Her birthday is approaching, and you don’t have any ideas for how to celebrate! Does she love exploring the world by concocting her own homemade science projects? Or is she always up to date on the latest technology? Is your girl a builder who loves engineering, or perhaps a math whiz? Or maybe she just enjoys all that STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) has to offer, and you want to find a way to incorporate her love for STEM during her special day! We got you! Below are 11 STEM-inspired birthday party ideas for your girl:
Go to a museum. Think of all the different types of museums to which you can go! For example, there’s the local science museum, maritime museum, aviation museum, technology museum, transport museum, or food museum, just to name a few. Possibly spend the day going to a few different ones. Many museums have engaging STEM-based activities in which you and your girl(s) can also participate. Some may even allow you to host her birthday party at the museum.
Visit a 3D Printing shop. If your city has a3D printing shops, consider visiting one and asking for a demonstration. Your daughter will be fascinated to learn more about how 3D printing works.
Spend some time outside. Go on a guided nature tour. Some nature centers might provide bird watching kits. Most local and state parks have well-marked self-hiking trails, as well as paddle sports (canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding).
Do some animal exploration. Go to the zoo and/or aquarium. Oftentimes, zoos and aquariums have activities in which your girl(s) can participate. You can also host your birthday party at the zoo or aquarium.
Have a STEM-themed birthday party. Pinterest has so many ideas for possible themes you can use and also step-by-step instructions on invitations, decor, games, and food.
Work on a STEM-themed project or arts and crafts activities together. Some examples of these activities include invisible ink, solar system mobile, and bath bombs.
Go to a TV studio. Depending on where you live, you can take tours and see backlots or soundstages. For the girl who loves engineering, this can be a unique opportunity to learn more about it from a different perspective.
Make STEM-themed foods. Cooking is a fun and tasty way to learn more about various STEM topics. Some ideas for possible recipes to use include petri dish jello, candy rope double helix, and radioactive pizza. You can find more recipes here.
Play STEM-themed games. Invite some friends over and set up some STEM-themed games and activities. You can even make it a competition with a prize for the winner. Some examples include building your own robot using household items or having each child make her own rainbow raindrop clouds with shaving cream. If you’re stumped and want more ideas, Pinterest and Google have plenty!
Volunteer. What better way to celebrate another year of life than to give back? Consider participating in a community clean-up to help care for the environment or planting trees and/or some plants. Maybe in lieu of gifts, you could have your girl and her friends donate money to a STEM-based nonprofit or cause they care about. Some of these might include the following: Code to Inspire, Girlstart, Girls Who Code, National Girls Collaborative Project, Stem for Her, The National Math + Science Initiative, WAAW Foundation, and the Malala Fund, just to name a few. There are so many more!
Go to a discovery center. An example of a discovery center is the LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Somerville, MA. The LEGOLAND Discovery Center is for all ages and provides girls the opportunity to experience rides, car design challenges and races, short 4D movies, an earthquake table, building design challenges, karaoke, a play zone, and lots of building with LEGOs. The Premium Package also includes a private Master Model Builder Workshop, and the kids get to take home their creations from the workshop.
That concludes our list! Of course you can tailor each of these ideas to the appropriate age category. Hopefully, you now have a few ideas for your girl’s next birthday!
What are some fun birthday celebration ideas you have used in the past? Or, what are some fun birthday celebration ideas that you plan to use? Let us know in the comments section below!