Do you have any new year’s resolutions this year? I’m hoping to inspire you to adopt one for you and the kids. Resolve to do more STEAM (science, tech, engineering, art & math) projects with your kids. Why? Because hands-on STEAM learning helps kids build problem solving skills and encourages creativity. Plus they can be so much fun, they help kids get excited again about learning in January. Here are 12+ projects ready to fire off your year. This post contains affiliate links.
Have Fun Learning with Sensory STEAM
We love combining science and math learning with tactile fun like slime and play dough.
- You have to try Left Brain Craft Brain’s most popular post, some Heat Sensitive Color Changing Slime!
- Explore the wonder of magnetic fields with this hypnotic Magnetic Field Sensory Bottle. These are so fun to play with, the kids had a hard time peeling them out of the adults’ hands!
- For more magnet fun, try this artistic Magnet Painting Five Minute Craft!
- Or bring out your box of Kinetic Sand and try these fun math learning activities.
Play & Learn with Electronics
If your kiddos are anything like my girl, projects that have cause & effect fun can really keep their interest. Beginning electric projects are a great way to start!
- Show someone how much you care with circuits with these Light Up Valentine Circuits.
- Got some old Hot Wheels lying around? Add motors and and markers to make art with these Toy Car Marker Bots.
- Deconstruct some old computer equipment like a keyboard and then tinker with the parts. Here are 8 Ways to Play & Learn with an Old Keyboard. Then you can build some Play Dough Robots with the circuit boards, too!
Do Some Tinkering
Loose parts play & design are great ways to inspire creative thinking in your kids. Plus it’s easy to do with stuff you have laying around.
- Kids will love this Tinkering Station filled with recycled parts, all inspired by the book Rosie Revere Engineer.
- For more recycled fun, you can make a Goldfish Cracker Pulley and learn about simple machines.
Play & Learn With Your Food
In case the Goldfish pulley inspired you to play & learn with your food, here are a couple more.
- Learn about how the science of yeast makes bread yummy in this Biology of Bread activity.
- And after you bake your bread, you can cook up some toast and talk about Global Warming.
- And did you know that fruit gummies are actually made of natural polymers? Make a batch of Homemade Fruit Gummies and learn about polymers at the same time.
More Ways to Inspire Creative Thinking
Now that you’ve got your STEAM resolution projects planned, here’s a little reading to do too :) I love these books that will inspire for your young engineers! {affiliate links}.
Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math Fun for Kids
Looking for some more STEAM inspiration that use can use right now? Instant gratification style? Check out STEAM Kids: 50+ Hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math Hands-On Projects for Kids ebook! It’s packed full of a year’s worth fun learning activities that will wow the boredom right out of your kids.
