5 Fun STEM Activities to Try this Winter
Winter weather can inspire a lot of STEM-related questions and observations from kids—and these five fun winter-themed STEM activities are a great way to help them learn more. Whether you have them help with baking measurements or you’re opening a dialogue about weather patterns and wildlife, engaging with your kids about the science, technology, engineering, and mathematical elements of the season can be a wonderful learning opportunity.
BUILD A MARSHMALLOW IGLOO
Provide kids with toothpicks and marshmallows and task them with engineering their own mini, snow-inspired domiciles. Toothpicks create the frame of the construction, while the soft, pliable marshmallows can be used to joint together toothpicks and add a white, winter-wonderland appearance to the finished product. Try experimenting with different sizes and styles of toothpicks and marshmallows to see what creations your family can come up with.
BAKE TOGETHER
Cooking truly is a science, and making a baked treat from scratch together is a great way to help your child understand cause and effect. With each step of the process, your child has an opportunity to learn about basic principles of math and science through measuring ingredients, calculating servings, combining food products, and watching wet dough become solid cookies, cakes, or loafs. Decorating the finished product with frosting and sprinkles is a way to incorporate art and creativity for kids of all ages. And then eating them at the end? That’s just the icing on top
EXPERIMENT WITH HOT CHOCOLATE
What temperature of liquid do you need to make hot chocolate, and why? With water or milk and a few packets of hot cocoa powder, you can demonstrate the different qualities needed to create everyone’s favorite seasonal drink. Let your children experiment with cold water, room temperature water, warm water, and hot water to see the different chemical reactions between ingredients of varying temperatures. This is another fun family learning activity that results in a tasty treat at the end.
TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
An abundance of ice is a good opportunity to talk to kids about why some animals—like polar bears—need solid ice to survive in their habitats. To demonstrate what happens when the climate warms, place one container of ice in a cold area, like outside or in your freezer, and once inside at room temperature, and have children track the changes throughout the day. Ask questions about what causes the different reactions and what that means for some kinds of wildlife.
CREATE YOUR OWN FROST
Have a quick lesson about frost by creating condensation inside. Condensation happens when the loss of heat transforms water vapor into the water—and frost is the wintertime culmination of this scientific process. The quickest way to create your own frost is to fill a clean, empty metal can with ice and a little bit of water—if you place it in a warm room, you’ll quickly notice condensation forming. To create frost, pour salt over the ice, cover the can, and shake it gently. Salt lowers the melting point of ice, creating colder conditions. Within a few moments, thick frost should form where the condensation once was
