At the Schroeder Family Exploreum, we believe that curiosity doesn’t have to stop when you leave our events. Science, technology, engineering, art, and math can come alive in everyday activities right at home. With a few common materials and a little creativity, families can turn their kitchens, living rooms, or backyards into spaces for discovery and problem-solving.
Hands-on experiments are a fun way for children to learn scientific concepts. Try creating a “volcano” with baking soda and vinegar to introduce chemical reactions. For something visual, fill a glass with water and place a straw inside—then hold it up to the light to explore refraction. These small projects spark curiosity and provide talking points about the “why” behind the reactions.
Encourage kids to think like engineers by setting up simple building challenges. Using household items such as cardboard, tape, and string, children can design and test their own bridges or towers. For a tech twist, try coding a simple game together using free online platforms like Scratch. These activities give children hands-on problem-solving opportunities while also showing them how technology and engineering shape the world.
One of the most exciting parts of STEAM learning is the “A”—art. Families can explore the connection between science and creativity by experimenting with color mixing, shadow tracing, or even building kaleidoscopes out of paper towel tubes and reflective paper. Projects like these help children see that innovation often happens when art and science intersect.
Math isn’t just worksheets—it’s part of our daily routines. Challenge your children to help measure ingredients while cooking dinner, calculate the change at the store, or keep score during a family board game. You can also create a “math scavenger hunt” around the house, asking kids to find shapes, patterns, or objects of specific measurements. These exercises show that math is both useful and fun.
At the Exploreum, we know that learning is most impactful when families do it together. Whether it’s through science experiments, building challenges, or creative art projects, exploring STEAM at home strengthens problem-solving skills and curiosity. Give these challenges and activities a try at home and see what you can discover!