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We’re so excited to celebrate USA’s 250th anniversary this year! My family has gone all out with matching shirts, a 250 flag, and red, white, and blue face glitter, and more. And it’s easier to say yes to buying patriotic clothes and accessories, knowing we can also wear them to support the USA men’s soccer team in the World Cup this summer!
Speaking of fun ways to celebrate the 4th of July, what better way to celebrate than with STEAM experiments and activities?! To me, STEAM is the best way to celebrate anything! Below is a roundup of my seven BEST 4th of July themed STEAM activities.
Why 7 you ask? Well I love numerology, so 2+5+0 (for 250) = 7!
Below is a list of the the 7 activities (including THREE amazing indoor firework activities). Keep reading for a brief summary of each activity, and how it relates to the 4th of July.
- Create Expanding Fireworks on a Plate!
- Underwater Fireworks in a Jar
- Glowing Fireworks in a Jar
- Make S’mores in a Solar Oven
- Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag
- Make Color Changing Flowers for a Holiday Centerpiece
- Expanding Toothpick Stars
1. Create Exploding Fireworks on a Plate!
Our newest STEAM activity is a patriotic version the classic experiment often called magic milk. It’s a can’t miss activity to create indoor fireworks. You will be amazed as the fireworks explode on the plate before your eyes. It works with both milk and glue as a base. We tried both ways for a comparison and they were each unique and exciting to try, but my kids unanimously agreed that they liked the milk version the best. Test both to see which version you like better!
2. Underwater Fireworks in a Jar
These fireworks are more 3D than the fireworks on the plate, and they’re just as easy to create! This experiment uses everyday ingredients that you probably already have at home, so it’s an easy grab and go experiment for a boring day at home. My kids were truly amazed by this simple experiment, and wanted to do it again and again!
3. Glowing Fireworks in a Jar
This experiment makes spectacular glowing fireworks that are sure to amaze the whole family! BUT you need a few specialty materials that not everyone has stocked at home, including turmeric powder (a bright orange colored spice), isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, and a UV flashlight. We bought the UV flashlight specially for this experiment, and – spoiler alert – we haven’t used it since (whomp, whomp, whomp…). I think I need to find some more glowing experiments to try so we can use it again, and repeat this experiment again too! 😉 If you’re willing to splurge on these ingredients, then you will be treated to a fantastic glowing fireworks show!
4. Make S’Mores in a Solar Oven
Nothing says 4th of July to me like S’mores! Growing up my family always made s’mores on the 4th of July (and basically all summer long). While I still prefer a classic s’more with the marshmallow cooked (and let’s face it, blackened) over a flame, this is an interesting and educational version of s’mores to keep kids busy on a hot day. Science experiment and lots of sugar? Sounds like a win-win situation to me!
5. Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag
S’more are my favorite 4th of July treat, but nothing beats ice cream on a hot summer day. And 4th of July is usually on a very hot summer day (for most of the country). So come inside for awhile and cool down by making your own ice cream from scratch inside a bag! It’s surprisingly simple process, and my kids had almost as fun making the ice cream as they did eating it!
6. Make Color Changing Flowers for a Holiday Centerpiece
Last year I created a beautiful red, white, and blue floral centerpiece to celebrate the 4th of July. We soaked white flowers in heavily saturated red and blue dyed water and watched the petals slowly change color to red and blue over a week in the water. My kids loved checking on the flowers everyday to see if more color had saturated the flower petals. It was a fun experiment that also made my home a little more festive and beautiful!
7. Expanding Toothpick Stars
When I think USA, I think stars and stripes, and what better way to make stars and stripes than with toothpicks (lol)? In this experiment you get to create toothpick stars that expand open before your eyes by adding water. Our stars eventually fully opened until we had parallel toothpicks instead of points, which looked more like stripes, hence the starts and stripes reference. My kids enjoyed this experiment so much they helped me decide to include it my book, The Amazing Book of STEM!
Which of these experiments are you going to try with your kids for the 4th? P.S. These are still fun anytime of the year, so don’t worry if you don’t get to them before the 4th of July! Consider saving this post with the goal of doing one or two a week for the remainder of the summer with your kids.
We hope you enjoy these activities as much as we do!
Happy 250th USA!
Looking for more STEAM fun to keep your kids busy this summer? My two books, STEAM Activity Journal and The Amazing Book of STEM are both available on Amazon and make great summer break gifts! They are a FUN workbooks to keep kids learning, they’re perfect to bring on trips to keep kids busy and entertained, and they’re great to use at home on a hot or rainy day! What are you waiting for? They’re both available exclusively on Amazon (affiliate linked below)!
