Easy Spring STEM Challenges

Today’s new STEM challenges celebrate all things spring! Here at Science Sparks, we are looking forward to better weather and all the new growth, colour and life that spring brings.

Try these easy spring STEM Challenges to get the new season off to a great start.

What is Spring?

Spring is the season between winter and summer, often associated with flowers blooming, trees starting to grow green leaves, chicks and lambs being born, and the weather finally warming up after a cold winter. The hours of daylight start to lengthen, building up to the longest day on the 21st of June in the Northern Hemisphere.

What is the Spring Equinox?

There are two equinoxes each year ( an equinox is when the sun passes directly over the equator – the tilt of the Earth is 0 degrees ). On both equinoxes, the daylight hours are equal to those of darkness. Equinoxes occur around March 21st (the beginning of spring ) and September 21st (the start of autumn ).

Solstices happen around June 21st and December 21st, marking the start of summer and the start of winter.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the June solstice is the first day of summer, and the December solstice is the first day of Winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the other way around.

Now we know a little about the seasons, let’s get into the fun bit!!

Spring STEM Challenges

You can print the spring STEM Challenge cards by clicking on the button below or by following the instructions on the linked pages.

Spring STEM Challenges

Dissect a Flower

A flower dissection is a simple spring science activity that can easily be adapted for different ages.

Younger children can pull the flower apart and identify the stem, leaves and petals.

Older children can look at the reproductive parts of the plant in more detail, too!

labelled flower diagram using real flowers that have been dissected

Another idea is to make a 3D flower model.

Opening Flowers

A magic opening flowers challenge is a lovely springtime activity that always gets a wow response from my children.

You cut a flower shape out from different types of paper, fold up the petals, place the flower on top of the water in a tray and watch as it opens.

Capillary action experiment using sugar paper flowers with the petals folded up. The petals then open when the flower is put onto the surface of water because the paper absorbs water by capillary action.

Build a Rain Shelter or Umbrella

The idea behind this challenge is to build a waterproof shelter or umbrella to keep a toy figure dry. It’s a great opportunity to encourage children to think about how different materials have different properties.

We made umbrellas for Incy Wincy Spider.

umbrellas for Incy wincy spider STEM Challenge

Make a Sundial

Did you know you can make a sundial from just a pencil and a bit of plasticine ( and a sunny day )?

The challenge is to plot 12 hours!! It might not give you the shape you imagine…

Simple sundial made by placing a straw in plasticine outside and marking how the shadows change throughout the day.

More Spring STEM Challenges

Grow a bean in a jar

A bean in a jar is an easy activity and a fantastic, visual way to learn about the conditions needed for germination. Another idea is to set up two and grow one in the dark and one in the light to see what happens.

Find out how rainclouds form with a colourful raincloud in a jar activity.

Make your own seed bombs!

Sprout heads are a great springtime activity, too!

Learn about different types of clouds by making egg whites on toast!