Summer Science Camp Activities

Set Up a Science Camp for Kids!

Below you will find tons of great summer science camp ideas!

The science camp activities below can work for multiple ages, from preschool to early elementary school. There’s so much learning, playing, and exploring this summer. I have found great science snacks, games, projects, and of course, experiments and activities for each day of the week.

Each day has a theme with several experiments and activities listed to try. You can modify or add to them as needed for different abilities. Encourage kids to use their journals for field notes!

Add In These Free Printable Resources

Free Science Journal Pages

Each day have the kids use their science journals to write or draw about what they learned, observed, and created! A great way to practice writing, mark-making, and drawing over the summer months!

Free Science Camp Activities Guides

We have 12 weeks of free summer camp guides to keep you busy! You can also purchase our “Done-for-You” Summer Camp Bundle here 👇.

A full version of all 12 Weeks is available in our SHOP as well as a bundle of all camp weeks for easy prep!

Make Science Theme Snacks

A summer science camp needs snacks, so why not try a tasty science-themed snack or beverage daily? Science also happens in the kitchen!

• Fizzy Lemonade
• Snack Structures
• Ice Cream in A Bag
• Edible Geodes
• Make Butter (and bread)
• Rock Cycle Bars
• Bread In A Bag
• Popcorn
• Slushie Science

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Play Science Camp Games

Have fun playing and learning! Here’s a list of easy science camp games to play together. 

1. Guess The Object Game

We used paper sandwich bags. Number the bags, at least 10. Put an object inside each bag. Have the kids stick their hands in the bag, feel the object, and make a guess. They can write down their answers or draw what they think it is; for younger kids, keep the objects simple and familiar. For older kids, make it challenging.

Check out: 5 Senses Game

2. Nature Scavenger Hunt

Use egg crates or paper bags to collect a list of items that you can paste directly onto the carton or bag. You can choose specific items based on your area.

Check out: Printable Scavenger Hunts

3. 5 Senses Scavenger Hunt

As above, this time, list the senses to find. Find something rough. Find something red. Listen for a bird. Leave a few snacks out for a sense of taste! Suggest five for each sense, or more, if possible. For instance, this can also include hearing a bird or a car horn!

Check out: Printable Scavenger Hunts

4. Cup Tower Building Contest

Have teams build towers! You can get the large plastic cups or even mini ones at the dollar store. Who can build the tallest tower or stack 100 cups the fastest? You might also like this budget-friendly paper chain challenge contest.

Check Out: 100 Cup Tower Challenge

5. Nature I Spy Game

Collect nature items on a table. You can either play the traditional I spy and ask questions to one another or you can play a memory game. Study the items and then close eyes. Have one person take an item away. Can you guess what’s missing? Work all together or pair kids together.

Check out: Nature Printables

6. Grab This Free Science Bingo

Make Something To Take Home

Each day of science camp has your little scientist campers make a project to take home! Great way to extend learning as they discuss their projects with friends and family!

• Seed Germination Jar
• Penny Spinners
• Build a Robot {save all sorts of  recyclables, odds, and ends, and craft supplies}
• Slime! This is our best ever, no-fail recipe!
• Popsicle Stick Catapult
• Growing Crystals
• Galaxy in a Jar
• Marble Maze

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Set Up Summer Science Experiments & STEM Projects

Here are some of our favorite summer science and STEM play choices!

1. Water Activities

Spend the first day of summer camp exploring the water! Sinking, floating, melting, and flowing! Even build boats that will float or make a bouquet of flowers for solubility

• Build a Water Wall
• Make a Tin Foil River (grab a roll of foil and the hose or a bucket of water and fashion a river out of tin foil
• Penny Boat
• Straw Boat
• LEGO Minifigure Ice Rescue
• Pencil in a Bag
• Water Cycle in a Bag
• Tissue Paper Flowers
• DIY Paddle Boat
• Growing Gummy Bears

Make Boats: Save all those recyclables! Plastic bottles, jugs, milk cartons, and cans are perfect! Add straws, craft supplies, corks, and sponges. You can laminate paper and cut it into triangles for sales. Punch holes to thread on a straw. Test your boats down the tin foil river.

2. Chemical Reactions

What science camp would be complete without fizzing and bubbling chemical reactions? Investigate what happens when two common household items are combined. Test two different chemical reactions and observe them in several unique ways. 

• Alka Seltzer Rocket
• Sand Volcano 
• Homemade Lava Lamp 
• Bursting Bags
• Blowing Up Balloons
• Bottle Rocket
• Lemon Volcano

3. Build Simple Machines

How do machines work? What do machines do for us? Make simple machines with ordinary materials and explore how things work at summer science camp. Grab the free pack too.

• Build a Hand Crank Winch
• Pulley
• Zip Line for Toys
• Cardboard Marble Run
• Popsicle Stick Catapult
• Archimedes Screw

4. Classic Summer STEM

This day of summer activities is all about the classic fun! Check out how common materials make really neat science experiments!

• Magic Milk
• Bouncing Bubbles and More
• Oobleck
• Mentos Geyser
• DIY Pizza Box Oven (get this set up first thing in the morning)
• Spaghetti Marshmallow Tower
• Watermelon Volcano (no waster; use the inside for a snack first)

5. Discovery Stations

The final day of our summer science camp is all about creating and exploring. For the past 4 days, kids have seen how science works! Now set them loose to explore, discover, and invent! Make simple stations for kids to try out. Encourage problem-solving, creating, and engineering.

Try a…

Nature Station

Use your resources! Gather your nature, collect rainwater, and set up a table. Add a mirror, magnifying glass, flashlight, and tweezers! This is a great place to take out colored pencils or crayons and a field guide! Grab some contact paper and make a window hanging by sandwiching natural finds in the contact paper. Try nature weaving, make paint brushes, or try pine cone process art!

Check it out >>> Nature STEM Challenge Cards

Invention Station

Boxes, recyclables, pool noodles, painter’s tape, egg crates, styrofoam, old CDs, string, plastic fruit baskets. You name it! Kids can work together or independently to invent something cool! Have the kids sketch an idea and draw the finished invention. Write a little about what the invention can do. We also have 12 fantastic Jr. Engineers projects listed here to get the ball rolling.

Check it out >>> Real World STEM Template

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Ramps and Measurement Station

Rain gutters make great ramps since nothing will fall off! Quite cheap at the hardware store too. Gather all sorts of objects of different sizes and weights as well as cars. We bought one rain gutter and sawed it in half. Have races and predict which object will win. Put the ramps at different angles to see if the objects go faster or slower. Use a tape measure to see how far different items go!

Make vehicles that go too >>> Try a balloon powered car, rubberband car, or paddle boat, or a balloon rocket!