10 Wonderful Women in STEM Activities for Kids
One way to boost female participation in STEM is to introduce girls to famous female scientists – and these Women in STEM Activities should help!
As parents, we hope our kids do well in school, and we encourage them to go further in their favorite subjects. However, as they reach high school, you may notice that if you have a girl, she is less likely to choose a STEM career than a boy.
The UNESCO says that the average percentage of female students in STEM higher education is just 35%. This reduces as time passes – female researchers are only 29% and a mere 22 women have won any of the science Nobel Prizes.
Experts say that a good way to encourage more girls to join STEM is to show them good female role models. With the International Day of Women and Girls in Science coming up on 11th February, we’re going to do just that – with 10 wonderful Women in STEM Activities for kids, featuring some of the finest women in science!
10 Wonderful Women in STEM Activities for Kids
1. Famous Female Scientist Coloring Pages
Teachers Pay Teachers has a wonderful set of coloring pages featuring some amazing women in STEM. We love how they show the person in the context of their field of study, along with a quote – clever!
2. Women in Science Printable Pennants
If you’re having a feature of introducing your kids to different female scientists, this printable pennant from 123Homeschool4Me is perfect! Kids can learn about each person, fill in the details and then string them for a super-motivational pennant banner!
3. Ada Lovelace Shapes and Patterns Activity
We’ve all heard of Charles Babbage, but it’s time to learn about Ada Lovelace, the amazing mathematician who wrote the first computer program! The daughter of Lord Byron, Ada has contributed significantly to early computer software, and Teach Starter gives us a fun activity based on her.
4. Women in STEM Printable Pack
If you thought this list of Women in STEM Activities featured only women from earlier eras – think again! Darcy and Brian brings us a set of printables with coloring pages featuring female artists from various time periods.
5. Mae Jemison Space Shuttle Project
Being a NASA astronaut is a dream for many kids, and it is one that Mae Jemison managed to achieve! She was the first African American woman to travel in space, is also a medical doctor and has been inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame. Little Bins for Little Hands brings us a space shuttle activity inspired by Mae.
6. Marie Curie Facts & Worksheets
If you ask anyone to name a female scientist, the first name to pop up is probably going to be Marie Curie. Marie was a physicist and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. She’s also the only woman to win the award in two different fields – Physics and Chemistry. Kids Konnect has a printable with facts and a biography along with a word search!
7. Emily Warren Roebling Bridge Activity
Emily Warren Roebling is famously known as the woman who built the Brooklyn Bridge! She was the first female field engineer on the site, and her work was so impressive that she was invited to become the first person to cross the Brooklyn Bridge! Vivify STEM shows us how to create a bridge model that allows us to test some physics laws.
8. Caroline Herschel Flying Comet Craft
Have you heard of the sibling scientist duo who were so good that their home was turned into a museum? Yes, that’s William and Caroline Herschel! Caroline was the first woman to discover a comet and went on to discover 8 comets! The Herschel Museum of Astronomy gives us an interesting craft that’s based on her findings.
9. Rosalind Franklin Printable Poster
Rosalind Franklin is the person who played an important role in discovering the structure of our DNA, our genetic code. How amazing is that! Open Culture gives us a beautiful poster of Rosalind, which would make a great gift for any girl who’s into biology and genetics!
10. Margaret Hamilton Coding Activity
What could be as cool as going to space with NASA? Developing the software for NASA! That’s what Margaret Hamilton did for NASA’s Apollo program – in fact, she is credited with inventing the word ‘software engineering’! Little Bins for Little Hands has an activity sheet inspired by Margaret’s work – perfect for young coders!
We sincerely hope these women in STEM activities encourage young girls to take up careers in STEM, and expose them to the multiple opportunities available. Most girls are held back by self-defeating thoughts like ‘I’m bad at Maths’, and seeing role models like them can change this perception. They can convince themselves that STEM subjects aren’t beyond anyone – boy or girl. As Rosalind Franklin says, “Science & Everyday Life cannot and should not be separated.” And they shouldn’t!
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