The week leading up to New Years is the perfect time for a few quick STEM challenges with a New Years Eve theme! You can use what you have from around the house and pick up a few additional supplies at the local dollar store or grocery store to complete these New Years EVE STEM Activities. Kids love simple science experiments and STEM activities with a theme!
EASY NEW YEARS EVE STEM ACTIVITIES
QUICK STEM FOR NEW YEARS EVE
Quick STEM challenges and simple science activities are perfect any day of the week, and we think New Years is a great time to try out some fun twists on classic ideas. Check out 10 fun ways to test out STEM for the upcoming New Year!
We love to add fun theme accessories to make the New Years STEM activities feel a bit special. If you are planning a kid’s countdown for New Year’s Eve, these ideas are just right!
Check out our slime for New Years Eve! Did you know slime is chemistry?
You will find that many of these New Years Eve STEM activities offer open-ended exploration which is perfect for kids who love to tinker around. Your little engineer, scientist, or inventor will have loads of fun!
STEM is all about asking questions, problem solving, designing, testing and re-testing ideas! To read more, check out our quick STEM guide which also features a free downloadable STEM pack.
10 NEW YEARS EVE STEM ACTIVITIES
Of course, these ideas carry over to New Years Day just as well! If you see a link in blue, click on it for complete setup and instructions! Otherwise, you will find fun ideas listed below as well as the supplies and set up instructions to get started.
Grab a New Year’s Activity Pack here.
1. SPARKLY GLITTER SLIME
You saw the video above, now make the slime for New Years Eve! Our slime recipes are super easy to make.
Read how to make New Years’ Eve slime here.
2. FIZZY NEW YEARS SCIENCE EXPERIMENT.
Confetti, baking soda, and vinegar make for quick chemistry that’s super appealing to kids of all ages! Make a bubbly, fizzy version of the adult champagne with a chemical reaction. You just don’t want to drink this one!
3. DIY PARTY POPPERS
Have a blast with homemade confetti poppers that offer a bit of simple physics too!
4. CHAMPAGNE GLASS CHALLENGE
Who can build the tallest tower of plastic champagne glasses? The challenge is on, and all you need is a set of inexpensive plastic champagne glasses or similar. These glasses can also be combined with index cards as part of the challenge. Our tallest tower challenge is always a hit!
5. DRAW A COUNTDOWN BALL
If you want to introduce some screen-free coding to the kids and have it double as a simple New Years’ Eve activity, try this STEM coding activity from my friend. Learn how to run your own program!
6. BALL DROP STEM CHALLENGE
You can have your kids put their designing and engineering skills to the test by challenging them to create their own ball drop for New Year’s Eve! Can they design and create a homemade ball? Can they engineer a pulley system? A little research on the simple pulley machine and some creativity to make a ball are all you need! Look at items around the house to solve these challenges!
7. BUILD A TOWER STEM CHALLENGE
For this New Years’ Eve STEM activity, you can challenge your kids to make a tower to support your “New Years Countdown Ball”. For this challenge, we will use the classic spaghetti and marshmallow STEM challenge.
The marshmallow will be your BALL.
Using only one large marshmallow, 20 pieces of uncooked spaghetti, string, and/or tape, challenge your kids to build the tallest tower possible to support a marshmallow on the top. You can give a time limit or keep it open-ended!
8. LEGO BALL DROP
Next, you can challenge your kids to build a LEGO theme ball drop for New Years’. This challenge was created by our friends over at Frugal Fun For Kids. They are a whiz at creative, kid-friendly LEGO builds.
9. NEW YEARS BALLOON ROCKET
A balloon rocket is a pretty cool physics to play with too! This time, turn your balloon into the New Year’s Eve ball and send it flying. See how to set up a balloon rocket for easy STEM on New Year’s Eve. (The link shows a Valentine’s Day version but will give you the setup and science. You design the balloon!)
10. MAGIC MILK EXPERIMENT
Have you ever explored the classic science activity called magic milk? It’s pretty neat and a little bit magical too. Although there’s some simple science behind it too. Have a look at our magic milk science experiment and see if it reminds you of fireworks!
ALSO CHECK OUT: Fireworks In A Jar
11. FIREWORKS IN A JAR
Create your own sensory-friendly fireworks with science!
Fireworks In A Jar
BONUS: NEW YEARS CRAFT
Make these fun New Years star wishing wands for an easy New Years craft for kids! Free printables included.
HERE’S TO NEW YEARS EVE STEM ACTIVITIES KIDS LOVE!
Click on the photo below for more simple New Years party ideas for kids.
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