When it comes to science, nothing should be scary. Except at Halloween! These easy Halloween STEM activities for kids are so much fun to try during spooky season!
If you love Halloween and you teach kids (either in a classroom or just like helping out with science at home!)
You’ll find that these Halloween STEM activities for kids provide the perfect blend between spooky and education.
Keep reading to learn more about these easy Halloween STEM challenges and how to bring the holiday to life with hands-on STEM.
We also have Halloween STEM activities for kindergarten, Halloween STEM for first grade, Halloween STEM for 2nd grade, Halloween STEM for 3rd grade, Halloween STEM for 4th grade, Halloween STEM ideas for 5th grade, and middle school Halloween STEM activities!
What Do I need for Halloween STEM Activities?
There are supplies that every teacher or parent should have on hand for STEM activities. Also, don’t forget to pick up a set of our FREE Halloween STEM challenge promots!
These are some favorites for elementary kids:
The Mason Jar Scientist: 30 Jarring STEAM-Based Projects
Ball Regular Mouth Mason Jars with Lids and Bands, 16-Ounces (4-Pack)Crisco Pure Vegetable Oil, 32 OunceBarbasol Soothing Aloe Thick & Rich Shaving Cream 10 Oz (2 Pack)Alka-Seltzer PFY BXAS50 80659297 Antacid and Pain Relief Medicine, Two-Pack (Pack of 50)Kadaon 10X Handheld Magnifier Antique Mahogany Handle Magnifier Reading Magnifying Glass for Reading Book, Inspection, Coins, Insects, Rocks, Map, Crossword PuzzleBORAX 20 Mule Team Laundry Booster, Powder, 4 PoundsFine Ground Celtic Sea Salt – (1) 16 Ounce Resealable Bag of Nutritious, Classic Sea Salt, Great for Cooking, Baking, Pickling, Finishing and More, Pantry-Friendly, Gluten-FreeMcCormick Assorted Food Color, 1 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)Food Coloring – 12 Color Vibrant Cake Food Coloring Set for Baking, Decorating, Fondant and Cooking – Upgraded Liquid Concentrated Icing Food Color Dye for Slime Making, DIY Crafts – .25 fl. oz. Each30% Pure Vinegar – Home&Garden (1 Gallon)Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda, 5 lbArgo Corn Starch 16 oz. Box (Pack of 4)
And here are some science and STEM kids that we like to use sometimes:
Learn & Climb Kids Science Kit – Over 60 Experiments, Fun with Science!Scientific Explorer Scientific Explorer Magic Science for Wizards Only Kids Science KitCIRO solar robot kit 12 in 1 educational STEM learning science building toys for kids age 8-12Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Exploration Kit, Kids Building Projects Kits, Stem Engineering Toys for Kids 8+Soap & Bath Bomb Making Kit for Kids – 3-in-1 Spa Science Kits For Kids : Complete Soap Making Kit & Make Your Own Bath Bombs, Soap & Bath Scrubs : Kids Science Kit For Kids – Gift for Girls and BoysScientific Explorer Disgusting Science KitLearn & Climb Erupting Volcano Science Kit for Kids- 15 Experiments!Klutz Lego Chain Reactions Science & Building Kit, Age 84M 4605 Water Rocket Kit – DIY Science Space Stem Toys Gift for Kids & Teens, Boys & GirlsGiggleway Electric Motor Robotic Science Kits, DIY STEM Toys for kids, Building Science Experiment Kits for Boys and Girls-Doodling, Balance Car, Reptile Robot (3 kits)2Pepers Electric Motor Robotic Science Kits for Kids (4-in-1), DIY STEM Toys Kids Science Experiment Kits, Building Educational Robotics Kit for Boys and Girls,Circuit Engineering Science Project KitsLearn & Climb Science Kit for Kids – Set Includes Over 65 Science Experiments + Scientist Name tag!Dino Soap Making Kit for Kids – Dinosaur Science Kit for Kids : Great Gift for Girls and BoysLight-up Crystal Growing Science Experiments Kit for Kids – Grow Your Own Crystals and Make Them Glow : Best Gifts for Kids, Boys & Girls – STEM Toys – Crystal Making Science Kits – (Red White Blue)Thames & Kosmos Simple Machines Science Experiment & Model Building Kit, Introduction to Mechanical Physics, Build 26 Models to Investigate The 6 Classic Simple MachinesThe Mason Jar Scientist: 30 Jarring STEAM-Based Projects
And to keep things spooky, try adding elements like glow in the dark powder, or skulls, or eyeballs.
How to Set Up a Halloween STEM Activity
Just like any other STEM activity, a Halloween STEM activity should be well thought out and encourage kids to think for themselves and come up with creative solutions to a problem.
You can also use Halloween STEAM activities to explore scientific concepts in a hands-on way.
I like to divide the supplies before getting started so that distractions are reduced.
Before handing out supplies, we discuss the concepts with the students and then hand out the materials so they can explore on their own.
Finally, I like to use a worksheet to summarize the concepts and what they learned (our STEM activity worksheet is a popular free option, which you can get below).
The Complete List of Halloween STEM Activities for Kids
While a lot of Halloween STEM projects mix several elements of science, technology, engineering, and math (and ideally all 4!),
I thought it would be helpful to break down some of these Halloween activities into categories where they are divided by the strongest STEM topic.
So, even though the Halloween science experiments, for example, will also have math and technology elements, the main focus of the lesson is still science, and it’s the same for the other topics.
Halloween Science Experiments
These Halloween STEM challenges all have a science focus.
Learn How to Make Gross, Creepy Zombie Slime with this easy recipe.
When you make skull slime, kids can explore solutions and polymer chains.
This spidersilk slime looks just like a spiderweb!
Learn about crystals when you make these witch salt crystals.
Learn about how eyeballs attach to the body when you make eyeball slime.
Make a spooky density jar and explore liquid density!
This spider leg potion teaches kids about chemical reactions and how new substances can be made when other substances are mixed.
Halloween Technology Activities
These STEM activities for Halloween have a big technology element.
Make Boiling blood slime and learn about chemical reactions.
Design and shoot off Creeper rockets and learn about the technology behind rocket science!
Learn what colors are hiding in “bland” markers with the ghost chromotography experiment.
Make this bubbling witch’s brew and find out why it boils and bubbles!
Make your own Halloween shadow puppets and put on a spooky puppet show!
Halloween Engineering Challenges
These Halloween STEM projects have a big engineering focus.
Make a spooky diving ghost and learn about the science behind a common magic trick.
Learn about polymer chains with the Halloween brain surgery experiment.
Make a leakproof voodo doll and learn about some science behind a seeminly “magic” activity!
Build a creepy catapult and shoot bugs across the classroom.
Halloween Math Activities
These Halloween activities mainly focus on math.
Kids will love making these Jello worms as one of their Halloween STEM activities.
Make edible bacteria and learn about measuring and following a recipe, and what bacteria looks like!
These Halloween math activities are perfect for 3rd and 4th grade.
Help kids learn time with pumpkin time math!
These Halloween math games are perfect for spooky season.
Older kids can practice their math facts with this spooky multiplication and division set.
What are your favorite Halloween STEM activities for kids?