Christmas STEM Challenge Cards: 32 Printable Holiday Building Challenges

Hand a child a pile of craft sticks and a Christmas problem to solve, and you’ll be amazed at what they come up with. These Christmas STEM challenge cards give kids 32 holiday building challenges, from a bed for an elf to a zip line for Santa’s workshop.

For more hands-on holiday science, see my Christmas science activities.

This 5-page printable is for early elementary kids. It includes four pages of challenge cards with eight challenges on each and a page of blank cards for writing your own. Kids practice planning, building, testing and improving their designs.

two printed pages of Christmas STEM Challenge Cards

Printable Overview

Resource Detail	Information
Recommended age	Ages 6 to 9 (Grades 1 to 3)
Subject	STEM
Number of pages	5 pages
Skills practiced	Engineering design, problem solving, measuring, creativity and persistence
Topics covered	Christmas building challenges with Santa, elves, reindeer and snowmen
Supplies	Printer, cardstock, scissors and building materials from around the house
File type	PDF

This post may contain affiliate links meaning I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Read my disclosure policy here.

Who Are These Christmas STEM Challenge Cards For?

These cards are for kids who like to build, tinker and figure things out.

Homeschool families who want hands-on STEM during December
Classrooms looking for a holiday STEM center or early finisher activity
Siblings of different ages who can work on a challenge together

Why Are STEM Challenges Good for Kids?

STEM challenges teach kids to plan, build, test and try again.

Most of these cards don’t have one right answer. Kids decide what to build, choose their materials and figure out what to change when something tips over or won’t hold together. That kind of trial and error builds problem-solving skills and patience.

Give your kids a challenge and see how they think it through. Mine have come up with some of the most creative solutions I never would have considered.

Recommended Christmas Books

These Christmas stories pair well with the challenges. Kids can even dream up their own challenge based on a story.

Little Red Sleigh: A Heartwarming Christmas Book For Children Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever How to Catch an Elf A Silly Milly Christmas (The Silly Milly the Dane Collection)The Magic of Friendship Snow A Gift to Remember

Recommended STEM Books

These STEM project books and engineering stories are great for kids who want more building ideas.

STEAM Kids: 50+ Science / Technology / Engineering / Art / Math Hands-On Projects for Kids Awesome Engineering Activities for Kids: 50+ Exciting STEAM Projects to Design and Build (Awesome STEAM Activities for Kids)100 Easy STEAM Activities: Awesome Hands-On Projects for Aspiring Artists and Engineers Rosie Revere, Engineer STEM Starters for Kids Robotics Activity Book: Packed with Activities and Robotics Facts Zoey and Sassafras Books 1-6 Pack

What Will Kids Learn?

Kids practice the same steps engineers use, just with Christmas problems to solve.

Engineering design: Plan a build, test it and make changes to improve it.
Problem solving: Figure out how to make a tree stand or a wreath hang up.
Measuring: Compare heights when building the tallest snow mountain, snowman or tree.
Creativity: Design a new toy, a stocking or a pop-up Christmas card.
Persistence: Keep trying when a design doesn’t work the first time.

What Supplies Are Needed?

You’ll need the printed cards and whatever building materials you have around the house.

Printer (I have this one)
Cardstock and scissors for the cards
Popsicle sticks, straws, toothpicks and pipe cleaners
Gumdrop candies and marshmallows
Playdough and blocks
Tape, glue, string and yarn
Paper cups, index cards, scrap paper, tissue paper and aluminum foil
Cotton balls, cotton swabs, pom poms, sponges and balloons
Recycled items like toilet paper rolls, egg cartons and plastic bottles

I have the HP printer 8710, but it’s not available anymore. It’s been running well for years now. Look for another HP Instant Ink-ready printer so that you can use their program to send you ink cartridges whenever your printer gets low on ink.

We keep a big junk box for STEM challenges, filled with toilet paper rolls, empty plastic bottles and caps, egg cartons, bubble wrap and boxes. The dollar store is another cheap way to stock up on supplies.

200pcs 20colors, Pipe Cleaners, Chenille Stems, Pipe Cleaners for Crafts, Pipe Cleaner Crafts, Art and Craft Supplies Play-Doh Bulk 10-Pack Case of Assorted Colors, Christmas Stocking Stuffers, Party Favors for Girls & Boys, Kids Arts & Crafts, Preschool Toys, Ages 2+ (Amazon Exclusive)MR.SIGA Non-Scratch Cellulose Scrub Sponge, Dual-Sided Dishwashing Sponge for Kitchen, 12 Pack Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil, 50 Square Feet (Packaging May Vary)DecorRack 300 Small Cotton Balls for Make-Up, Nail Polish Removal, Pet Care, Applying Oil Lotion or Powder, Made from 100% Pure & Natural Cotton, Soft and Absorbent for Household Needs (300 Count)Colored Tissue Paper for Gift Bags, Colored Tissue Paper for Crafts, Gift Wrapping Tissue Paper Bulk – 375 Sheets in 36 Assorted Colors (12 in x 8.4 in)

Recommended STEM Activity Kits

If you’d rather not gather supplies, these STEM kits come with materials and instructions ready to go.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Science Magic Kit – Science Kit for Kids with 100+ Unique Experiments and Magic Tricks, Chemistry Set and STEM Project, A Great Gift for Boys and Girls (Amazon Exclusive)STEM Robotics Science Kits for Kids Age 8-12 8-10, Robot Building Kit STEM Toys for Boys Girls Science Experiments 6-8 5-7 Engineering Projects STEAM Activities Gifts 6 7 8 Year Old Boy Toys Craft Kit Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Exploration Kit, Over 100 Projects, Full Color Project Manual, 28 Parts, STEM Educational Toy for Kids 8 +STEM Science Kits for Kids Ages 8-12 5-7, STEM Kits for Kids Ages 8-10, Wood Building Crafts Kits for Boys 6-8, STEM Engineering Toys for Boys 8 10 12 14 Years Old, Science Experiment Projects 9-12 Teach Tech “Hydrobot Arm Kit”, Hydraulic Kit, STEM Building Toy for Kids 12+NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Amazing Chemistry Set – Chemistry Kit with 100+ Science Experiments Including Crystal Growing and Reactions, Science Kit for Kids, STEM Gift for Boys and Girls (Amazon Exclusive)

a page of Christmas STEM Challenge Cards on a table

What Is Included in the Christmas STEM Challenge Cards?

The printable includes 32 challenge cards on four pages, plus a page of blank cards. Print on cardstock and cut the cards apart.

Challenge Cards Page 1

Kids build the tallest snow mountain, a Christmas ornament, a bed for an elf, a new hat for Santa, and a gift box. They also design a pop-up Christmas card, make something to give a sibling, and make Christmas slime.

Challenge Cards Page 2

These cards focus on structures. Kids build a Christmas tree that can stand, the tallest Christmas tree, Santa’s workshop, a new sleigh and a wreath that can hang up. They also create a star for the top of the tree, a Christmas stocking and their own snowflake.

Challenge Cards Page 3

Kids build the tallest snowman and the strongest snowman, a bridge for the reindeer and a zip line so the elves can get around the workshop. Other cards ask them to help Santa climb down the chimney, design a new toy, replace Santa’s lost hat and build a game to play with a friend.

Challenge Cards Page 4

Kids build a train to carry the toys, a toy car that can go fast, a reindeer, a home for an elf and a plate of cookies for Santa. They also help lost reindeer find their way home, build something green and red and build something to help Santa deliver presents.

Blank Challenge Cards

The last page has eight blank cards. Kids can write their own Christmas challenges for a sibling or friend to try.

How Can You Extend the Activity?

Try one of these simple ways to stretch the challenges.

Sketch first: Have kids draw a plan and list their materials before they start building.
Measure and record: Measure the tallest builds with a ruler and keep track of results in a notebook.
Limit the materials: Give kids only 20 craft sticks and a strip of tape and see what they can make.
Add a timer: Set a short time limit for a quick challenge round.
Show and tell: Have kids explain how their build works and what they would change next time.

Keep the Learning Going

If your kids love building and testing ideas, these are good next steps.

For hands-on science all year, the Young Learners Science Club is a monthly science membership for homeschool families. Each month brings a new Science Adventure built around one topic, with hands-on investigations, STEAM building challenges, crafts and games that use common household supplies.

For more Christmas learning in December, the Christmas Printable Learning Pack has a full month of Christmas learning activities.

What Other Free Activities Can You Try?

Here are more Christmas STEM and science activities to try:

Christmas STEM Activities
Christmas Chemistry Experiments
Fizzy Baking Soda Christmas Tree Experiment
Christmas Lego Challenge Calendar
Reindeer Toilet Paper Roll Craft
Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Fun Holiday Homeschool Activities
Grinch Headband Craft from Simple Everyday Mom
Gingerbread Worksheets for Preschool from Homeschool Preschool

one page of Christmas STEM Challenge Cards placed on a table

FAQs

That’s part of the challenge. Ask what happened and what they could change, then let them try again. A build that falls over often leads to the best questions.

Start with simpler builds like a gift box, a snowflake or a bed for an elf. Save the zip line, bridge and strongest snowman for when kids are ready for more of a challenge.

Yes. Pairing an older and younger sibling works well, since one can plan and read the card while the other helps build.

These Christmas STEM challenge cards turn a pile of craft supplies into a December full of building. Print the cards, open up the junk box and let your kids start solving Santa’s problems.

Christmas STEM Challenge Cards