Apple STEM Activities for Kids

I hate to admit it but I am in love with the Fall season and of course the endless apple STEM activities that go along with it! This season I am super excited that my new reader can read Ten Apples Up On Top to me! To celebrate I pulled together 10 apple STEM activities using real apples perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grade (which my son is heading into this year).

FUN FALL APPLE STEM ACTIVITIES

APPLE IDEAS

I love using what I have around for hands-on science learning and apples is what we definitely have! These apple activities work perfectly for early learning plus you can enjoy eating them too! Nothing wasted. I wanted to have fun with our activities but still be able to work on skills such as observation, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Check out these apple activities…

• APPLE 5 SENSES ACTIVITY
• WHY DO APPLES TURN BROWN EXPERIMENT
• APPLE VOLCANO EXPERIMENT
• APPLE GRAVITY EXPERIMENT

APPLE STEM ACTIVITIES

We did three fun apple STEM activities paired with our apple tasting and ourapple oxidation experiment. Note: we spent a good part of the afternoon with the same 5 apples! 

We attempted to stack apples like the animals in the book Ten Apples Up On Top, we attempted to balance apples and walk like the animals, and we built apple structures. The apple structure building activity was by far the easiest and my son figured if we bought 10 more apples could stack all ten if he used toothpicks or skewer sticks. I bet that would work but I am not ready to make applesauce yet {also great science}!

Check out all our fun apple STEM activities below.

*We worked on the balancing apples activity first since we needed whole apples!*

Looking for easy to print activities, and inexpensive problem-based challenges? 

We have you covered…

Click below to get your quick and easy STEM challenges.

#1 BALANCING APPLES

One apple on top was enough for us! He attempted walking but it was tough. He determined that shape, the weight of the apple and gravity were working against him.

Maybe a toothpick in each apple or a skewer! We are going to have to try that one! Problem solved.

Even though this is such simple apple STEM activity it offers a great opportunity for practicing critical thinking skills. Why can’t the apples be stacked easily? What is it about the apples? Is there a better apple to stack onto another apple?

Lots of trial and error and troubleshooting happening. In the end, he managed to stack four apples for a very short time. He determined he would need to pick out different shaped apples next time!

#2 BUILDING APPLE STRUCTURES FOR APPLE STEM

Chop up an apple and grab the toothpicks. What can you make? 3D or 2D shapes, a dome, a tower?

Building apple structures combine design, engineering, and fine motor skills! Plus you can eat it afterward.

Click below to get your quick and easy STEM challenges.

#3 MAKE AN APPLE BOAT

Can you float an apple boat? Do apples float? I casually asked my son if he thought an apple would sink or float? He said it will sink and said we should test it.

WHY DO APPLES FLOAT?

An apple is buoyant! Do you know why? The apple has air inside and that air helps keep it from sinking completely. Apples are less dense than water. Check out our rainbow water density experiment to learn more about density.

APPLE BOATS

So now that you know an apple floats, can you build an apple boat to float? Will different size apple pieces float as well as others? Make your own sails with those toothpicks leftover from the apple toothpick activity above.

Simple card stock paper sails. Will different shapes and sizes of sails influence how the apple piece floats? Our small apple piece was no match for the larger sail we cut for it, but the other large pieces faired well. Simple and creative apple STEM!

There you have it! Quick and fun ideas with real apples for Fall STEM.

COOL APPLE STEM CHALLENGES FOR FALL

Make sure to check out more awesome apple activities for kids.

Looking for easy to print activities, and inexpensive problem-based challenges? 

We have you covered…

Click below to get your quick and easy STEM challenges.