STEM education is an important element of teaching and it is being taught from kindergarten to high school students.
I have a vast collection of Elementary STEM Projects and activities on my site from my many years of blogging. I love teaching with projects and hands-on activities. Here I have collected them all into one place for you to easily find them!
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. Here I have divided up my posts into each of those categories, but many of the ideas overlap with multiple STEM learning categories. STEM activities for kids are learning activities that implement one or more of those educational categories to teach kids real world skills and ideas. These projects are fun, hands-on and engage their minds in many ways.
Many educators like to incorporate STEM challenges into their lessons to encourage critical thinking and problem solving skills. It helps kids learn to solve real-world problems when they have to solve them on a smaller scale. They increase their curiosity when working on a fun STEM project.
STEM Teaching Tools
There are so many amazing STEM teaching tools available these days. I want to highlight a few that I have been involved in.
A few years ago I helped co-author an amazing book called STEAM Kids that has turned into a great series. There are now also STEAM Kids Valentines Day, STEAM Kids Christmas and STEAM Kids Halloween books, with the STEAM Kids in the Kitchen version coming soon!
Last year I also wrote a Summer Science Camp e-book with 5 days of lesson plans.
I have two books that integrate math and art as well as science and art: Math Art and Drawing Games for Kids , Science Art and Drawing Games for Kids. Â These books put the A into STEM / STEAM!
STEM ideas often incorporate simple ingredients and supplies such as toothpicks, straws, baking soda and vinegar. Â You’ll see things like a balloon-powered car, egg drop challenge, lava lamp, crystals, marble runs and more! Â They are more than you average science projects, because they typically bring together multiple aspects of learning.
I also have some posts with ideas and tools for teaching the STEM/ STEAM subjects in your classroom or home.
- How to Teach STEAM
- STEM Books for Kids
- High-Tech Toys for Kids
- Best Science Experiment Books for Kids
- Best Hands-on Math Supplies
- Fun Books to Teach Math
- Science Gifts for Kids
Now let’s get to some fun STEM project ideas! I have a lot of STEM projects on my site, so I have divided them up by the basic STEM categories. Many of them overlap in multiple categories, but I picked the main one for these pages. Hopefully this makes it easier for you to find what you need for your lessons!
Science STEM Projects:
Following are some cool science activities for younger kids.  Oh, you know, just a few…  We like science around here.
Oil Spill Clean-Up Science Experiment
Storybook STEM: If I Built a Car
Storybook STEAM: Inkblot Cloud Shapes
Oxidation Experiment: Does it Rust?
Storybook STEM: Levitating Magnets with Ten Apples Up on Top
Magnet Pendulum (also see my post with 40+ Magnet Teaching & Play Ideas!)
Fabric Printed Nature Matching Game
Food Chemistry: Turn Juice into a Solid!
Kitchen Chemistry: Cake Experiment
Winter Science: Fizzing Snowmen
Plate Tectonics with Kinetic Sand
Seashell Acid & Base Experiment
The Seeds We Eat: Seed Science
Fruit Enzymes Gelatin Experiment
Storybook STEM: The Magi Ear Trick with The Ear Book
Geology Experiment: Stalactites and Stalagmites Formation
Food Science: Green Eggs Chemistry
Shrunken Heads Halloween Science
Old Faithful Geyser Experiment
Autumn Science: Squash Comparisons
Sedimentary Rocks and Fossils Project
Apple Science- How to Prevent Browning
Technology STEM Projects:
Add some technology into your learning with these awesome Technology-focused STEM projects and activities for kids
Gingerbread House Paper Circuits
Soft Circuit Christmas Ornament
Color and Light Experiments with a Light Box
Origami Firefly Paper Circuits
Engineering STEM Projects:
These engineering activities will get kids building and play and exploring. WE LOVE building activities, so I hope you find a great one that will inspire your students and kids.
Storybook STEM: 3 Billy Goats Gruff
Blueprints and Architecture Templates
Storybook STEM: Submarine Science with Papa’s Mechanical Fish
Ancient Science: Homemade Water Clock
Easy Bridge Engineering Experiment
Bubble Science: Square Bubbles
Math STEM Projects:
Math is a big deal around here. We like to make math interesting! Â Try some of these fun Math-focused STEM Activities with your learners.
Measuring the Volume of 3-D Shapes
Toothpick and Marshmallow Geometry
Groundhog Day Probability Game
Save the Snowman Learning Game
Fraction-Decimal-Percentage Puzzles
Storybook STEM: Each Orange Had Eight Slices
Storybook STEM: One Grain of Rice
Thanks for reading! Â I hope you find some STEM projects that will work for your teaching needs.