Have you been searching for a screen-free way to keep your kids entertained for a while? I have a STEAM activity that can keep your little engineers occupied with independent play from items that you probably already have on hand.
For this activity, you will need:
- paper tubes
- tape
- marbles
- scissors (optional)
Gather up the paper tubes that might be accumulating in your home, painter’s tape (or any tape that will be easily removed from the working surface), marbles (or other round objects that will easily fit inside the tubes) and some age appropriate scissors (use your judgement on if you need to assist or supervise your engineer with this part of the activity or just skip this step entirely).
Once you’ve rounded up the materials, have your little one practice their fine motor skills and cut some of the tubes in half.
Next, locate an appropriate wall, filing cabinet, pillar etc. to construct the racetrack on. (To preserve your child’s creation, consider hanging a large piece of paper or using a dry erase board to construct the track on; this way, you can move the track from room to room.) Now, it’s time to construct the track, then get to racing!
If this activity isn’t challenging or engaging enough, consider experimenting with different-sized objects like marbles or balls of differing sizes and weights, as well as figuring out what sort of bowl or object is best to catch the racers at the finish line.
To make this activity competitive, give your engineers the same building materials and ask them to build their own tracks, then race the marbles to see who wins. You could also see who can build the fastest track, or compete with how far a marble can roll away from the track after crossing the initial finish line.
If your engineer is interested in similar activities or STEAM in general, take a gander at my book list!
