STEM Challenge Journal
Do you have science fans in the house? This STEM challenge journal is perfect! Since fun starts with science, why not give the kids something that they can use to work their minds even more? Journals are a great way to learn and an easy idea to teach the kids to think outside the box.
We do a lot of science activities in our house, and one thing is for certain. The kids LOVE to find new ways to try science. This means that we do a lot of talking about experiments and then thinking of ways to try them differently! This is where this STEM challenge journal came from!
Be sure to check out my Fun STEM Activities for Kids so that they will have ideas and activities to use with this STEM journal.
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STEM Challenge Journal
Not only does this STEM printable give the kids a place to write out their thoughts and ideas, but it also gives them fun STEM activities to do. The great thing about learning with STEM is that it doesn’t have to be complicated.
STEM activities can be easy or complicated, whatever works best. The more that the kids can learn with STEM, the more that it works their minds and thought processes. I love that there are so many learning activities that this printable journal works with.
Every activity that they want to do can easily be paired up with this journal. This creates a productive and simple learning environment for the kids that will continue to grow their confidence and curiosity.
For more STEM fun, then try this Roller Coaster STEM Activity.
Recommended STEM books for kids
STEM learning still isn’t as popular as I’d like it to be in learning, but this is where books come in! There are so many great science resources out there that offer a ton of great activities for the kids! STEM books are great because they’re created for visual learners as well as hands-on learning.
We love science books that show the entire process from start to finish. Bright pictures that are easy to follow are key for younger kids. We prefer this because the last thing that we want to have happen is for the kids to get frustrated with a science project or activity and not want to do anything more with it.
The books below are perfect for early learners who are excited to learn about STEM and STEAM activities!
Make sure that you take the time to do these activities with the kids. They’re really fun to do and are such great ideas! Any of these books would also pair perfectly with the STEM challenge journal, too!
Recommended STEM Books
Looking for the perfect STEM Book that will help you teach your child about important STEM concepts?
Grab one of these books and have fun trying awesome activities with your child!
STEAM Kids: 50+ Science / Technology / Engineering / Art / Math Hands-On Projects for KidsThe Curious Kid’s Science Book: 100+ Creative Hands-On Activities for Ages 4-8Awesome Engineering Activities for Kids: 50+ Exciting STEAM Projects to Design and Build (Awesome STEAM Activities for Kids)Awesome Physics Experiments for Kids: 40 Fun Science Projects and Why They Work (Awesome STEAM Activities for Kids)Awesome Kitchen Science Experiments for Kids: 50 STEAM Projects You Can Eat! (Awesome STEAM Activities for Kids)100 Easy STEAM Activities: Awesome Hands-On Projects for Aspiring Artists and Engineers
How does journaling work with STEM activities?
What we enjoy about STEM activities is that there are so many layers to them. Just like the name says, STEM activities are all about science, math, engineering, and technology. (and if you factor in STEAM, you have art tossed in there, too!)
Since there are a lot of moving parts to science learning, it can be hard to keep it all straight. This is where having a journal can be the PERFECT way to stay on track with all the projects.
Pick an activity and then use the journal to complete it. It’s as simple as that!
What is included in this STEM challenge journal?
We’ve made it as simple as possible to record and track all the STEM projects that will happen in your house! All your kids have to do is decide what activity they want to start and then make it happen!
The topics that your child will answer for each one includes:
- Ask
- Imagine
- Plan
- Create
- Test
- Improve
Each topic will help your child dive deeper into their learning to really have an analytical brain! This also helps them think critically and compose a hypothesis and potential outcome, too!
How to use a STEM journal
Journaling can be so much more than staying organized or writing out your thoughts. (but don’t get me wrong – I LOVE to journal and do both of those things, too!)
The kids have a blast journaling because it gives them their own space where they can create their own thoughts. I love that we can all be working on the same projects but have totally different journals and thoughts about what is going to happen.
After everyone goes through the process of completing their journal, it’s a great talking point to sit and compare notes. After all, isn’t that what scientists do? Create projects, compare data, tweak it, and then try again?
Since science is always changing, it’s a good practice for the kids to get used to recording data and thoughts, looking at what they could do differently, and then try it all over from the start.
Grab the STEM journal printable below and pair it up with fun activities for the kids. Have them decide on some projects from the list and get started!
This will teach them to pay attention, research, plan, and get excited about STEM learning!
More STEM Activities
Now that you have a STEM journal, keep that learning going! Here are some of our favorite stem activities that the kids will LOVE!
Famous Women In STEM Worksheets
STEM Activities for Kindergarten
Have shark fans in the house? These would be perfect for shark week or just for kids who love learning about sharks.
Who says that candy can’t be used for good? Save up some of those jelly beans from Easter or Halloween and make this fun activity! It’s a great way to eat and learn at the same time. (and tasty!)
Hexagon Marshmallow STEM Building Challenge
See who can make the best hexagon in the family! This is a super fun activity that everyone can do! You might want to buy a few extra marshmallows because there will absolutely be some eaten throughout the process. We love to do this activity all of the time because it’s not only fun to be creative but friendly competition is super fun as well.