Chances are if you have kids in the house, you probably have straws. Sure, straws are great for drinking, but they can be used for so much more. For instance, there are many STEM activities with straws that are sure to liven up any boring day.
Did you know you can make bridges, roller coasters, and even make different-shaped bubbles with straws?!
Doesn’t that sound fun?!
Well, if it does, I encourage you to take a look at ten ways you can add STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) into your day with these simple plastic items.
10 Super Fun STEM Activities with Straws
Let’s take a look at TEN fun ways to use straws in STEM projects. Kids will be engineers, explore science, play around with math, and include a little technology in their day.
The best part is kids won’t know all the awesome skills they are using. For them, it will just be a lot of fun.
1. Egg Drop (Engineering)
Over at iGameMom, she shares a Successful Egg Drop Project Design with Straws.
In this STEM activity, kids learn to use straws to design a successful structure that will protect their egg from breaking. Your little engineer will be busy building this straw structure and learning why a certain design works best.
2. Globe (Engineering and Math)
At Kids Activities Blog, you can find BUILDING WITH STRAWS: A STEM ACTIVITY.
In this STEM project, kids learn to make a globe with straws and tape. It is set up so kids can compete to see who builds the globe the fastest. It isn’t necessary, but it adds a little fun. This project would be a good addition to your math class since kids will learn how to build a sphere shape.
3. STEM Tower (Engineering)
On my site, The Secret Life of Homeschoolers, you can find the STEM Tower Challenge.
The STEM Tower Challenge is just that a challenge. Kids are given the materials and use their engineering skills to build a tower that can hold the most pennies in its “bucket”. It is always interesting to see the different designs kids come up with.
4. Roller Coaster (Engineering)
Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls has the Build a Straw Roller Coaster activity.
Kids will have a super fun time trying to construct their own roller coaster with straws. It can be as simple or as complicated as your kiddo wants to make it.
Don’t worry. The site guides kids through how to build roller coasters. Kids aren’t left trying to figure it out on their own.
5. Hoop Gliders (Science and Engineering)
Science Demo Guy‘s STEM Activity Challenge: Hoop Gliders.
Even though this is found on Teacher Pay Teachers, it is FREE to download. I like how this hoop glider challenge encourages kids to try different sized hoops to find which will glide the best.
6. Bridges (Engineering)
My Baba has the Take the Straw Bridge Challenge.
Using straws and paper, kids are challenged to create their own bridges. I love these kinds of challenges because kids are left to use their own imagination and creativity to figure out how to build it.
7. Tensile Bubbles (Math)
What are tensile bubbles???
Basically, it just means that bubbles are created by being stretched between two things. In this way, bubbles can actually take on different shapes.
Babble Dabble Do teaches you STEM Activities: Tensile Bubbles.
I find this to be a unique STEM project that kids will enjoy. Here kids build bubble wands using straws to make different geometric shapes, a great way to incorporate math.
After the wands are dipped in the bubble solution, and the bubbles take the shape of the wand. Voila, square bubbles (or triangle, etc.).
8. STEM Activity with Straw- The Straw Maze (Engineering and Technology)
So, here you will find another one of my STEM challenges: The Marble Maze. (It is part of a collection of 5 STEM activities. The maze is #4.)
In this STEM straw activity, kids will create their own straw mazes. Kids can then try to roll a marble or small ball through their maze.
To add in some technology, kids can create the maze for their hex bugs!
9. Water Whistles (Science)
Again over at My Baba, you will find Water Whistle: The Science of Sound project.
With this activity, kids use straws to learn the science of sound. It is a short but fun way to explore sound.
10. Straw Rockets (Science)
Finally, over at Kids Spot you will find Straw Rockets.
These are very simple straw rockets but fun nevertheless. Kids can experiment with blowing harder or softer to get their rockets where they want them to go. I’d recommend making it into a game. See who can get them the furthest, who can get them in a container, etc. Experiment!
Super STEM Straw Activities
So, that is my round-up of TEN STEM Activities with Straws for Kids. All are fun projects for rainy days, days you want something different to do or to add some fun to science and math.
STEM activities are always a hit with kids. Kids are using critical thinking skills and often acting like scientists with testing and retesting ideas. Learning doesn’t have to be boring. It can be fun and exciting with simple activities like those above.
Okay. Now it is your turn. Pick a project from above and let your kids begin to explore the world of STEM with the straws you have sitting in your kitchen drawer.
Want a great STEM Journal to use with these fun STEM activities? Take a look below. There is a 6-page journal along with a poster, STEM cards, blank data and graph sheets, and more!
Happy Homeschooling!
