Sometimes the best way to learn about something is by getting involved in a fun and practical manner – and this is definitely the case for children and STEM. These interactive STEM projects and ideas to do at home will help your kids learn about key elements of the STEM subjects while having fun.
Children will love seeing a DIY sailboat floating on water thanks to the buoyancy of its cork material hull. Simply attach a stick to a bottle cork, add a sheet of paper to use as a sail and watch how the boat floats in a way comparable to heavy toys or plastic bottles.
Fill a large glass with fresh water, drop in an egg, add some salt and watch the egg float on the surface as the salt increases the density of water.
Encourage your children to become engineers for the day by building a bird’s nest from natural materials including sticks, feathers, grass and mud. Warning – things might get messy!
Drop a handful of raisins into a bottle of lemonade or something equally fizzy e.g. soda water. After initially dropping to the surface, the raisins will rise and be dancing around as soon as bubbles form on them. This is due to carbon dioxide attaching to them and pulling them to the top. Once the bubbles disappear, the raisins sink again!
Building blocks
Whether your children want to recreate a scene from their favourite TV series or use their imagination to come up with something unique, building blocks like LEGO are the perfect solution. They develop fine motor skills, encourage creativity and build problem-solving skills – all key elements of any engineer’s job role.
The Farr Foundation is a charity that supports organisations dedicated to inspiring school-aged children, raising their aspirations through STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) activities. We do this through the provision of grant funding throughout the calendar year.
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