STEM Learning
STEM Fall Bucket List: 29 Brain-Building Activities
Read our bucket list of brain-building activities for STEM fun throughout the fall!
Fall is a fun time of the year filled with activities that kids love! We’ve found that you can use a lot of these activities to activate young brains.
Our list of 29 brain-building activities for fall STEM fun has classic favorites like carving pumpkins and also some activities you might not have thought to do - like camping in your living room or talking about hibernation as you watch critters gather food for winter.
Check out some of our ideas below and download the full bucket list at the end!
Learn Why Trees Lose Their Leaves and Then Jump in a Leaf Pile
This idea comes from our blog How to Turn Everyday Fall Activities into Tiny Teachable Moments!
Here’s why trees lose their leaves: Trees use sunlight and water to make their energy, or food, through their leaves. As sunlight becomes less available to the trees, they can’t make any more food, so they rest for the winter by shedding their leaves. By shedding their leaves, they use little energy and have enough water and food stored in their trunk to live through the winter! You can also show your kids this video and then go have fun raking!
Make and Enjoy Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
Baking is a fun way to get kids involved in the kitchen and using their brains as they measure ingredients and watch those ingredients transform into something new. Cinnamon applesauce is a great fall treat that’s easy to make with just a few ingredients.
If you know you want to check this off your bucket list, you could try this five-ingredient recipe.
Read the Blocks Rock! STEM Role Models Articles and Get Inspired
Fall is a great time to get cozy and read to learn something new. Teach your child about important STEM role models and see them get inspired! So far, we have articles on Space Pioneers and on Women STEM Pioneers. Check back in, because we’ll be adding more in the next couple months!
Make a Fall Craft Like a Gardening Glove Turkey, Pinecone Hedgehog, or a Wax Paper Leaf Collage
Bring the family together and create fun fall crafts." Today’s Parents" magazine has some ideas like a turkey made out of a gardening glove, a pumpkin decorated with melted crayons, hedgehogs made with pinecones, and more! You can learn about these crafts here.
Another fun idea is a wax paper leaf collage that’s perfect for hanging in your window or putting on your wall. Get the how-to here.
Create “Wizard’s Brew” or “Witch’s Potion”! | Little Bins for Little Hands
This idea comes from our 13 Spooky STEM Activities For Halloween Fun article.
Create a bubble brew in a potions lab during this Halloween chemistry experiment and science activity! You just need simple household ingredients like hydrogen peroxide and yeast. This is an awesome exothermic chemical reaction that can get a bit messy and a lot of fun!
Check out this activity from Little Bins for Little Hands!
