Top 10 Preschool STEM Activities You Can Do at Home
Top 10 Preschool STEM Activities You Can Do at Home
Introducing young girls to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) early builds confidence, curiosity, and critical thinking. You don’t need fancy tools or a science lab—just a few everyday items and your imagination!
At Surprise Powerz, we empower girls ages 2 to 8 through play, and these 10 simple, hands-on activities are perfect for parents and grandparents ready to inspire STEM learning right at home.
1. Build a Tower with Blocks
What you need: Building blocks, wooden cubes, or even recycled boxes
Why it works: Building towers teaches basic engineering concepts like balance, gravity, and structural stability. As your child experiments with stacking higher or wider, they learn trial and error, problem-solving, and spatial reasoning.
Try this: Challenge her to build the tallest tower that won’t fall or create bridges between two chairs. Ask, “How can we make it stronger?” to spark critical thinking.
2. Sink or Float Experiments
What you need: A large bowl or bucket of water, various household objects (spoons, corks, coins, plastic toys)
Why it works: This classic science experiment introduces properties of materials and basic physics concepts like density and buoyancy.
Try this: Have your child predict which objects will float or sink, then test and discuss the results. Use words like “heavier,” “lighter,” and “float” to build STEM vocabulary.
3. Nature Scavenger Hunt
What you need: A small bag or basket, a list of items to find outside (leaves, pinecones, rocks, flowers)
Why it works: Exploring nature sparks observation skills and teaches biology basics. Children learn to classify by shape, color, texture, and size, building early scientific thinking.
Try this: Take a walk and collect items. Talk about differences and similarities. Ask questions like, “Why do you think leaves are different colors?” to encourage curiosity.
4. Kitchen Science: Baking
What you need: Basic baking ingredients and measuring tools
Why it works: Baking involves measuring, following sequences, and watching chemical reactions. Kids learn math concepts (fractions, volume) and the science of transformation (raw to cooked).
Try this: Let your child measure flour or sugar, mix ingredients, and observe how the batter changes in the oven. Talk about why heat changes dough to cake.
5. Sorting and Counting
What you need: Buttons, beads, small toys, or colored pasta
Why it works: Sorting builds categorization and classification skills, key to math and logic. Counting introduces numbers and quantity concepts.
Try this: Encourage sorting by color, shape, or size. Count how many items are in each group. Make it a game: “Can you find all the red ones?” or “How many small toys do you have?”
6. Magnetic Play
What you need: Magnets and various metal and non-metal objects
Why it works: Experimenting with magnets introduces physics concepts like magnetism and force. Kids develop hypotheses and test predictions.
Try this: Ask your child to find which objects magnets stick to and which they don’t. Use language like “attract” and “repel” to explain magnetic forces.
7. Storytelling with STEM Dolls
What you need: Surprise Powerz dolls like Codie the Coder or Vera the Vet
Why it works: Role-playing encourages creativity, problem-solving, and language skills while introducing STEM themes. Dolls also teach SEL skills like empathy and persistence.
Try this: Create a story where Codie builds a robot or Vera helps a sick pet. Act it out together and ask, “What should they try next?” to foster critical thinking.
8. Simple Coding Games (Unplugged)
What you need: Paper, markers, small toys, or household items
Why it works: Coding concepts like sequencing and algorithms can be taught without screens, helping kids learn logic and order.
Try this: Draw a simple grid and have your child “program” a toy’s path step-by-step to reach a goal. Talk about “commands” and “loops” in a fun way.
9. Shadow and Light Play
What you need: Flashlight, toys, white wall or sheet
Why it works: Exploring shadows teaches about light, shapes, and cause and effect. It promotes observation and scientific inquiry.
Try this: Shine light on toys to make shadows. Ask your child how moving the light changes the shadow size or shape. Create shadow puppets for storytelling.
10. Water Play with Measuring Cups
What you need: Measuring cups, containers, water (or sand)
Why it works: Pouring water builds fine motor skills and introduces volume, measurement, and concentration. Kids learn to compare and estimate quantities.
Try this: Encourage your child to pour water between containers, count how many cups fill a bigger bowl, or guess which container holds more.
STEM Is Everywhere—You Just Have to Look!
These activities don’t require expensive kits or special skills—just curiosity, patience, and time spent together. When paired with Surprise Powerz STEM dolls, these moments become even more magical, linking real-world STEM concepts with playful, empowering stories.
Try a few this week, and watch your little girl’s confidence and love for STEM grow with every discovery.
