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I love getting my kids’ creative juices flowing and fine-tuning their problem-solving abilities. That is why I love STEM challenges. Kids are faced with a problem and must find a solution.

(In fact, we do a lot of STEM challenges. You can check out our Winter STEM challenge, Lego Balloon Car challenge, and our Easter one if you want more ideas.)

Anyway, I decided the nice weather was upon us so why not take our next STEM challenge outside.

But what to do?

Sometimes I give my kids specific materials to work with.; other times I give them a timed challenge. I decided I wanted to do something different.

What says warm weather and summertime better than lounging in a hammock?! I got my inspiration.

The STEM Challenge is On

The Challenge

For this challenge, the child needs to build a hammock for a Barbie-doll sized doll (we used Harry Potter and Hermione Granger).

The Rules:

1. The hammock must be made with natural materials (found in nature).
2. The hammock must hang off the ground. It CANNOT touch at any time.
3. The hammock must support the weight of the doll.
4. The doll cannot touch the ground.
5. The doll cannot cause the hammock to sag so much that it is touching the ground.

The Goal:

I wasn’t looking to see how FAST they could do this challenge. I wanted them to use some CREATIVITY and PROBLEM-SOLVING skills to make it happen.

Let the Challenge Begin

I set the kids loose in the backyard. They began searching the whole yard for sticks, leaves, long pieces of grass, and dandelion stems.

Both sat down in the grass or at the picnic table and began experimenting with their chosen materials. They found some materials ripped easily (the leaves) and some weren’t sturdy enough (some of their sticks).

They wandered off from time to time searching for new materials. It took a bit of experimenting. I knew it probably would take time so I didn’t set a time limit for this challenge.

The kids followed the scientific process. They took a guess on what materials would work, tried them out, made adjustments, and tried again.

The Results

Both kids were successful with the STEM challenge. Each had a unique hammock that was able to hold Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. The hammocks were still standing a few days later, despite our chickens best attempts to eat them while they were making them.

Here is what each kid came up with.

My son wove a little seat with long grass. It worked really well in holding up the doll.

As you can see, my daughter found using a small branch with leaves worked compared to individual leaves.

Final Thoughts on the STEM Challenge

I loved this challenge for a few reasons:

• The kids were getting outside and finding materials directly from their natural surroundings.
• The kids needed to think creatively and critically about what materials in nature would work.
• The kids were thinking like a scientist. They made a hypothesis on what they thought would work, tested it out, and adjusted their hammocks according to their findings.
• The kids had to be problem solvers. At times, the sticks to hold the hammock would break or the grass they were tying would snap. They had to think of a different way or a better way to make things work.
• The kids had fun! Enough said.

Since we do so many STEM challenges, I created a recording sheet to use. It is great to use with any challenge.

You May Like this STEM Journal Below!

An Indoor Alternative

Now, we did this challenge outside with natural materials. You could also do this challenge indoors. Your kids can scour the house for different materials.

Outside kids can get sticks to stand up by pushing them in the ground. Inside they don’t have this option. It would be interesting to see what they come up with to get the hammocks to stand.

Now it is your turn. Print off the STEM recording sheet, head outside, and see what YOUR kids come up with for hammocks. It is a fun way to bring learning outside.

Let’s face it, STEM challenges are just so much fun!

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