Fun & Effective Strategies for Incorporating Summer STEM

Summer vacation is time for relaxation, exploration, but did you know that most kids forget a lot of what they learned the past year during this time?

Here are some fun and effective things that you can do to help prevent the “summer slide” by engaging in STEM activities.

Turn Everyday Errands into STEM Adventures

Grocery Shopping: Transform the grocery store into a math lab! Estimate how much your groceries will cost, compare prices per unit, or create a scavenger hunt to find specific shapes (cylinders for cans, spheres for oranges!).
Baking Cookies: This is a delicious way to explore science! Measure ingredients precisely, follow a recipe to understand chemical reactions, and observe how ingredients transform during baking.

Make Your Backyard a STEM Oasis

Build a Fort: Gather blankets, pillows, and chairs to construct a fort. Challenge your kids to design the strongest structure or incorporate ramps, tunnels, or drawbridges.
Plant a Seed: Nurture your child’s curiosity about plant life by planting a seed together. Track its growth, research its needs (sunlight, water), and explore the concept of life cycles.

Embrace the Great Outdoors

Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of natural objects to find, like different colored leaves, specific types of bugs, or different rock shapes. This combines exploration with scientific observation.
Stargazing: Turn your backyard into an observatory! Download a stargazing app to identify constellations, learn about the moon phases, or research famous astronomers.

Incorporate STEM concepts into your summer routine to keep your child engaged and help them foster a love of learning. Get ready for some summer learning that will have them soaring ahead when school starts again!