Six festive STEM activities for kids

But don’t worry! This year, you can turn holiday downtime into opportunities for creativity, curiosity and fun. Bill Marsland, Director of Education at Code Ninjas, has shared six exciting STEM activities to keep your kids entertained, engaged and filled with festive cheer. These easy-to-set-up, Christmas-themed ideas are perfect for sparking your kids’ imaginations while sneaking in a bit of learning.

1. Create a Christmas-themed board game

Turn the holiday spirit into a family-friendly board game that everyone can enjoy. Encourage your kids to dream up a snowy adventure, like Santa navigating icy paths to deliver presents, dodging mischievous elves or even racing Rudolph to the North Pole. As they design the rules, draw festive game cards and decorate their board with holiday flair, they’ll be flexing their creativity, logic and planning skills. Once the game is complete, it becomes a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to play together, adding an extra Dasher of fun to your festive celebrations.

2. Solve Christmas coding puzzles

Introduce your kids to coding with a festive twist by creating Christmas-themed puzzles. Draw a grid on paper and let them design a map for Santa’s sleigh, complete with snowy obstacles and delivery spots for presents. The challenge lies in plotting a route that guides Santa safely to his destination. This activity not only sparks imagination but also helps children develop essential skills like sequencing, logic and problem-solving. Best of all, it’s a screen-free way to keep their minds active during the holidays.

3. Build a candy cane bridge

Give your kids a sweet engineering challenge by tasking them with building a bridge using candy canes, marshmallows or gummies. They can experiment with different designs to see which structure is the strongest, all while learning about balance and stability. This hands-on activity encourages creativity and basic engineering concepts, and the edible materials add an extra layer of fun. Just don’t be surprised if a few pieces go missing – after all, it’s hard to resist snacking along the way!

4. Design a paper snowflake STEM challenge

Let your kids transform simple paper into dazzling works of art with a snowflake design challenge. By folding paper and carefully cutting patterns, they can create symmetrical, intricate snowflakes to adorn your home. Take it a step further by encouraging them to experiment with different sizes and designs or challenge them to make the most creative or elaborate snowflake. This activity teaches geometry and pattern-making while resulting in stunning handmade decorations that add a personal touch to your festive décor.

5. Construct a Christmas tree tower

Transform an ordinary stack of plastic or paper cups into a towering holiday creation with this fun activity. Challenge your kids to build the tallest Christmas tree-shaped structure they can, experimenting with different stacking techniques to ensure stability. As they work on their creations, they’ll naturally explore principles of balance, structure and design. The friendly competition will keep them entertained, and there’s sure to be plenty of laughter when their towers come crashing down – only to be rebuilt even better!

6. Join Code Ninjas

When the excitement of Christmas Day begins to wane and the first whispers of “I’m bored!” start, Code Ninjas holiday camps are here to save the day. These camps bring STEM to life with hands-on projects, creative problem-solving challenges and a whole lot of fun. From coding to crafting innovative solutions, kids will gain valuable skills, make new friends and create memories that last long after the holiday decorations are packed away. It’s the perfect way to keep the festive fun going while giving you parents a well-deserved breather!

These simple festive activities are sure to keep your kids busy, learning and laughing all Christmas break. And when you need that extra dose of fun – and maybe a little time to yourself! – Code Ninjas’ holiday camps are ready to deliver an unforgettable experience.