There it is again…that buzzword, STEAM. Or STEM. In case you haven’t heard of this term, it stands for Science Technology Engineering Art and Math. It basically encompasses all the things that parents want their kids to excel in academically, minus the humanities (still waiting for that acronym).

I crafted these STEAM-inspired projects, invented by some of my fave STEAM experts out there, for Family Fun magazine. For the most part, you’ll likely have most of the materials, but for anything that you don’t have, I’ve included links below!

(Above) This Balance Sculpture by Babble Dabble Do is as beautiful as it is educational. Design yours with lots of colors or keep it monochromatic like this green one.

The fact that Play-doh functions as a conductor of electricity (you’ll need to get this battery pack with leads and LED lights) ranks up there with one of the top five things I’ve learned as a parent. Learn how to make this Electric Play-doh Lightening Bug by Left-Brain Craft Brain

This Juice Pouch Stomp Rocket by Babble Dabble Do reuses something that I never thought I’d reuse…a juice pouch!

Your kids will learn words like energy, payload, and catapult when they make this cool Pom-Pom Launcher by Curious Jane.

These projects are all great at-home STEM projects to engage, entertain, and educate kids all at once!

Generally, if I can use one upcycled material per craft, it’s a win. When I can nail down three upcycled materials, I feel like a magician! This upcycled lighthouse that doubles both as a nightlight and a bookend is one of the projects. All of the recycled materials are used relatively in tact, and they piece together beautifully to make this multi-purpose, satisfying craft.

If you have a kid that dreams of the ocean. loves boats, or has a thing for lighthouses of course, then this is your project.

What you’ll need:

• One 10-ounce plastic bottle, empty and dry (mine was a Method Home hand-soap bottle, but you could also use a vegetable oil bottle)
• Pencil
• Scissors
• 1 tennis ball can lid
• Red and white sand
• Funnel
• Black electrical tape
• One 4-ounce baby food jar
• 1 battery-powered votive
• Black permanent marker
• Permanent glue dots

Make It:

1. To create the lighthouse’s gallery ledge, center the opening of the empty bottle on the tennis ball can lid and trace. Cut a slit into the plastic and cut out the circle. Set this aside.
2. Use the funnel to pour alternating layers of red and white sand into the bottle. (You can measure out even stripes or just eyeball it.) Fill all the way to the top and seal the opening with electrical tape.
3. Wrap electrical tape around the threaded part of the baby food jar, and color the bottom of the outside of the jar with the black permanent marker. Slip the gallery ledge around the mouth of the bottle.
4. To create the lighthouse’s lantern room, stand a tea light on top of the bottle and cover it with the baby food jar. (My jar lid sat perfectly atop the bottle and tea light, but if you find yours is less steady, use glue dots to keep it in place.)

Of all camp crafts that exist, I think none are more universal than the lanyard…or gimp…or boondoggle…or scoubidou! It was the first craft that we included in the Camp Wannabee kit and the most essential to learn if you want to call yourself a true camper!

Check out this video to learn how to make it!

Summer camp memories are full of loud cheers, splashing in the lake, and, let’s not forget…s’mores! The love of s’mores is timeless…I love making them as much today as I did when I was a kid.

My daughter and I did a fun little DIY Instagram Live last night, showing friends how to make these happy little s’mores. Check it out!

And if you LOVE camp crafts as much as we do, head over to the Project Kid shop page and take a look at Camp Wannabee…it’s a crafty summer camp that comes home to you!

Here are the materials that you need to make your s’more:

1. Cut two cardboard squares, about 2 1/2 inches square. Cut one 2-by-2-inch cardboard square.
2. Use a pencil to poke holes on the top of one piece of cardboard to resemble graham crackers. Draw a line down the center. (If you want to make it into a hanging ornament, poke a hole up through the center of the “graham cracker” and make a little loop.)
3. Thread needle and knot the end. Stitch eyes and mouth onto felt (or other white fabric). To make the eyes, we made tiny asterisk shapes (*) and we did the backstitch to create the mouth.
4. Wrap white fabric around the pom-pom (or cotton balls), and glue it in the back.
5. Wrap brown thread or yarn around the small piece of cardboard to make the chocolate. If you don’t have brown thread or yarn, you can cover it with brown felt, or even just paint it brown.
6. Glue the chocolate to the bottom cardboard, then the marshmallow on top, and finally the top graham cracker.