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November is the perfect time to take a break from worksheets and try some hands-on, fun Thanksgiving STEM activities! Find all of our favorite STEM ideas below!
Thanksgiving STEM Activities
If you’re feeling a little burn out with your regular routine, it might be a good time to take a break from and try out some hands-on Thanksgiving STEM projects!
If you’re familiar with STEM activities and projects, you probably know that STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. But around here STEM projects take on a whole new meaning in November!
Our Thanksgiving STEM activities stand for:
Slime
Turkey
Experiments
Munchies
Read on to find 5 slime recipes, 5 turkey activities and challenges, 5 fall and Thanksgiving themed experiments, and 5 STEM activities with Thanksgiving foods!
Thanksgiving Stem Activities: S is for Slime
There’s no stickier, gooier way to get in some hands-on science than slime! Check out these fun slime chemistry lessons perfect for Thanksgiving!
Cinnamon Slime
If slime grosses you out, ease your way into it with a slime that smells delicious. Cinnamon slime recipe from Kimspired DIY is sure delight at least some of your senses.
Fluffy Turkey Thanksgiving Slime
Make your own fluffy slime in a turkey jar with this recipe from Little Bins for Little Hands. Fun slime recipe to occupy little hands somewhere other than the dinner table!
Taste-safe Cranberry Slime
Schooling a Monkey brings us a slime recipe that’s safe for even the littlest scientists. A bag of cranberries can go a long way in November!
Fall Leaves Slime
Love that My Home Based Life has given us a printable recipe for this slime. No rushing back to the computer with my slime hands. Clear confetti slime with a fall theme.
Sparkly Fall Slime
Simple, no borax, glittery, sparkly fal-themed slime. Recipe and instructions brought to you by Teaching Mama.
Thanksgiving STEM Activities: T is for Turkey
These turkey themed games and challenges will get your tiny turkeys really thinking this Thanksgiving!
Turkey Balloon Rockets
Try the seriously fun side of STEM with these awesome rockets from Growing a Jeweled Rose. Take this project to the next level by measuring how far different turkeys go. Does the shape or weight of the balloon make a difference?
Lego Turkey Building
Frugal Fun 4 Boys gives us direcions for building Lego Turkeys to decorate our table. Want a challenge? Have your children scale up the turkey size for a larger centerpiece!
Bending Turkey BonesÂ
Don’t toss those turkey bones after Thanksgiving! Use them for a cool experiment brought to us by Layers of Learning. This also works with chicken bones if you’re planning to do it before Thanksgiving.
Turkey Egg Drop Experiment
Schooling a Monkey brings us the classic egg drop experiment with a new twist – Turkeys! Can you save your little turkey from cracking?
Turkey Baster Relay Race
Harness the power or wind with your turkey basters (we have a few floating around even though we only use them once a year!) and have a relay race with turkey feathers! Fun idea from The Inspired Treehouse.
Thanksgiving STEM Activities: E is for Experiments
Thanksgiving is a great time to experiment with all things fall! These experiments can all be completed using materials found in and around your house.
Whip Off the Tablecloth Trick
You might want to practice this one somewhere other than the Thanksgiving dinner table! Steve Spangler Science presents the astonishing table cloth trick – sure to capture any kid’s attention. Try the trick and find out the science behind it.
Pine Cone Weather Station
A simple but interesting experiment that will lead to an ongoing observation of your pine cones and the daily weather. Did you know pine cones can predict the weather? Directions from Science Sparks.
Leaf Chromatography
Find out the science behind the color changing leaves in your community with this intriguing experiement from Play Dough to Plato.
Hot Chocolate Science Experiment
This is just the right time to break out the hot chocolate. Why not turn it into a fun experiment. What temperature of water makes the best chocolate-y drink? Check out the detailed instructions and conclusions from Creative Family Fun.
Fall Sink or Float
B Inspired Mama says this is a preschool activity, but sink and float concepts extend through the primary grades. I know my 2nd grader would get into teaching his little sis about pine cones, apples, leaves, and other fall items! Send the kiddos out to collect their own fall items, make a few predictions, and see what sinks and floats!
Thanksgiving STEM Activities: M is for Munchies
The one thing most associated with Thanksgiving? The food! Turn your Thanksgiving feast into a learning experience with these great Thanksgiving STEM activities.
Build a Dugout Canoe
Learning about Thanksgiving means honoring our country’s Native American roots. Add to your Thanksgiving studies by learning about the dugout canoes. Then, make your own from zucchini, squash, potatoes, or pumpkins with full instructions and video from The Learning Hypothesis.
Hopping Corn Science Activity
One Time Through brings us an experiment straight from the table: Hopping Corn! A fun experiment with only a few supplies that you probably have in your kitchen already.
Homemade Butter in a Jar
Turn a science experiment into part of your Thanksgiving meal with this butter experiment from 123 Homeschool for me. We’ve done this one, and after a lot of shaking, the butter is quite delicious!
Apple Stack Engineering
Do you have a few apples waiting for a pie? Try this fun STEM challenge from Schooling a Monkey. Good clean (no mess) fun.
Thanksgiving STEM Cranberry Structures
Take dinner to the next level with this cranberry themed STEM challenge from Little Bins for Little Hands. What can you build with these simple objects?
Don’t miss our printable Thanksgiving Games pack! Now available.
More Thanksgiving activities from the Resource Room:
- Free Thanksgiving Placemats for Kids: 10 FUN Designs
- November Writing Prompts: FREE Printable Calendar!
- 12 Engaging & Energizing Thanksgiving Brain Breaks for Kids!
Ashley helps parents who want to homeschool find the resources they need to successfully teach their children. Ashley is a former teacher, current homeschooler, published author, and designer behind Circle Time with Miss Fox printables as well as the creator of this website, The Homeschool Resource Room.
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