STEAM Activities

Hands-On Perimeter Activity: Perimeter Lab

Measurement is more than just grabbing a ruler and measuring the length of an object. There’s width, weight, circumference, area, perimeter, and more, so much more.

I love measurement activities because they’re so often hands-on activities, and this idea is no exception.

This perimeter activity is a fun invitation you can quickly set-up so your child can practice measuring and calculating.

Explore measurement with this simple hands-on perimeter activity for kids, a Perimeter Lab math invitation. They'll measure, calculate, and have fun.

So, grab a few items and let’s create a Perimeter Lab.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Explore measurement with this simple hands-on perimeter activity for kids, a Perimeter Lab math invitation. The'll measure, calculate, and have fun.

Set-up your perimeter activity

Set-up is so easy!

First, you’ll need some measurement tools: a ruler, pencil, and your perimeter lab recording sheet.

Click this link to download your perimeter lab recording sheet.

You’ll also need a variety of things to measure. Choose items of various sizes that are rectangular or square. Look for books, boxes, board or card games. You could also cut pieces of paper into different sized squares or rectangles.

How to find the perimeter of an object.

Does your child already know how to find the perimeter or are they just learning?

If they already know, set them loose with this math invitation for a fun way to review perimeter.

But, if they need a little help, use the recording sheet to walk them through the process. First, record the name of the object you’re measuring. Then grab the ruler. You’ll want to measure side A, side B, side C, and side D. (See the picture above for reference.) Record all the measurements on the sheet. Add all the sides together to find the perimeter of the object.

Have fun with this perimeter activity

Since we’re just grabbing random objects to measure, you may want to alter this perimeter activity just a bit to fit with your child’s ability.

Depending on your child’s ability, you may want to have them round their measurements to the nearest inch or half-inch. If they’re comfortable with fractions or decimals, they can use more specific measurements.

If all you want to do is get comfortable with calculating perimeter, then getting exact measurements isn’t necessary.

Check your work.

There’s no answer key to this project. You can pre-measure all the items (if you really want to) to create an answer key. Or, just look over the process and the answers to see if your child is correctly figuring perimeter. You can also have your child double-check their work.

Correct answers are important in math, but so is learning the process. Know the process first and then focus on finding the correct measurement later.

A Perimeter Lab is a fun way to learn the process behind calculating perimeter. You’re doing real-life measurements and not just looking at a drawing on a piece of paper. It’s fun, it’s hands-on, and it’s a great way to extend learning at home.

Fun hands-on math resources

When we practice math at home, we love to play games. These games are so much fun and a great hands-on activity. Plus, it’s a great way to combine a family activity with learning. Check out some of these awesome math games below:

Are you looking for more kids activities?

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Hot Chocolate Science Experiment

By Terri Thompson

I love my girls’ natural curiosity when it comes to science. So, when my daughter asked me “Can we do a hot chocolate science experiment?” I knew it was time to get creative.

Working together, we came up with an idea. When we make instant hot chocolate, we dissolve the contents of the packet into hot water. We decided to find out if temperature affected the speed that it dissolves.

This hot chocolate science experiment is a fun way to learn about how temperature affects the rate at which hot chocolate dissolves. It's a great STEM activity that uses items you probably already have in your kitchen.

Let’s get started!

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Supplies Needed:

First we needed to gather our supplies. Luckily most of the items were already in our kitchen.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Three heat-proof mugs
Three packets of instant hot chocolate
Measuring cup
Water
Spoons
Stopwatch or timer
Notebook for recording your results.

Hot Chocolate Science Experiment

We started our experiment by making a prediction. Which temperature of water would dissolve the hot chocolate the quickest?

The girls made their prediction (they chose hot) and then it was time to experiment.

We started by emptying our hot chocolate packets into our mugs, one packet per mug. Then we moved on to testing the different temperatures of water.

We tested each temperature, one at a time. We were very vague with our temperatures, using ice cold water, room temperature water, and hot water. You can always add a kitchen thermometer to measure the temperature of the water to add an extra measurement element to your experiment.

My girls took turns measuring the water, stirring, and operating the stopwatch. We used the digital stopwatch on my phone to time how long the hot chocolate took to dissolve.

For each cup, we measured 6 oz. of water. We used cold water from our refrigerator over ice, lukewarm water from the tap, and I did my grown-up duty and heated water in the microwave for the last mug.

Once the water was added to a mug, one girl started the stopwatch and the other started stirring. We stopped the stopwatch as soon as we saw the hot chocolate had dissolved.

The results:

We started with the ice cold water. My oldest daughter was in charge of the stirring. She stirred and stirred and stirred some more. It wouldn’t dissolve. Eventually, we made the decision to stop after three minutes. You can see the results above. Disgusting!

We moved on to the room temperature water, which clocked in at 1 minute 38 seconds. And, then the hot water, which only took 28 seconds.

The results: hot water takes the least amount of time. We predicted that because the instructions said to use hot water when we made hot chocolate. (And, it’s called hot chocolate after all…) But, now we know why we need to use hot water.

Science Tidbit:

Hot water has more energy than cold water. With more energy, the molecules in the water move faster breaking down the hot chocolate mix quicker.

We finished writing our results and unceremoniously dumped the cold water hot chocolate sludge down the kitchen sink. Ick.

What happened to the other two mugs? They were topped with a dollop of whipped cream and enjoyed!

This hot chocolate science experiment is a fun way to learn about how temperature affects the rate at which hot chocolate dissolves.

Our hot chocolate science experiment and turned out great!

Do more science at home:

We love Green Kid Crafts boxes because they provide easy, ready-to-do STEM activities we can try at home. You’ll receive easy-to-follow instructions plus the supplies that you need for up to 6 activities. You can get a monthly subscription or buy a single themed box. If you enjoyed our hot chocolate science experiment, you may enjoy the Kitchen Science or the monthly Discovery Box subscription.

Click here for the Kitchen Science box.

Click here for the monthly Discovery Box subscription.

Are you looking for more activities?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share idea for family and kids activities. I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Find more great STEM activities here:

Child-led STEAM Density Investigation at Life Over C’s

Snack Time Engineering Easy STEAM Project for Kids at Handmade Kids Art

STEM Books for Teaching/Homeschooling Kids at The Jenny Evolution

STEM Activities for Kids in the Kitchen at iGame Mom

PEEPS STEAM Activities at Schooling a Monkey

How to Make a Compass at Parenting Chaos

STEM Challenge: Edible Sedimentary Rocks Model at Preschool Powol Packets

Math Magic: Finding Center of a Circle at Planet Smarty Pants

Tinker Toys STEM Pulley at Sugar Aunts

Spinning Tops Color Mixing STEM Activity

By Terri Thompson

This fun color mixing STEM activity is a little bit science, a little bit art, and a whole lot of fun!

We tried to see if we could mix colors through motion and came up with some awesome results with these Color Mixing Tops.

STEM projects can be so much fun!

Our color mixing tops were simple to make and used supplies that you probably already have at home.

So, let’s get out the craft supplies and get ready to have fun with this STEAM activity.

Supplies needed for this color mixing activity

Thin cardboard (recycled cereal or cracker box)
Circle template
Scissors
Paint – red, blue, yellow
Toothpicks

How to Make a Color Mixing Top

We used our circle template (the top of our Barrel of Monkeys) to trace a few circles on our cereal box. A drinking glass or a can would also work for your template.

You only need one circle per top. We made four different tops to test our different color combinations.

After we cut out our circles, we divided them into four equal sections.

Using our primary paint colors, we alternated the colors in each section. We used only two colors per top.

As an alternative, my 5-year-old divided her circles in half, with each half a different color.

Once our paint was dry, I made a tiny hole in the center of each top. (Use a pair of sharp scissors or a paper clip to make the hole.)

If you divided your top into quarters, the center is very easy to find.

We then poked a toothpick into the middle of each circle.

Color Mixing STEM Activity

They turned out so pretty! But, did they work? There’s nothing left to do but try to see if they word.

We started spinning and were amazed to see the colors blend together. So cool!

I tried my hardest to get some good pictures, but it wasn’t easy! Have you ever tried to photograph a spinning top in low light? Boy, is that tough! I got plenty of crummy pictures, but I was able to capture one that showed the color mixture effect.

In the photo below. We were spinning our red and yellow top from the picture above. Can you see the orange?

We also discovered that the tops divided into quarters blended the colors much better than the ones divided into halves.

Use these fun spinning tops as a lesson in color with this color mixing STEM activity. It's so fascinating to watch the colors mix while they spin!

I always love combining science and art. We always have so much fun!

And, this color mixing STEM activity was the perfect activity to combine science and art. We learned a lot while we got creative.

My must-have STEM resource

We love STEM so much that we’ve decided to have fun STEM activities delivered to our house each month with Green Kid Crafts. The activities are so much fun and all ready for you to create and learn.

You should check out their great products. You can get a subscription like we have, or just buy a single box.

Get a subscription here.

Or browse all their fun STEM boxes!

Get fun family STEM activity delivered to your inbox – for free!

Wouldn’t it be so much fun to get STEAM family activities delivered to your inbox? I think so! That’s why I’ve created this fun series, STEAM Family Fun, to be delivered to your inbox. After going through all the letters in STEAM each week with a fun activity devoted to each, you’ll start receiving a fun STEAM activity once a month. (And I’ll also pop up in your inbox occasionally if I’ve got other fun things to share.)

Fill out the form below to start receiving STEAM Family Fun in your inbox.

Easy Sun Prints STEM Activity

By Terri Thompson

We’ve been reading and learning about the sun lately. It seemed like a fitting subject to learn about during the summer.

While thinking about some things we could do I remembered making sun prints when I was a kid.

It was an easy and fascinating project; one that was perfect for a summer day.

So, we combined a little science with a little art and made sun prints.

Let’s gather our supplies to do this fun STEM project.

Combine art and science with this fun Sun Prints STEAM activity that uses the power of the sun to make art. It's a fun project for a sunny day!

Supplies Needed:

Dark, bright colored construction paper (red, orange, blue, or black would work perfectly)
Pennies
Tape
Lots of sunshine

How to make sun prints

Find a nice sunny spot to work on your project. Once you’ve arranged your coins, you will not want to move your paper until your project is complete, so choose wisely.

We chose a spot in our backyard that had sunshine for many hours during the day.

If the day is windy, you will want to tape your paper down so that it won’t blow away. We made the mistake of not taping ours down and had to go rescue our pennies halfway through the project. Let me tell you, pennies are hard to find in a grassy lawn!

Arrange your pennies in a pretty design on the paper. Then, don’t move them for several hours. Create a pretty design, try to write a word, or make a simple picture.

Observe the process

Make some observations along the way. Is your paper getting darker or lighter? What do you think is happening underneath the pennies? Touch a penny. How does it feel?

Combine art and science with this fun Sun Prints STEAM activity that uses the power of the sun to make art. It's a fun project for a sunny summer day!

We left our paper outside for 8 hours. You don’t have to leave it out as long as we did, but the longer the sun shines on your paper, the more contrast you’ll have on your design.

The first thing we noticed on our design was that our paper was a lot lighter than when we first brought it out.

Next we started removing our pennies and saw the design form right before our eyes.

The paper underneath stayed dark because the pennies blocked the paper-fading UV rays of the sun, a process described as “really cool” by my girls.

Above is a close-up of one of the pictures. If you can’t tell, it’s a girl with long pigtails standing on the ground.

Have you ever made sun prints? It’s a fun experiment to show just how powerful the sun’s rays are.

My must-have STEM resource

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always have time to prep a fun science project. That’s why I love Green Kid Crafts Discovery boxes. The boxes are packed full of projects that are fun and inviting. You can choose to get a subscription or a one-off box based off of a specific theme. Any one you choose would be a lot of fun!

Get a subscription here.

Get STEM fun delivered to your inbox

Fill out the form below to start receiving STEAM Family Fun in your inbox.

Math Art: Skip Counting Pointillism

By Terri Thompson

I’m very fascinated with the combination of math and art. There are some truly amazing things you can do. And honestly, the ideas are endless.

This time we kept it simple with a math art project that combined pointillism and skip counting. It was simple and the results were fun.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other Affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

What is pointillism?

Before we begin, we need to understand our art term, pointillism. To create pointillism, a painter uses small, distinct dots in varying colors applied in a pattern to form an image.

One of the most famous paintings that uses this technique is A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. You can see it here.

So, for the art portion of our project, we’ll be using dots to create our pictures.

What is skip counting?

Skip counting is basically counting by any number other than one. You can count by 2s: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Or, you can count by 5s: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25.

You can find a detailed explanation of skip counting here at Creative Family Fun.

We’ll be counting by 10s for this project.

Now let’s combine pointillism and skip counting for a fun math art project.

First, you’ll need a few supplies: paint, cotton swabs, marker, and paper.

Next, you’ll need to lay your foundation. We were skip counting by 10 all the way to 100 so I drew ten simple circles on my paper for each of my set of dots.

Don’t limit yourself to circles. You can do triangles, squares, ovals, or any fun design of your choice. You just need one shape for each set of ten.

Once you’ve got your foundation, it’s time to paint. Dip your cotton swabs in paint and use them to create a design of dots in each circle. Put ten dots inside each circle.

Use a simple design or just random dots. The important part of the project is to make sure you only have 10 dots in each shape.

Now it’s time to skip count!

Once you have your dots in each circles, you’ve got a pretty representation of skip counting by ten.

Count your circles: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100. You’ve got one hundred dots total on your skip counting math art project!

When you’re done, feel free to be creative and add even more dots to make an art project you’re proud of. Our skip counting is inside our shapes and the embellishment is just for fun.

More versions of this math art project:

Paint a picture for each set of skip counting numbers. What shapes will you use when you’re counting by twos? What shapes for counting by fives? Can you make a unique painting for each skip counting set?

Can you create skip counting sets without drawing the foundation shapes? Use just your dots to create ten different design sets.

Use this project to illustrate a multiplication problem. Do a math pointillism project for 5×5, 6×9, or 8×4. Fun, right?

How else can you do math pointillism?

How would you mix this project up?

If you enjoyed this math art project, the above picture is perfect for sharing on Facebook, or you can share the picture below on Pinterest.

STEAM Activities

Hands-On Perimeter Activity: Perimeter Lab