4 SIMPLE AND FUN STEAM ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS

There is simply no debate on the issue that STEAM education is indeed the way forward. But is teaching science in the laboratories and arts through paintings enough? Where do technology and arts come together and blend to build the appropriate skills? The Top Private school in Sonipat achieve this through STEAM activities. They engage their young students in scientific and artistic projects that spike both technical thinking and creative imagination. You, as parents, can take cues from such schools to mimic their ideas at home and work with your children on the following simple and fun STEAM activities.

1. A plastic bottle submarine

You will need a large balloon, a plastic bottle with an airtight cap, a long bendable straw and some weights. Stick the balloon on one end of the straw and insert the assembly into the bottle. Drill a hole on the cap for the other end of the straw to stick out. Insert some weights for the bottle to sink under water and seal the bottle cap so that no water seeps in. The submarine is ready.

Also, ask your child to use waterproof acrylic colours to paint the submarine. Use pictures for reference and give it a name. Then, place it under water to allow it to sink completely and blow air into the balloon through the straw for the entire bottle to resurface. Your child learns about the scientific working of the submarine and engages in arts to build the structure.

1. A hanging solar system

Name any best play school in Sonipat and it is bound to have a hanging solar system in its science laboratories. The ingredients required are a few plastic or steel rods, some strings, ten balls and acrylic colours. Join the rods in the shape of a star, all joined at the centre. Hang the sun at the centre with a string or a rod. Around this, tie the planets at different positions and different lengths so that no balls are touching one another.

Here again, you can colour the balls exactly in the shades of the planets. You can also add further details like the asteroid belt or rings around Saturn. The sun can have a ring made out of paper along with a small yellow LED bulb to make it glow in the dark. Allow your child to come up with such creative ideas and keep adding elements to this solar system.

1. A straw rocket

Gather a few juice boxes or empty tetra packs. Along with it, take two straws, some clay and paper. Cut one end of one straw at an angle and insert this end into the juice box. Build a rocket out of the other straw by sealing one end with the clay and adding paper fins on the other end. Let your child colour and design the rocket. Add as many elements as possible without increasing the weight of the rocket straw too much.

Now, for launching the rocket, inflate the juice box completely. Then place the rocket on the box's straw properly and squash the inflated box with a sudden force. The straw rocket will take off. Curiosity about what happened will immediately take shape in your child's mind. Ask him/her, can you together improve the structure in any way to make the rocket go further?

1. A Lego castle

There is no better way to teach students of all ages the nuances of engineering. Invest in building blocks with adequate pieces and ask your child to build an impenetrable fortress. Help with ideas, give your inputs as to what and why something is necessary. Show the student the structure's weaknesses and appreciate every idea that has potential.

Also, make sure to point out that the castle cannot look dull. Lego sets come in vibrant colours and ask your child to use his/her imagination to build an aesthetic fort. Appropriate use of blocks has to be on the cards as well. The water needs to have blue blocks while the garden has to be green. With building blocks, you can engage in projects after projects that are both creative and scientific. If the castle is satisfactory, the next activity can be a small town.