20 More Outdoor STEM Activities for Fun Summer Learning

The world needs kids who treasure science, can conquer the latest technologies, and engineer brave solutions to solve the challenging problems of a new world. Outdoor STEM activities create the next generation of inventors, innovators, and leaders by opening up their minds to the complexities hidden in the beauty of nature.

The basic concepts of STEM learning surround us everyday, and engaging kids with hands-on outdoor STEM activities is an outstanding way to get them involved in nature-based learning. Taking education into the great outdoors – on the road, to the beach, camping, or anywhere outside – transforms summer break into a prime opportunity to introduce kids to outdoor STEM activities that are teeming with the important lessons that science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) have to offer.

It’s summer. The weather is beautiful. We want you to be outdoors, but that doesn’t mean learning needs to stop. Here are 20 exciting, outdoor STEM activities entice natural exploration and excite little learning minds.

| Related: The Complete Outdoor STEM Activities Guide |

Animal Nest Investigation

Build a Stick Maze

Build a Natural Bridge

Build a Balance Scale out of Natural Materials

Nature Tower Building Challenge

Easy Solar Oven Design

Make Solar S’mores

Build a Simple Solar Still

Build and Test a Sun Shelter

Outdoor Paintings with UV Beads

Sunscreen Sun Print Art Project

Make Recycled Solar Crayons

Create a Leaf Matching Game

Forest Counting Scavenger Hunt

Leap Frog Straw Rockets

Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest

Explore a Dirt Sample

Build a Dirt Battery

Soil Profile: Mixing Earth Materials

Water Quality Investigation: Exploring Macroinvertebrates

This list of outdoor STEM activities was thoughtfully curated by Sarah Benton Feitlinger.

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Sarah Benton Feitlinger is a science educator with over a decade of experience teaching in museums, nature centers and the science classroom. She now shares her passion for teaching science on her blog, Share it! Science. She loves exploring the outdoors with her family in rural New England.