If you’re looking for engaging ways to increase collaboration and critical thinking, we’ve got you covered in this list of team building STEM activities. In this list, we have seven STEM challenges that may resemble activities for kids, but just so happen to offer the fundamental building blocks that encourage cooperative learning.
Build Straw Bridges
An exciting challenge that requires teams to think outside the box starts with competing against one another to build the strongest bridge using straws. These beam bridges will span a gap with the objective of supporting the most weight possible. This great STEM design challenge will focus on having teams communicate great ideas clearly to one another to build the strongest bridge. The best engineers will come out on top with the use of strong problem-solving skills and organization.
Try A High-Tech Escape Room
IIf your group loves puzzles, then this team-building activity is perfect! Over the years, companies have adapted to a shifting trend toward technology. That includes the realm of escape rooms, too! For an exciting adventure that will sharpen your mind and enhance teamwork, check out Reason. Your team will have a one-hour timer to work together to escape a room with the theme of your choosing, ranging from recalibrating a station on Mars to fixing a glitch in a microchip factory.
Your team might also like virtual challenges, which can be experienced from anywhere in the world and incorporate a virtual assistant, remotely controllable props, a live human host over video conference, and puzzles in the real world & the digital world. Moonshot is the most high-tech massive virtual escape room experience specifically designed for remote teams of 12-100.
Construct A Popsicle Stick Tower STEM project
Using popsicle sticks (or pencils) and masking tape, your teams will create a tower that stands independently under its own weight. In order to build the tallest tower possible, each group will need to come up with their own strategies to win the challenge!
As your teams come together to make a tower using craft sticks they will quickly learn that this build challenge requires skill in structural design, stability, and constant attention to improvement through the engineering design process. These insights will highlight the need for attention to detail and patience as a group.
Back to school STEM challenges
If you’re searching for fun team building STEM activities to teach your students then we have a few ideas too. A favorite go-to for STEM education uses marshmallows and toothpicks to create 3D structures. Students will be able to eat the marshmallows afterwards which always leads to a successful lesson. You can give students printable worksheets and set a timer to help the lesson go along smoothly.
Another classic is to stand in a circle and hold hands to test what materials are conductors or insulators to break or complete the circuit. If it’s the beginning of the year, this doubles as a way to get to know one another. These STEM activities for kids will help students learn to think outside of the box, see more ideas about STEM projects for kids here!
Cup Stacking STEM Activity
This seemingly simple team building exercise is deceptively challenging and incredibly effective for improving communication. Teams are given a stack of cups, a rubber band, and several strings, with the strings tied to the rubber band, with one string gripped by an individual team member.
Without touching the cups directly, they must work together to create a pyramid by manipulating the strings to expand and contract the rubber band to grip the cups and stack them. This task requires the group to communicate clearly as they take turns in the stacking process. Through this challenge it will be come clear to the group that working as a team can provide results with determination and effort.
Team Building Space Docking Challenge
Space exploration relies on teamwork; in this gamified STEM challenge, your team will be simulating navigating a space vehicle to a docking port! For this hands-on learning activity you will need to obtain a PVC ring, a bowl, a ball, and long strings. For every player, grab a string and attach one end to the PVC ring, ensuring that there is an even distance between them. When the PVC mechanism is finished, have every player hold one end of a string to lift the mechanism up.
Place the bowl down some feet away from the team and put the ball on top of the PVC ring. The goal of the game is to use teamwork to carefully dock to the “ship” together to create a secure landing onto the port (bowl). You can increase the difficulty by spreading obstacles on the floor!
As a bonus, consider having early finishers build a docking station with lego bricks as an alternative team-building activity.
Paper Chromatography Art
While more artistic, this science experiment serves as an intriguing activity for exploring scientific principles through a creative lens. Provide coffee filters, washable markers, and water. Teams will apply various marker colors to the filters and then observe as the water separates the pigments through capillary action, creating unique patterns.
This activity encourages observation, discussion of scientific concepts, and allows them to explore by touch, showing how diverse skills can contribute to a shared, visually appealing outcome.
Make Pinwheels for team-building activities
Creating pinwheels is a practical STEM activity that combines elements of engineering and physics. Each person should be provided with a sheet of paper, a pencil, and a pushpin. This team building exercise has every group mindfully working together to construct an aesthetically pleasing pinwheel based on a set of instructions.
During the actual building process, teams will need to talk to one another in order to figure out the best way to implement the instructions. At the end see whose pinwheel stands up to the test of durability and speed of spinning.
Finally…
Any one of these STEM team building ideas are sure to help your team improve cohesion and build trust as they work on their problem-solving skills. We hope that by integrating these team builders, employees can effortlessly discover creative solutions together.