Introducing young kids to STEM is incredibly fun. When I first started looking into STEM for Toddlers and Preschoolers, I was thrilled to see so many easy ways to do it.
If you’re a mom at home or early childhood educators, there are so many benefits to teaching your kids STEM. Use their natural curiosity to develop problem solving skills, and have a great time doing it.
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What is STEM?
Not sure what STEM stands for? It’s an abbreviation of Science Technology Engineering and Math. Or you may have heard of STEAM, where the A stands for arts. All toddlers (2-3 year olds) and preschoolers (3-5 year olds), can get involved with these amazing ideas.
STEM for Toddlers and Preschoolers
1. Magic Milk
All you need for this science activity is some food coloring, milk, and dish soap. With those three ingredients you can watch the colors dance around the milk all by themselves.
Learn how to turn regular milk into magic milk here.
2. co*ke and Mentos
This was one of the best science experiments I’ve ever done with my kids. The look on their faces is absolutely priceless and has become one of my favorite memories.
The only thing I struggled with initially was getting all of the mentos into the bottle fast enough. Fortunately, I came up with an easy hack, which allows toddlers and older kids to drop all of the mentos into the bottle at once.
Check out the co*ke and mentos reaction and learn the super easy hack to make it toddler friendly.
3. Fizzy Painting
This is another science activity that works because of chemical reactions. But in this play idea, you’ll be using it to make a painting that bubbles and fizzes.
Learn how to use chemistry to make fizzy art.
4. Straw Rockets
These straw rockets are a free printable that you can download and use for STEM learning. Children of all ages love propelling the rockets through the air using the power of their lungs.
Get your free printable rockets and start having fun.
5. Rain in a Jar
All you need for this weather science activity is a cup of water, shaving cream and blue food coloring. Watch as the blue food coloring falls through the clouds and looks like rain when it travels through the water.
Learn how to make the rain in a jar STEM activity with your toddlers and preschoolers.
6. Fireworks in a Jar
This is similar to the rain in a jar experiment, but has enough of a twist to make it new and exciting. Along with other easy STEM activities, you already have everything you need for this idea in your kitchen cupboard.
If your kids are too scared of real fireworks, then learn how to make them in a jar and still enjoy some colorful bursts.
7. Color Changing Flowers
This is a fun way to explore capillary action with young kids. They get to see how flowers “drink” water and how it travels from the bottom of the stem, all the way up to their petals.
Learn how to make flowers change colors, and see it start working in about 30 minutes.
8. Walking Water
Did you know that you can make water move and change colors all by itself? This is another fantastic STEM education activity that explores capillary action.
Watch the water ‘walk’ and become a rainbow before your eyes. Click the link to see how it’s done.
9. Balloon Magic
Kids of all ages love watching the balloon in this science activity inflate all by itself, just like magic. With a couple of common household ingredients, your kids can be magicians too.
10. Magnet Exploration
Playing with magnets is the best way to explain the STEM concepts of magnetism. Learn what is magnetic and what isn’t, using whatever bits and bobs you have lying around the house or classroom.
11. DIY Magnetic Ball Run
Learn how to turn regular cardboard tubes into a fun fridge door activity. Younger kids will love doing a bit of engineering while making their own magnetic ball run and learning about gravity.
12. Salt Dough Dinosaur Fossils
This is without a doubt one of my favorite preschool STEM activities. Use the DIY dinosaur fossils to create a real dino dig in the sandbox, or just as a dinosaur matching activity. All you need is some salt dough, and small toy dinosaurs. It’s so easy.
13. Planet Match Activity
Do you have little astronauts running around at home? This matching activity is a simple way to let them explore the solar system. Get the free planet match printable to help teach your kids about outer space.
14. Butterfly Life Cycle
When the weather warms up, and the butterflies are out, this is the perfect chance to explore some Spring themed STEAM activities. Learn about the life cycle of a butterfly, while creating some beautiful art at the same time.
This activity also comes with a free printable template for you to use for the art. In addition, it also contains a whole lot of interesting butterfly facts to use during circle time.
15. How to Grow Crystal Snowflakes
These snowflakes can sit on your window and don’t melt. I love this science activity for older children, because it doesn’t snow where we live. But we still get to enjoy a bit of magic with this play idea.
Learn how to make crystal snowflakes for your windows.
16. Invisible Heart Activity for Kids
The secret behind this science activity is homemade invisible ink. Instead of making secret messages, I made a secret cardiovascular system.
You can do individual pictures for kids at home, or large ones that kids in your early years classroom can do as a small group project. Learn how to make an invisible heart science activity, or just write secret messages.
17. Snowstorm in a Jar
If you’re looking for winter themed STEM ideas, make sure to try this snowstorm in a jar. Kids as young as toddlers can join in on this one. Not to mention it’s so much fun to watch no matter how old you are.
Learn how to turn a regular jar into an indoor snowstorm, using a bit of simple science.
18. Building Shapes
This is a fantastic engineering and math activity for children. Toddlers can focus on building 2D shapes, while preschoolers can also explore 3D constructions.
I used toothpicks for this activity. However, if you’re going to try this play idea with toddlers, then I suggest you use pipe cleaners or paper straws instead.
What 2D and 3D shapes will you build with your kids?
19. Popsicle Stick Shape Mats
Here is another way to build shapes, using craft sticks. These shape mats are a free printable that you can download and use today. Best of all, the craft sticks are the exact size on the mats, so everything fits together seamlessly.
Get your copy of the free craft stick shape mats printable, and do a bit of math with your kids.
20. Farm Animal Shadow Matching Game
This is one of the first simple STEM activities I did with my toddlers. In fact, it’s the exact one I used to get my kids interested in puzzles (they were hopeless before this). It’s such a simple puzzle, but you do need to recognise irregular shapes.
This game comes as a free printable. All you need to do is to match the farm animals to their shadows, and maybe make a few barnyard noises while you do.
21. Parachute STEM Experiment
Can you make one of your toys fly? When we did this activity, we had one very brave cow that got caught in the rose bushes a lot.
This science activity is a simple way to experiment with wind resistance, different materials and parachute designs. Perfect for older kids to make, but still fun for toddlers and preschoolers to play with.
22. Water Cycle STEM for Kids
Did you know that you can make a working indoor water cycle? One where your kids can taste the difference because it actually turns saltwater into freshwater?
Believe it or not, you can. This STEM idea is a fun way to talk about the weather in a way where kids can get some hands on learning.
23. Car STEM Experiments for Kids
Toddlers and preschoolers love playing with cars and ramps. Use their enthusiasm to learn a bit of rudimentary physics in easy ways. Don’t worry, it really is more simple than it sounds.
What happens when you let cars go down ramps? Kids learn about gravity. What happens when you adjust the ramps or the cars a little bit? Well that’s a whole afternoon of fun experimenting with toy cars.
24. DIY Pirate Ship: STEM Challenge
This engineering challenge is perfect for elementary school children. All you need to do is give them a few basic materials and tell them to build their own boat.
I spent hours as a kid building my own forts in the backyard. Tying the sticks together, and hating when it was not tight enough.
So let your kids build their own ship in the backyard this summer. You’ll have pirates running around all holiday.
25. Sink the Egg STEM Challenge
Simple STEM projects are always a treasure, and this one is no different. What does it take to make the egg sink? What do you fill it with? What will your kids come up with?
26. Non Newtonian Fluid Science Activity
The non-Newtonian fluid in this play idea is also called Oobleck. Oobleck has the wonderful characteristic of changing form when pressure is applied.
Confused? Basically, when you push down hard on oobleck, it becomes hard and feels solid. But if you let it go and just hold it in your hand, it will flow like a liquid.
Can you imagine what a great time your kids will have playing with this amazing stuff? Learn how to make oobleck here.
27. Snowball Balance
Do you save your large cardboard tubes? Make sure that you do because it’s amazing what you can do with them.
Here you are using the tubes to balance crumpled up paper balls. This is a fantastic activity for toddlers because it’ll help with hand-eye coordination and other fine motor skills as well.
28. Easy Heart Pump Model
How does the heart work? Here you can explore how the heart pumps blood with a working demonstration. How amazing is that?
29. Seed Germination Experiment for Kids
Growing seeds and beans is a science classic for a reason. The kids will learn about how plants grow, where food comes from and hopefully a little bit of healthy eating habits at the same time.
I’ve done this experiment a few times with my kids and they just love looking at how the plants grow more and more each day.
30. Water Transfer Activity with Sponges
Why do sponges hold water? Are they the best option when trying to transfer water from one container to another? Why?
Playing with sponges and water is a great summer time activity, especially if you’re trying to cool down.
31. Exploring Vegetable Seeds
What do you find when you cut open a capsicum (bell pepper)? A whole lot of tiny seeds that are perfect for exploring.
If you got excited about the idea of growing seeds, then imagine how excited your kids will be when they see where seeds come from.
32. DIY Balance Scales
Have you ever thought about using a regular clothes hanger to make a set of scales? Exploring simple machines with your kids can be as easy as this play idea.
This is a fantastic way for kids to explore the concept of weight, and experiment with heavy and light objects. Which side will go down and why?
33. Sink or Float
Here is a science activity that you can try at bath time. What sinks and what floats? Even toddler age children can explore this STEM concept while they splash around.
34. Static Hair
I definitely saved the best for last. At least I think so because I absolutely LOVED doing this as a child myself.
Why does static electricity make your hair stand up? You’re going to have a whole lot of fun and giggles while you’re finding out.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can you start STEM?
You can start exploring STEM with your child from day one. After all, we understand the world around us through STEM. All of our senses, like sound and vision, are all components of science that we experience very early on. As we get older we learn about nature and how the things around us work.
How do you teach a toddler STEM?
The best way to teach STEM is through hands on experience. Play based learning is the best approach when trying to explain concepts to kids. Keep it simple, age appropriate, and allow kids to explore and problem solve by themselves.
Do kids like STEM?
Absolutely. I have yet to meet a child who didn’t have a natural curiosity about the world around them. The key is to make it fun, without any pressure, because that is how they learn best. It’s also a great way to create toddlers and preschoolers who are intrinsically motivated to learn more.
Are you going to try any of these STEM for Toddlers and Preschoolers?
Don’t forget to pin the idea for later.
