Easter STEM Challenges to Keep Their Brains Hopping
I’m always looking for fun ways to channel our kids spring energy into something educational. The excitement of the cooler weather and the Earth bursting with newness gives me motivation for creating fun activities like the Easter STEM Challenge! These challenges blend the best of science, technology, engineering, and math with Easter-themed fun—think jelly bean towers, egg drop experiments, and bunny zipline races!
Whether you’re in a classroom, homeschooling one child or a full co-op crew, Easter STEM Challenges are easy to set up with minimal supplies and maximum engagement. Kids will love testing their ideas, solving problems, and working together to find the best solutions.
1. Jelly Bean Tower Challenge
Objective: Build the tallest freestanding tower using only jelly beans and toothpicks.
STEM Focus: Engineering, structure stability, trial and error.
Instructions:
- Give each child a small pile of jelly beans and toothpicks.
- Set a timer for 10–15 minutes.
- See who can build the tallest tower that stands for at least 10 seconds!
Pro tip: Mini marshmallows work too, if the jelly beans keep mysteriously disappearing…
2. Bunny Zipline Race
Objective: Create a zipline for a paper bunny and test how fast it can travel.
STEM Focus: Physics, gravity, friction.
Instructions:
- Use string, straws, paper, and tape to create a bunny that slides down a zipline.
- Hang the string at an angle between two chairs or a staircase.
- Time your bunny’s descent—can you make it faster?
Try variations using different materials and observe the speed changes!
Related Easter Activity: Hop into Sentences Game
3. Egg Drop Protection Mission
Objective: Design a “nest” to keep a real egg from cracking when dropped.
STEM Focus: Impact force, cushioning, problem-solving.
Instructions:
- Provide materials like cotton balls, tape, plastic bags, paper, etc.
- Let kids build a protective structure around their egg.
- Drop from increasing heights and observe the results!
Add points for creativity, minimal materials used, or the highest safe drop.
4. Egg-cellent Catapult
Objective: Build a mini catapult to launch plastic eggs.
STEM Focus: Simple machines, angles, measurement.
Instructions:
- Use craft sticks, rubber bands, plastic spoons, and tape.
- Launch plastic eggs and measure distances.
- Try different launch angles or egg weights.
Turn it into a friendly competition with targets or point zones!
5. Sink or Float: Easter Edition
Objective: Predict and test which Easter items will sink or float.
STEM Focus: Buoyancy, hypothesis testing.
Instructions:
- Gather small themed objects: jelly beans, peeps, coins, plastic eggs (empty and filled), etc.
- Let your child guess what will happen.
- Test in a bowl of water and record the results.
Bonus round: Can they make a floating raft out of jelly beans?
Grab the Free Printable STEM Challenge Cards!
To make these activities grab-and-go, I created a free printable set of Easter STEM Challenge Cards + a record sheet where kids can:
- Track predictions and results
- Reflect on what worked (or didn’t!)
- Sketch designs and improvements
More Fun Easter STEM Activities
Download Your Printable Pack Here
Angela is the Homeschool Encourager for the Overwhelmed & Under-Caffeinated and the Chaos-to-Confidence Specialist behind Schooling with Grace. With a no-fluff approach, a dash of humor, and a whole lot of heart, she helps homeschool moms cut through the chaos, ditch unrealistic expectations, and teach with confidence.