 4-8)
- Make fun with a perimeter magic triangle (STEM)
- Shaky science – build a seismograph (STEM – grades 4-8)
- Lift water – build an Archimedes screw (STEM – grades 4-8)
- Science with a smartphone – measure light with Lux
- Build a wind powered car (STEM – grades 2 and up – may need adult help)
- Make elephant toothpaste– (STEM – grades 2-5)
- How do you stop superbugs? – (STEM – grades 4-8)
- Surviving the stormy seas – build a watercraft (STEM – grades 4 – 8)
- Building the strongest bridge (STEM – grades 4-8)
- Science with a smartphone – Decibel meter (STEM – grades 4 – 8)
- PBS Learning Media– (All subjects – grades K-12)
- Discover 4-H clubs projects – Utah State Extension (you don’t have to be in 4-H to download fun learning activities and projects, but you have to register) – (Variety of subjects 4-H members – ages 5-14)
- Discover 4-H STEM Camps– Utah State Extension (you don’t have to be in 4-H to download these fun activities, but you have to register) – (Variety of subjects – ages 5-14)
- Scholastic Learn at home– (All subjects – pre-K to grade 6)
- Colorful double helix– (STEM – 4th grade and up)
- Design your own phone stand – (STEM – grades 4 and up)
- Make a cotton ball launcher – (STEM- grades 4 and up)
- Make your drawing float (STEM – grades 3 and up)
- Slippery slopes – (STEM – grades 4 and up)
- Math & Language Arts lessons to do at home– Michigan State University Extension (STEM and more)
- Animal Science Anywhere – Michigan State University (ANIMAL SCIENCE – Grades 6-12)
- Inquiring minds want to know: science activities for young minds – Michigan State University (STEM)
- Teaching science when you don’t know diddly squat science lessons –Michigan State University(STEM)
- CS First Coding – learn to code with CS (CODING – need a computer)
- National 4-H STEM Lab activities – make a robot, learn how to compost, make a rubber band car and more! (STEM – ages 5-14)
- 4-H & Military Partnerships– (4-H and more learning curriculum includes resources like Action Videography Workshop, Lifetime Fitness & Healthy Decisions, Youth Babysitting, Teen Discovery Curriculum – you don’t have to be i 4-H to download these activities)
- Bring Science Home– some activities listed on this page, but even more at this site – Scientific American Education (STEM – K-8)
- 4-H Code Your World (CODING – need a computer)
- 4-H Knitting (FIBER CRAFTS – grades 3 and up)
- 4-H Sewing(FIBER CRAFTS – grades 3 and up) (pdf)
- Learn to Code! (CODING – all ages)
- Brain Pop Jr – (All subjects – grades K-3)
- Brain Pop– (All subjects – grades 4-8) also educators can get a free account during school closures
- Chill out by making homemade slushies
- Change the size of your shadow – (STEM)
- Hula hooping with a rubber band (STEM)
- Make a toy sailboat – (STEM – all ages)
- Ask Dr. Universe– Washington State University – (STEM and more)
- Khan Academy – online and fun lessons on subjects for kids K-12 (ALL SUBJECTS)
- Khan Academy Kids – app for Android or Apple phones/tablets (ALL SUBJECTS)
- Scratch – learn to code with Scratch – Imagine, Program, Share (CODING – all ages)
- STEMfinity – (STEM – all ages)
- Engineer Girl– design and build a mini catapult, eyeglass case, Paper Airplane, Sorting machine and more! (STEM – All ages)
- Wonderopolis– what are you wondering about and what to know today? (All subjects – Grades 3 and up)
- Generation Genius– (STEM – grades K -2, 3 – 5, 6 – 8)
- Monterey Bay Aquarium– live cams of sea life! (all ages)
- Nat Geo for Kids– Explore and learn – (All subjects – ages Pre-K to 8th)
- Novel Effect– Interactive storytelling app which plays music and sound effects as you you read along with the story – for Iphones/Ipads and Androids – (ages pre-K to 5th)
- Cloverbud hands-on activities – University of Wisconisin, Madison Extension (4-H – ages 5-8)
- 36 Project based STEM Learning Activities – (STEM K-8)
- San Diego Zoo live cams of animals! (all ages)
- Smithsonian National Zoo– live cams of animals! (all ages)
- Seattle Aquarium– live cams of Otters and Harbor Seals! (all ages)
- Slime art– what to do with slime that has dried out (STEM & ART – all ages)
- Generation Genius– (STEM – grades K -2, 3 – 5, 6 – 8)
- Steve Spangler Science– science experiments for kids (STEM – grades 3-8)
- Storyline– Stories to read online (Pre-K to 3rd grade)
- Time for Kids– (interesting articles for young people, grades K-12)
- Virtual Museum tours – 12 famous museums from around the world
- Choose My Plate– Learn how to eat healthier with USDA food resources (Health & Fitness – All ages)
- Pacific Science Center Curiosity at Home – hands on actvities and videos (STEM – all ages)
- Cincinnati Zoo– follow the “Fiona the Hippo Show” on Facebook- the smallest baby hippo to survive in captivity (all ages)
- ABCYA– educational games that meet Common Core standards (All subjects grades K-6)
- Boom Learning– educational games – free accounts for those impacted by school closure – for students, parents and teachers
- Dreamscape– Reading game (Reading grades 2-8)
- Starfall – educational games(All subjects – pre-K through grade 3)
- Quarantine with Kids – 100 things to do during COVID-19– (Actvities – pre-K – grade 4)
- Vanderbilt STEM lessons – (grades 6-8)
- Gonoodle – activities to get you moving! (Health & Fitness – All ages)
- Learn to Type (all ages)
- Mystery Science lessons for school closure– lessons for educators and parents
- [New] ProjectFeederwatch– Cornell Bird lab -Interested in bird watching? Participate in Cornell Bird lab and be a citizen scientist!
[New] GrowNextGen– STEM lessons for youth grade 5 and up
- [New] GrowNextGen – Resources for STEM educators and virtual classrooms
- [New] GrowNextGen– Educational Reading, Science and Social Studies games to learn about agriculture for grades 3-5