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5 Fun At-Home STEM Activities to Celebrate National STEM Day

  • Writer: Angelina Moehlmann
    Angelina Moehlmann
  • Nov 8
  • 3 min read
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Table of Contents:

  1. Introduction

  2. The Great LEGO Bridge Challenge

  3. Create a Chain Reaction Machine

  4. Build a Mini Chatbot

  5. Design an App on Paper

  6. Marshmallow Engineering Challenge

  7. Conclusion

  8. Call to Action


INTRODUCTION

National STEM Day is the perfect excuse to turn your home into a mini science lab, engineering studio, or coding playground. Whether you’ve got a LEGO lover, a budding app developer, or just a curious kiddo, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities are a hands-on way to learn while having a blast.


In this post, we’re sharing five creative, low-prep STEM activities you can do from the comfort of your kitchen table — no fancy equipment required. And if your child catches the STEM bug (we think they will!), you can keep the excitement going by signing up for our Winter Science & Robotics Session!


Let’s dive into the fun 👇


THE GREAT LEGO BRIDGE CHALLENGE

Goal: Build the strongest bridge possible using only LEGO bricks.

How to Do It:

  • Find two chairs or stacks of books and place them a small distance apart.

  • Challenge your child to build a bridge using LEGO pieces that can span the gap.

  • Test the bridge’s strength by placing coins, action figures, or small toys on top.

STEM Concept:Engineering, weight distribution, and structural integrity.

Bonus Tip: Try timing them for an added twist — how strong can they build under pressure?


CREATE A CHAIN REACTION MACHINE

Goal: Use LEGOs and everyday objects to make a mini Rube Goldberg-style machine.

How to Do It:

  • Gather marbles, dominos, paper towel tubes, toy cars, etc.

  • Design a contraption that starts with one action (like dropping a marble) and ends with another (like knocking over a block).

  • Encourage kids to tweak their design if it doesn't work on the first try — that’s part of the process!

STEM Concept:Cause and effect, kinetic energy, and creative engineering.

Parent Tip: Film the final machine in action and share it with friends or family for a little “STEM Show-and-Tell.”


BUILD A MINI CHATBOT

Goal: Teach kids the basics of coding logic by building a chatbot.

What You’ll Need:

How to Do It in Scratch:

  • Have your child design a character or avatar.

  • Use “if/then” blocks to create simple interactions like:

    • “What’s your favorite color?”

    • If the user types “blue,” the bot responds with “Mine too!”

STEM Concept:Coding logic, user input, and artificial intelligence basics.

Fun Idea: Challenge older kids to create a mini trivia bot or a simple quiz game!


DESIGN AN APP ON PAPER

Goal: Spark creativity and design thinking by imagining an app from scratch.

What You’ll Need:Paper, markers, and a kid with big ideas

How to Do It:

  • Ask your child to think of a real-world problem (e.g., “I always lose my backpack!”)

  • Have them design an app to solve that problem. They should sketch the interface, buttons, and screens.

  • Talk through how the app would work — what happens when you click each part?

STEM Concept:User interface (UI), problem solving, and visual communication.

Pro Tip: For added realism, let them name their app and create a logo!


MARSHMALLOW ENGINEERING CHALLENGE

Goal: Build the tallest or strongest structure using only marshmallows and toothpicks.

What You’ll Need:

  • Mini marshmallows

  • Toothpicks

  • A flat surface to build on

How to Do It:

  • Set a timer and challenge your child to build a tower or bridge.

  • Test it with a gentle push or by placing a small object on top.

STEM Concept:Structural stability, geometric shapes, and engineering design.

Optional Twist: Compete as a family and see whose design holds up best!


CONCLUSION

STEM isn’t just about equations and lab coats — it’s about exploring, building, solving, and discovering. These five at-home STEM activities make it easy (and fun) to celebrate National STEM Day with your kids, while sneaking in a little learning along the way.

Whether your child is into LEGOs, logic puzzles, or drawing apps, there’s something in STEM for everyone. And if they’re hungry for more discovery, we’ve got just the thing…


🔥 Want more hands-on STEM fun?Sign up now for our Winter Science and Robotics Session — where kids get to build, explore, and create all winter long!

Spots fill fast, so don’t miss out on the fun!

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