It’s summertime again! The schools are closed. Children are enjoying summer vacations at home in warm weather.
But wait, what if we can make summertime more productive for your children? How about learning new skills, and participating in STEM activities in addition to the routine academic work?
Summer is the ideal season for kids to go beyond their books and do something they actually love. They can explore new topics and learn valuable 21st-century skills without worrying about their homework. Parents also want their children to make the most of their summer vacations.
We bring 5 exciting summer STEM activities for kids can do at home for an exciting summer experience and learn new essential skills with fun.
Let’s get started.
What is STEM?
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It combines four core subjects that shape our daily lives. They involve critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical conclusions.
When we talk of STEM activities, we mean encourage students to participate in various exercises that can enhance their critical thinking abilities. Kids learn how to challenge traditional concepts and think out of the box to find innovative solutions.
That’s the reason why STEM education is given the utmost importance in the developed world. Countries like the US, UK, Japan, Korea, and China specifically focus on STEM in their curriculums.
What Age is Ideal for STEM Education?
The day kids learn counting for the first time, they step into STEM education. There is no definite age to participate in STEM activities. Instead, schooltime is the best age to grasp STEM concepts because kids’ minds are in their growth phase. Hence, they learn new things fast.
However, if we look at schools, most classrooms cover essential things in their syllabuses. Kids don’t get enough time to get out of academic books and try new things.
While academic work is equally important, we must give children opportunities to explore new ideas and create innovative things. There has to be a fun learning environment where students can apply STEM principles and complete amazing projects.
5 Fun Summer STEM Activities for Kids
Explore the following eight STEM activities for summer to make your kids’ vacations more productive:
1. Coding for Kids
The most crucial skill to be learned nowadays is coding. It has diverse applications across every sector. Developed nations have even started introducing coding to school curriculums.
So, this summer, you can make your kid learn coding and master basic programming skills. Several institutions offer special coding summer camps for kids. Students can take classes online and start their journey of becoming junior developers.
Besides, parents can also enroll their kids in on-campus coding summer camps. Khired Kids, for example, offers coding courses for kids in Lahore.
2. Bottle Rocket
You may not be familiar with Elon Musk, but your children are. Elon Musk was a space enthusiast in his childhood. He founded SpaceX, which is today known for making record rocket launches.
So, if your kids are inspired by Elon Musk, ignite their passion to become future astronauts by building a bottle rocket at home. This summer STEM activity involves laws of physics and aerospace.
Have some empty plastic bottles, vinegar, corks, baking soda, and a clean cloth. Mix vinegar with baking soda and close the bottle’s mouth with a lid. The chemical reaction would result in a thrust throwing the bottle far away.
However, make sure to do this experiment in an open space. At the end, seek suggestions regarding any modifications in the design for further improvement. Your kids will definitely love this activity.
3. Water Balloon Physics
The shape and size of an object play a critical role in determining its trajectory. Follow these steps to explain this physics concept to your kids.
Fill some water balloons of different sizes and shapes with water. Give one balloon to each kid separately and ask them to throw these balloons at various angles and speeds. Closely observe the trajectory of each balloon. Note down the flight path and impact once the balloon hits the target.
With this experiment, your kids can understand the principles of gravity, aerodynamics, and motion. You can tell how these concepts are used to control the trajectories of jets, missiles, and rockets.
4. Solar Oven
Amid rising energy prices, the whole world is moving away from fossil fuels towards green energy like solar. You can build a solar oven at home and teach your kids about the potential of solar energy. It is a great summer STEM activity in today’s age.
For this activity, take a pizza box and line its internal sides with aluminum foil. Similarly, cover the bottom with black paper and the opening with plastic wrap. Place some chocolates inside the box to demonstrate the impact of sunlight.
Now, place the box in an open ground. Position it in such a way as to allow the sunlight to pass through the opening. In a few minutes, chocolates under the direct sunlight will melt down. Discuss the importance of sustainable energy with your kids.
5. Rainbow in a Jar
When sunlight passes through water, it splits itself into seven rainbow colors. Summer is the best time to perform this activity. Here’s how.
Take a glass jar in your lawn. Fill it with water and let the sunlight directly come to it. Now, on the opposite side of this jar, you will see a rainbow of seven beautiful colors. Explain the science behind the formation of the rainbow, and discuss how this phenomenon takes place after the rain.
Final Thoughts
Summertime is full of enjoyment and learning. The hot summer season brings in long vacations and opportunities to explore new ideas.
To help parents make their kids’ summer vacations more productive, we have discussed five exciting summer STEM activities. These include coding for kids, bottle rockets, water balloon physics, solar oven, and rainbow in a jar.
All these experiments are very easy. They can teach kids unique scientific concepts in a fun and engaging environment. Besides, kids can actually see how things work in real life and drive more curiosity towards innovation.
