Must Try Winter STEM Activities

How do we get children to love the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects? Have you ever worried that your kids are not excited enough about the “difficult” classes?

Worry no more! Below are four fun and seasonal STEM projects that will get your kids excited for science and the winter season!

Why STEM?

Well, according to the US Department of Education “In a world that’s becoming increasingly complex, where success is driven not only by what you know, but by what you can do with what you know, it’s more important than ever for our youth to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to solve tough problems, gather and evaluate evidence, and make sense of information.”

If we can get our kids excited about the STEM fields early on in the learning process, they will be more likely to make informed decisions and affect positive change for our world.

Project #1 Ice Volcano

Kids love small explosions and making a mess. Here is a fun ice volcano to get your kids excited about science. It is probably best to have the explosion occur outdoors, to limit the mess in the classroom area.

Materials

• Golf Ball
• Small Bowl
• Plastic Wrap
• Food Coloring
• Baking Soda
• Water
• Vinegar
• Freezer
• Butter Knife

Directions

1. Put the golf ball in the middle of the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. You want to make sure that you press the plastic wrap down around the golf ball and then drape the rest of the plastic wrap around the bowl. Keep the golf ball in the center as this will be the opening of your ice volcano.

2. Mix 1/3 baking soda to 2/3 water. You will need enough of the baking soda and water mixture to fill up your bowl. Add 2-3 drops of food coloring.

3. Pour mixture into the bowl on top of the plastic wrap. Make sure that the golf ball is completely covered.

4. Place your bowl in the freezer. Let the mixture freeze completely.

5. Remove the bowl from the freezer and thaw for 5-7 minutes.

6. Flip the bowl over and remove your ice volcano from the bowl. Take off the plastic wrap and remove the golf ball. You may need to use a butter knife to pop the golf ball out.

7. Go outside and pour in a few drops of vinegar. You should have a foamy eruption!

What happened?

A chemical reaction. When you mix a base (baking soda) to an acid (vinegar) the chemicals react and release carbon dioxide. Science Rules!

Project #2 Ice Lantern

With an ice lantern, your kids will design and engineer a project that will light the entrance to their school or home. Experiment with different sizes and shapes for the lantern molds. 

Materials

• Medium plastic food storage container
• Small plastic cup
• Leaves, pine cone pieces, pieces of tree branches, beads, shiny pipe cleaners etc…(optional)
• Water
• Battery operated candle

Directions

1. Place a small plastic cup filled with water into a larger plastic food storage container.

2. Fill the larger container with water.

3. Optional Step: Add shiny pipe cleaners, beads, tinsel pine cones to the water in the larger container. This will add holiday character to your ice lantern.

4. If it is cold enough you can place the container outside to freeze overnight. If not, place in the freezer until completely frozen.

5. Run warm water around the outside of the plastic container to unmold. The ice may crack or chip, but that will just add more texture to the lantern.

6. Remove the small plastic cup by adding a few drops of warm water around the edge of the cup and twisting out of the center.

7. Set outside and insert your battery operated candle. 

What happened?

Through engineering, creation and design you made a functional lantern that can be used to light the front porch of your home or the entrance to your school. Engineering rules!

Project #3 Hot Cocoa Slime

Your kids will create a polymer that smells like hot cocoa. This is NOT EDIBLE!!! But it is incredibly fun to play with. 

Materials

• 4 oz of school grade glue (Elmer’s)
• 1/2 Tablespoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tablespoon of contact lens solution

Directions

1. Squirt the glue into a bowl.

2. Add in the baking soda and mix thoroughly.

3. Add in the cocoa powder and mix thoroughly.

4. Add the contact lens solution and mix until the slime begins to get firm.

5. Remove slime from the bowl and knead and stretch with your hands.

6. If the slime is too sticky, add another 1/4 tablespoon of contact lens solution.

7. Have fun!!

What happened?

Chemistry happened. Mixing the glue, baking soda and contact lens solution created a chemical reaction and changed the nature of the glue from a liquid to a polymer. A polymer is unique because it has the qualities of both a solid and a liquid. They can bend and stretch without breaking apart. Science Rules!!

Project #4 Make Snow

For our friends who don’t don’t get to experience snow because you are in a warmer climate… Fear not! Here is a very simple way to simulate snow with 2 or 3 ingredients.

Materials

• 1 cup of corn starch
• 1 cup of shaving cream- Not the gel type, the Barbasol type that comes out as a foam
• 5-6 drops blue food coloring

Directions

1. Put the cornstarch in a large bowl with the shaving cream. 

2. Add the blue food coloring and mix with a spoon.

3. When thoroughly mixed, use your hands to mix it even more. 

4. When the mixture forms into a ball with the consistency of dough, you are done.

5. Form into snowmen, snowballs, icicles, or make an igloo.

What happened?

Surface tension happened. Shaving cream is made of small bubbles. When the cornstarch mixes with the shaving cream, the surface tension causes the cornstarch flakes to float on the surface of the bubbles. Science Rules!!

These STEM projects focused on hands-on experimentation. Hopefully, these projects will help your students grasp some of the STEM concepts discussed above and help them process the information in a more effective way. 

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Nick Briers is an expat stay at home dad who homeschools his two children ages 8 and 6. He is a promoter of active outdoor play at topnotchplay.com.