We’re about halfway through summer break now, and already we’ve been hit with a historic heatwave. Few things kill motivation to learn like record-breaking temperatures, leaving kids feeling sluggish and uninspired. The upside is that many scientific concepts lie behind common ways to cool down, giving parents, educators, and caretakers the opportunity to continue summer learning while keeping cool. Whether it’s preparing an enticing icy treat from scratch or painting a fleeting masterpiece on a frozen canvas, the following STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) activities incorporate ice, making them the perfect science projects to combat the heat while providing much-needed relief!
Stay Cool This Summer with These 5 STEAM Activities:
Make Ice Cream in a Bag. Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month? Why not celebrate by making your favorite ice cream at home! This project uses a few simple ingredients to teach students about emulsions using a fun, hands-on approach. Emulsions are the combination of two liquids that do not typically mix well, such as water and fats (in this case, milk). By cooling the milk with ice and adding salt to create a freezing point depression (lowering the temperature at which water freezes), the ice melts faster and absorbs heat from the milk mixture, helping form ice cream—the perfect treat to help you cool down this summer!
Make a Cloud in a Bottle. Following this guide from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, young learners can simulate part of the water cycle by creating their own cloud in a bottle using a few household items. After water vapor and smoke are trapped inside a bottle and covered with ice, a mist forms as the water cools and condenses onto the smoke particles in tiny droplets, creating a small cloud. This project helps students gain a new appreciation for clouds—nature’s way of providing us a little relief from the intense summer sun.
Paint on a Canvas of Ice and Salt. Freeze water overnight in containers of different shapes and sizes, creating “canvases” to paint on. After placing one of these ice canvases on a tray, use watercolor paints or food coloring as your paint, and paint brushes, salt, and warm water as your art tools. Adding salt prevents water molecules from bonding together to form solid ice crystals, while warm water mixed with salt helps erode the surface, helping form unique edges and shapes for the color to cling to. This process helps create one-of-a-kind art that keeps you cool—at least until it melts!
Prevent Melting by Finding the Best Insulation. Ready for a frosty experiment that really challenges kids to think like engineers? This project focuses on insulation and how best to prevent ice from melting. The best part is, you can use whatever materials you’ve got on hand to test your hypotheses—such as paper towels, cotton balls, felt, or packing peanuts. This is a great experiment that connects to the real world, like inside the coolers that keep drinks ice-cold during all the fun outdoor festivities throughout the summer.
Make Homemade Slushies. For a non-dairy alternative to our earlier Ice Cream in a Bag experiment, why not try homemade slushies? No blender required! Using the same magic of salt, ice, and freezing point depressions, you can easily turn your favorite juice into a delicious, frozen treat that’ll cool you off this summer. You never know, the relief your students or campers feel might even translate to a greater appreciation for science!
The Lasting Benefits of Summer Learning
School is often the furthest thing from a kid’s mind during summer break, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still learn during their time off! In fact, incorporating fun projects throughout the break can be a great way to mitigate the learning loss that often happens over the summer. Engaging in fun hands-on activities throughout the summer helps students stay motivated to learn while sharpening their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students who remain active during summer break have an easier time transitioning back to school, feeling more confident in their abilities and excited to keep learning.
Go Full STEAM Ahead This Summer!
Mobile Ed’s STEAM Museum is an interactive assembly that brings twelve hands-on science exhibits straight to you! Focusing on STEAM education, this program invites students to explore these concepts at their own pace, making what are often challenging subjects more approachable and fun. Whether it’s digging for fossils, constructing arches, or programming robots, each exhibit gives students the opportunity to learn by doing. The STEAM Museum is designed to encourage curiosity, discovery, and innovative thinking through exploration.
Mobile Ed’s STEAM Museum:
Gives students access to state-of-the-art technology
Demonstrates the real-life applications of STEAM concepts
Provides hands-on experience that promotes problem-solving skills
Ready to inspire the next generation of innovators? Click the button below to learn more about the STEAM Museum and find availability near you.