We have all had to embrace home learning over the past year and I have written extensively on the issue of educating and entertaining our children during this time. As a qualified teacher, I have vast experience of working with children and teenagers but educating and supporting your own is a real challenge. It is much easier to help other peoples children than it is your on. This is why I have paid for tutors as my children have needed them! However today I want to share a round-up of STEM home learning activities that children will actually enjoy!
What is STEM Learning?
STEM has a really simple definition in its basic form – STEM refers to learning using Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths based skills. Ideally these subjects will be studied together in one form that encourage problem solving and practical application.
You may have heard fo STEM learning in schools and children may have focus weeks on a STEM curriculum. It is important because mnay of the jobs of the future will require people that can work in this field.
STEM activities provide hands-on and minds-on lessons for the student. Making math and science both fun and interesting helps the student to do much more than just learn.
Using STEM Learning at Home
Schools have stepped up are are providing a mix of blended learning for children who are currently working at home. It has been a massive adjustment for parents and teachers alike and I have seen first hand that many parents are struggling.
Working on a laptop for hours is not much fun for children either and therefore I wanted to share a range of STEM home learning activities that children will actually enjoy! I structure our home learning by completing English and Maths tasks in the morning.
We then have a short break and work through other curriculum activities that the school has planned and resourced. Once these daily tasks are finished we have lunch and spend the afternoon crafting and enjoying STEM activities.
Erin is a digital leader at her school which she has missed this year and I want to keep up her enthusiasm in STEM learning. I think it is really important that we use STEM actvities to break down barriers in the male dominated jobs we curently see. Therefore getting girls and children from ethnic minority groups playing and engaging with STEM home learning activities is really empowering and can help them in their future career aspirations too.
My Favourite STEM Home Learning Activities
I am sharing these STEM toys in no particular as they offer different outcomes but these are some of the products that we have really enjoyed using over the past few weeks at home.
- Artie from Learning Resources costs £70
Artie 3000 the Coding Robot for kids programming is the award-winning coding robot that introduces children to real programming languages. You design the code and Artie 3000 draws the lines. Learn to code and get drawing with STEAM-style robotics to create visual masterpieces. If you can code it, Artie 3000 can draw it.
Erin really enjoyed using Arti.
2. Second up is the Motorised Solar System again from Learning Resources which costs £36. Most children have a fascination with space and the planets and in this STEM activity, the planets rotate just like they do in outer space. The model is designed to give kids their own planetarium. They can see how the eight planets revolve around the glowing, light-up Sun. If you turn off the lights you will be able to see an out-of-this-world star show on the ceiling and learn about the constellations that light up our night sky.
3. 1st Class Chemistry Set which is available from Toys and Bears
This is a super affordable way of bring science to life. This chemistry set is complete with 50 super easy and safe experiments. I am sure many of us remember learning parts of the periodic table in our science lessons, well this brings chemistry to life for young scientists with enquiring minds. Being married to a science teacher means that we have a pretty hard critic in our home but he believes that this set offers a great way to bring some concepts to life.
4. Meccano 25 Model SuperCar Set which is available from Symths Toystore. One Supercar. 25 possibilities. Meccano’s model car kit gives curious young minds total freedom to build a Supercar 25 different ways! With awesome features like a variable speed motor and LED light piping, the Supercar is as fun to make as it is to take out for a spin. This S.T.E.A.M. set encourages young minds to explore concepts from science, technology, engineering, the arts and maths.
With real tools in hand, builders put together metal pieces to create the Supercar’s body, then add plastic panelling to create its signature streamlined look. Once complete, see what this motorized model car can do, proudly display it, or take it apart and start all over! Ideal for curious young minds, the Supercar gives builders a task that’s satisfying to conquer again and again! For years, Meccano has created imaginative construction sets that inspire the next generation of innovators. For a building challenge unlike any other, get under the hood of Meccano’s Supercar!
5. Secret Science
This top secret science set will help your child to explore and learn about coding, circuitry, secret messaging and much more! It supports National Curriculum learning and is safe, educational and fun! Explore the wonders of Secret Science! Includes 8 amazing top secret activities. Use an optical illusion to build a secret magic photo box; make secret coding bracelets for you and a friend; use mirror messaging and make invisible inks.
You can also decipher the secret coded message in a water fizzer; understand circuits and personalise a motion sensor room guard, complete with a recorded message function! Comes with clear instructions about how to conduct the activities at home, as well as the method and science behind what you’re doing. Please note that some activities require additional household ingredients.
6. Lex Go In this game race against other players to get rid of your word tiles by swapping letters and even stealing your opponents’ tiles. There are two versions; Harry Potter and Disney and both include special tiles that help you win the game.
For more Stem activities also read Chemistry in a Tin review
For more on learning styles read this post on Montessori Learning.
74 Responses
to enjoy family time
I’ve loved using purple mash with my daughter for her home schooling xx
To enjoy time together.
Creating garden bugs out of recycled materials.
we have enjoyed the range of learning sent by the school its been interesting to see what the kids do at school and see all the things a teacher tells you about in parents evening
We have loved reading together
My kids have loved the scientific experiments
Setting up a vegetable patch, plant , growing and eating our own vegetables!
We have loved bug club, my little one is getting really good at reading now as a result
We have enjoyed making a tutankhamun mask with paper mache!
We have been doing lots of science experiments which has been lots of fun!
We love baking together
I have enjoyed reading with my son and seeing him move up levels in his reading books at school has shown how much he has progressed x
We have done lots of science and mathematics including making our own litmus paper, using a formula to measure the height of a tree and baking bread and making Ginger beer including the science behind fermentation.
reading together
We were asked to plant seeds last year and they are just starting to show so can’t wait for the summer
We all love reading together here
We have loved doing alot of baking and crafts
We’ve done allsorts but my favourite is when we both chill on the sofa and read.
I dont have children at home but always send my great neice educational activities ( ie a microscope ) and know she learns a lot from them
I think its great to get involved with activities that make education mor fun, It must be hard when you are tired or unwell to get the enthusiasm going, its a bit like holiday camp entertainment staff, cant be seen looking glum!Inused to love it at primary school when the teacher could just suddenly take the class outside, pre national curriculum , and then have a story under the tree on the playing field.
the science experiments, great fun
We’ve actually been getting into reading a lot, and little treasure hunts around the house and garden have been ufn too!
We have enjoyed baking together
Writing instructions or and making pancakes . Beats the algebra !
We’ve enjoyed arts and crafts together x
Doing some science and computer tasks
My grandson has been enjoying lots of science experiments.
Being able to spend more time together ty 💖
Joe wicks p.e. 😹 tiring but fun lol
Favourite form of learning is by reading and spending quality time together while doing it.
learning fractions and ratios by baking and working out how much flour vs butter vs sugar etc
Making science kit together, for learning / fun
We love science ‘experiments’ and enjoyed the big garden birdwatch too.
we had fun making lava lamps!
We have been baking lots
I like to encourgae mine to enjoy crafting, upcylcying, nature hunts and gardening they also love to bake. I like to get them out on walks as much as I can too we fed the ducks to day.
Baking and cooking as my daughter is doing catering
I love Artie and I know that Leo would love the solar system. Perhaps if I win I’ll distract him by showing him the solar system and then he wont notice me keeping Artie for myself!
😍 doing something different with the monsters
Writing poetry and playing guitar
By playing guitar
Making cakes together
Making biscuits and cupcakes together
My son says his children have enjoyed doing puzzles. Things like wordsearches & jigsaws.
All the stuff that’s been sent home has been interesting! We’ve also been reading more and playing lots of word games which has been fun
My grandkids enjoy learning to make things
Making and flying kites – it’s been great fun! Thanks for running this giveaway 🙂
It has to be doing science experiments together some successful and others not successful
we love reading, baking and doing science experiments together!
LEARNING TO TELL THE TIME
We made a volcano using homemade salt dough and erupted it using soda and vinegar. That was lots of fun!
Baking and craft kits
GOT A NUMBERBLOCKS COMIC WHICH WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL
i’ve been teaching cooking
Times tables over here !!
Well we play games where counting & reading is essential. Also we make things together via utube or similar we made a Dragon puppet for Chinese New Year out of folded paper & straws ( with pipecleaners inside to make the straws firmer) And she did her own puppet show where she made up a story.
Reading great stories is always a favourite!
Homeschooling has been a positive for me as a mom. My daughter amazes me with everything that she does and learns and I get that sence of excitiment when she completes a task I think, wow, she has learnt that! We’ve been able to work, play and learn together.
I’ve encouraged crafting, as its something we can do as a family (including decorating for a birthday). We try to use things around the house for experiments (i.e baking powder). Recently, we brought a metal detector to make some “historical discoveries” in the garden…. (there seems to be a lot of hidden rubbish though).
Reading our favourite stories
We have been learning about Celts and Romans (I love history so this has been my favourite.
We have been learning about Celts and Romans (I love history so this has been my favourite.
It has to be Times Tables and around the world history.
Our science experiments were great fun
we have enjoyed baking and cooking xx
We enjoy cooking but also do 11+ learning 🙂
My daughter and I love baking!
We’ve been concentrating on time tables and I think we’ve cracked it!
I’ve enjoyed learning how to cook a lot more meals from scratch, and also a little baking.
Lots of cooking, baking and eating!
Baking cakes together!
Learning to build Lego
Enjoyed cooking