50 Stem Activities To Help Kids Think Outside the Box (2024)

Table of Contents
1. Add STEM bins to your classroom 2. Conduct an egg drop 3. Engineer a drinking straw roller coaster 4. Find ways to slow soil erosion 5. Simulate an earthquake 6. Stand up to a hurricane 7. Create a new plant or animal 8. Design a helping hand 9. Understand the impact of non-renewable resources 10. Devise an amazing marble maze 11. Fly clothespin airplanes 12. Launch a catapult cannon 13. Bounce on a trampoline 14. Build a solar oven 15. Build a snack machine 16. Recycle newspaper into an engineering challenge 17. Design a biosphere 18. See the effects of an oil spill 19. Assemble a steady-hand game 20. Use cabbage to test pH 21. Engineer a craft stick bridge 22. Forage and build a bird nest 23. Drop parachutes to test air resistance 24. Find the most waterproof roof 25. Build a better umbrella 26. Go green with recycled paper 27. Brew up your own slime 28. Create a taxonomy system 29. Find out which liquid is best for growing seeds 30. Create giant bubbles 31. Make compost in a cup 32. Help monarch butterflies 33. See water pollution in action 34. Test your local water quality 35. Explore with an edible Mars Rover 36. Bake the best potato 37. Waterproof a boot 38. Determine the best way to melt ice 39. Don’t melt the ice 40. Build a straw house 41. Design a balloon-powered car 42. Learn map skills by designing an amusement park 43. Reach for the ceiling 44. Cast a tall shadow 45. Devise a recycled toy bot 46. Link up the longest paper chain 47. Find out what you can make from a plastic bag 48. Start a school robotics team 49. Embrace the Hour of Code 50. Give kids a Maker Cart and a pile of cardboard What are your favorite STEM activities for kids? Come share in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, get 20+ free STEM posters for your classroom! FAQs

These days, STEM learning is more important than ever. Science, technology, engineering, and math are the keys to many modern careers, so a good grounding in them from an early age is a must. The best STEM activities for kids are hands-on, leading students to cool innovations and real-world applications. Here are some of our favorites, with challenges and experiments that will really get kids thinking about how STEM plays a part in their everyday lives.

Want some quick challenges to try with elementary students? Get free printable stem challenge cards for grades K-5:

  • Kindergarten STEM Challenges
  • First Grade STEM Challenges
  • Second Grade STEM Challenges
  • Third Grade STEM Challenges
  • Fourth Grade STEM Challenges
  • Fifth Grade STEM Challenges

For more STEM activities for kids across a range of subjects, take a look at these ideas.

1. Add STEM bins to your classroom

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STEM Focus: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

Prepare for a wide variety of STEM activities for kids with these cool bins. Incorporate them into literacy centers, create a makerspace, and offer early finishers fun enrichment ideas. Learn how to create and use STEM bins.

2. Conduct an egg drop

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STEM Focus: Engineering

This is one of those classic STEM activities every kid should try at least once. Kids can do it at any age, with different materials and heights to mix it up.

Learn more: Egg Drop at Buggy and Buddy

3. Engineer a drinking straw roller coaster

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STEM Focus: Engineering

This is such a fun way to encourage engineering skills! All you need are basic supplies like drinking straws, tape, and scissors.

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

4. Find ways to slow soil erosion

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STEM Focus: Science (Ecology), Engineering

Compare the effects of “rain” on hills of bare soil vs. those covered with grass. Have your 3rd grade science students predict which they think will stand up to erosion better and then test their hypotheses.

Learn more: Erosion Experiment at Third Grade Thinkers

5. Simulate an earthquake

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STEM Focus: Engineering

The ground under our feet may feel solid, but an earthquake changes that pretty quickly. Use Jell-O to simulate the earth’s crust, then see if you can build an earthquake-proof structure.

Learn more: Earthquake Science at Teaching Science

6. Stand up to a hurricane

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STEM Focus: Engineering

In a hurricane zone, houses must be able to stand up to strong winds and possible flooding. Can your students design houses that make it safer to live in these dangerous areas?

Learn more: Hurricane Houses at Carly and Adam

7. Create a new plant or animal

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STEM Focus: Science (Biology)

Kids will really get into this project, indulging their creativity as they invent a plant or animal that’s never been seen before. They’ll need to be able to explain the biology behind it all, though, making this an in-depth project you can tailor to any class.

Learn more: Create a Creature at I Love 2 Teach

8. Design a helping hand

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STEM Focus: Technology, Engineering

This is a great group science project. Students hone their design and engineering skills to make a working model of a hand. For a more advanced activity, challenge students to build a robotic hand that can be controlled remotely.

Learn more: Model Hand at Mombrite

9. Understand the impact of non-renewable resources

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STEM Focus: Science (Environmental Science)

Discuss the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources, then have your class form “companies” to “mine” non-renewable resources. As they compete, they’ll see how quickly the resources are used. It’s a great tie-in to energy conservation discussions.

Learn more: Energy Resources at The Owl Teacher

10. Devise an amazing marble maze

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Marble mazes are one of students’ favorite STEM activities! You can provide supplies like straws and paper plates for their project. Or let them use their imaginations and create marble mazes from any materials they can think of.

Learn more: Marble Maze on Raising Lifelong Learners

11. Fly clothespin airplanes

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STEM: Engineering

Ask students what they think the airplane of the future might look like. Then, provide them with clothespins and wood craft sticks, and challenge them to build a new kind of airplane. Bonus points if it can actually fly!

Learn more: Clothespin Airplane at STEAMsational

12. Launch a catapult cannon

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Catapult STEM challenges are always fun, but this one adds a new twist that allows kids to launch objects much farther than the usual wood craft stick version!

Learn more: Catapult Cannon and STEAM Powered Family

13. Bounce on a trampoline

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Kids love bouncing on trampolines, but can they build one themselves? Find out with this totally fun STEM challenge.

Learn more: Trampoline Challenge at Student Savvy

14. Build a solar oven

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STEM Focus: Science, Engineering

Learn about the value of solar energy by building an oven that cooks food without electricity. Enjoy your tasty treats while discussing ways we can harness the energy of the sun and why alternative energy sources are important.

Learn more: Solar Oven at Desert Chica

15. Build a snack machine

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Incorporate everything students learn about simple machines into one project when you challenge them to build a snack machine. Using basic supplies, they’ll need to design and construct a machine that delivers snacks from one location to another.

Learn more: Snack Machine at Left Brain Craft Brain

16. Recycle newspaper into an engineering challenge

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STEM Focus: Engineering

It’s amazing how a stack of newspapers can spark such creative engineering. Challenge students to build the tallest tower, support a book, or even build a chair using only newspaper and tape.

Learn more: Newspaper STEM Challenges at STEM Activities for Kids

17. Design a biosphere

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STEM Focus: Science, Engineering

This project really brings out kids’ creativity and helps them understand that everything in a biosphere is really part of one big whole. You’ll be overwhelmed by what they come up with!

Learn more: Biosphere Project at Laney Lee

18. See the effects of an oil spill

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STEM Focus: Science, Engineering

Learn why an oil spill is so devastating for wildlife and the ecosystem with this hands-on activity. Kids experiment to find the best way to clean up oil floating on water and rescue the animals affected by the spill.

Learn more: Oil Spill Cleanup at Kitchen Counter Chronicle

19. Assemble a steady-hand game

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STEM Focus: Engineering, Technology

This is such a fun way to learn about circuits. It also brings in a bit of creativity, adding the “A” for STEAM.

Learn more: Steady Hand Game at Left Brain Craft Brain

20. Use cabbage to test pH

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STEM Focus: Science (Chemistry)

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips! Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH at Education Possible

21. Engineer a craft stick bridge

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Here’s another one of those classic STEM activities that really challenge kids to use their skills. Build a bridge with Popsicle sticks and other materials, then compete to see which can bear the most weight.

Learn more: Bridge Challenge at Mommy Evolution

22. Forage and build a bird nest

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STEM Focus: Science (Biology), Engineering

Birds build incredibly intricate nests from materials they find in the wild. Take a nature walk to gather materials, then see if you can build a sturdy, comfy nest of your own!

Learn more: Build a Bird Nest at Kids Craft Room

23. Drop parachutes to test air resistance

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Use the scientific method to test different types of material and see which makes the most effective parachute. Your students also learn more about the physics behind air resistance.

Learn more: Parachute Challenge at Education.com

24. Find the most waterproof roof

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Calling all future engineers! Build a house from LEGO, then experiment to see what type of roof prevents water from leaking inside.

Learn more: Waterproof Roof at Science Sparks

25. Build a better umbrella

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations using the scientific method.

Learn more: Better Umbrella at Raising Lifelong Learners

26. Go green with recycled paper

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STEM Focus: Science (Ecology)

We talk a lot about recycling and sustainability these days, so show kids how it’s done! Recycle old worksheets or other papers using screen and picture frames. Then, ask kids to brainstorm ways to use the recycled paper.

Learn more: Recycled Paper at Undercover Classroom

27. Brew up your own slime

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STEM Focus: Science (Chemistry)

Chances are good your students already love making and playing with slime. Turn the fun into an experiment by changing the ingredients to create slime with a variety of properties—from magnetic to glow-in-the-dark!

Learn more: Slime Experiments at Little Bins for Little Hands

28. Create a taxonomy system

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STEM Focus: Science (Biology)

Students can step into Linnaeus’ shoes by creating their own system of taxonomy using a handful of different dried beans. This is a fun science project to do in groups, so students can see the differences between each group’s system.

Learn more: Classification Systems at Our Journey Westward

29. Find out which liquid is best for growing seeds

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STEM Focus: Science (Biology)

As you learn about the life cycle of plants, explore how water supports plants’ growth. Plant seeds and water them with a variety of liquids to see which sprout first and grow best.

Learn more: Plants and Liquids at Lessons for Little Ones

30. Create giant bubbles

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STEM Focus: Science (Chemistry)

It’s easy to mix your own soap bubble solution with just a few ingredients. Let kids experiment to find the best proportion of ingredients to create giant bubbles, long-lasting bubbles, and other variations.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles at Make and Takes

31. Make compost in a cup

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STEM Focus: Science (Biology)

This is an easy science activity, and you can turn it into a science fair project by experimenting with different mixtures, layering, and conditions for your compost cups.

Learn more: Compost Cups at The Happy Housewife

32. Help monarch butterflies

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STEM Focus: Science (Biology)

You may have heard that monarch butterflies are struggling to keep their population alive. Join the fight to save these beautiful bugs by planting your own butterfly garden, monitoring monarch populations, and more. Get all the info you need at the link.

Learn more: Monarch Education at Monarch Watch

33. See water pollution in action

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STEM Focus: Science (Environmental Science, Chemistry, Biology)

Learn about the challenges of cleaning up polluted water sources like rivers and lakes with this interesting outdoor science activity. Pair it with a visit to a local water treatment plant to expand the lesson.

Learn more: Water Pollution at JDaniel4’s Mom

34. Test your local water quality

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STEM Focus: Science (Chemistry, Environmental Science)

Once you’ve “cleaned up” your water, try testing it to see how clean it really is! Then head out to test other types of water. Kids will be fascinated to discover what’s in the water in their local streams, ponds, and puddles. Student water-testing kits are readily available online.

Learn more: Water Quality Experiment at The Homeschool Scientist

35. Explore with an edible Mars Rover

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STEM Focus: Science (Space), Engineering

Learn about the conditions on Mars and the tasks the Mars Rover will need to complete. Then, give kids supplies to build their own. (Add to the challenge by making them “buy” the supplies and stick to a budget, just like NASA!)

Learn more: Edible Mars Rover at Library Makers

36. Bake the best potato

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STEM Focus: Science (Physics)

This edible science project is a nutritious way to explore the scientific method in action. Experiment with a variety of methods for baking potatoes—microwaving, using a traditional oven, wrapping them in foil, using baking pins, etc.—testing hypotheses to discover which works best.

Learn more: Potato Science at Left Brain Craft Brain

37. Waterproof a boot

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STEM Focus: Technology, Engineering

Ask kids to select various materials and tape them over the free boot printable. Then, test their hypotheses to see which ones work best.

Learn more: Waterproof a Boot at Science Sparks

38. Determine the best way to melt ice

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STEM Focus: Science (Physics)

Conventional wisdom says we sprinkle salt on ice to melt it faster. But why? Is that really the best method? Try this science experiment and find out.

Learn more: Melting Ice at The Chaos and the Clutter

39. Don’t melt the ice

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STEM Focus: Science (Physics)

We spend a lot of time in winter trying to get rid of ice, but what about when you don’t want the ice to melt? Experiment with different forms of insulation to see which keeps ice frozen the longest.

Learn more: Ice Insulation at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

40. Build a straw house

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Grab a box of straws and a package of pipe cleaners. Then task kids with designing and building their dream house, using only those two items.

Learn more: Building a Straw House at Deceptively Educational

41. Design a balloon-powered car

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Explore the laws of motion and encourage creativity when you challenge students to design, build, and test their own balloon-powered cars. Bonus: Use only recycled materials to make this project green!

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Car at One Little Project

42. Learn map skills by designing an amusement park

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STEM Focus: Science (Physics), Technology, Engineering, Math

For this cross-curricular activity, students investigate the parts of a map by creating an amusement park. After they create their map, they do a detailed drawing and write about one of their ride designs. Then they design an all-access park pass. So many STEM activities in one! Find out more about it here.

43. Reach for the ceiling

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STEM Focus: Engineering

Round up all your building blocks and try this whole-class project. What will students need to do to be able to construct a tower that reaches all the way to the ceiling?

Learn more: Block Tower at Mama Smiles

44. Cast a tall shadow

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STEM Challenge: Science (Physics)

Here’s another tower-building challenge, but this one’s all about shadows! Kids will experiment with the height of their tower and the angle of their flashlight to see how tall of a shadow they’re able to cast.

Learn more: Shadow Towers at No Time for Flash Cards

45. Devise a recycled toy bot

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STEM Focus: Engineering

These adorable toy bots are made from pool noodles and recycled electric toothbrushes. So clever! Kids will have fun designing their own, plus they can tweak this idea to make other fun wiggling toys.

Learn more: Recycled Toy Bot at Artsy Momma

46. Link up the longest paper chain

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STEM Focus: Engineering

This incredibly simple STEM activity really gets kids thinking. The challenge? Create the longest-possible paper chain using a single piece of paper. So simple and so effective.

Learn more: Paper Chain Challenge at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

47. Find out what you can make from a plastic bag

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STEM Focus: Science (Environmental Science), Engineering

Plastic bags are one of the most ubiquitous items on the planet these days, and they’re difficult to recycle. Give each student a plastic bag and ask them to create something new and useful. (These ideas from Artsy Craftsy Mom offer some inspiration.)

48. Start a school robotics team

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STEM Focus: Technology

Coding is one of the most valuable STEM activities you can include in your classroom plans. Set up a school robotics club and inspire kids to embrace their newfound skills! Learn how to set up your own club here.

49. Embrace the Hour of Code

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STEM Focus: Technology

The Hour of Code program was designed as a way to get all teachers to try just one hour of teaching and learning coding with their students. Originally, the Hour of Code event was held in December, but you can organize yours any time. Then, continue to learn using the huge amount of resources on Hour of Code’s website.

50. Give kids a Maker Cart and a pile of cardboard

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STEM Focus: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

You don’t need a whole lot of fancy supplies to create a STEM Cart or makerspace. Scissors, tape, glue, wood craft sticks, straws—basic items like these combined with a stack of cardboard can inspire kids to create all sorts of amazing projects! See how these STEM activities work here.

What are your favorite STEM activities for kids? Come share in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, get 20+ free STEM posters for your classroom!

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50 Stem Activities To Help Kids Think Outside the Box (2024)

FAQs

What activities help kids think outside the box? ›

Five fun ways to help children think outside the box!
  • Ask open-ended questions. A simple way to encourage lateral thinking is helping children develop their independence and to better express their feelings with open-ended questions. ...
  • Group drawing. ...
  • Brainstorm sessions. ...
  • Nature play. ...
  • Present them with problems.

What are some examples of STEM projects? ›

Building a model bridge, creating a water filtration system, building a robot, and creating a renewable energy system are just a few examples of projects that can help children learn about important STEM subjects and see how these principles are applied in real-world projects.

What are STEM activities? ›

‍ STEM is an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and is essentially an interdisciplinary approach to education that combines science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to provide all-round development for students.

What is STEM for elementary students? ›

What is STEM curriculum elementary? To put it simply, STEM covers the following subjects: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These subjects can play a critical role in helping students better understand the world that surrounds them.

How do I help my child think outside the box? ›

Some interesting games that can help kids develop essential problem-solving skills include Sudoku, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, computer games, board games, and many others. Children begin to connect and engage with their families and the world around them at a very young age while playing with other kids.

What is a good STEM lesson? ›

The best STEM lessons require students to interact with the concept with their hands, whether it be through designing, building, creating, role-playing, or any other inventive and discovery-based process. To be most effective, hands-on activities should mimic a real-world scenario as much as possible.

What are the five examples of STEM? ›

  • Rhizome. It is fleshy, non-green underground stem. It has distinct nodes and internodes. ...
  • Bulb. It is a highly condensed discoid stem. ...
  • Tuber. Stem tuber is a swollen tip of an underground lateral Stem. ...
  • Runner. It is a creeping stem with long internodes, running horizontally on the soil surface. ...
  • Stem tendrils.

What are examples of STEM programs? ›

STEM Majors List
  • Astronomy.
  • Biology.
  • Chemistry.
  • Computer science.
  • Engineering.
  • Earth sciences.
  • Health sciences.
  • Information technology.

What are the 4 C's STEM activities? ›

As discussed throughout this paper, education in STEM subjects inherently supports the development the Four Cs—critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity— in ways that allow students to acquire skills needed for future employment and careers, regardless of whether students pursue STEM careers.

How do you plan STEM activities? ›

Creating Effective STEM Lesson Plans: Tips and Tricks
  1. Start with a real-world problem. ...
  2. Determine the project criteria and constraints. ...
  3. Identify the specific design process steps you want students to follow. ...
  4. Determine the assessment criteria. ...
  5. Find or create supplemental materials your students will need.
Apr 30, 2023

What is a STEM lesson plan? ›

DOWNLOADABLE LESSON PLANS The Space Foundation supports Pre-K through 20 students with standards-based curriculum that uses space principles to integrate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) into all content areas.

What is an easy STEM project? ›

Build-a-Bridge

This STEM activity challenges children to use different weight-bearing materials to create a bridge. All you need is some household items such as spaghetti, marshmallows, toothpicks, chopsticks etc. ‍ This activity challenges children to think like an engineer and solve problems with limited resources!

What does a STEM curriculum look like? ›

A STEM class in your school can be any class that focuses on STEM-related subjects, i.e. a lesson that has a science, technology, engineering or math element. This includes life sciences like genetics, botany, zoology, and ecology. It can also include physical sciences like analytical chemistry and physics.

What are outdoor games for ADHD kids? ›

Games such as soccer, basketball and volleyball can help to build confidence, improve communications skills and encourage teamwork. While the sport you choose is up to you and your child, try to avoid sports that feature a lot of downtime — such as football and baseball.

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