3 STEM water activities for the summer
As summer approaches, we know everyone is thinking about all of the ways you’ll spend time with your kids this summer. Summer is the perfect time to get outside, get messy, and have fun with science. There are so many ways to explore STEM topics, your kids will never be able to say they are bored! These 3 STEM water activities for the summer will keep your children entertained and help you make the most of your time this summer.
#1: Water Rockets
Demonstrate the science of force with EDventure’s DIY Water Rockets activity. This is a super easy project that you can set up with items you already have at home. You will need some empty toilet paper rolls, aluminum foil, a plastic easter egg, some tape, and a garden hose with a nozzle attached. The set-up is pretty simple. All you need to do is tape one half of a plastic egg to an end of the cardboard tube and wrap it in aluminum foil.
This activity is a lot of fun and it gives you the perfect opportunity to talk about Newton’s first law of force: inertia. Before you squeeze the hose nozzle and blast off the rocket, tell your kids that an object at rest will remain at rest until acted upon by a force. After you send the rocket into the sky, ask your children what force caused the rocket to shoot up and what force caused it to come back down.
#2: Watermelon Ships
One of the best parts about summer is eating fresh watermelon. Why not turn this refreshing snack into a full-fledged engineering project? All you need for this one is a watermelon, some kitchen utensils, and a body of water. Cut your watermelon in half and scoop out all of the fruit, just leaving the carved our rinds. Use the two hollowed out rinds and design your own boat!
Kids can get creative by carving designs into the outside of the rinds to personalize their ships. Check out Adventure in a Box to see directions for making a mast. Kids might also want to put some of their action figure toys in the ship before they set sail!
#3: DIY Cartesian Diver
The cartesian diver is a classic science experiment. Kids are always fascinated by this activity and better yet, it’s not too difficult to make it yourself! For this activity, you’ll need an empty plastic bottle (either 1-liter or 2-liter) with a lid, scissors, a hex nut, water, and a plastic pipette.
You can find detailed instructions for creating your cartesian diver from Buggy and Buddy. After you’ve assembled your cartesian diver, your children will watch the pipette appear to float in the center of the bottle; when they squeeze the bottle, the diver will go move down and when the release, it will float back up. Make things interesting by adding a drop of color die to the water!
Final Thoughts
Each activity can be modified to your child’s age level and interests. It’s always a great idea to begin each activity will a mini lesson on physics, engineering, or whichever STEM topic you will demonstrate. Stay cool this summer by taking part in these exciting STEM water activities!
