When summer break rolls around, parents everywhere ask the same question: How do we keep our kids entertained, learning, and off screens—without losing our minds?

Here’s your answer: STEAM-powered summer fun.

STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts, and math—doesn’t just live in a classroom. It’s in your kitchen, your backyard, the beach, and beyond. Whether you're raising a budding scientist, an aspiring artist, or a future game designer, you can rely on STEAM activities to create a summer full of curiosity, connection, and creativity.

Try checking off as many items as you can from our 25-item Summer STEAM Bucket List. (And yes, we included one big idea that checks all the boxes—keep reading!)

SCIENCE ADVENTURES

1. Make a Backyard Volcano
Watch a mini eruption while learning about chemical reactions.

Supplies:

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Food coloring (optional)
• Small plastic water bottle or cup
• Playdough, foil, or dirt to build the "volcano"

Instructions: Fill the bottle halfway with baking soda. Add a few drops of food coloring. Quickly pour in the vinegar and step back!

 

2. Nature Scavenger Hunt
Turn a walk into a discovery mission with a themed scavenger list.

Supplies:

• Printed list or notebook with prompts (e.g., "something fuzzy," "a plant growing through a crack")
• Pencil or phone camera

Tips: Add a science twist by discussing each item’s ecosystem role or adaptations.

 

3. Start a Compost Bin
Teach kids about decomposition and the science of sustainability.

Supplies:

• Large bin or container
• Food scraps (fruit peels, veggie ends, eggshells)
• Leaves or grass clippings

Instructions: Layer greens (wet food waste) and browns (dry leaves, cardboard), keep it moist, and stir weekly.

 

4. Build a Bug Hotel
Give local insects a place to rest—and your kids a chance to observe them.

Supplies:

• Empty can, wooden box, or milk carton
• Pinecones, sticks, bark, toilet paper rolls
• String or wire

Instructions: Layer natural materials into the container. Place in a shady garden area and watch who moves in.

 

5. Stargazing & Constellation Sketching
Explore astronomy right from your backyard.

Supplies:

• Blanket
• Stargazing app (e.g., SkyView or Star Walk)
• Notebook and flashlight with red cellophane cover

Instructions: Identify constellations and sketch them. Kids can also invent and name their own.

TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING EXPLORATIONS

6. Build a Rube Goldberg Machine
Explore cause and effect with a contraption that completes a simple task in a complex way.

Supplies:

• Dominoes
• Marbles
• Paper towel tubes
• String, toy cars, books, etc.

Goal: Make a chain reaction that ends with popping a balloon or flipping a light switch.

 

7. LEGO Engineering Challenge
Bring out your child’s inner engineer with themed builds.

Ideas:

• Tallest tower that doesn’t tip
• A bridge that can hold coins
• A futuristic vehicle

Supplies: LEGO bricks, timer, and a measuring tape.

 

8. Paper Airplane Physics Lab
Experiment with design, distance, and aerodynamics.

Supplies:

• Paper
• Ruler
• Stopwatch
• Notebook

Instructions: Fold three types of planes. Fly each three times and record the longest distance and airtime.

 

9. Take Apart a Gadget
Dissect broken electronics (with supervision!) to understand what’s inside.

Supplies:

• Old device (toaster, keyboard)
• Screwdrivers
• Safety glasses

Instructions: Carefully open the device and examine how the parts connect. Talk about how electricity flows.

 

10. Build a Water Balloon Catapult
Engineer a launcher, then test different angles and distances.

Supplies:

• Wooden sticks or PVC pipes
• Rubber bands
• Spoon or small cup
• Water balloons

Instructions: Assemble a basic slingshot-style catapult and adjust the design for accuracy and range.

ARTS & CREATIVITY

11. Nature Paintbrush Art
Turn leaves and flowers into tools for creativity.

Supplies:

• Paint
• Paper
• Nature items (pine needles, feathers, bark)

Instructions: Dip natural items into paint and stamp, drag, or swirl to create textures and patterns.

 

12. Sidewalk Chalk Maze
Design and play through your own maze or obstacle course.

Supplies:

• Sidewalk chalk
• Ruler or measuring tape

Instructions: Outline a path with challenges like "jump 3 times" or "spin in a circle." Time each other!

 

13. Stop-Motion Animation Project
Make a movie frame-by-frame with toys or drawings.

Supplies:

• Smartphone/tablet
• Stop Motion Studio app (free)
• LEGO or clay figures

Instructions: Move characters a little at a time, snapping a photo each move. Then play your film!

 

14. Backyard Art Gallery
Create an exhibit of your child’s summer masterpieces.

Supplies:

• String or wire
• Clothespins
• Markers, paint, crafts

Instructions: Hang up artwork, invite neighbors or family, and host an "artist talk."

 

15. Make Homemade Instruments
Explore sound science through DIY music-making.

Supplies:

• Rubber bands, cardboard boxes, paper towel tubes, rice, plastic containers

Instructions: Build a drum, shaker, or guitar. Experiment with pitch and rhythm.

MATH IN MOTION

16. Bake Together with Fractions
Practice math skills while making something delicious.

Supplies:

• Recipe with measurements
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Ingredients for cookies, muffins, etc.

Instructions: Double or halve a recipe. Talk through fraction conversions and units.

 

17. Math Hopscotch
Get moving while solving math problems.

Supplies:

• Sidewalk chalk or painter’s tape
• Math flashcards

Instructions: Write equations in squares. Kids must solve them before hopping on!

 

18. Graph Your Ice Cream Preferences
Combine math, data, and dessert.

Supplies:

• Paper and markers
• Friends and family votes

Instructions: Survey favorite ice cream flavors and create a bar graph or pie chart.

 

19. Sort & Count Snack Mix
Turn snack time into a math game.

Supplies:

• Trail mix, cereal, or M&Ms
• Cups or bowls
• Paper and pencil

Instructions: Sort by shape or color, count totals, and compare quantities. Introduce percentages for older kids.

 

20. Track Steps & Miles
Incorporate math and movement by charting your family’s physical activity.

Supplies:

• Pedometer or phone step tracker
• Graph paper or printable chart

Instructions: Set a weekly mileage goal. Graph progress daily and calculate averages.

.

WHOLE-CHILD SUMMER FUN

21. Visit a Science or Children’s Museum
Fuel learning with a field trip to an interactive museum.

Tips: Let your child lead the day. At home, draw or write about their favorite exhibits and discoveries.

 

22. Host a Themed STEAM Day
Make a day of it with themed activities around a big idea.

Examples:

• "Space Day": build rockets, make galaxy art, watch the stars
• "Inventor Day": design gadgets, build with recycled materials

 

23. Write & Illustrate a Comic Book
Combine literacy, art, and storytelling.

Supplies:

• Blank comic templates (free printable)
• Markers and pencils

Instructions: Create characters, outline a plot, and fill in word bubbles. Print or staple into a book.

 

24. Plant a Pollinator Garden
Grow blooms that help bees and butterflies thrive.

Supplies:

• Wildflower seeds (milkweed, lavender, bee balm)
• Pots or garden space
• Watering can

Instructions: Plant, water, and track pollinator visits in a nature journal.

 

25. Attend a BAM! Summer Camp
This one checks ALL the boxes—STEAM, movement, creativity, social fun, and unforgettable memories.

At BAM! Summer Camps, your child will:

• Build and explore through hands-on STEAM projects
• Stay active with games and physical challenges
• Create art and stories that reflect their ideas
• Make new friends and build confidence

Find a BAM! camp near you and give your child the summer of a lifetime.