Football fans and future scientists will love my collection of hands-on football themed science experiments and sporty STEM Challenges. Whether you’re a teacher looking for engaging classroom activities, a parent wanting to spark your child’s creativity or a curious football fan, you’re in the right place.
These ten hands-on football STEM activities will keep kids engaged and learning while exploring the science behind the game. They are perfect for a school sports week or science fun at home in the garden.
Football STEM Challenges
Bouncing balls
Find out why balls bounce with a simple science investigation using different sizes and shapes of balls. This activity also comes with a free experiment worksheet.
Waterproof a football
Learn about waterproof and non-waterproof materials with a simple waterproof a football science activity. The idea is to cover a drawing of a football boot with different materials, then sprinkle each with water to find out which material is most waterproof.
Design a dream football boot
Draw and design a football boot from the future, thinking about the materials to use, their properties, and the features and benefits of each design aspect.
Build a mini football-kicking machine
We built a mini football kicking machine using lolly sticks and a wooden skewer. The boot on the end of the moving middle stick can kick the table tennis ball football!
I turned this into an investigation by adding play dough to the swinging shoe to determine if the extra mass made the football boot push the ball further.
Football goal STEM challenge
Make a football goal from a cardboard box and add a moving goalie! We attached a lolly stick to a cardboard figure and made a long cut in the back of the box so he could move.
Exercise and heart rate
Find out how exercise affects heart rate with a simple science investigation. This is a great activity for learning about the heart and respiratory system.
Build a mini football table
JDaniel4’s Mom has a great mini DIY football table. This would make a brilliant teambuilding STEM challenge, and a large-scale version would be incredible!
Test Reaction Time
Footballers need to be able to react very quickly. You can test your reaction times using a ruler with a simple science activity.
Kitchen Towel Flags
Learn about football team flags with a fun, absorbing activity using kitchen roll and felt-tip pens. This simple activity is a fun, hands-on way to learn about the countries of the world.
Football STEM Challenges Printable
I’ve created a sheet of 4 football STEM challenges with basic instructions for inspiration in the classroom or at home. These are great for encouraging open-ended exploration and learning.
Buy a pack of FIVE Football Science Investigations
The individual activities can be downloaded for free above, or if you’d like a handy pack of five in one place, click the link below.
Last Updated on July 1, 2026 by Emma Vanstone
