12 Self Propelled Car Projects & More

Welcome to make it move STEM challenges! Our Summer STEM activities are all about things that go, move, fly, bounce, spin, and more. Use the materials you have on hand to invent your own simple machines designed to move in some way, shape, or form. Get ready to design, engineer, test, and re-test your own things that move with the following STEM activities for kids.

MAKE IT MOVE STEM CHALLENGES FOR KIDS!

SELF PROPELLED VEHICLE PROJECTS

Get ready to raid your recycling bin, check out the junk drawers, and even break out your LEGO stash if you haven’t already from for our LEGO building ideas.

From balloons, rubber bands, gravity or with a push, these building vehicle STEM activities will be tons of fun for preschoolers to elementary.

Lets’ get started! Click on the links below to learn more about each STEM vehicle project.

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.

12 AMAZING SELF PROPELLED CARS & VEHICLE PROJECTS

BALLOON CAR

There are I am sure many ways for you to come up with a balloon car of your very own. I have two balloon car design suggestions to get the creative juices flowing! You can make a LEGO balloon car or you can make a cardboard balloon car. Both work off of a similar principle and really go! Find out which makes the fastest balloon car,

RUBBER BAND PROPELLED CAR

How about making it move with a rubber band? Can a rubber band really make a car go fast ? Find out how fast it can go with this fun rubber band car STEM challenge!

SOLAR POWERED LEGO CAR

How about making a car move with solar power? Find out how to build a solar powered car like this one! Great idea for the older kids too!

WIND POWERED CAR

We could also harness the power of wind to make something move. Check out this idea for a wind-powered car. You could also create a wind-powered boat too!

MAGNET POWERED CAR

Can you drive a car with a magnet? Give it a try! We had great fun building these simple LEGO cars that we could drive around with magnets while figuring out how magnets work! All you need is a car design and bar magnets.

SELF PROPELLED TOY CAR

Combine art with things that go! Another one great for older kids that turns a small toy car into a bot with a marker!

ROCKETS

Do you have kids who love things that go pop, fizz, and bang? Our little alka seltzer rockets take a simple chemical reaction and turn it into something that moves!

This ribbon rocket is another great design idea, perfect for a couple of kids to do together!

ZIP LINE

Set up a fun toy zip line that moves with gravity and create a vehicle for a mini-figure to ride along it in!

SELF PROPELLED BOAT

Our favorite is this baking soda powered boat! This is one of our all-time favorite chemical reactions to explore.

MORE VEHICLE STEM ACTIVITIES

You can think even simpler with STEM car and vehicle ideas! Make a boat that floats, a car that moves when pushed, or a plane that flies the farthest. Things that go don’t have to be complicated! Set a challenge for the day and you will have awesome STEM activities to keep your kids busy!

WE ALSO LOVE:

Make ramps from cardboard, planks of wood, or plastic rain gutters!
Use painters tape to create a road way on a floor, table, or driveway!
Sketching designs is a great way to encourage kids to get started with ideas. Provide paper and pencils!