What is STEM we hear you ask? Well, the information is in the abbreviation. It stands for science, technology, engineering and math, which are industries that are affecting the world in big ways.

But according to an article on the Rasmussen University website, although they do show interest, kids often outgrow their fascination with STEM, as they pick up new interests in primary and high school. So here we have five fun STEM projects that will educate your kids, make them more practically proficient, and stimulate their love for these industries so that they can make a difference in the future.

Bath Bombs

Tools And Ingredients

• Half a cup of citric acid
• 1 cup of baking soda
• Half a cup of cornstarch
• Half a cup of Epsom salts
• 1 teaspoon of water
• 1 teaspoon of Olive or Castor Oil
• Essential Oil (For fragrance)
• Food colouring
• A round mould

To make these bath bombs, mix the citric acid, baking soda, cornstarch, and Epsom salt in one bowl and add one or two drops of olive or castor oil, essential oil, food colouring and water, into another. Mix the second mixture into the first one slowly, until it feels like wet sand. Let it sit for a few minutes. Pack the mixture tightly into separate halves of the mould, and close the mould. Let it dry for a few minutes, remove one half of the mould gently, let it set for another two hours maximum, then remove the bottom half and let it dry overnight. Alternatively, you can fast-track the setting process by popping it the fridge for roughly 30-minutes.

Invisible Ink

Tools And Ingredients

• One lemon
• A cotton swab
• A Sheet of white paper
• Heating tool (Sun, iron, lightbulb)

The mixture of lemon and water is the key factor here, since diluting the water in the lemon makes the mixture hard to see. However, once it’s heated, it turns brown, revealing the message. Squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl, and add a spoonful of water. Mix it, and then used the cotton swab to write the message on the paper. Leave it to dry (the message will become invisible.) To reveal the message, let it sit in the sun, or hold it close to an iron or lightbulb, to reveal the message.

Pom-Pom Catapult

Tools and Ingredients

• Rectangular box 
• Hole punch
• Three pencils (unsharpened)
• Elastic Bands
• Glue or masking tape
• A jar lid
• Paper clips

Start by punching holes into the long sides of the box with the hole punch and ensuring they are 7 to 10cm away from the nearest short side. Punch another hole on the furthest short side, placing it centred and close to the bottom of the box. Next, you assemble the catapult arm by joining two pencils into a cross. Stick the jar lid to the long end of this cross, and tie another elastic band around the short end, then run the cross pencil through the holes in the long sides. Tie a slipknot on the other end of the elastic band and run that end through the hole on the short side, then attach a paper clip to hold it in place. Now run the third pencil across the top of the box as a stopper to block the catapult arm. Secure this with an elastic band, Wrapping it around one end of the pencil, and running underneath the box to the other end of the pencil. Now go to war.

NB! Moving the stopper around adjusts the trajectory of the pom pom projectile.

Cloud In A Jar

Tools and Ingredients

• A Jar
• Water
• Foam shaving cream
• Blue food colouring
• A cup
• Medicine Dropper

To make this project, all you have to do is fill the jar with water and spray the shaving cream on the water surface. Fill the cup with some water and add some blue food colouring to it. Then get the child to use the medicine dropper to drop some blue water into the saving cream cloud. Then watch the storm develop in the jar.

Math Fact Triangles

Tool and Ingredients

• Craft Foam (different shades)
• Scissors
• Sharpie Pen

This simple project just requires you to cut the craft foam into triangles of the same size. Next, use a sharpie pen to write an equation, for example, 2 + 3 = 5. Circle the answer, and then place the triangle face down, choose one and pick it up, covering the answer. Get the child to try and solve the problem, then do it in the reverse order ie. 5 – 3 = 2, covering the other number and get the child to use their logic to solve it.

Aid Their Education

Do you think you have a budding scientist on your hands? Give them that extra push with the Vodacom E-School, which provides personalised and powerful learning experiences for students in grades R to 12.