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    You are here: Home / Learning Activities / Science / You Already Have these 40 Items to Do STEAM Projects at Home

     

    You Already Have these 40 Items to Do STEAM Projects at Home

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    Is one of your biggest hurdles for doing science projects at home the lack of materials? It's mine. No doubt about it. The project may look super awesome and totally wower-ific, but if I have to track down even a one of speciality item I throw up my hands.

    With the emphasis on STEAM learning these days, you might be feeling the pressure to do STEAM projects at home. In case you aren't familiar with the term, STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and design, and Math. STEAM has taken over for STEM, essentially because life without art is super-duper boring.

    But hoo-boy! If you don't have a background in engineering and science, where do you start?

    The answer is with simple, fun STEAM projects that use items you already have.

    Assortment of household materials for STEAM projects at home like rulers, hardware, glue, rubber bands, scissors, foil.

    You'd be surprised at how many amazing STEAM projects you can do at home with common household items. STEAM projects that will entrance your kids, excite their imaginations, and have them asking, "Let's do it again!!"

    Are you still skeptical? Take a look at this list of items. It may be super long, but I bet you have 95-100% of them right now.

    List of common household items for STEAM projects separated by category.

    So. Was I right? Do you have those items? The only one I don't have is rubbing alcohol, but that's because when I went to look for it, I found it had all evaporated!

    Now, you're thinking. Okay smarty pants. I've got the goods, but what do I do with them?

    Well, you could throw them all in a bag, hand it to your kids and say,

    Make something, kid.

    I'm not against that, actually.

    Alternatively, you can put your phone aside, and try a very simple technology experiment with your kids, like our simple circuit project, or whip up a few tessellations to display on the fridge.

    Now, I don't want to be a sneaky-sneakerson so I will tell you right now I helped write a book which helps your kids develop their inner inventor/engineer/scientist. It's a super useful book spearheaded by an honest to goodness MIT engineer. The books includes step by step instructions for all kinds of projects that any kid can do.

    GET IT: eBook |  Amazon Print

    STEAM KIDS book cover, and open book with example project "Rainbow Reactions."

    The book also includes an activity planner! So the annoying part that keeps you from getting started is done for you!

    Example pages from STEAM Kids book activity planner.

    GET IT: eBook |  Amazon Print 

    I'm not going to lie, there are a handful of STEAM projects that do use items you may not have in your junk drawer. But after you do all the other experiments you will have generated so much excitement (so much!) in STEAM that kids will BEG you to go to the hardware store.

    And you will. Because you want to your kids to be geniuses. Geniuses, I tell you.

    So, what are you waiting for? (Geniuses. Remember that bit.)

    GET IT: eBook |  Amazon Print 

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    1. Nehal says

      September 16, 2016 at 11:31 am

      Hi

      Reply

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