Some egg-cellent STEM activities for the Easter break

The world is evolving fast, and technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate. As a result, STEM education has become increasingly vital for younger children.

STEM activities are designed to encourage children to explore the principles of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in fun and interactive ways.

With that in mind, Electronic Specifier has explored some exciting STEM activities that you can do with your children, or even your friends and family, during the Easter holiday.  

Create a solar-powered Easter egg

Materials:

- Plastic Easter egg

- Solar cell (small size)

- Soldering iron and solder

- Wire cutters

- Glue gun

- Decorations (optional)

Step 1: Start by choosing a plastic Easter egg that you can use for the solar project. You can find these at any craft store.

Step 2: Next, acquire a small solar cell that will fit into the top part of the Easter egg. You can find these online or at an electronics store.

Step 3: Carefully cut a small hole in the top part of the Easter egg using wire cutters. The hole should be big enough for the solar cell to fit through.

Step 4: Solder two wires onto the positive and negative terminals of the solar cell. Make sure to use heat shrink tubing or electrical tape to cover up any exposed metal.

Step 5: Using a glue gun, attach the solar cell to the inside of the top part of the Easter egg.

Step 6: Take the bottom part of the Easter egg and decorate it as desired with paint, stickers, or other embellishments.

Step 7: Once the decorations are complete, line up the top and bottom parts of the Easter egg and snap them together.

Step 8: Place your DIY solar Easter egg in a sunny location and watch it light up!

Build a robot from recycled cardboard

Materials needed:

- Cardboard

- Scissors

- Ruler

- Pencil

- Glue

- Markers or paint (optional)

- Small motor (optional)

- Battery pack (optional)

- Wires (optional)

Step 1: Sketch out the design of your robot on a piece of paper. This will help you visualize the different parts and how they fit together.

Step 2: Cut out the cardboard pieces for your robot according to your design using scissors and a ruler. You will need pieces for the body, arms, legs, head, and any other features you want to add.

Step 3: Use glue to attach the pieces together. Start with the body and then add the arms and legs. If you are adding a head, attach it last.

Step 4: If you want to add any details or decorations to your robot, use markers or paint to do so.

Step 5 (Optional): If you want your robot to move, you can add a small motor to power it. First, attach the motor to the bottom of the body using glue. Then, connect the motor to a battery pack using wires.

Step 6 (Optional): Turn on the battery pack and watch your robot come to life!

Congratulations! You have successfully built a robot out of cardboard. Enjoy playing with your new creation!

Build a solar-powered oven

Materials needed:

- Cardboard box

- Aluminum foil

- Black construction paper

- Clear plastic wrap

- Tape

- Scissors

- Glue

Step 1: Choose a cardboard box that is big enough to fit the items you want to cook. Cut off the top flaps and tape the box closed.

Step 2: Cover the entire outside of the box with aluminum foil. This will reflect sunlight into the box and help retain heat.

Step 3: Cut out a flap on the top of the box, leaving a border of about 1 inch. Fold the flap back so it stands up straight. Cover the inside of the flap with aluminum foil.

Step 4: Glue black construction paper on the bottom of the inside of the box. This will absorb heat and help cook your food.

Step 5: Cut out another piece of cardboard to fit inside the box diagonally, creating a sloped surface. Cover this with aluminum foil as well.

Step 6: Cut a piece of clear plastic wrap large enough to cover the opening of the box. Tape it onto the inside border of the flap you created in step 3.

Step 7: Your solar oven is now complete! Place it outside in direct sunlight with the flap facing towards the sun. Open the flap and place your food on the sloped surface inside the box.

Note: It may take some trial and error to find the best angle for your solar oven depending on your location and time of day. Check on your food regularly to make sure it is cooking properly.

If you don’t fancy getting too creative, then here are some smaller ideas to keep the weekend fun and interactive:

Egg drop challenge

This challenge involves designing and building a protective egg container that can keep an egg from breaking when dropped from a height. Students can use materials such as straws, rubber bands, and balloons to create their container.

LEGO challenge

Give students a challenge to build an Easter-themed creation using LEGO bricks. They can build anything from a giant Easter bunny to a spring garden scene.

STEM scavenger hunt

Create a scavenger hunt with STEM-related clues and challenges for students to complete over the Easter break. This can include challenges like measuring the circumference of an egg or finding shapes in nature.

If you do decide to participate in any of these activites at the weekend, take pictures and share them with us for a chance to appear on our social media channels!