The Big Book of 100 STEM Activities
Laura Minter & Tia Williams
Button Books

There’s fun learning aplenty in this latest offering from team Laura and Tia. Comprising one hundred STEM activities divided into nine sections, each one is clearly set out with step-by-step instructions and photos to act as a helpful guide. First though, essential reading is an introductory spread that includes a paragraph about safety, one listing craft essentials and another, food items.

Most of the activities (or variations of them) are familiar to me as a primary teacher of many years experience and having worked with all ages from 4 to 11, but there are some I’ve not come across before. One such is the Da Vinci bridge construction from the ‘Engineering & Numbers’ section: this requires nothing more than 18 lolly sticks of the same size, some manual dexterity and patience.

Another from the ‘Matter & Molecules’ section – Ziplock pencils – is best done outdoors for obvious reasons.

Did you know you can make a rocket from a paper straw and find out something about propulsion and air resistance while so doing? This is an activity that might be even more enjoyable if done with a friend or sibling as with two people they could add a competitive element and see who can send their rocket further each time. You’ll find it in the ‘Motion’ section.

With Christmas holidays on the horizon this could be a boon for restless children; it will keep them gainfully engaged away from their screens for a considerable time.