33 Engaging Pumpkin STEM Activities
Frosted windowpanes and the crunching of leaves under our feet mean Fall is back! Even though Fall can be a great time for exploring nature because of the cooler temperatures and changing seasons. Fall also means we will be spending more days indoors than our kids would probably like. It’s the perfect time to look for fun, hands-on activities to keep them busy and let them learn at the same time. STEM activities are great for this. Kids can have a great time and learn something in the process. There are a lot of STEM activities out there for our kids, but I like to incorporate themed activities into our lesson plans throughout the year.
Right now, I’m thinking Fall and pumpkins. For those pumpkin and fall-themed lesson plans, here are some great pumpkin STEM activities.
One of the cornerstone activities is learning about the pumpkin life cycle. Here’s a Pumpkin life cycle activity from Rock Your Homeschool to kick off your pumpkin or Fall activities. Pair it with a visit to a pick-your-own pumpkin patch so your children can see exactly how pumpkins grow.
One of our favorite pumpkin-related activities is Extracting DNA from a Pumpkin (in 6 steps and with household materials). Use this Color & Label Pumpkin Worksheet alongside the DNA activity, since you’ll need to dissect the pumpkin anyways! (Or, if you’re already carving a pumpkin, why not turn it into a fun dissection activity?!)
Don’t forget to download our 40-page free pumpkin science printable for preschool-third grade. It’s full of science activities and math pages for our youngest learners. Look for the request box below.
34 Pumpkin STEM Activities
- Puking Pumpkin (also called the pumpkin volcano) activity with free printable on chemical reactions, catalase, and endothermic reactions.
- Pumpkin Candy Activity
- Fall and Pumpkin STEM Challenges (free printable)
- Make a working pumpkin battery that operates a clock
- Pumpkin-themed 2D and 3D shapes activity cards and mats (free printable)
- Fizzy Chemical Reaction Pumpkin Patch
- Pumpkin-themed math cards and printables for preschool-third grade
- Math and Science Pumpkin activities from Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation
- Extracting DNA from a Pumpkin (in 6 steps and with household materials)
- Growing Pumpkins Inside a Pumpkin
- Turning Pumpkin Guts into Slime
- Pumpkin Rolling – Simple Physics for Kids
- Free bingo card printables, including pumpkin-themed Bingo, Fall-themed, Bingo, and Turkey-themed Bingo (and so many more)
- Pumpkin Boats
- Pumpkin Oobleck
- Rotting Pumpkin Activity
- Pumpkin Geoboard
- Bubble Science with Pumpkins
- Learning About Pumpkins Activity
- Squishy Circuit Pumpkin Activity
- Pumpkin Math Activity
- Build a Pumpkin Pulley Simple Machine
- Pumpkin Seed Art
- Pumpkin Catapults
- How Much Does a Pumpkin Cost? Algebra Lessons
- Pumpkin Bird Feeder Activity
- Pumpkin Math and Engineering Challenge
- Fall Math Pumpkin Hunt
- Space Paper Pumpkin Craft
- Pumpkin Fine Motor Skills
- How Heavy is a Pumpkin Activity
- Pumpkin Volcano
- Pumpkin Math and Science Activities for Middle School Age
More Fall STEM Projects
Looking for more fun fall STEM projects? Try these.
Fall Activities Your Kids Will Love!
23 Pumpkin Activities Your Kids Will Love
Leaf Chromatography Experiment
Download our Pumpkin STEM Activities for Preschool through Early Elementary Ages
I hold a master’s degree in child development and early education and am working on a post-baccalaureate in biology. I spent 15 years working for a biotechnology company developing IT systems in DNA testing laboratories across the US. I taught K4 in a private school, homeschooled my children, and have taught on the mission field in southern Asia. For 4 years, I served on our state’s FIRST Lego League tournament Board and served as the Judging Director. I own thehomeschoolscientist and also write a regular science column for Homeschooling Today Magazine. You’ll also find my writings on the CTCMath blog. Through this site, I have authored over 50 math and science resources.