10 Easy Winter STEM Activities for Elementary Classrooms
- Isabella Key
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
This winter STEM guide includes simple, hands-on activities that help students explore ice, weather, and how animals stay warm. With clear goals, easy materials, and step-by-step instructions, each activity offers a fun and engaging way to bring winter science to life at home or in the classroom.
Table of Contents
Observation & Experimentation
These activities help students step into the role of scientists—observing, predicting, and collecting data to understand how winter weather and ice behave.
Ice Melting Additives Test
Goal: Teach students how salt, sugar, and sand affect the melting speed of ice.
Materials Needed:
Ice cubes
Salt
Sugar
Sand
Small cups or trays
Timers
Spoons
Steps:
Place one ice cube in each cup or section of a tray.
Sprinkle a different substance (salt, sugar, sand) on each ice cube, leaving one cube plain as a control.
Start the timer and observe how each ice cube melts over time.
Record the melting times and note which substances make the ice melt faster or slower.
Discuss why certain materials affect melting differently and how this relates to real-world winter scenarios.
Winter Weather Data Collection
Goal: Students track winter weather patterns like temperature, wind, and cloud coverage to observe trends and practice data collection.
Materials Needed:
Thermometer
Observation sheets
Pencils
Weather apps or websites (optional)
Steps:
Choose a location to observe daily weather.
Record temperature, wind speed, cloud coverage, and precipitation.
Repeat observations over several days or weeks.
Record data in charts or tables.
Ice Cube Shapes Melting Test
Goal: Students explore how surface area affects melting by observing how ice cubes of different shapes melt at different rates.
Materials Needed:
Ice molds or trays in different shapes
Bowls or plates
Timers
Steps:
Freeze ice in various shapes (cube, sphere, cylinder, thin sheet).
Place the ice shapes on separate plates or bowls.
Start the timer and observe melting.
Record which shapes melt fastest and slowest.
Discuss how surface area affects melting and relate to natural ice and snow.
Shadow Length & Sunlight Pattern Study
Goal: Students observe how sunlight changes throughout the day in winter by measuring shadow lengths and patterns.
Materials Needed:
Yardstick or dowel
Measuring tape
Chalk or paper
Data chart
Steps:
Place a stick vertically on a flat surface outside.
Measure and mark the length of its shadow at different times of day.
Record measurements in a chart.
Compare how shadow lengths change as the sun moves.
Hands-On Creation / Engineering
These activities invite them to design, build, and test creations that solve cold-weather challenges in fun, hands-on ways.
Crystal “Snowflake” Growing
Goal: Students learn how crystals form by growing their own snowflakes.
Materials Needed:
Borax or salt
Hot water
Jars
Pipe cleaners (shaped like snowflakes)
String
Pencils or craft sticks
Steps:
Shape a pipe cleaner into a snowflake design.
Tie a string to the snowflake and suspend it inside a jar using a pencil.
Dissolve borax or salt in hot water to create a saturated solution.
Pour the solution carefully into the jar, ensuring the snowflake is fully submerged but not touching the sides.
Let the jar sit undisturbed overnight.
Observe crystals forming along the pipe cleaner, creating a sparkling “snowflake.”
Discuss how real snowflakes form and compare the patterns observed.
Build a Polar Animal Shelter
Goal: Students will design and build a 3D shelter that can protect an arctic animal by providing warmth and stability.
Materials Needed:
Cardboard or LEGO bricks
Craft sticks
Cotton balls or tissue paper
Modeling clay
Glue or tape
Scissors
Small animal figures (optional)
Steps:
Discuss types of shelters arctic animals use.
Brainstorm a shelter design that provides warmth and protection.
Construct the shelter using available materials.
Test stability and insulation if possible.
Heat Transfer in a Jar
Goal: Students investigate insulation by layering different materials in a jar and observing which keeps heat longest.
Materials Needed:
Jars
Thermometers
Cotton balls
Fabric scraps
Aluminum foil
Sand
Steps:
Fill jars with warm water.
Wrap jars with different insulation materials.
Measure the starting temperature.
Observe and record temperature changes over time.
Discuss which materials were most effective and why, relating to animal fur, blubber, and human insulation.
Sensory & Fun Exploration
These sensory-friendly activities let students experience winter concepts up close through playful, engaging experiments.
Staying Warm: Fat vs. Fur vs. Feathers Simulation
Goal: Students explore how animals stay warm using simulations of blubber, fur, and feathers, comparing heat retention in different materials.
Materials Needed:
Bowls of ice water
Zipper bags
Vegetable shortening (“blubber”)
Cotton balls ("fur")
Craft feathers ("feathers")
Rubber bands
Steps:
Fill bowls with ice water.
Fill zipper bags with different insulating materials (shortening, cotton, feathers).
Place hands or small objects inside the bags and submerge in ice water.
Observe how well each material keeps the hand or object warm.
Discuss which material mimics real animal insulation and why it works.
Melting Snowman Hot Cocoa Cup Experiment
Goal: Students explore heat transfer by observing how a marshmallow “snowman” melts in hot cocoa.
Materials Needed:
Marshmallows
Hot cocoa
Clear cups
Stir sticks
Steps:
Stack marshmallows to form a snowman in a clear cup.
Pour hot cocoa carefully around the snowman.
Observe how the marshmallows melt over time.
Use a stir stick to examine heat transfer through the cocoa.
Discuss how this relates to winter environments.
Make Fake Snow
Goal: Students create artificial snow to explore texture, absorption, and properties of different materials.
Materials Needed:
Baking soda
Hair conditioner or instant snow powder
Bowls
Spoons
Steps:
Place baking soda in a bowl.
Gradually add conditioner or snow powder until it forms a fluffy, snow-like texture.
Observe and manipulate the mixture to explore consistency.
Discuss how snow forms in nature and the role of moisture and temperature.
These winter STEM activities give students fun ways to learn about science during the colder months. Whether you’re in a classroom or at home, each activity helps kids explore, test ideas, and learn in a hands-on way.