School may be back in for most of us, but learning doesn’t stop there. There are plenty of opportunities in our own backyard for children to learn science, technology, engineering, and math. Here are 8 outdoor STEM activities your child will have a blast with!
Science:
1. Start off with a BANG using this basic baking soda and vinegar reaction experiment. You’ll need plastic zipper sandwich bags, baking soda, toilet paper, and vinegar. Have your kid fill a gallon size bag with 2/3 cup of vinegar. Seal the bag most of the way shut, leaving just enough room to slip in a small pouch. On a small paper towel or square of toilet paper, place a heaping tablespoon of baking soda and wrap it into a pouch. Slip the pouch into the opening in the bag and quickly seal the bag shut. Give it a shake and toss it on the ground. The bag will start to swell up and may even POP!
2. Make a rocket balloon! You’ll need a long string, 2 trees or chairs to tie the string to, a balloon, scotch tape, and a drinking straw. Thread the string through the straw and tie each end around a tree or chair, making a long, level track for your rocket balloon. Hold the straw near one end of the string, and blow up a balloon, holding the end to keep the air inside. Scotch tape the balloon to the straw, ensuring that it is securely attached. Then, tell your child to let go! Watch as the force of the air rockets the balloon across the string!
Technology:
3. Geocaching is a fun family outdoor activity that uses technology. Simply download the app onto your mobile device and go on a search to find a hidden container. It’s like a treasure hunt! The only rule is, if you take one, you leave one, so be sure to carry something small and neat to leave for others to find.
4. Give your child a digital camera to take photos of the environment or of the rocket balloon and zipper bag experiments! Have the photos printed to start their very own STEM photo album.
Engineering and math activities on page 2...
Engineering:
5. Build a stick teepee. Ask your child to determine where the teepee will go, and have them gather several sticks and branches of different sizes. You’ll need at least 3 good sturdy sticks and a vine or rope. Create a teepee by tying the 3 sturdy branches together at the top and push the bottoms into the ground for support. Add more sticks and branches, careful not to topple it over, and leave a hole in front so you can crawl inside!
6. Ask your child to engineer an outdoor obstacle course! Ours had tires laid flat to run through, a long wooden beam to balance on, and a slip n’ slide at the end. If you’re into paintball or Nerf wars, designing a course specifically for taking cover and sneak attacks could be great fun! You might use wooden pallets, stacked tires, or even hanging sheets!
Math:
7. Arm your child with a tape measure, pencil, and paper, then head outside together to measure the circumference of nearby trees and record your findings. You can even print out a growth factor chart (found online) to determine the age of the tree!
8. Creating nature patterns is a simple STEM activity. Gather various items of interest, such as rocks, leaves, pinecones, and acorns. Ask your child to arrange the items in a pattern, such as rock, leaf, rock, leaf. This is a fun, hands-on learning activity that beats a worksheet any day!