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Home » Early Years Science » Winter Science Experiments and STEM Challenges for Kids

Winter Science Experiments and STEM Challenges for Kids

Modified: Jan 20, 2025 · Published: Jan 2, 2019 by Emma Vanstone · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

Now that Christmas is over, it’s time to embrace winter and all the exciting science activity opportunities the cold weather opens up. I’ve assembled an exciting collection of winter science experiments and STEM challenges perfect for cheering up a dreary January.

Don’t forget I’ve also got 100s more easy science experiments to do at home and not just for winter!

collage of winter stem challenges including ice excavations and fake snow.

Easy Winter STEM Challenges for Kids

Ice Experiments

All my children love playing with ice. There’s something about it being cold and slippy that really appeals to them. There are endless different ways to explore ice and melting, and all make a great winter science experiment.

Firstly, try a super simple melting activity to learn about changes of state.

Ice fishing

Discover whether ice melts faster in hot or cold water with my ice fishing activity. This is one of my favourite winter science experiments, but it is also great for summertime, too. All you need to do is freeze a plastic fish or small object in a cube of ice along with a piece of string. Tie the other end of the string to a stick, and you have your very own ice fishing rod!

ice fishing winter science experiment

Painting on ice

Try some painting on ice. This is another very simple science activity. Just freeze a sheet of ice and paint over the top. Children can paint, wipe the ice clean and paint again!

tray of ice which has been painted on

Ice decorations

We love these pretty ice decorations, when it’s very cold outside I leave a water-filled ice cube tray outside, and we check to see whether the water freezes overnight.

star decoration made from ice hanging in a tree

Little Bins for Little Hands has some lovely frozen hands. These are very appealing to young children and great fun to melt!

Make some seasonal ice. Try adding pinecones and leaves in autumn, colourful petals and flowers in summer and perhaps some wildflower petals in spring.

Autumn ice - ice made with leaves and pinecones

How about this sparkly ice version? One simple activity is to find ways to make it melt faster. Try using warm water or salt to speed up the melting process.

Bowl of sparkly ice - ice experiment for toddlers

Baking soda and vinegar ice

We had lots of fun with our baking soda ice cubes and love this frozen vinegar idea from Inspiration Laboratories.

baking soda filled ice for a science experiment

Wire through ice

Move wire through ice. A grown-up might have to help with this, and you don’t have to use a large piece as we did.

Make frost on a can

Try to make frost with ice and salt. This activity is always very popular in our house. Frost appears on the side of the can as you watch! For some extra fun, try decorating the can to look like a snowman or Santa!

two tin cans decorated like a snowman for an ice and salt experiment
Frost forming on the outside of. tin can filled with ice, salt and water

More ice experiments and investigations

Do you know you can make hot ice? A hot ice illusion is a great science demonstration.

The Artful Parent has a gorgeous melting ice, salt and watercolour experiment.

Finally, and this is my favourite. Investigate how to help a toy car move across a sheet of ice. Try to find ways to stop the car slipping on the surface.

Snow STEM Challenges for Kids

If you’re lucky enough to have snow, a snow volcano is a brilliant outdoor activity. You’ll need snow, red food colouring, a small bottle or container, baking soda and vinegar.

Baking soda volcano made out of snow with red lava

Snowman Science Experiments

Find out how simple circuits work with this easy playdough light up snowman.

Play dough snowmen circuits

If you don’t have snow, try to make your own snow with one of my three easy snow recipes.

Sensory snow made from cornflour and water

Winter STEM Challenges for Kids

Learn about forces with a simple snowman catapult! Children can experiment with ping pong balls, pom poms and other small items.

Snowman themed lollystick catapult

We love this snowman stretch challenge from Feel Good Teaching.

Make a raft for a reindeer, or try one of my other festive STEM Challenges.

Winter STEM Challenge Printable

Finally, download my FREE winter STEM Challenges printable.

Ice Cube Shelter

The idea behind this activity is to build a structure that will slow down the speed at which an ice cube melts. This is a good activity for thinking about insulating materials.

Melting Marshmallows

Warm up with a hot chocolate STEM challenge. Make one drink warm and one hot to find out where the marshmallows melt the fastest.

Icy Rescue

Freeze a small toy figure or object in ice and rescue it using warm and cold water and salt!

Winter STEM Challenges
Free winter STEM challenges

Do you have any other winter or icy science ideas for us?

Which is your favourite winter science experiment?

Easy winter science experiments for kids #winterscience #scienceforkids #scienceexperimentsforwinter #iceexperiments

Last Updated on January 20, 2025 by Emma Vanstone

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Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Katie @ Gift of Curiosity

    December 31, 2012 at 3:42 am

    These are some fantastic and original ideas for playing with ice. I especially like the ice in a balloon and seasonal ice activities. I look forward to trying some of these out with my kids!

    Reply
    • ScienceSparks

      January 08, 2013 at 10:30 pm

      Let us know how you get on. x

      Reply
  2. Amycha

    December 31, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    Great ideas to keep kids busy during winter months. Thank you

    Reply
    • ScienceSparks

      January 08, 2013 at 10:31 pm

      Glad you like them.

      Reply
  3. TheBoyandMe

    January 04, 2013 at 10:28 pm

    Brilliant, thank you!

    Reply
    • ScienceSparks

      January 07, 2013 at 1:12 pm

      Thank you. xxx

      Reply
  4. Capture by Lucy

    January 08, 2013 at 4:43 pm

    Wow I just found your post through Coombemill! We had great fun with dino ice this week!

    Reply
    • ScienceSparks

      January 08, 2013 at 10:30 pm

      ooooh dino ice sounds good. x

      Reply
  5. Angela

    January 17, 2013 at 6:55 pm

    Love this! We just played with ice for a sensory activity the other day!! We’ll have to try these ideas sometime! http://teachingmama.org/winter-sensory-play-day-3/

    Reply
  6. Fi

    January 18, 2013 at 3:02 pm

    Great fun! we’ll be giving some of these a try for sure. We msde ice paints last week which were great fun!

    Reply
  7. elizabeth wheeler

    January 21, 2013 at 11:47 am

    We make ice boats!
    1. Grab a not-too-deep, plastic container of any shape
    2. Grab a mast – we like to use large wooden popsicle sticks as they are not so harmful to the environment, but some people use a drinking straw
    3. Make a sail to fit your mast – as simple or elaborate as you like. We use paper or cardboard and tape it to the mast
    4. Pop a small ball of modelling clay or blutac into the base and secure the mast upright
    5. Fill the container two thirds with water – we often add some food dye, this looks amazing as the boats melt, especially if you can convince your small people to let the water alone so it stays very still and flat (in this case, you get another science lesson as you observe currents and eddies)
    6. Freeze then sail in a bathtub or splashpool or even a baby bath

    Reply

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