As many of us know, during this pandemic our motivation is dwindling. It is easy to fall into the habit of late mornings, late nights, laying down all day, binging Netflix shows, and eating endless snacks. For many of the parents, suddenly spending 24/7 with their children can be difficult. Children are becoming antsy and unhappy. There are many STEM activities that can help your child and even you!
Get Outside
I know, the daily walks are getting a little boring. There are many other activities you could do outside. You could do coding unplugged outside. In order to make it complicated, you could put various items on the ground (sort of like an obstacle). Then, have your daughter(s) or son(s) create a code for you to get through the obstacle without knowing anything over! As a STEM minor, I think coding activities are the most fun and they teach kids to be great problem solvers.
Another fun activity is gardening! You could plant plants with your children outside and then teach them about the life cycle and how to keep a plant alive. The plus is there are plenty of diagrams online or videos that can help with the teaching. Here is an example of a diagram you could use:
Indoor fun!
You could have your children build bridges and see how much it can hold. There is an activity I found that uses popsicle sticks, but you can use many different materials you may have laying around the house. Toothpicks, cotton swabs, pencils, paper, marshmallows, and tape are all useful materials.
You could have them research their favorite thing whether it be a type of animal, car, plants, or a movie even. They can search the web for interesting facts, how they work, etc. Then, they can create a fun poster about it and put it on their wall in their room!
Ever wonder what it feels like to be a polar bear? Well, your kids can find out with just a bowl of ice water, a sandwich bag, and some Crisco. Put some Crisco in a sandwich bag and then have your child submerge their hand completely into the Crisco and then they can place it into the water. The Crisco will keep their hand warm just how the fur on a polar bear keeps them warm.
While these are only a few fun activities to do at home there are many more STEM activities on the internet. These activities can keep your children active physically and cognitively. They will learn critical thinking skills, collaboration, problem solving, creativity, and much more!
Fun resources for more ideas