12+ Inexpensive STEAM Activities

Looking for fun, hands-on ways to bring STEM learning to life without breaking the budget? These 18+ inexpensive STEM activities are perfect for curious kids in grades 3–5 and use everyday materials to explore big concepts in science, technology, engineering, and math. Whether you’re teaching in the classroom or experimenting at home, each project sparks creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Best of all, they’re as engaging as they are affordable.

Build a Flashlight

This hands-on science activity is perfect for 3rd to 5th graders learning about energy and motion. Kids will explore how circuits work by constructing their own functioning flashlight using basic materials. It’s a fun, engaging way to bring Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to life while encouraging problem-solving and critical thinking.

Create Your Own Zoetrope Animation

Dive into early animation with a hands-on zoetrope project. Students will build their own spinning animation device to explore how still images create the illusion of motion. This STEAM activity blends art and technology, sparking conversations about persistence of vision, early film tech, and design.

Gravity Art: Painting with Physics

Channel gravity into creativity with this unique painting activity. Using drips and slopes, students will create abstract art while learning about force, motion, and direction. This project is a perfect fusion of science and art—highlighting real-world physics in a visually engaging way.

Paper Plate Marble Maze

Challenge students to build their own marble mazes using paper plates and simple materials. This engineering activity reinforces spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and basic concepts of force and motion—all while encouraging creativity and iteration.

Launching Ghost Rockets

Turn a few basic materials into high-flying fun with this chemical reaction experiment. By combining film canisters, baking soda, and vinegar, students will launch mini “ghost rockets” while learning about gas expansion, pressure, and Newton’s laws of motion.

Build a Popsicle Stick Catapult

Introduce basic engineering and physics by having students design and launch their own catapults. They'll explore principles of force, tension, and trajectory as they test different designs and measure their launch distances. It's a kinetic, hands-on way to apply STEM thinking.

Make a Homemade Kaleidoscope

Students will investigate reflection and symmetry by creating their own kaleidoscopes. This colorful activity teaches light behavior, angles, and optical design in a creative, hands-on format—great for integrating both science and geometry concepts.

Design Your Own Monster

Perfect for Halloween or any time of year, this engineering challenge tasks students with designing and building a monster from various craft materials. It’s a fun way to explore prototyping, creativity, and problem-solving—key elements in the engineering design process.

Cardboard Tube STEM Projects

From ramps to marble runs, cardboard tubes become the foundation for endless STEM exploration in this collection of mini-projects. Students use recycled materials to explore motion, structure, and simple machines while developing hands-on building skills.

Paper Airplane Flight Challenge

Take a classic classroom activity and elevate it into a STEM challenge. Students will design, test, and refine paper airplanes while exploring aerodynamics, lift, drag, and stability. It's a perfect introduction to the engineering design cycle and real-world applications of flight science.

STEM Activities with #2 Pencils

Turn ordinary pencils into powerful learning tools with these clever STEM activities. From building geometric shapes to testing balance and constructing simple machines, this collection encourages resourcefulness, creativity, and scientific thinking with everyday items.

Build a Solar Oven to Make S'mores

Harness the power of the sun by constructing a simple solar oven using a pizza box, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap. Students will learn about solar energy, insulation, and the greenhouse effect as they cook delicious s'mores. This activity integrates principles of environmental science and engineering design, encouraging learners to explore renewable energy sources.​

Design an Icebox to Prevent Ice from Melting

Challenge students to create an insulated container that slows down the melting of ice cubes. By experimenting with various materials like styrofoam, fabric, and foil, they will explore concepts of thermal energy, insulation, and material properties. This hands-on project fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills within the realm of physical science.​

Build a LEGO Bridge

Using LEGO bricks, students can design and construct bridges, exploring different types of bridge structures such as beam, arch, and suspension. This activity delves into civil engineering concepts, structural integrity, and the physics of forces and balance. It encourages creativity and iterative testing, key components of the engineering design process.​

Construct a Balloon-Powered Car

Students will build a simple car propelled by the air escaping from a balloon. This project introduces Newton's Third Law of Motion, demonstrating action and reaction forces. It's an engaging way to explore concepts of propulsion, friction, and aerodynamics while integrating principles of mechanical engineering.​

Another thank you to Nikki for these great ideas. Make sure to check out all of her webinars inside the Teacher Learning Community, and follow her on Pinterest (where she found all of these awesome ideas).

Which of these activities are you most excited about? Let me know your favorite in a comment on this article.

About the Author
Kimber Thompson is a Lead Moderator for SimpleK12 webinars and a Contributing Editor for SimpleK12.com. She writes frequently about education topics and is passionate about tools and techniques that inspire young learners. You may reach her with ideas and comments at editor@simplek12.com.