Create a hands-on fall STEM activity with this stacking apples game using pretend apples and playdough. Here’s how to play.
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Stacking Apples STEM Game for Kids
Finding a storybook that shares STEM concepts in it can be such fun. One of our new favorite this fall is the book Ten Apples Up on Top! by Dr. Seuss our featured book of the week for the Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids!
It’s a perfect match to challenge your child’s thinking skills with our stacking apples game.
Grab your own copy of Ten Apples Up on Top! by Dr. Seuss
For additional Apple Themed Books Click Here
After reading this adorable story of three friends challenging each other to stack on more apples you instantly want to how many apples can you really stack on top of your head. You and I both know it’s nearly impossible to stack up 10 apples on your head but for kids who still believe in magic and have huge imaginations its’ quite possible, right?
So with the magic of a few materials, you can build your child’s imagination and creative thinking skills to make this Stacking Apples Game.
Materials:
Directions for Apple STEM Game
1. Read the story Ten Apples Up on Top! with your child.
2. Get out the pretend apples and allow your child time to play with them and see what they do. Before starting any new game with young children it can be helpful to give them time just to play before you begin to give them specific tasks that need to be completed.
3. After exploring the apples discuss with your child how it would be fun to stack the apples up on top just like in the storybook. Make a STEM Challenge! Ask your child how many they think they could stack on top of each other.
4. Create a tray area for them to explore the Apples STEM challenge. Give them the container of play dough and tell them they can use it if it will help them get 10 apples up on top, just like in the book. Better yet give them a container of numbers and challenge them to build up the matching amount to the number they pull out from the selection.
And then wait… see what they come up with on their own as they stack the apples.
I did this activity with both of my kids ages 5 and 10 who have different problem-solving skill sets. They both took the STEM challenge independently and then discovered quite quickly it’s easier to work together when it gets to the really high numbers.
5. As your child builds with the Playdough and Pretend Apples encourage them to try various ways to see which one performs the best when holding up the apples to their highest point. We were able to get to 10 apples but it took some patience and a few extra fingers to get up there. Just like in the story as the characters used their apple tree sticks to keep them up on top.
How tall did your child’s apple stack get?
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Apple Week
If you want to join in our Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids, read our featured book for the week (or any Apple book), try out any of the Apple themed activities shared on my blog
We’ll be featuring posts over in our VBC Facebook group as well. Can’t wait to see what you’re up to!
Apple Activity Ideas for Kids
- Apple Theme STEM Activity
- DIY Apple Game
- Apple Counting Game
- Apple Sight Word Game
- Apple Pie Recipe for Kids to Make
- Make Your Own Apple Orchard
- Apple Pie Pockets Recipe for Kids
- Apple Print Art Idea with Starry Night
- 75+ Apple Themed Preschool Activities
- Apple Orchard Virtual Field Trips
Click here to see more Ten Apples Up On Top Activities for Kids
GRAB A COPY of our book 100 Fun and Easy Learning Games for Kids!
Looking for more ideas like this STEM activity for kids? Try these…
There was me admiring your apples and how perfectly small they were when I read they were pretend. Off to get me some pretend apples!
Thank you for sharing this hands-on activity! I love how it correlates with a book to read-aloud with your child! It’s so important to give your child a few minutes to play independently with the materials before actualizing the activity–I have seen time and time again, how a child is much more interested in participating in the structured activity once he or she has had some time to play.