Pi Day is March 14th, 3.14! Do you know all about Pi? I had fun learning some new things about Pi and sharing them with my son. You can keep Pi simple for young kids and still have fun and teach a little something too. These are easy-to-set-up geometry STEAM activities for Pi Day.
Celebrate with Pi Day Activities
March 14th or 3.14 is National Pi Day is a celebration of one of mathematics greatest constants ~ 3.14. Pi has been a subject of discussion for over 4,000 years and mathematicians including Fibonacci have pondered over it!
While we aren’t all famous mathematicians, circles are for everyone! Kiddos of all ages can explore the concept of Pi even in kindergarten and early elementary school through middle school. Currently, in 7th grade, we are using pi for circumference and volume. Get started early by simply exploring circles!
“Probably no symbol in mathematics has evoked as much mystery, romanticism, misconception and human interest as the number pi” ~William L. Schaaf, Nature and History of Pi
What is Pi?
Pi is a ratio. What is a ratio? A ratio is a relationship between two numbers. How many times does the lowest number go into the highest number? Pi is the circumference/diameter.
Pi is a constant. All circles will have the same ratio of circumference to diameter which is Pi or 3.14.
Pi is a (very)long number with no repeating pattern. You can even find your birthday in it I have read.
What is the circumference of a circle? The distance around the outside of a circle
What is the diameter of a circle? The distance across a circle. The radius is 1/2 the diameter.
All circles, no matter how big or small, have the same ratio of diameter to circumference.
Easy Pi Day Activities for Young Kids
Even if your kiddos aren’t old enough to grasp the concept of pi, you can still celebrate the day and talk about pi!
- Go on a circle hunt and point out everything circular.
- Gather circular items and put them in order of size.
- Make playdough circles (roll the dough into “snakes” to create circles).
- Cut out paper circles and use any of our process art techniques.
- Bake a pie together and enjoy a slice of pie for pi day!
- Read Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi by Cindy Neuschwander (amazon affiliate link)
Pi STEAM Activity
How about a little STEAM fun? We took the items we found and traced their outlines on paper. Add art to your STEM for STEAM by making Pi doodles! We colored them, created patterns, and talked about Pi. Create Zentangles with circles. Download the quick Pi Day coloring sheet here.
Circle Pi STEAM Activities for Kids
What else can you do with circles? Create art, explore light, and dive into more math!
- Explore the famous artist Kandinsky and his use of circles with Kandinsky’s Trees
- Create a spinning color wheel to explore Newton’s discovery of the visible spectrum of light.
- Learn about Fibonacci and his special number sequence!
- Archimedes played around with pi, and you can make an Archimedes screw!
Graph with Pi or 3.1415926!
- Grab the LEGO, a baseplate, and stack towers to represent the numbers in pi!
- Use graph paper to create pi. Use different colors for the different numbers.
- Turn your graph into a cityscape and think of each one as a building. Add windows and doors to create a skyline. Finish it off with a sunset, night sky, or rainbow!
Easy Pi Day Activities for Older Kids
Check out these printable projects you can add to your hands-on exploration of Pi! Learn a few pi facts, calculate the circumference, and practice other math skills perfect for elementary through middle school. Click on the images below.
Pi Day Color By Number
Add this free Pi Day color-by-number pack to your Pi Day party! What’s my favorite activity? Baking pie of course! Even a quick no-bake pie with a premade graham cracker crust and instant pudding is a big hit!
More Geometry and Math Activities for Kids
Make your own DIY Geoboard flowers.
Have fun with Fibonacci activities for kids.
Make a mobius strip.
Teach symmetry with basic LEGO bricks.
Explore geometric shapes, with a free printable included.
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Zap Zap Math can be downloaded across all devices here: http://www.zapzapmath.com/downloads. Hope you and your readers find it useful, as I have for my students.