Halloween STEM Activities

Happy October! Halloween is just around the corner, and if you’re like me, you love incorporating seasonally-themed activities into your instruction! If you’re looking to have a little Halloween fun, then these Halloween STEM activities are perfect for you! They are low-prep and use only materials that can be purchased at Dollar Tree. Your students will be THRILLED to complete these fun STEM challenges!

How to Do STEM Challenges

STEM challenges have always been a big hit with my students. Typically, STEM challenges involve a short design/engineering task that students are required to complete using only certain materials. They are not told HOW to complete the task, only what they need to create. STEM challenges may or may not have a competition aspect to them.

When doing these kinds of STEM activities with your students, it is helpful to first walk them through the design process:

Define the problem and collect information
Brainstorm ideas for solving the problem
Begin building a solution
Test the design
Make improvements

After presenting the task they are to complete, students should follow these steps using the materials they are given to complete their project. Students may work individually or in a small group (I typically placed my students in small groups). Give students a certain amount of time to complete the project. When time is up, test out their solutions!

Halloween STEM Challenge #1: Spider Web

One really easy Halloween STEM activity is to have students design a spider web. This particular challenge does not have a competition aspect to it; however, you can add one by giving awards for the most creative, least materials used, etc.

In this challenge, each student or group will be given marshmallows and toothpicks. The task is to design a spider web. Prior to starting, you may wish to show pictures of different spider webs for inspiration.

For an extra challenge, give each group or student only a certain amount of marshmallows and toothpicks. This will force them to be resourceful and use their materials wisely!

Halloween STEM Challenge #2: Haunted House

In this STEM challenge, students will construct a haunted house using only toothpicks and pumpkin candies (mallowcreme pumpkins or gummy pumpkins both work well!). The goal for this challenge is to create the tallest house.

Students will have to figure out the best way to add height to their tower while also managing their resources and time. At the end of the time, the tower must be able to stand freely on its own.

When time is up, measure each student or group’s tower to see whose is the tallest! You may also wish to reflect on why that student or group was successful. That way, students can learn how to improve for next time!

More Halloween STEM Activities

If you like these ideas, you can grab resources for these and even more in my October Monthly STEM Challenges resource! This resource includes printables for each Halloween-themed STEM challenge, reflection sheets, planning templates, and thorough teacher instructions. You can check out the full resource by clicking the image below: