STEM activities for toddlers grouped by science, technology, engineering and maths, from the Mooshie Moments app. Try one today with things you own.
On a laptop?
STEM activities for toddlers don’t need a lab coat, just a question worth asking. “What do you think will happen?” turns an ordinary bottle of water or a cardboard box into a proper experiment, and your toddler is already wired to want the answer.
Below are eleven STEM activities from the Mooshie Moments app for children aged 6 months to 4 years, grouped by science, technology, engineering and maths. Each uses things from around the house, takes 5 to 20 minutes, and comes with the exact words to say to spark a bit of predicting.
The question it answers: can something be solid and liquid at the same time?
Mix cornflour and water into a thick paste. Squeeze it hard and it feels solid, let it go and it turns to liquid in your hand. Sit back and let your toddler lead the exploring.
You’ll need: cornflour, water, a container
The question it answers: what will the magnet stick to?
Paperclips are small enough to swallow, so hand them over one at a time and keep the rest well out of reach.
You’ll need: a large magnet, metal household objects
The question it answers: where will the light go?
In a sunny patch, let your toddler angle a small mirror and guess where the reflected light will land before they move it. Try it flat, then tilted, then turned, and talk about how every angle sends the light somewhere new. Never let them shine reflected light straight into anyone’s eyes.
You’ll need: a small unbreakable mirror, a sunny spot
The question it answers: what does cold and slippery feel like?
Fill a shallow bowl with cool water, big ice cubes and pieces of sponge. Sit within arm’s reach, and let them scoop the pieces from one bowl to another with a spoon. Never use water beads for this or any activity: a swallowed bead swells inside the body and is a genuine medical emergency.
You’ll need: a container, ice cubes, a sponge
The question it answers: can you catch something that’s still moving?
Tie a ball to a length of string no longer than 15cm and swing it slowly. Let your toddler track it with their eyes before you slow it down and let them try to catch it. Keep the string short and supervise throughout, as loose cords are a strangulation risk.
You’ll need: a ball or toy, string
The question it answers: what happens to something once it goes in the top?
Join two or three tubes end to end to make a chimney and rest it on the floor in front of your baby. Post a scarf in at the top and let them watch it land, then let them post it themselves. Only ever post fabric through the tube, never loop it round your baby, since loose fabric near a crawling baby is a real risk.
You’ll need: 5 to 6 cardboard tubes
The question it answers: what happens when you hit it?
Tie a soft ball to a two-foot length of string and hang it securely from a high chair tray, within your baby’s reach. When they swat it, it swings away, and a moment later it swings straight back. Test the knot yourself first and keep the string out of reach when you’re not supervising.
You’ll need: a soft ball, string, a high chair or shelf
The question it answers: where does the fabric keep coming from?
Keep the knots secure and stay close while they play.
You’ll need: an empty tissue box, fabric scraps tied together
The question it answers: does a steeper hill make the car go faster?
Lean a book against your knee or a low box to make a ramp, and let your toddler put a car at the top and let go. Raise the ramp higher and race a second car down to compare. Use a car too big to fit in their mouth.
You’ll need: a hardback book, a toy car
The question it answers: can we build something we can actually get inside?
You’ll need: a large cardboard box, paper plates, brads, markers
The question it answers: which two sound the same?
Part fill small containers with different fillings, glue and tape every lid, and test each one yourself before handing them over. Offer two very different shakers first, then make a matching pair for each filling and see if your toddler can pair up the sounds.
Every shaker needs its lid glued, taped and checked before each session, and any container with a loosened lid should be binned rather than reused.
You’ll need: small containers, rice, beans, bells, sticky tape, glue
Anything where your toddler notices a cause and an effect counts: dropping, pouring, magnets, ramps and simple building are all early STEM thinking. You don’t need equipment or a plan, just a question and a moment to let them test it.
Ask “What do you think will happen?” before the interesting part happens, then let them find out. Getting it wrong is just as useful as getting it right, so try not to correct a guess, simply let the activity answer the question itself.
Most of the ideas above use everyday household items and need nothing more dangerous than water, cardboard or a magnet, but always supervise closely and check anything small enough to swallow, particularly magnets, paperclips and shaker fillings.
They often overlap: mixing cornflour and water is both sensory play and a lesson in states of matter. STEM simply adds a question on top of the mess, so your toddler is testing an idea rather than only exploring a texture.
Most of the activities here take 10 to 20 minutes including set-up, but follow your toddler’s interest. If they want to repeat the same experiment six times in a row, that’s real scientific practice, not boredom.
Mooshie is a play app, not medical advice. If you’re worried about your child’s development, speak to your health visitor or GP.
Plus one picked for your child every day, matched to their age and how today is going.
“I used to spend 30 minutes looking for an activity on Pinterest, get overwhelmed, and just turn on the TV. Mooshie takes 5 seconds.”
“Finally, an app that tells me to put my phone away. The activities are actually doable with stuff I have in my junk drawer.”
“As a pediatric OT, I love that these activities build core developmental skills without feeling like ‘homework’ for parents.”
Mooshie picks one activity for your child’s age and stage each day, and every one tells you the prep, play and “eyes on” time so you know whether a rainy afternoon needs 10 minutes or 20. After playing, tapping “We’re done” shows you what skills that activity actually built.
Think of it as a playbook for grown-ups. Check the idea in 30 seconds, put the phone away, and let your toddler run the experiment.
Your first moment is ready as soon as you tell us their age.
