Pumpkin STEM Activities for Kids

Last month I shared some fun apple STEM activities, but of course you can do a lot of the same things with our other favorite fall produce: the pumpkin. Here are some fun pumpkin STEM ideas for use in the classroom or at home. (Also check out my pumpkin printables post; it has some ideas for learning about parts of the pumpkin, measuring pumpkins and more.)

Lots of classic STEM activities can be performed with pumpkins, such as pumpkin catapults, using the pumpkin as the base (this one is from Preschool Powol Packets); pumpkin volcanoes (get this one from Natural Beach Living, food coloring optional but fun!); and sink or float experiments that turn into a full sensory experience, like this pumpkin boat project from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls.

Check this post from Our Family Code for more projects involving exploding pumpkins (including doing the classic Mentos and Coke explosion in a pumpkin). And of course you can use that pumpkin catapult to launch pumpkin candies if you want. Get details on that idea from Team Cartwright. (Theirs just uses craft sticks but you could use the pumpkin version for this purpose as well.)

Have you ever thought of growing pumpkins in a pumpkin? I have to say I hadn’t but you can learn all about how to do it at home or in the classroom at Life with Moore Babies. This is a different take on the traditional pumpkin decay experiment with Pumpkin Jack (get the details from Little Bins for Little Hands).

Or you can take traditional STEM activities and give them a pumpkin themed twist even if you’re not using actual pumpkins. Like making pumpkin poppers with orange cups and balloons (get all the details from Gift of Curiosity) or pumpkin lava lamps, which you can find on Science Sparks.

We try to keep a relatively regular sleep schedule during the summer, but the morning routine kind of flies out the window when we don’t have anywhere in particular to be. To get little kids back in the groove of getting up and getting ready for school — or to help kids who are new to having a routine learn what to do when — printable routine cards can be a big help.

There are lots of different ways to do these. I like the flip chart style like this one from Mama Papa Bubba. This one is made with a file folder and you add magnets to each section so kids can close the flap on the items they’ve completed for the day. The post includes a free printable with some basic morning activities that kids can cut out and color.

Another version of this that is just paper comes from My Party Design. This one uses little pieces of peel and stick Velcro to close the sections when each step is completed, and there are versions for the morning and evening. (These are not free but might give you an idea of how to make your own with the steps you need.)

For a more detailed, full day schedule great for preschoolers, check out this one from The Savvy Sparrow. This paid resource includes tons of different icons from daily routine items to things like riding bikes, dance class and watering plants. There are 120 icons in all so you’re likely to find everything you need to visually build out your days.

If you want to see how a daily routine printable works for you without putting a lot of work in, try this printable checklist from Little Mager House. You can laminate it or stick it in a plastic sheet protector and mark off things as they get done. Then just wipe it off and start again the next day. This one is free when you sign up for emails.

Natural Beach Living has a free visual schedule printable with all sorts of items and including special things like picnics and nature walks. This one can be used at home or in the classroom and it includes days of the week. (Some of this is free for subscribers but there is also a bundle you can purchase.)

I also love the set of printable routine cards from Look We’re Learning, which includes a bunch of basic daily activities in both English and Spanish if you’re raising a bilingual child or just want to practice a little vocabulary. There are 16 activities in all and there’s a pronunciation guide if you need help with the Spanish. (This is a free resource for subscribers.)

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