"Creativity is intelligence having fun!" - Albert Einstein
Check out the following websites and activities where everyday items become potential building materials or experiment ingredients. Use these activities as a springboard to create more fun projects.
NASA - STEM Activities
Explore the NASA educational site for information and activities about a variety of subjects from the planet we call home into the universe.
Create a paper rocket launched by a straw. Modify your design to make it fly farther or set up a target and track your accuracy.
Build a moon habitat. (If you don't want to live on the moon, make it into a puppet theater, castle, or what you want it to be.)
Learn what to look for in the night sky with links to sky maps, spotting the space station, and more.
Design and Engineering projects
Chose from a variety of building challenges to suit your interests. Download an activity calendar to track your building prowess.
A link to one of the many sites with the lifeboat activity from our March 1 graphic novel book launch with author Lauren Tarshis.
Make marble runs with common household items like paper towel rolls, cereal boxes, paper plates, craft sticks, marbles, table tennis balls and more.
Play with different shapes to build bridges and then test them to see how much weight they can bear. Design tracks for your toy cars.
Science Experiments and Fun
NYSCI has a variety of tutorials for projects for all ages in its Makers section. The museum lives up to its motto of "Design Make Play."
Explore your world around you with a variety of activities. This site may appeal to upper elementary students and middle schoolers. Definitely family fun.
This site's Kidszone experiments let you manipulate everyday objects with projects for every season of the year. Great ideas for next year's science fair.
This site has many easy, classic, food-based experiments to try. The experiments are rated by age and messiness so parents can be prepared.
Active Play
Fun craft ideas for the littlest ones through tweens from Kidsactivitiesblog.com.
Balloons lend themselves to in-door games. Try the linked activities and then make up your own games and challenges.
Make a maze with crepe paper, painters tape, string, or yarn; or build a ring toss with a paper plates and a paper towel roll. Lots of active play ideas from Hello, Wonderful.
Cub Scouts delivers many outdoor projects for your child. Boys, girls, and whole families can learn new camping and cooking skills.