27 St Patricks Day STEM Activities and STEAM for Kids

2

Kids love holidays and special occasions. Anything green or rainbow on St. Patrick’s Day seems to become more fun. From a green t-shirt to a granny smith apple there is just something special in the air on St. Patrick’s Day. Let kids in on the excitement of the day with this collection of 27 St Patricks Day STEM activities and STEAM activities.

One of my favorite things to plan for my classroom are STEM activities. STEM activities are challenges or hands-on activities that focus on one, or a combination, of Science Technology Engineering and Math skills. Make learning these skills even more fun by adding a St. Patrick’s Day theme to the activities this year.

STEM activities for kids encourage problem solving, critical thinking and thinking outside the box for new, creative, solutions. It also encourages a love for, and confidence in, these very important, but sometimes intimidating subject areas.

More recently art activities have been added to STEM activities, also known as STEAM activities. So, to balance this list of STEM activities, I have added some St. Patrick’s Day art activities, making the list below to include STEAM activities for kids.

St patricks day STEM activities for kids shows a collection of activities in a collage.

Check out the collection of activities below, with a focus on science experiments first. St Patricks Day STEM activities for kids don’t need to be expensive. When looking through the activities, consider what materials you already have on hand to easily, quickly and inexpensively do the STEM activity.

St. Patrick’s Day Science Experiments

Have an explosive time on St. Patrick’s Day with this fizzing science experiment. Use a few simple household materials to create this science experiment that kids will love. There’s even a surprise treasure inside.

STEM activities for kids shows green pucks with shamrocks and coins
Click image for Fizzing Shamrock activity
STEM activities for kids shows a fizzing green baking soda puck with a coin showing through
Click image for activity

Hands-on learning is the best way to learn. With this salt crystal experiment, children will learn about how crystals form, saturation and dissolving while they create a beautiful shamrock.

science experiment showing three green crystalized pipe cleaners.
Click image for activity

This walking rainbow chromatography pots of gold activity is a super low-prep STEM activity that demonstrates capillary action, cohesion, and adhesion! Kids will love watching the rainbow ‘walk’ from one pot to another.

stem activity shows five black small cauldrons with paper towel hanging over the side of each into the next one with rainbow colors on it
Click image for activity

Bring on the rainbows! Create a foaming rainbow with this exploding science experiment. Make sure you have containers big enough to catch all of the foam!

St patricks day STEM activities for kids shows a foaming rainbow in a bowl.
Click image for foaming rainbow

Instead of gold inside, create a fizzing treasure pot with this exciting, and simple science experiment that kids will love to get their hands on!

STEM activities for kids shows a fizzing yellow bubbly material coming out of a black cauldron
Click for fizzing pots experiment

St Patricks Day STEM Activities – Sensory Snow

Create an endothermic reaction with household materials and make Leprechaun Snow!

sensory activity shows a tray with green material, coins, cauldron and rainbow pieces in it
Click image for activity

What kid doesn’t love slime? Add a St. Patrick’s Day theme with this rainbow slime recipe and instructions.

science experiment shows rainbow slime running over a glass jar
Click image for rainbow slime activity

Help a leprechaun out this St. Patrick’s Day with this hands-on St. Patrick’s Day STEM challenge for kids. Free printable activity cards available!

All you need is a bag of candies and some warm water for this beautiful science experiment. Children will love watching as the rainbow emerges. Free tag available.

St patricks day STEM activities for kids shows 4 images of candies in a circle with water melting them to make a rainbow
Click image for candy rainbow experiment

Who needs a leprechaun when you can grow your own pot of gold with science!

STEAM activities for kids could be as the image shows of a black cauldron with a chunk of yellow/gold in it
Click image for pot of gold activity

My students, and my own children, always love doing this experiment! Teach children about density and liquids as they watch in awe as the rainbow layers are formed.

STEM activity shows a glass jar with rainbow layers in it
Click image for density experiment

Grow a crystal rainbow using Borax. These turn out beautifully and it is a great experiment for children to create and then check on every hour or so to observe the changes – just like a scientist.

science experiments for kids shows rainbow pipe cleaners hanging in a liquid glass jar
Click image for crystal rainbow activity

I know a lot of kids who would LOVE making one of these! Use a few simple ingredients to create a bouncy ball that actually bounces.

St patricks day STEM activities for kids shows a child holding a green bouncy ball
Click image for bouncy ball activity

Add rainbow beads to your St. Patrick’s Day slime to make a great sensory experience for kids. Instructions on how to make the slime and sensory ideas are included.

STEM activities for kids shows green slime with small rainbow pieces in it
Click image for slime sensory

St Patricks Day STEM Activities for Kids – Walking Rainbow

Try the classic walking water experiment with a twist. Make the rainbow form an arch like an actual rainbow for some extra fun on St. Patrick’s Day.

science experiments for kids shows a rainbow on paper towel creating an arch with a glass bowl over it
Click image for grow a rainbow experiment

My kids would love this! Add to the fun of making slime by making it edible.

science experiments for kids shows a spoon scooping a sticky green liquid up
Click image to make edible slime

St. Patricks Day STEM Activities – Technology

Computer programmers make a plan in order to think of problems that might appear and solutions for how they are going to deal with them. Think like a programmer and write an algorithm to help Paddy the Leprechaun collect the gold coins.

St patricks day STEM activities for kids shows a printable st patricks day coding activity
Click image for coding activity.

Coding is an important skill for children to learn. Work on math and technology skills this St. Patrick’s Day with these printable coding sequences.

STEM activities for kids shows a page that can be printed with st patricks day images on it
Click image for coding activity

St. Patricks Day STEM Activities for Kids – Engineering

Challenge children to create a leprechaun trap with this collection of ideas.

STEM challenge for kids shows a collage of seven images of leprechaun traps
Click image for trap ideas

My kids would love to create and play with this! Children engineer a catapult with these clear step by step instructions. Once finished, children then use their catapult and experiment through trial and error to fly cereal through the air into a leprechaun pot.

STEM challenge for kids  to create a popsicle stick catapult with marshmallow cereal to throw into six black cauldrons
Click image for catapult activity

Leprechaun traps are a common creation for kids on St. Patrick’s Day. Is this a leprechaun trap or a leprechaun garden? Either way how adorable is this example? Free printable rainbow and pot of gold templates available.

St patricks day STEM activities for kids shows a leprechaun trap
Click image for leprechaun trap ideas

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by giving children choice. These STEM activity cards are the perfect way to fill your day with lots of St. Patrick’s Day themed activities.

STEM activities for kids shows a printable sheet with STEM activities on it
Click image for STEM activity cards

If you are looking for more leprechaun trap ideas, click on the image below for more ideas and strategies for how to trap the leprechaun.

STEM challenge for kids for create a leprechaun trap
Click image for leprechaun trap ideas

St. Patrick’s Day STEM Activities – Math

How cute are these shamrock bookmarks? Children practice basic math skills such as symmetry and angles when making this origami bookmark.

Math activities for kids shows an image of green shamrock with a cute face being held by a hand

Gold coins are often found on St. Patrick’s Day and are a great way to attract leprechauns. Get creative by designing your own coins this St. Patrick’s Day. Decide on the value of your coin and think about the size by checking other coins and money.

St patricks day STEM activities for kids shows coins made from different colored clay
Click image for design a coin activity

STEAM Art Activities

Create a beautiful raised shamrock using salt and a few art materials. These are beautiful to watch as they are created and you are left with a special piece of art.

STEM activities for kids shows a colorful raised shamrock
Click image for Salt Painting

Use St. Patrick’s Day to prepare something fun for spring. Make a huge block of rainbow sidewalk chalk to use and create with once the sun is shining.

STEAM activities for kids shows a rainbow block of sidewalk chalk
Click image for rainbow sidewalk chalk activity

Add a bit of a challenge to your St. Patrick’s Day art with this shamrock doodle art project.

St patricks day STEM activities for kids shows a doodle shamrock with lines that could be colored.
Click image to view activity.

I hope that your St. Patrick’s Day is filled with fun, laughter and learning. STEM activities are great to do any time, but with a theme children are likely to be even more engaged. Use their excitement to create a love of learning and eagerness to learn about science, technology, engineering, art and math!

Subscribe for FREE Printables

Join Hands-On Teaching Ideas to gain access to my FREE Resource Library. Filled with lots of printable resources for you to use in your home or classroom.

If you are looking for more STEM and STEAM activities for kids, check out this STEAM choice board available in the FREE Library. It’s filled with science, technology, engineering, art and math activities that kids can choose from any time of year.

When you subscribe you will be the first to find out about my latest activities and promotions – and discounts!

Click Image to Subscribe and Download

More Hands-On Teaching Ideas

If you are looking for more hands-on activities to do with kids at home or in the classroom, below is a collection of my favorite and most popular learning activities.

If you like STEM activities check out the huge collection of STEM building challenges or another huge collection of hands-on science experiments to encourage a love of learning and science.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.