What better way is there to learn through STEM than to do STEM activities based on beloved kids’ movies? You can now turn those mind-blowing movie moments into awesome STEM activities. Not only is it a great way to inspire kids to learn, but it will also give them a fun theme! There’s nothing better than popping in a movie to watch and relax than being able to get creative and watch the ideas on screen come to life!

Here’s a list of favourite kids movies that you can do STEM activities to:

Crazy concoctions!

Aside from the amazing story, Big Hero 6 also has some funky characters. Loved for not only her quirkiness, but her ingenious chemistry concoctions is Honey Lemon. This fun activity lets kids create their own fun concoction and learn about chemical reactions in the process. 

Science explained: Hydrogen peroxide is a very unstable chemical. This means that it will fall apart very quickly. When it falls apart, it turns into water and oxygen, which causes the soap to bubble and foam up. Putting in yeast makes the reaction go faster as the yeast acts as a catalyst. A catalyst is something that speeds up a reaction. In this case, the yeast makes the hydrogen peroxide break down into water and oxygen very quickly. This fun reaction will also produce some heat so once it has exploded, feel free to have a feel.
Inspirational laboratories are filled with fun colours and easy to follow instructions.

Oooh Oobleck 

Continuing with Big Hero 6, here are another one of Honey Lemons cool chemistry experiments. This time kids can learn about non-Newtonian fluids while having some hands-on fun. 

Science Explained: non-Newtonian fluids are a state of matter that sits between solid and liquid. It’s neither solid nor liquid but has the properties of both. When you apply pressure to Oobleck, such as hitting it or picking it up, it will feel like a solid. This is because the pressure you put on the cornstarch squashes all the molecules together. This traps all the water molecules inside it and the Oobleck will turn hard. But as soon as you relax your grip and let it sit, it will begin to ooze like a liquid.
The MakerMom site is filled with Big Hero 6 filled experiments that are easy to follow and conduct, perfect for those hero fans!

No hands just LEGO 

Take part in the LEGO movie and build your own creation! Using some LEGO and whatever else you can find (see how creative you can get), engineer your own design to pour your cereal without your hands. If you’re stuck and need some inspiration check out HandsOnAsWeGrow on how to get started. This has site has a nifty creation that is super creative.

LEGO catapult 

Fly into action with the LEGO movie with your very own LEGO catapult! With just some leggo and your imagination, build a catapult and see what you can fling around. Test out the results using objects of different sizes and weights. If you’re a little unsure of how to make a catapult, check out ScienceSparks to help you get started. This site is simple yet detailed, making it perfect to get some ideas.

Ice Fishing

No doubt after watching Frozen, lots of us have developed a liking for the cold. While we won’t be able to create and manipulate the ice as Elsa does, we can still use the power of chemistry to lift some ice with string! This simple experiment involving a little salt, yarn and ice lets kids learn about the melting point of water.

Science Explained: when you put the salt over the ice and yarn, the salt will melt quickly into water. This then creates saltwater. Saltwater freezes at a lower temperature than water itself, so putting salt in the water will cause the ice to melt. When the ice melts, it absorbs some heat to do so, this causes the water around it to cool down, bringing it past its freezing point. This causes the water to freeze and turn to ice. When the water freezes the string in between gets frozen with it. This lets you pick up the ice. 

ScienceBuddies is educational yet filled with fun. If you’re looking for some deeper explanation it’s also all provided!

Do you want to build a snowman?

What better way to experience Frozen than to freeze water? In these fun activities, kids will learn various ways to instantly freeze water. 

Science Explained: The science behind this magic revolves around the freezing temperature of the water. When water has reached its freezing temperature of 0 degrees it will turn into ice. But taking out the water just before it has time to turn solid gives you the power to determine when to change its state. But in order to create instant slush, we make it easier for water to crystallize by giving it an ice cube to build on. Because the ice cube has already formed the crystals, all the water has to do is follow the leader now. In the same way that it’s much easier to trace a drawing, rather than drawing it from scratch! 
This video clip contains lots of neat tricks you can do with just a bottle of water and the freezer! Try out which one’s you can do successfully and see how similar to Elsa you can get.

May the force be with you

Of course for many fans of Star Wars the best thing are the glowing lightsabers. While technology is still a little too far behind to create a lightsaber, you can still make some glowing fun! In this activity, kids will be able to get handsy and create their own glow-in-the-dark slime! 

Science behind slimes: Slime is neither liquid nor a solid. It sits somewhere in between. It can be picked up easily just like a solid, but it will also flow like a liquid. So what makes slime stretchy? The slime is made up of lots and lots of molecules. These molecules form chains and link with each other creating what’s known as polymers. These chains can slide past each other very smoothly and can be stretched out or coiled together. This is what makes the slime stretchy and flexible. 

TIP: add in a few drops of your favourite food colouring to give your slime some vibes 

LittleBins filled with lots of pictures paints a vivid image of the slimy action!

Swampy slimes

Continuing on with our Star Wars slime journey, it’s time to take things to the next level. What’s better than slime? Bubbling slime! In this activity, not only will the kids get creative and build their own Yoda’s hut, but they will get to dive into some sensory play. 

EpicFunForKids even contains a video so you can see the swamp bubble away even before you begin! See if you can get your swap to be as mysterious and bubbly.

What’s the code?

After watching ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet, there’s no doubt that there are lingering questions on our minds about the internet. In this fun and active game, kids can test out their listening and acting skills by acting like a programmed code themselves. 

For the gameplay instructions, head over to LeftBrainCraftBrain with visual images that give you a sneak peek of the fun!

Code your friend

Of course, to have the internet up and running for Ralph to wreck, you first need to code it all. In this activity, kids will delve deeper into the art of coding, but this time they need to use more of their brainpower. This game will allow children to gain a better understanding of the importance of coding and its various functions. If you’re ready for some fun, follow CSEDRobotics to see how to do this activity. Simple instructions for an intriguing game makes it one of the best kind of STEM activities to do.

If you are looking for more STEM activities for your kids, check out Inquibox. Subscribe to us and receive a set of activities in a physical box exploring a different STEM concept every month.